A Golden Age For Yankees Fans

This episode of Josh Q. Public brought to you by Worcester’s own Brian Murray: 

Chances are if your 12, 13, 14 even 15 years old and a Yankee fan, you have not truly experienced a Yankees World Championship.  Perhaps your  dad, an uncle, a family friend has taken you to your first game at Yankee Stadium. You’ve touched the monuments and had a Yankee Dog, but  the gift shop is noticeably bare of championship caps, shirts and  jackets. 

Instead Yankee fans have been given the most precious of gifts: hope.    No longer do Yankee fans, save a few delusional faithful, believe it a  birthright to win the World Series.  Expectation has morphed to hope. 

As the seasons blur together and the 27 championships fade from memory,  Yankee fans can take solace in the promise and hope of a new season. Generations from now when the Yankees finally do find a way win in  spite of themselves; the Yankee fan’s overwhelming feelings of joy and  redemption will result in jubilant reflection on the long road toiled to
get there.

Great World Series Comebacks:  Game winning homers in the 2001 series.    Aura and mystique. (Jubilation like Carton Fisk in ‘75)  Followed  by Blown Game Seven. The greatest closer in post-season history until  Jonathan Papelbon, inexplicably throw throws away a world series winning  double play ball. (Think ‘86 and ‘75 Sox more than ‘46 and ‘67  Sox)

Fan Interference: Gone is Jeffery Maier lending a helping hand for the  home team.  Replaced by the suffering knowing the the Yankees were one  Steve Bartman away from facing the toothless Cubs in 2003 instead of  Josh beckett and Destiny’s Marlins. For good measure, it is now the Red  Sox benefiting from their fans outstretched arms. (Danny Vinik is not  quite a household name but just another chapter to reflect on.)

Hired Guns Firing Blanks:  It’s one thing to pay $14 million for a  grand slam, when you win the World Series. It’s another to pay a 44 year  old, five hundred pitcher, $3 Million per win when you don’t.  Roger Clemens just part of the Yankee death spiral. Yankee fans rejoice.   That which does not kill you,  (re; Johnny Damon’s shot put throw) will
make you stronger. Been there.  Jack Clark.  Done that Dante Bichette.

Escpae From New York:   The most dangerous place on Earth, if your name  is Alex Rodriguez…The greatest player in the game doesn’t think he  can win with this team. Now the Yankee fan can hate him outwardly and  properly. Blame him for the failure in post season and not the failure  to get legitimate starting pitching.  Target your anger and venom like  the Red Sox do with Ro-Ger.  Not only was Clemens owned by Dave Stewart in the 80s and 90s, but then he went to the Evil Empire.  Maybe A-Rod  can join Red Sox Nation and win a World Series to help Yankee fans find  their inner hate.

Sabotage From The Top:  Stupidity, incompetence and the trickle down  effect.   It wasn’t Grady Little’s fault, it was the front office that let this fool take the reigns in the first place.  How long until  people wake up and want the old Joe?  The young George?  As the Red Sox finish clubbing the Rockies as if they were baby seals,  I feel less than satisfied.  We won. So what. We were supposed to win.    There was no juice, although the Sox tried.  They swept the Angles,  like 2004.  They got in a big hole in the ALCS, like 2004, they even  brought back Kevin Millar.  No dice.  I long for the feelings of 2004. 

This time around, there was no daily midnight phone calls to my mom, my  dad, my brother, and my grandmother. There were no thoughts of my  grandfather and how he would have liked this.  No “I can’t believe they  really won”.  Its like spending 86 years (ok 3 years of college)  trying to rescue the princess in Super Mario Brothers and then doing it for  a second time 2 months later.  

Enjoy Yankee fans. These are your golden days that you’ll look back  and wear like a badge of honor.  You’ll share the stories, the almosts of 2004, the bug game of 2007.  Where were you the day Torre left?   With a little luck in 79 more years you’ll defeat Red Sox Nation in the  second most exciting comeback in ALCS history, win the World Series and  call your brother at one in the morning remembering the time first  your dad and grand pa took you to see the venerable Yankees back at the  old stadium, which is now a parking lot.

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

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