The 4 Big Myths

The 4 Big Myths

Over the last 11 years as a transplanted Yankee fan living deep in the heart of Red Sox Nation, it’s safe to say I’ve had my fair share of arguments with those who support the Olde Towne Team. From die-hard loyalists in Brunansky jerseys to bandwagon jumpers wrapped in World Series garb, I’ve clashed with Sox fans of all shapes and sizes during my time in enemy territory.

And during this time, because I’m so studious, I’ve compiled a list of certain points made by Sox fans that I’ve really never quite understood. For whatever reason (maybe…hatred?), things I’ve always believed to be true, Sox fans have always believed to be false. Things I’ve always believed to be fact, Sox fans have always believed to be, well, fiction; hence the term “myths”.

The list is ever growing. As you’ll see some myths date WAY BACK to the 80’s, some myths started sometime last October, after a certain once in a lifetime, apocalyptic event, but all of them still are in circulation.

Today, due to space constraints and physical threats, we will only be listing the top 4. Let’s begin.

We start with the ballparks for Myth #1. Sox fans still believe it’s more dangerous as an opposing fan or player in Yankee Stadium than at Fenway Park. Not true. Sure, 20 years ago this might have been true, but 20 years ago I would’ve been break-dancing on a plastic mat to the “Electric Boogaloo” soundtrack, so what does that matter? The fact is that if you look at recent history, not incidents from the Reagan administration, the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of Yankee Stadium as the “friendlier” of the two confines.

At Fenway in the last 6 years we’ve had the littering of the field during Game 4 of the ALCS in ’99, the “Bullpen Brawl” in 2003, and then April of this year when Sheffield was sucker-punched by a fan reaching for a ball down the right field line. Sure the NYPD came out in riot gear during last year’s ALCS, but that was “just a drill”. The truth is that Yankee fans nowadays have mellowed a bit compared to the 80’s and early 90’s. They may say a lot of things, true, but once they stopped selling beer in the bleachers a few years back very rarely do you see dudes slinging arrows, tossing batteries and setting peoples’ hair on fire. (The bleacher triathlon!) It’s a shame, really. In Fenway though, it’s all about action now, not words. And visiting players, and fans, should beware. Especially those in attendance this weekend…

Myth 2 – “Buck and McCarver are rooting for the Yankees.” This is probably my favorite myth of all-time because it makes such little sense. I’m assuming it was started by Bill Simmons but I have no proof. It just sounds like something he would throw out there and the rest of Red Sox Nation would latch onto. My big question on this is why. WHY would Buck and McCarver be rooting for the Yankees? Someone explain this to me. A Fox executive said last October they would get better ratings for a Red Sox-Cardinals World Series than a Yankees-Cardinals. The same was true the year before when the Cubs were the POTENTIAL opponent. So we know it’s not about the money.

Secondly, other than a brief couple of years doing Yankee TV commentary, McCarver spent the majority of his broadcasting career calling Met games. Met games!

“Meet the Mets! Greet the… (insert bomb sound).”

Yankee fans probably despise Tim McCarver MORE than Sox fans, if that’s possible. I simply don’t get this one at all, thus it lands as myth #2. (For the record, I don’t enjoy watching games on Fox at all and long for the days of Scully and Garagiola.)

Myth 3 – “In his prime, Nomar was a better player than Jeter.” I thought this one would go away, but unfortunately it hasn’t. It still resurfaces from time to time. The funny thing about it is that those who would argue Nomar over Jeter would also argue Brady over Manning, which makes absolutely no sense.

Listen, no one is going to deny Nomar in his prime didn’t have better offensive numbers than Jeter. But like Brady and Manning, despite the disparity in statistics, there was never a single moment that went by where I would’ve rather had Nomar on my team than Jeter.

Never.

And that’s the test you always use to determine the better player.

Like I told a buddy of mine the other day, someday Nomar will be wearing a Sox hat in Cooperstown; but it’ll be on backwards while he’s on his knees shining Jeter’s plaque.

Myth 4 – “The 2004 ALCS was the biggest choke job in baseball history.”

As Dana Carvey playing John McLaughlin would say, “WRONG!”

But th- “WRONG!”

How ca- “WRONG!”

Unfortunately, one of the unplanned consequences of such a remarkable event as the 2004 ALCS is that it blows things out of proportion. If you really pick apart Games 4-7 (and I’m sure you have) you’ll never find an instance where the Yankees made some kind of egregious mistake under pressure that cost them the game. (The textbook definition of a choke.)

It’s not like Posada through the ball into centerfield on the Roberts steal; it was a good throw that Roberts, to his credit, beat out. Mueller’s hit up the middle was as legitimate a hit you’ll see. No one bobbled or booted anything. The same could be said for Game 5 – it was simply the Red Sox hitters getting the best of an exhausted Yankee bullpen and the Yankee hitters failing to do the same against the Sox. And as far as Games 6 and 7, the Sox played so well the Yankees never had the lead. What was there to choke?

The biggest choke job in the history of organized baseball will always be Game 6 from ’86 World Series. I’m sorry there’s still no denying it, and as a “Historian” it’s my duty to protect its legacy.

The MANAGER choked, the RELIEVERS choked, the CATCHER choked, the FIRST BASEMAN choked. Everyone gagged who had the opportunity too and therefore, given what was on the line, that game remains the true, all-time baseball choke.

Hey, you can believe in fairy tales all you want. I’m just presenting a few things I believe to be true that I know most Sox fans, for whatever reason, do not. And if you still disagree, as usual, my inbox is always empty…

(I will be out of the office July 13-27. Please contact Chico at x5400.)