The pox is on both houses, not just one up north

Doug:
I really like Bob Ryan and all but this dumping on Red Sox fans is totally fallacious.

 

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Mike:
Yeah, Ryan's sports knowledge is so deep that he's probably forgotten more about baseball than I'll ever know, but his idea that only Red Sox fan behavior is boorish while all things Yankees fan related are gilded with sang froid is so absurd it's laughable.

 

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Doug:
Seriously, the notion of the noble Yankees fans is about as credible as the primitivist's myth of the North American Indians sitting around smoking peace pipes and getting all lovey dovey with nature.

 

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Mike:
Maybe it's time for Ryan to climb down from the self-centered prism of his lofty press box and actually sit among the great unwashed in The Stadium to get a healthy dose of realism.

 

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Doug:
Absolutely. Then he can discovah the irony implicit in his theory that Yankees fans have "othah things on their minds besides the Red Sox."

 

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Mike:
Yeah, those Yankees fans are just so classy.

 

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Comments

[louclinton]

I don't want more out of this series other than competitiveness. I would not want to endure another sweep.

Manny's shot yesterday was most timely. Maybe he was motivated by his brush with the highbrow in The New Yorker. More likely, he chomped on a Rogers Center corn dog for breakfast.

Here's hoping for the best.

lc

[Bob]

Actually, I thought Ryan's piece was fairly balanced. Except for one line: "For too many Red Sox fans, it's about some imagined grievance with both the Yankees and the city of New York."

Uh, Bob? Ever been sitting in The Toilet Bowl wearing a Sox hat? Ever been peed on, have food thrown at you, sworn at, taunted, touched with greasy-gell-hair hands?

The thing is, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I sincerely hope any Skankee fan sitting near me Saturday feels the same way.

[COD]

What search phrase does one input into Google to end up at that site?

[h.b.]

Interesting you see it as balanced, Bob.

I gave it another listen and remain unconvinced.

What is balanced about saying that Red Sox fans have ruined the rivalry?

He doesn't say Red Sox and Yankees fans but solely lays all the blame on the Red Sox fans.

But, I'll confess, I'm so tired in general of this nearly fanatical desire to see other cultures as "nicer, freer and more desirable than ours" that maybe I'm being unfair to Ryan today.

[jamesfrmmaine]

I find comfort in Manny's clutch shot as the final piece of the team is warmed up for the first real games of the year.

[Ghengis Ortiz]

That the Yankee fans are so presentable...that's hilarious. I can remember a game about 10 years ago, mid-summer, two busloads of New York's Finest from the Policeman's Benevolent Association were sitting in the right field corner, winging as much beer, food and abuse as legally permissible and nearly caused a riot. Give me a friggin' break. Bob's obviously covering the upcoming Al Sharpton Presidential Announcement.

[jamesfrmmaine]

"touched with greasy-gell-hair hands?"

LOL. With all respect to hb, sometimes the comments from the regulars are just as good as the strip itself.

[Bob]

Maybe I'm just in a nice mood, H.B. It's Friday.

By "balanced," I only mean that Ryan seems to be saying the rivalry is ratcheted out of proportion by the fans, not the players.

But then, as I noted above, he DOES basically say that it's the Red Sox fans fault.

Which of course is a load of bull. Red Sox and Skankee fans are equally rabid, nasty, and almost evil when we're playing each other.

Again, I'd have it no other way.

[h.b.]

I'll second that sentiment, jamesfrmmaine.

Sometimes the lines in the comments are better than anything in the strip.

I love that.

[h.b.]

Agree, totally with Ryan's notion that the fans have turned the rivalry up to 11 so to speak, but it is both sides doing it and not just Red Sox fans.

Personally, despite what I often put into the character's speeches, I don't much go for that really rabid side of the fandom.

I'd never, for instance, chant Yankees Suck and I find the whole Jeter Sucks, A-Rod Swallows stuff to be embarrassing and declasse.

But that's just me.

