Just got back in from watching the Red Sox-Yankees game. I sat in a bar with cats from the department watching the Sox mollywop the Yankees, and it felt good. It was a moment that brought people of divergent backgrounds together in one place, sharing something so strong that it can never be broken.
That something is a severe distaste for the New York Yankees. God bless hatred…it’s the scotch tape that holds this tattered world together.
Sure, hatred has also brought on lots of atrocities, but this is that fun kind of hate.
Actually, fun ain’t the word. Hating the Yankees isn’t a game.
And this isn’t “playa” hating. Since that term has become universally accepted, people mistakenly think that hating someone implies jealousy. No, I just hate those jokers, and that’s that. In the immortal words of Common, “if I don’t like, I don’t like it, that don’t mean that I’m hating.”
I’m not hating. I just hate ’em.
It has nothing to do with Steinbrenner spending all that money. It has nothing to do with the pennants. It has a lot to do with them beating the Braves in the ’96 World Series, but it’s got more to do with those Yankees fans.
You know, the ones that will have you think that the mid-to-late-eighties never happened, when they could barely beat a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.
But it’s the ones that know so little about baseball, but they’ll be quick to tell you why your favorite team is terrible.
Actually, it has little to do with baseball. It’s got a lot more to do with New York. I’m too damn Southern to be caught supporting the Yankees. I won’t even be caught with a Pepsi in my hand, so I have no idea how someone thinks I’ll be down with the Yankees. We used to make cats take their Yankees caps off when they came to the room in college.
No love for the empire, jack. And now they’ve lost. This is proof that God don’t like ugly. Good riddance, jack. Good riddance.
And yes, I know that saying this simply means they’ll win 140 games next season after Steinbrenner trades Bernie Williams, Kevin Brown, and the ghost of Lou Gehrig for Barry Bonds, Satchel Paige, and a player to be named later. The devil, from what I hear, looks at ugly differently than us good folks.
Anyway, back to the original point…it was so strange to see how a distaste for the Yankees brought people together. Even stranger was how passionately people were rooting for the Red Sox, even though I live almost a thousand miles from Boston. Sports can be so divisive, so the best move is to stay away from people that root against you. That’s how fist fights get started. Stick with folks on your side…especially in a bar. I saw cats ready to fight over the Super Bowl in January, and I was watching that game in London.
Yeah, the London in England. Yeah, the England in Europe.
Sports are tricky like that. I don’t watch debates, but I don’t miss playoff baseball games for anything. Misguided priorities? Possibly. Most of us have something utterly stupid that we let govern our lives. It’s better that my addiction is baseball than, I dunno, rocks.
World Series is coming…as it approaches, look out for something on why I love Pedro Martinez. If it doesn’t run somewhere that pays, I’ll put it on here.
***
No playlist. Why? Because my mp3 player is broken. I’d rather my A/C go out in the summer than have the Nomad give up the ghost. Instead, I’ll recommend two fairly obscure albums for you to check out–Theodore Unit’s “718” and Faith No More’s “Angel Dust.” Peep and enjoy.
***
Also, here’s a plug for Lorrie Guess, an artist that lives in these here Cackalacks. I just bought one of her prints for my house, so I figured I’d hit you with a link to check her stuff out. Buy enough of it and she may be able to quit her day job. Don’t buy it, and she’s stuck at a desk. Since you don’t know her–at least I doubt that you do–keeping her at the desk would make you the bad kind of hater.
Either way, check her stuff out at www.cafepress.com/lorrieguess. And if you’ve got some good stuff you’re trying to shill, hit me up and let me check it out. Slide me a hookup and I might rename this site after you.
***
Next time, column entry and I’ll try to get into Rashad McCants’ comment about being in “jail” by playing for UNC.
5 thoughts on “Bonding over hatred”
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
awite, I was pulling for the Red Sox because Americans love the underdog. I know that’s a litle trite, but it’s the truth. And yes, the Yankees sucked for the majority of my soon-to-be 26 years until Steinbrenner and Lakers owner Jerry Buss and Jerry Jones all cast their lot with ol’ “superagent” Louis C. Effers, esq.
Addictions, eh? Well you know what Greg Nice said “Too much of anything makes you an addict.” But you’re right, I’d rather be addicted to October baseball and March college basketball rather than being addicted to something that has me stealing car antennaes and performing illicit acts just to get on the “Enterprise.”
And also, McCants, “Jail”..I shole hope that nobody took him seriously. Rule No. 587: NEVER take comments made by athletes and entertainers too seriously. (Ex: R-Kelly saying only bin Laden understands him). They get paid to do something other than THINK. If they were, wouldn’t they be owning more teams or having their own megacompanies a la Universal ‘nem?
I too was in a bar with my department watching Game 7 last night and was surrounded by a bunch of fools screaming for Boston. And you wanna know what? Not a one of em was from Boston. Few had even visited the place. All this Yankee animosity amuses me. A team is a team is a team. I’m from NY and have loved the Yankees since I was 7 years old. I screamed for Ricky Henderson and Ron Guidry the same way I scream for Mariano. I loved them when they lost, when they won and when they couldn’t even make it to 2nd place. It’s where I’m from. I never knew that they got all THIS attention till I left New York. New Yorkers like the Yankees (or the Mets if you’re from Queens and strange), people from Atlanta like the Braves and some people from Montreal like the Expos. Sure they win a lot, sure they spend a lot of money to do it, but would it be better to be poor and lose? I may be a socialist when it comes to politics but when it comes to sports, I want my team to win and if capitalism is gonna get us there, so be it. So watch your own team and cheer for them but band wagon bullshit is just that. Bullshit. You’re just contributing to the attention that they get. You people slay me.
I really do like what you said about hating the Yankees! I hate them too!!! But, I am very sad today because my Astros lost last night. I think it would have been beautiful to see both of the underdogs in the World Series, but that’s the way it goes.
Also, I think that I need to copy your dissertation on hating something or someone vs. hatin’ and put it on my board! These high school children need education on that topic that only you could give so eloquently. Keep up the good work!
Speaking of high school children, I guess I better get back to work. 🙁
Hmm… I’m still bitter about them Houston boys…….fuck the Yanks!!!!
You are so missing out by not drinking Pepsi!