I watched at least part of all three Red Sox/Yankees games this weekend. And for the first time, I realized exactly why it's a sportswriters buffet whenever the two teams meet. You don't need to hype the game. It's existence alone is enough hype to put two of the three games on national television.
It's one of the few rivalries where people outside the home cities (Boston and NY) actually want to see who comes out on top. It's just too easy. Say "Red Sox, Ya.." and before you can finish saying Yankees, the tickets are sold out and there's someone on Yawkey way trying to buy one at the last minunte, while EBAY has them going at a thousand bucks a pop.
I also realized how much journalism can change how you look at things. I planned on actually watching the Sunday Night's game (the whole thing, not two innings), but until the end of the game, the potential sweep of the Yankees was just something that might happen. The gravity of it - for a Red Sox fan - didn't strike me until Jonathan Papelbon was finished blowing away the top of the Yankees order to close the ninth.
Then I was psyched.
It's hard to dance in between fan and objective reporter, even when you don't have to. The only time I've completely let go and cheered to a maniac was during the Patriots' playoff run this past winter (I'm more of a Pats fan than a Red Sox one).
I accidentally cheered for the UMass hockey team early in the season - sometime in October. It was pretty embarassing. I hadn't even been to many hockey games before that. It was just habit for me to root for the home team. But since then, I've been leaning far the other way, holding back even when it wasn't necessary. And I've been trying to break myself of the typical sports fan habit of saying "we" instead of "they" when referring to teams we like.
I say we won the Super Bowl, meaning the Patriots. But now, UMass went to the NCAA Regional Championship in hockey. I had nothing to do with it.
That's true, but the latter is not as fun to say. At least not til you see it in print the next day.
I thought I had this whole subjectivity-objectivity thing worked out. But then the Red Sox swept the Yankees at home for the first time in 17 years, and I almost missed how cool it was. I had pulled myself too far in the opposite direction.
And somehow, it took the Red Sox sweeping the Yankees to make me realize it.
10 comments:
I can't imagine how hard it is to stay objective. Besides rooting for my favorite two teams (the Mets and the NY Rangers), whenever I watch a game with two other teams I always pick a side that I want to root for when the game starts. It just sort of happens naturally for me. It must take a lot of strength for you to keep yourself from doing that.
I was reading this post earlier, too, and I have to say that I've never really contemplated the life of a sports' writer. Obviously you have a passion for sports, but in that passion lies that whole favortism thing. But that's what makes watching sports fun, right? We're not good enough to be out there, but we can admire and cheer on those that are. Oh, objectivity-- such a sweet gift, you possess.
ps- Do you find yourself objective in more things outside of the paper now? Just curious...
Sadly I find it hard to even root for teams anymore, but just players that assist me in fantasy leagues. This certainly is a problem when I have Yankees on my team and they're playing against the Red Sox, my reluctantly favorite "team".
That said, it should be intriguing to see how objective I can stay when reporting at poker tournaments this summer. I don't really "root" for any players, but will have to keep my mouth shut on how terrible some hands are played.
Man, am I glad that I'm not a sportswriter! I think that rooting for a team and feeling a sense of brotherhood with others who share your favorites is one of the most compelling reasons to be interested in sports. I was at the Hanger on Friday night watching the second half of the game, and I found myself cheering with drunks I had never met before, all because we were so psyched about the come-from-behind win. Then we played "Tessie" on the jukebox, and it was awesome.
I'm sorry that you lost touch of it for a while there, but I hope you won't forget it again :-D
I've never been accused of being a rabid sports fan, but I've been known to cheer when the spirit moves me. And I have to say, there is something absolutely magical about how competitive sports can suck people in and make them care. From Olympic curling to professional golf to Formula 1 racing, if I watch long enough (often with someone familiar with the sport), I get totally drawn in.
The same was true with the Red Sox. Being from Oregon, I had never really given a crap about baseball (or football, really). We're basketball people in Oregon. My family at least. We love our Blazers, and it's hard to get excited about the SeaSquawks or the Mariners 500 miles away. But from the moment I moved to Mass, Red Sox fever seemed everywhere. That was the year they won the World Series, and I watched every game of the last two series. No small feat from a girl who doesn't know the rules and is used to watching sports on West Coast time. Those games run LATE.
Do you feel that you are really objective inside when discussing a team you like, or you do just portray it outside in order to do your job well? I am not criticizing that approach; I know the things one must do for one's job. I am just curious how writing has changed your enjoyment of sports. You touch on that a bit, making me wonder more about the extent of your feelings.
Objectivism is overrated. Next time the Red Sox play the Yankees (next week), just write, "The glorious, valiant Red Sox go to the Bronx for a rematch with the bitter, loathsome Yankees, who will no doubt bitch and moan once again as they pathetically lose against the superior Boston team, only to console themselves later in the showers with a five-hour circle jerk."
Last year I sold Sox-Yankees tickets for $1400, and you know what...I had to think about it at first, I mean this was sox-yanks, Damon's 1st series back at fenway, but in the end, I figured since johnny didn't care i might as well take the money route myself
Hahaha, ohhh the bitterness Kevin. I think that you just didn't want to have to see him in person with his new 'do.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-oldmike26apr26,0,2709943.story?coll=la-home-headlines
This article made me think of our group conversation on Tuesday. Curious what you think.
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