[louclinton]

//embarrassing and declasse//

Shit, I was going to switch that in for "surly, but lovable", but I guess that's off the table.

lc

[Natalie]

Ahhhh, it's good to be back! There were just way too many French youth sporting Yanks hats on the streets of Paris for my taste...

One of my earliest Sox-Yanks memories, being 8 years oldish in the nosebleeds of Yankee stadium, 1983 or so. Sox went ahead and this Sox fan three rows in front of us decided to vocally cheer, inciting the two meatheads to our right to leap across the aisles and proceed to beat the shit out of him. Flash forward 15 years to a game in Fenway where some lovely gentlemen Sox fans in front of us heckled the Yanks right fielder with so much truly obscene profanity my mother threatened to wait for us in the car. I have no discernable point other than that there is plenty of douchbaggery to go 'round, especially if you focus on the outliers of any situation. I love the suggestion that the press whores should sit in regular seats. There are some great obstructed view ones I could recommend :)

lc- is Geffner going tonight? I am driving back from a work event in NJ around 4pm, so I'll likely be hitting the Mass Pike right around first pitch. I need to know whether I'd be better off with XM or EEI (or is XM just EEI made satellite?)

[Bob]

Agree, H.B. I also never do the Yankees Suck chant. It's so much more fun to discombobulate Skank fans with something halfway witty or clever. Only one out of every 100 of them even get a good jibe. Jason O. would, but my bet is he isn't 300 pounds, and doesn't wear fake gold necklaces, use copious amounts of hair product, and live in a basement with a closet full of satin jackets.

[NolaSox]

I saw the Lil Beyotch Posada with Papi and Wally "This is Sports Center" ad last night and cringed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espntv/espnShow?showID=SRDA

[louclinton]

nat- wb

My guess is that we will have a dose of Mr. Obie tonight, since the MLS game was on ESPN last night (BVG calls those games). I don't think Geffner's got enough in him to handle 4 games in a row. I too have XM and my impression is that they do the home feed for most games, so you will get EEI.

Un alternativa mejor, especialmente si Geffner está encendido sería la difusión española de la lengua en XM. Soy seguro harán que los españoles inviten también. Rocas XM. Puede ser que no lo entiendas absolutamente también, pero por lo menos no tendrás que escuchar el intento de Joe para estar de luto la pérdida de Trup entre las echadas.

lc

ps h.b. the site is loading really slowly the last few days, at least for me.

[COD]

//the site is loading really slowly the last few days, at least for me.//

Me too.

[Jason O.]

To begin, louclinton molests collies.

(Had to return to a state of normalcy there, you'll understand)

No Satin Jackets,
Not 300 lbs.

But my hair is perfect.

-Apologies to Warren Zevon

[Rooster]

I'll be at the game tonight - Can't wait!

I was also turned of by Ryan's piece - what is he thinking? Sounds like there can't be a rivalry if the players don't actually hate each other? Did he miss that little scuffle between 'Tek and A-Rod?

One more thing - I have nothing against Pedrioa, but is anyone else wondering why Alex Cora is not the starting second baseman? He reminds of of Troy Brown from a few years back - he was a low profile player who somehow always seemed to make key, solid plays to make a difference in a game.

[Bob]

//ps h.b. the site is loading really slowly the last few days, at least for me.//

Ditto, LC. VERY slowly. Even going to Mozilla doesn't help.

[Bob]

Totally off any relevant topic, but you have to check this site out. Don't just look at the disturbingly funny logos. Read the copy. It's very H.B.-ish.

http://suicidefood.blogspot.com/

[jdog71]

"Agree, totally with Ryan's notion that the fans have turned the rivalry up to 11 so to speak, but it is both sides doing it and not just Red Sox fans. "

HB, the fans have definitely helped the rivalry stuff (1918 chant, anyone? yeah, those angelic Yankee fans have a spotless record), but what about the media's (thus Ryan's) yearly "RIVALRY" (flashing red letters) frenzy? I'd be willing to bet that the team owners, MLB, NESN and YES have made more money on this 'rivalry' than the gross national product of most small nationas. Ryan is a hypocrite for playing the anti-Sox fan card on this one. Teach a man to fish, and he'll hate the Yankees for the rest of his life...or something.

