I have never been a hug sports fan. I remember watching the New England Patriots as a kid with my parents. I remember Drew Bledsoe getting hit and then seeing this Tom Brady guy play quarterback and thinking . . . I don’t know why but I don’t like you.
Still don’t, by the way.
I remember going to a Red Sox game as a kid and caring not one bit about the game, but enjoying all the different food options you could get at one stadium. A fat kids dream!!!
Being in college in New York when the Red Sox won the World Series and living in New York for at least two Patriots Super Bowl wins, I have seen the anger that arises towards me because of the teams I root for. What I have found most interesting is that during every game, when the team I care about is winning or losing, it really doesn’t change the conversation. There is anger from New York fans, no matter which team is winning.
I was at a Yankees/Red Sox game last night at Yankee Stadium and even though the Red Sox were playing horribly, the fury was still there. I was so confused.
Lets be really clear about this, I barely watch any sports. I watch the big games (and those are really only if one of the New England-based teams are playing). I don’t follow players, I don’t understand baseball, I don’t know when the seasons start and end. I am not a sports person. But I do get a sense of excitement and passion when I do watch a game. When in Rome.
But, having said all that, I still face a lot of aggression. I have actually been at work in the morning, in my office, and a coworker came in, came into the doorway, pointed at me and said “New England sucks” and then walked away. She didn’t talk to me for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, I had no idea what had happened to make her say this. This has now happened at two different jobs. I have never said anything aggressive towards any opposing fan because I don’t feel I need to for a couple of reasons:
First, most teams have triumphs and their fans all ride those until the day we die. With the Red Sox, when “the curse ended” it put us on a high that no one can really take us down from. No matter how much people hate your team, the fans still remember those amazing wins.
Secondly, your team and its fan community should speak for itself. I don’t feel the need to defend any New England team because their game is the best representation. This goes for when they win and when they lose. It is an awful thing when a fan goes against the team when they are struggling. It’s like a mobster going against the family—you just don’t do it.
Thirdly, I have noticed that New York fans and their teams have to be the best. The spirit is of “we are a number one, top of the list, kind of the hill . . .” you get the idea. Boston and New England fans have a different spirit. Not so much of a number one status but of overcoming obstacles. More of a “we are still standing, look how far we have come” feeling. I like that. Plus, that is what I grew up with. In New England, there is more team swag worn than any other type of clothing. If you gathered a random group of 25 New Englanders, there would be more than 50% wearing some sort of team logo. I grew up with teenage friends getting their team tattooed on their body. I never heard of anyone rooting for another team that wasn’t from our states. It just wasn’t done. When I went to school in New York , my mom was asking why I wouldn’t become a Yankees fan or a Giants fan. I still don’t really have an answer other than its just not in my DNA to do that.
So as a half-assed sports enthusiast, I have to say that having dealt with sports fans of all kinds, I maintain that I am a proud New England/Boston fan. It is how I was raised and it is where I come from. So how do I handle the Haterade? I say nothing. And when we win, I don’t say that much either. I don’t need to. Stay true to your team, no matter how hard it may be.
And for my fellow New Englanders, here is a short playlist that should bring you back home.
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