Frankly, haters, we don't give a damn

Mike:
Bob Ryan says the Trop is going to be "filled" tomorrow night.

 

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Doug:
Yeah, but what he doesn't say is how many will actually be rooting for the Red Sox?

 

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Mike:
Hey, haven't you heard — Everybody hates the Boston now. We win too much.

 

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Doug:
I don't have a problem with that. Hate on, pwned people.

 

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Mike:
Seriously. I find that the more I'm hated the happier I am.

 

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Doug:
Think about it. Since 2001 our teams have won 6 world championships. What's not to hate?

 

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Mike:
Absolutely. If right now you're from some dime a dozen city of sports neerdowells and you don't hate the Red Sox, the Pats, and the Celts, then you bettah check your pulse to see if you're still alive?

 

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Mike:
And the thing people can't really understand until they are the ones stockpiling the bling (as unlikely as that may be) is just how amusing it is to hear how insufferable we Boston fans are for 1) enjoying the taste of victory and 2) wanting even more victory and 3) getting annoyed when we are denied even more victory.

 

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Doug:
Fuck yeah. I'd rathah a billion people hate us for being winnahs than 1 person pity us for being on the wrong end of "a little rollah"

 

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Mike:
As God is my witness, I'll nevah be pitied again.

 

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Comments

[Bob]

The Penalty of Leadership.

In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work. In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward and the punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. When a man’s work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. If his work be merely mediocre, he will be left severely alone - if he achieve a masterpiece, it will set a million tongues a-wagging. Jealousy does not protrude its forked tongue at the artist who produces a commonplace painting. Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass or to slander you, unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done, those who are disappointed or envious continue to cry out that it cannot be done. Spiteful little voices in the domain of art were raised against our own Whistler as a mountebank, long after the big world had acclaimed him its greatest genius. Multitudes flocked to worship at the shrine of Wagner, while the little group of those whom he had dethroned and displaced argued angrily that he was no musician at all. The little world continued to protest that Fulton could not build a steamboat, while the big world flocked to the river to see his boat steam by. The leader is assailed because he is the leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or to excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy - but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as the human passions - envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. And it all avails nothing. If the leader truly leads, he remains - the leader. Master-poet, master-painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live - lives.

By Theodore F. MacManus

[Harwich Rich]

WOW Bob,you're deep :)

[Bob]

No, I'm long and thick. :))

(Not really. The half Irish part kills me.)

[Colin]

Bob:

tl;dr

:3 (I know that smiley is stupid but I had to)

I wonder if Sox fans need to come up with something to counter those insufferable cowbells and horns that have plagued Boston and so many other teams at that accursed dome?

[Bob]

Colin, I thought I clarified that I'm NOT too long.

Oh, you mean the comment.

Fair enough.

It's actually the copy from an old Cadillac ad, BTW.

[COD]

We have life size puppets of the players in the stands. What more could we need?

BTW - if you are so inclined during the games this weekend hit this link.

It will bring you to Soxaholix and drop you into a chat room where there may be enough of us regulars from the comments to actually carry on a conversation about the game. No registration or downloads or anything else required.

[RationalSoxFan]

Can't everyone just love us for being Bruins fans?

lol!

[louclinton]

That McManus guy sure doesn't get the haiku very good does he?

hey, Ted, lighten up a little, huh? we are stupid fan bois and gurlz. The only think we are supplanting is our fat asses on the couch to watch Your Boston Red Sox.

In re: envy, that's a state out there with gambling and mormons oh wait, thats NV but nevermind I mean would you rather be in Seattle where the M's suck and they lost a BB team to Oklahoma City (thoughts and prayers) of all things and that guy who used to coach Bret Favre is likely to have an aneurysm if the Hawkz continuing to sink slowly in the west which reminds me Mt. Hood is cooler than Mr. Ranier and easier to get to, not that I'm going there, since I'd rather be here in the home of champions, which, in case you forgot it wasn't always and also the patriots should have won last year, which still stings and notice I didn't mention that phony Palin once.

lc

(proudly paying taxes and palling around with terrorists since 1965)

[Jeff in NC]

Being hated for cheering on the champs is fine by me.

I'm good with all the "fans" that the underdogs get - remeber all the White Sox hats everywhere a few years ago? and the Rays deserve it, since their hometown couldn't put together a little league bleacher's worth of fans until late this year - all a bunch of their version of pink hatters, it goes with the territory of winning.

I just hope we, as Redsox fans, don't become the Boston version of Yankees fans - aka, assholes. There's rooting for and cheering on, and then there's yankee fan behaviour.

My simple answer to all the haters that are now rooting against the Sox - "All your team has to do to win the championship is play better - none of your bellyaching about my team is going to change a fucking thing". damn, now I'm thinking about Lackey again.. he really managed to shit in my punchbowl of series winning glee and happiness

[yazbread]

Is it a requirement that the team dig a 0-3 or 1-3 hole before winning the ACLS?