[birthofasoxfan97]

I offer this as a totally biased and unscientific proof point: There's a really sweet boy who comes knocking on our door looking for my 9 year old daughter to come out and scooter with him. He tried (failed, but its the thought...) to get her a signed sox ball at the rangers game. There are two little hellacious feral twins that live down the street from us and they verbally assault everyone in sight, build fires in the drainage ditch, etc. Their father wears a Yankees hat.

[Aaron]

Playing the Wanks 15 games into the season is ridiculous. MLB should have something written into its bylaws that games against the Empire cannot commence until July at the earliest. Or better yet, just schedule all 19 head-to-head matches for September.

Then again, maybe that's not such a hot idea, since it would just ratchet up tension in the respective fanbases that much higher.

[Jenn]

True story: Last year I was at Yankee Stadium for a Red Sox/Yankee game wearing my sox gear (hat, sweatshirt). Taunts going back and forth no problem. On the way out of the parking garage, every other car of course. Learn this in kindergarten. But one New Yorker can't do that. I said, "Why do you have to be a pr*ck?" He says and I quote "Watch your language, I have kids in the car, a**hole!"

[Kaz]

Ditto on the slow loading the past 3 or so days. Last night around 10 or 11, I couldn't even get in. I think it's blogads, but I could be wrong.

Sox by 4 tonight.

[h.b.]

re slow loading.

This was occurring last week too for me and it seemed related to BlogAds, i.e., I was seeing that in my status bar as holding things up.

However, just when I sat down last Sunday to try and fix it, the problem seemed resolved.

I've been noticing the slowness again the past couple days just like the rest of you, but I'm not seeing any evidence that this is a BlogAds issue but instead seems to be a TypePad issue.

I've very little control of the latter unfortunately.

But if any of you have additional info or ideas on the slowness, let me know.

[Jason O.]

I can only add that it's fucking great being a Yankees fan in downtown Boston.

The mood in 2003 after Boone contrasted with 2004...The evil looks (women are the worst, BTW) when I wear my hat...I love the Yankees Suck chant, BTW people thrive via real (and even, in this case, symbolic) competition.

Today is an affirmation day for the above...brilliant sun, light traffic on the reverse commute, good news at work when I arrived and 38 Red Lights vs. the Lefty.

6 days of April rainstorms washed away by two teams on a field. Nothing to do but breathe it in. And smoke strong cigars. I haven't had Oban in a while, but this comment board might cause me to purchase a bottle.

[vermonter]

Agreed, Jason. It's 70 degrees and the sun is out for the first time in 7 months. Sox/Stanx, little league practice outside tomorrow, golfing all weekend...Oban and strong cigars completes it...

Life is good...I'm giddy.

[SinKC]

It's not just this site (for me, at least).

It's the whole 'Net.

Guess I never should have clicked on that link from weregonnaloadmalwareonyourharddrive.com...

[vermonter]

Oh...one more thing: the first pitch to A-Broad tonight should fly just under his chin, THEN I'd be truly happy.

[h.b.]

I've removed what I believe was the BlogAds related problem from the individual archive pages, i.e, the page where it's the strip and comments.

For comparison, see if the there is any difference in page load speed between the site index (www.soxaholix.com) and when you click on "permalink" or "comments" and then get the individual archive page.

If there is a diff, then we've found the issue and I'll fix the rest of the page types later.

[Kaz]

Yes, h.b. The individual strip archive pages (like /tp/2007/04/the_pox...html) loads much faster right now than the home page/site index.

The site index still seems to hang somewhere around the proxy.blogads.com connection.

I think you've found your problem.

(Yes, I was using a full refresh and not just using a cached page)

[Bob]

Fast as a speeding bullet now, H.B.

[Harwich Rich]

Houston-I think we found the problem :)

[h.b.]

Excellent news.

I just fixed the main index page as well, so now most things are covered.

I'll fix the less trafficked pages like archive index, about, etc over the weekend.

