Tuesday, February 05, 2008
i may have to blow town after publishing this one...
Part of what endears me to Boston is its underdog, not-a-prayer history. From politics to pro-ball, the underdog spirit is part of what makes this town what it is. This is why I’m secretly delighted that we lost the Super Bowl last Sunday.
I recognize that some may want to take me behind O’Malley’s and smack some sense into me for saying it, (or worse) but I really am happy about the upset. We had a chance to make football history, and we didn’t. I just love that. Maybe that makes me some kind of sicko. Or maybe I believe in keeping a little humility. There was something good that came out of The Curse. But after the 2004 World Series, something changed. And by the Red Sox win of '07, I realized I missed that feeling of being under that curse. We had become a broad-shouldered bully of a baseball team, with a ballooning budget, and big guns in the bullpen. The best and harshest way I can put it: we were starting to look like the Yankees. (Sorry if I dwell too long on baseball, that’s the sport I like best.)
And so we come to 2007-2008. Sox win the Series (again), we float through an entire frigid football season undefeated, the Celtics season starts, and they’re kicking major booty just like every one else around here. (I don’t follow hockey much, how are the Bruins doing?) Boston is overflowing with record-breaking stats and athletic power-house acclaim. It’s great, it’s wonderful...so why am I feeling mildly nauseated by it? I’ll tell you why...we ain’t got no more curse.
The curse kept us hungry. It challenged and gave us fight. It made us choose to believe or give up. It’s what made this town a tad shy of psychotic when it came to “fan appreciation.” Without it, we’re just another billionaire’s ball club with no heart, no soul. Losing is what makes us great. Big losses are what make Boston, Boston. I guess it was nice to see some hint of that again this past weekend.
Of course it was a colossal blow; we all felt it in the air on Monday. We haven’t stopped the post-mortem lament, the analyzing, like what you do with your gaggle of girlfriends after a bad breakup. We probably won’t shut up about it for another week or so, and there will be those who may never recover from it. Good, I say. It’s all good. I’m hearing the hunger pangs already.
You know, you really shouldn't listen to a single thing I say. I didn't watch one solitary minute of Sunday's game. In fact, I didn't sit down for five minutes for any football game of any sort in any part of the nation at any time. I just like to write stuff.
I recognize that some may want to take me behind O’Malley’s and smack some sense into me for saying it, (or worse) but I really am happy about the upset. We had a chance to make football history, and we didn’t. I just love that. Maybe that makes me some kind of sicko. Or maybe I believe in keeping a little humility. There was something good that came out of The Curse. But after the 2004 World Series, something changed. And by the Red Sox win of '07, I realized I missed that feeling of being under that curse. We had become a broad-shouldered bully of a baseball team, with a ballooning budget, and big guns in the bullpen. The best and harshest way I can put it: we were starting to look like the Yankees. (Sorry if I dwell too long on baseball, that’s the sport I like best.)
And so we come to 2007-2008. Sox win the Series (again), we float through an entire frigid football season undefeated, the Celtics season starts, and they’re kicking major booty just like every one else around here. (I don’t follow hockey much, how are the Bruins doing?) Boston is overflowing with record-breaking stats and athletic power-house acclaim. It’s great, it’s wonderful...so why am I feeling mildly nauseated by it? I’ll tell you why...we ain’t got no more curse.
The curse kept us hungry. It challenged and gave us fight. It made us choose to believe or give up. It’s what made this town a tad shy of psychotic when it came to “fan appreciation.” Without it, we’re just another billionaire’s ball club with no heart, no soul. Losing is what makes us great. Big losses are what make Boston, Boston. I guess it was nice to see some hint of that again this past weekend.
Of course it was a colossal blow; we all felt it in the air on Monday. We haven’t stopped the post-mortem lament, the analyzing, like what you do with your gaggle of girlfriends after a bad breakup. We probably won’t shut up about it for another week or so, and there will be those who may never recover from it. Good, I say. It’s all good. I’m hearing the hunger pangs already.
You know, you really shouldn't listen to a single thing I say. I didn't watch one solitary minute of Sunday's game. In fact, I didn't sit down for five minutes for any football game of any sort in any part of the nation at any time. I just like to write stuff.
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Mary. This post is GENIUS and belongs on ESPN or somewhere high profile.
That being said, I hope the Superbowl loss satisfies as putting us back under the curse and doesn't upset the Celtics. Man, I really want them to win. T
That being said, I hope the Superbowl loss satisfies as putting us back under the curse and doesn't upset the Celtics. Man, I really want them to win. T
Hilarious, and true. The Sox '07 win felt to me as if the Dodgers, for example, had won. This is blasphemous coming from a lifelong Sox fan and native New Englander. I may be leaving town, too. IF you leave, may I suggest not taking the Fung Wah bus? Great stuff, Mary!--Tim (you know how to properly say it)
i agree with Nat. this stuff is brilliant and should be published where more people will be able to think about it. It's so funny because it's true. There isn't much of a difference between the Sox and the Yankees now. And we realize it's just a matter of time before Brady gets bought off and we lose the only athlete worth looking at in Boston. I think that's also some kind of sign. He's been too fun to look at for too long.
Hmm...I'm with you about the football, and the hunger. But I can't help loving the ability to finally slap it in the faces of the Vinnie Gumbatz Yankee lovers, FINALLY we are the ones rubbing our bellies in fat dominance! Give us one more year...then we can be humbled again.
So I was watching some "man on the street" interviews before the Super Bowl with some typical Bostonians, and one lady said, "My kid doesn't even know what it's like to suffer being a Red Sox fan, he's only known the winning Sox. He thinks this is normal."
So I think you are not the only one who might be feeling the oppression of not being cursed in fair Bean Town.
But if you want to still feel cursed, please join me and the other Chicago Cubs fans, we are going on 100 years w/o a title!
So I think you are not the only one who might be feeling the oppression of not being cursed in fair Bean Town.
But if you want to still feel cursed, please join me and the other Chicago Cubs fans, we are going on 100 years w/o a title!
As a life long Yankee fan I must agree. Bring back the curse. I love the curse. LOL
Sincerely,
Vinnie Gumbatz
aka Danielle T.
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Sincerely,
Vinnie Gumbatz
aka Danielle T.
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