[Jeff in NC]

yaz, I was thinking the same yesterday "0-3 start - we'd have em right where we want em!" kind of a ALCS/Dice-K synnergy thing going on where there's no focus until the moment the brown turtlehead is peeping out, and then the teeth are grinding, the will and effort to avoid a shitfest become phenomenal..

[COD]

Anytime I mention I am a Patriots fan I do sort of feel the need to qualify it with, "and I've been a Pats fan since Plunkett was their QB." Because if you are a Patriots outside of New England and don't possess the appropriate accent, people assume you are a bandwagon fan. The Red Sox have a longer history of a dedicated fan base, I don't get that same attitude from others when talking baseball.

[Rob in CT]

Um, sorry to hang this out there, people, but I couldn't help but think of the above discussion coming out of the voice bubbles of Vinnie and Tony up in the Bronx, replete with their NY hats and blingy neck chains.

Isn't this just a bit what we all railed against for the years pre-2004? "Pride before the fall" and all that? Just sayin'...

[Billy Mahty]

AND THE THING PEOPLE CAN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND UNTIL THEY ARE THE ONES STOCKPILING THE BLING (AS UNLIKELY AS THAT MAY BE) IS JUST HOW AMUSING IT IS TO HEAR HOW INSUFFERABLE WE BOSTON FANS ARE FOR 1) ENJOYING THE TASTE OF VICTORY AND 2) WANTING EVEN MORE VICTORY AND 3) GETTING ANNOYED WHEN WE ARE DENIED EVEN MORE VICTORY.

You (characters) have become what you hate.

[h.b]

//Pride before the fall?//

I don't think so, at least as far as the characters are concerned today.

They are just responding to being hated and making the point that such hate is 1) amusing and 2) any "lovable loser fan" (cf. Cubs fan) would trade places in a heartbeat.

They are not exhibiting the pride that would suggest they expect to beat the Rays. Only that others are hoping they don't.

[Scott]

It's funny that when the Yanks, Niners, Cowboys and Steelers were winning many, many championships there was none of this media driven hate. Now the Pats win a couple and the Sox win a couple and they can't let us enjoy it just a little. Wait til the Sox have won as many as the Yankees and the Pats have won as many as the Niners before you bring the hate.

Who does everyone like in the NLCS?

[h.b]

//You (characters) have become what you hate.//

That statement suggests 3 things:

1) Being naive to how the characters spoke when the site launched in 2004 when they first uttered the phrase "Our resplendence is real, is never silent and has no bitch." That is they have always been full of bravado and cocksure attitude.

2) Misunderstanding what Red Sox were "before" and consequently mistaking who we are now. You have no idea of either as an outsider.

3) Misunderstanding the core gestalt of why we dislike the Yankees.

[Jeff in NC]

I don't like the Dodgers but think they'll take it. Can't decide if they are like the 04 Sox or the 07 Rockies - they're hot, but can they actually beat a good team.

The Phillies feel like just another NL team - good, but not good enough. I hope I'm dead wrong. I like Torre getting there, but hate Manny making it after kicking me in the nuts.

[Colin]

They think New England teams are snooty and elitist, like Obama's haters think of him.

They want Joe Six-Pack teams like the Steelers or the Cowboys or the Bulls or up and comers like the Rays. Screw them I say. May the best team win.

[Rob in CT]

I hear you, h.b. Perhaps I was outside the 3rd base line with the "Pride" comment. Still, I found myself with this uncomfortable visceral response to the conversation and how easy it was to see a couple of mopes in pinstripes having the same talk. Doesn't sit right.

That said, I wouldn't trade places with the lovable losers from Chicago's North Side for anything. Love me some Red Sox/Patriots/ Celts. (Sorry Bruins, I'm still a Hartford Whalers fan. Maybe that's helping me keep in touch with my inner loser.)

[Colin]

Rob:

Being a 24-year-old born and raised in West Hartford, I still cry myself to sleep mourning my beloved Whalers.

[Billy Mahty]

Haha, yeah, whatev.

[Jeff in NC]

Having a slow day here.. obviously.

Resplendance is a wonderful thing.

One way to describe the difference between Yankees and their fans and us is that they do not respect anyone - the fans don't even respect their own players - they seem to think all other teams should disappear and the Yanks should be given a trophy each year simply becuase they exist. I, however, do respect other teams and their fans for rooting them on (except MFY related folks, of course). BUT... while my team is the top dog in the kennel (and they still are! until beaten down), I will borrow from Eric Cartman when speaking to others about my team.. "You Will Respect My Uhthorit-I"

[SoCalBoSoxFan]

Living here in Angel country I hear a lot of people say Red Sox fans have become exactly like MFY fans. I don't see it. All I have seen are a bunch of fun loving people cheering on the team they love just like they always have. Now that that team has become a winner people are calling us obnoxious. The same people called us amusing before 2004.

I went to game 1 of the ALDS and saw a few people wearing "I HATE THE BOSTON RED SOX" shirts. I would love to have a shirt that quoted Doug, "Hate on, pwned people".