[louclinton]

Jason, keep smiling.

Now you've pissed off collies. Also, Lisa IM'd me and she is now Scarred For Life™ by your comment and the overweening jealously it prompted.

In any event, may one of the two teams win. This is what we wait for during the execrable off-season.

Yours in Christ,

lc

--loading at mach speed

[Aaron]

Well, thank Jeebus the page load problem has apparently been diagnosed. I was starting to worry that we might have to call Ted Stevens to get advice on teh internets tubes.

[Bob]

Jason, is it wrong to have made sweet love to a Lassie stand-in, on the set of a TV movie?

Is it???

[Natalie]

lc- I think I understood your Spanish post with what's left of my high school fluency (damn, it's depressing to contemplate that just 10 years ago I could read Don Quixote in the original and now I am struggling to translate echadas). But what's funny is that I absolutely considered listening to the game in Spanish language this morning (great minds and all that). How bad do things have to be at EEI that rapid fans are taking their chances with high school Spanish NOT to listen to the EEI duo?

Oh, and y'all can thank me anytime for bringing the weather back with me. It was 75 degrees and sunny every day in Paris, Amsterdam and Prague. Coincidence that the day I return the same weather hits the East Coast? I think not! I am clearly heaven's angel (or at least Al Roker's ;)

[Natalie]

Okay, I meant rabid fans, but rapid works in my case, given how fast I'll be driving to catch the majority of the game on the TV...

[monty in CA]

Cleve. Shoulda IBB Slappy. I would rather make Giambi beat me than the hottest hitter in baseball right now.
Happy 4/20!
Bring it Skankees!

[Sonoma Sox]

Hey - it's been 70 and sunny out here for the last 900 months. No earthquakes either. Guess that's why I left the black bear state.

But days like these tear at my soul & I wish I could be back in the area.

The "douchbaggery" of the fans carries cross country. At Sox/A's games you'll get a bus load of MFY asshats showing up just to be...a bunch of asshats. The one A's/Yank game I went to was devoid of similar Sox douchbags. How's that for science Mr. Ryan.

BTW - HB: I think Mike needs a new phone

[yazbread]

Natalie,

Are you an adventurous traveler? Did you check out the hash houses in Amsterdam? I think one needs to be rather Margaret Mead-like in their travels.

[SinKC]

Well, this site's speeded up at least. Guess I'll go check my email account now.

Got a lot to catch up on: After I verify my credit card and banking information (so nice to have that many people looking out for me), there's a guy in Nigeria who has this sweet business deal lined out.

[Natalie]

yb- no hash houses for us, the Amsterdam visit was a function of a 4 hour layover, so we literally just cruised the streets soaking it all in for an hour and a half before hopping the train back to the airport. But I'm pretty sure I got a contact high! The most adventurous I got by those standards was at lot of Krusovice beer in Prague at lunchtime... Next time!

[Harwich Rich]

SinKC-See if your Nigerian friend will swap even up for a bottle of wine :)

[Sean O]

Snagged a single from redsox.com last night, so I'll be there. Unlike the Sox / Yanks game i saw at Mordor last year, I'll be wearing my Sox gear. But unlike the home fans at last year's game, I won't personally threaten, insult, or pelt Yankees fans around me.

Thank god I went incognito, because I wouldn't have wanted to go alone there last year. It was seriously frightening.

[Scott]

Can't wait. Leaving work early 4pm MST to get a good seat at the bar...

[SinKC]

Rich:

There's a thought. Just hope the former Oil Minister, or Prince Whowhatever's second cousin, or the Prime Minister's valet's ex-insurance salesman, doesn't notice the syringe marks in the cork.

Then I'll sell him the antidote.

For a small fee, of course.

Oh, and then there's the processing cost. So sorry, hadn't foreseen that.

Oh, and one more bribe to the shipping company. Shouldn't be much longer, really ...

[Bob]

You know, as such horrible fans, we really should be ratcheting up the tension. Here's a pic of A-Fraud running to first in 2004:

http://www.dunwich.org/tv/bewitche/claral.jpg