10:15 AM Fri, Sep 05, 2008 | Permalink
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By Anthony Andro
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Remember when people used to take pity on the Boston Red Sox and their fans?
They felt bad when a beanball cut short Tony Conigliaro's career. Then there was Carlton Fisk's dramatic homer in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, only to be overshadowed when the Cincinnati Reds won Game 7.
And who didn't feel for Boston when Bill Buckner's name was brought up?
Those days are over.
Now it is not only trendy to be a Red Sox fan, but they are also the "it" team.
And much to the chagrin of the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox are now the most popular team in baseball, wresting that title from the Bronx Bombers.
Don't believe it? Here's why the Red Sox are the new Yankees:
Drawing power
It's one thing to have big crowds at home games. Every game at Fenway Park is sold out. It's another for fans to show up on the road. Boston has the distinction of playing in front of the biggest road crowds in the majors. Boston's road games average 38,866 fans. The Yankees play in front of 34,734 when they travel. Not even the beloved Cubs can outdraw the Red Sox. The Rangers hope that magic continues this weekend because they are on pace for their lowest total attendance in a nonstrike year since Rangers Ballpark in Arlington opened in 1994.
Star power
Look at this year's All-Star Game to see how the tide has turned. Boston's Kevin Youkilis started at first. Teammate Dustin Pedroia manned second. Manny was being Manny in left field, and David Ortiz was voted the starting designated hitter despite an injury. Three more Red Sox were on the team. The Yankees? Two starters and one reserve.
Soap opera central has moved
If it weren't for Alex Rodriguez and his off-field exploits, there would be no reason to put the Yankees on Page Six. That's not the case in Boston, where there always seems to be a story about the Red Sox that has nothing to do with baseball. In the last few years there's been Curt Schilling and his blog, Theo Epstein and his spat with management, and the everyday dealings with the always entertaining Manny Ramirez. Who needs baseball when you've got a ready-made reality TV show?
Anti-Red Sox movement
It used to be cool to hate the Yankees. Now people get a little bit nostalgic when they see images of a frail George Steinbrenner or think about the last season of Yankee Stadium. But there's some genuine hatred for the Red Sox, which seems to happen when you start to win more. Red Sox Nation annoys people. Not everyone is a fan of Neil Diamond and "Sweet Caroline". The pesky Dustin Pedroia annoys a lot of people, including Yankees fans and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who referred to him as a "jockey."
They win when it matters
The Yankees have been a fixture in the playoffs dating to the 1995 season, although it looks as if that streak will end this year. But their last World Series title came in 2000. The Red Sox are aiming for their fifth playoff trip in the last six seasons. And when the Red Sox make it to the postseason, they know what to do. They have won two of the past four World Series. The last time the Yankees even won a postseason series was 2004. That was also the year the Yankees choked away a 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series to, who else, the Red Sox.
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So I am coming up to Boston on Sunday and staying till Wednesday and part of my big trip up from Pennsylvania involves a stop at Fenway on Monday for the D-rays vs Bo Sox game! I’m so excited! I grew up hating the Yankees and over the years that grew into a love for the Bo Sox…This will be my first time to Fenway. My seats are in Box 86, I got 2 of them for $150 total off of eSellOut which I didn’t think was that bad of a price???? http://www.esellout.com/ResultsGeneralAtVenue.aspx?kwds=Boston+Red+Sox&venid=21 ~ I truly hope it’s a good game! I have seen the Sox play in Cleveland AND Baltimore and finally now get to see them in Boston! I just spent my lunch and early afternoon reading about the Red Sox and Boston and blogging that I felt obliged to write something myself! Hope all is well! Go Red Sox!
~ Drew
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