I guess you don't call it a link if you have to cut & paste. But here's a picture of me and my 18 year old son outside Anaheim Stadium. It was so hot I decided to wear my Yaz tee shirt instead of my jersey.

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=laastaffevents&tcount=79&scount=10&gallery_id=1294581&image_id=9

[h.b]

Rob, your point is still a good one. The homerism on the meta level between hardcore fans isn't all that diff between Red Sox fans and other fans be they Yankees fans or Man U fans or Cowboys fans etc.

But I think you could say that about any number of strips over the past 5 seasons just as well as today.

[Rob in CT]

SoCal - Nice pic! You can put me down for one of those t-shirts too, h.b. That's pretty funny - in spite of my above-noted reservations about today's strip.

Colin - You still living amongst the high and mighties in WH? I live East of the River with the common man.

[Colin]

Rob - No. WH has become vastly different from what I remembered as a kid. I've been living in Boston since 2003 and of course have came back/lived back home but it's changed so much with Blue Back Square and just the massive haul of interested people and new stores. I like it but then I don't like it. Highest growing Asian population though in Hartford County which makes me :).

Ah yes East Hartford, where Rentschler glows whenever UCONN graces its presence. I never thought East Hartford was bad...I mean, it's not Waterbury, Willimantic, or Frog Hollow *shudders*.

I still love Hartford's slogan, "New England's Rising Star." I'd say since the mid-90s it's been "New England's C- Student."

[Rob in CT]

Colin - Heaven forbid you think of me as an East Hartfordite. Actually, I live in Manchester, City of Village Charm, er Mall-rat Charm. I know what you're saying about WH. I worked on N. Main St. just above town center for several years. Lots of changes since the mid-90's when I was there. You'll be pleased to know the cougars still prowl Grant's. Or so I hear.

Rentschler is a fun time. Esp. with UCONN CFB playing so well these past couple seasons. Saw The Boss in concert there.

H.B., I agree with you about the strips. It just never quite struck me like that before today. Is Epiphany related to Mystique and Aura? I'm never sure, but in the right light they do look a bit alike.

[Kaz]

The thing I hate about the haters is the hypocrisy. The Pats go out last year and devastate the rest of the league until they lose it right at the very end against the Giants who they beat a few times already that season. Everyone loves the Giants and hates us for being Pats fans on that one. Meanwhile, the Red Sox go up against the 100-win Angels who basically did the equivalent of what the Pats did. This time the Red Sox take the role of the Giants by up-ending the big season winner...and everyone hates us for being Red Sox fans and having beaten "the better team" by whatever justification they come up with (luck, etc).

We're hated when we're Goliath and we're hated when we're David. We're hated when we're one of the highest payrolls. This year, I didn't hear a lot of hate reserved for the Tigers who spent $5M more than us...oh, but we're still hated. You can't change the irrationality that justifies why the rest of the sporting world wants to hate on us, so you just have to roll with it.

Hate on, pwned puppies.

[yazbread]

Hub of the Universe.
Athens of the New World.
Titletown.

Just deal with it.

[vasoxfan]

I really wish we had a strength of schedule metric to use on the haters who claim the halos were the better team. They played at least 57 games against team with sub 500 records. Everyone in our division except for baltimore played above 500. so we played ~80 games in our division against teams over 500. So go figure. We only finished 5 games behind them in a string division. Go figure.

[Monty in CA]

Its all cyclical. Most sports teams that have been around for a while will eventually have a period when they are winners (not necessarily champions). The Raiders suck now but have had their share. Same w/ 49ers.Last coupla years Cubs have been good (but not champs). Indians were really good in '95-'99 but couldnt go the distance.
Boston has just had the stars align like no other time in sports history.
Screw the haters, im enjoying this while it lasts, cuz in 10-15 years we may look back and long for the good old days of winning and Cubs fans may be onto their 3rd or 4th in a row (yeah right).
Put me down for a haters shirt.

[Bob]

Timlin in, Velazquez out (of the ALCS).

[yazbread]

>Timlin in

The Last Hurrah?

[buckner was framed]

Good for Timlin- he deserves it, and neither one of them was going to see any meaningful innings anyway, so that's a roster wash.

While we're ordering T-shirts, put me down for a "As God is my witness, I'll nevah be pitied again."

[ettubloge]

Anyone watch Manny in the 1st? He crushes a pitch and admires it. Then instead of busting it to 3rd, he jogs to second. The next pitch or so is wild. So instead of being home with a run he is left stranded on 3rd. I know, I know--- there is no way to know if the WP would have happened. just love to see the woulda-coulda beens with Manny. Enjoy him LA! He giveths and then takeths.

[Jeff in NC]

Papi Pwned gives me a chuckle, but I think is lost in the verbal. And between the TBS Joker in the LCS and Joe Fuck and Quim McCarver in the WS, it'll get ruined.

the Big Papi Slap (see Big Papi def #5 at urbandictionary.com - best not to have drink in your mouth when reading as it gets all over the monitor)