Boston Bandwagoners need to get real about their Red Sox

By Matt Coller
STAFF WRITER

Remember when you’d have to be crazy to be a Red Sox fan?

Remember those nutty, self-loathing yet resilient Sox faithful? The ones who stood proud through historic disappointments until their day of vindication in 2004?

If you are old enough, you can appreciate the unique sports entity that was the Red Sox fan, but so many wearing the B on their cap these days lack the recollection.

Boston fans have lost the mystique that once made them interesting, not because of the World Series’ victories, but because of the nationwide movement of fair weather fans.

Why is it that here in New York we can’t walk 87 paces in public without seeing Red Sox hats, jackets or even shoes bearing the logo?

For starters, it is in vogue to cheer against the, “Evil Empire.” Rooting for the pin stripes has become like wearing white after Labor Day.

In the last 10 years we’ve witnessed a severe swing in loyalty. If you peek into the closets of so many Sox faithfuls you will likely see an old satin Yankee jacket hanging.

The Yankees are the team America loves to hate. But if you dive deeper into the ocean of arguments against the Bronx Buyers — I mean, Bombers — you find that most are invalid and even hypocritical.

Often the new-age Sox fan brings up the Yankee payroll, but Boston has the second-highest payroll in the league.
Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Curt Schilling, JD Drew: all traded for or purchased via free agency. If you want a team who produces players from within, you should be a Twins fan.

But everyone goes for the Yankees, don’t they?

No. According to Facebook more than 50,000 people nationwide have added the Red Sox as their favorite team, compared to only 30,000 Yankee fans.

Red Sox fans are like skateboarders. Fifteen years ago, you were a rebel and sometimes even an outcast if you owned a skateboard. Now they are everywhere, but skateboarders still act like they are rebellious. Same goes for Sox fans. Sorry, the bandwagon is full.

The egregious idea of the Red Sox being underdogs has flown out the window faster than Roger Clemens’ chances at the Hall of Fame. Most analysts chose them to win the ’07 series before spring training last year.

But the worst part about our modern-day Boston fans is that each victory is treated as a personal W for justice, as if each fan had received a series ring after defeating the Rockies. Like somehow the Sox represent all that is good about America when it’s rather the opposite.

The one-time lovable losers have become now a symbol of pop culture. Put on your Bosox hat, bell bottoms and get a pet rock.

Those riding the gravy train should turn in their uni’s and offer a sincere apology to those who suffered as true Red Sox fans.

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