This season, though, a strange thing happened to me. I've finally found myself seriously rooting for the Red Sox and actually caring about the outcome of the game. I actually want them to win for once. Being a Cubs fan, I've always been jealous of the Red Sox and the team's success. But I've finally realized that the Cubs really do stink - and I've been able to appreciate the talent of the Red Sox.
When the Sox are down a few runs, I expect them to mount a comeback and win the game, and they do. When the Sox are winning in the 9th inning, I expect the bullpen to save the game, and they do. My feelings for the Cubs are exactly the opposite. When they're down a few runs, I expect them to lose, and they do. When the Cubs are winning late in the game, I expect the bullpen to blow the game, and they do. Its just no fun rooting for the Cubs. I'm tired of it. However, I still won't give up on them - there's still a little bit of optimism left that they'll get it together and put together a winning season.
It all came together for me this past Friday. I was out at the People's Republik with my buddy watching the Sox / Yankees game. When the Sox put up 5 runs on Rivera in the bottom of the 8th, I think I was one of the loudest people cheering in the bar. My buddy told me that he'd never heard me cheer that loudly for the Red Sox. It feels great to cheer for a great team. Plus, tonight - seeing back to back to back to back home runs solidified my Red Sox fandom.
The other thing that finally hooked me was actually listening to Remy and Orsillo call a game on NESN. They're a great duo up in the booth. (As good as they are, I still miss watching the Cubs on WGN listening to Steve Stone and Harry Caray calling a game.) It was the pizza incident last Monday that made me realize just how great Remy and Orsillo are. I know its last week's news, and its already been blogged over at Deadspin, but I absolutely love the play-by-play of the April 16th pizza incident. Every time I watch this clip, I still find myself laughing out loud. Its stuff like this that's really pulling me into Red Sox Nation.So, Red Sox Nation, do you have room for one more fan? Please? I think I'm hooked.
P.S. - I love Fenway, but Wrigley is still better.
3 comments:
Ah, but be careful. I too was a recent convert to Red Sox Nation. (I converted in 2001.) I grew up a lifelong Minnesota fan and after that horrible run during the mid-to-late nineties, I nearly gave up on the Twins and, having moved to Boston, picked up the Sox as my new team. I cried in 2003 and cheered wildly in 2004. Minnesota was all but forgotten.
But then last season grad school moved me back to the midwest and the Twins came to Detroit more often than the Sox did. And to top it off, the Twins were playing really well and wound up taking the division from the Tigers on the last day of the series. You never forget your first love, and I begged the Twins to take me back, regretting the time spent away as my family declared that I was no longer a true Minnesota fan.
So be careful what you wish for... Red Sox Nation will be glad to take you, but if the Cubs ever turn things around, you may wish hadn't turned your back on them.
(PS - Found you off of Universal Hub.)
I'm not 100% ready to give up on the Cubs just yet. I still check up on their scores and happenings every day. I've just been disappointed year after year after year. I'm sure if they somehow manage to make it out of the gutter this season, I'll be right back there to root them on.
I've been in Boston for over 10 years now, and I think I'm just ready to give my rooting energy to the Red Sox. Something has finally clicked for me this season - its such a pleasure to watch a team that's got it together and doesn't generally disappoint. I love baseball, and I just want to root for someone.
In any case, my grandma is an official Die-Hard Cubs Fan. So, by virtue of the family tree, I have to pull for the Cubs no matter what. As much as I want to give up on them, my genetic code forbids me from doing so. Such is life.
And yeah - Universal Hub is a great Boston blog aggregator - they do a great job over there.
Of course there's room in Red Sox Nation! Seriously, though, things weren't always so rosy. I remember the days of Jose Offerman (nicknamed "Awfulman" by me) and poor old Darrin Lewis whose batting skills were far less impressive than Pokey Reese's. By my rules, you can be a fan of both the Cubs and The Red Sox (unless they wind up in the playoffs, playing one another). I have a national league team (Phillies) that I root for regularly. I still don't understand the recent make believe sub-rivalry the media has tried to create between the Red Sox and the Phillies. So, yeah, keep a team in each league. That's my advice.
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