Last night’s first Sox v. Yanks game at Fenway was quite a case study in Red Sox Nation psychology. First you had the obvious drama of the game itself, which always carries a playoff-like atmosphere and a multitude of tensions. Of course that intrigue was only doubled or tripled by the return of Judas Demon to his old stomping grounds. And finally, for dessert the Sox re-traded for Tim Wakefield’s security blanket Doug Mirabelli, then enlisted the help of the Massachusetts State Police (they picked him up at the airport with his uniform and rushed him to the stadium with the siren on) to get him to the stadium on time. I think this might have been too much for our simple brains to handle.Putting aside the big story for a moment, let’s talk about the game itself. It’s always exciting to watch the first Yankees vs. Red Sox game of the season because it’s a reminder of the past and a preview of things to come. The atmosphere feels like a playoff game (usually because it’s 40 degrees out) and the overreactions of the fans are commensurate with that impression. Last night was no exception.
For Sox fans it was an almost perfect evening. Wakefield provided seven quality innings and deserved better than his no decision. They got several hits with men in scoring position, which has been their Achilles heel in recent weeks, including Mark Loretta’s game winner (which redeemed his weak effort to stop a ground ball that led to two of the three Yankee runs). The best clutch hitter in baseball and the real 2005 MVP hit an improbable into-the-wind homerun that was caught fittingly by Jon Papelbon who was throwing in the bullpen. Then after tossing the souvenir into the stands Papelbon provided his own heroics by mowing down the Yankees 1-2-3 in the ninth. Toss in Doug Mirabelli not allowing a passed ball and it was a great night at the Fens.
For once however, the biggest reason to be at Fenway last night was not the game on the field. It was of course the return of Johnny Damon.
One of the things that frustrates me the most about professional sports writers is the high horse from which they condescendingly look down upon the average fan especially in terms of the fan behavior. In today’s papers (Globe, Providence Journal, Hartford Courant) all the talking heads Jackie MacMullen, Sean McAdams, and Jeff Jacobs took shots at the Red Sox faithful for booing Johnny Damon last night. What the hell did they expect and when did they stop being fans themselves?
Yes, he was a great player while he was here and he was probably the embodiment of the ’04 World Series team. But just one off season later he signed with New York (don’t forget Jackie and Sean, we hate them) for more money and began immediately invoking the, “Yankee tradition,” and started saying things like, “It just feels right to be a Yankee.” Come on now.
If he had gone to the Orioles, Dodgers, Indians, White Sox, Blue Jays, or any of the 30 other available teams he would have received a resounding standing ovation last night. He didn’t, he went to the one team that guaranteed he would be booed and aggressively. I know that players don’t grasp or really care about the fundamental hatred that Red Sox fans have for the Yankees and vice versa but when you put yourself in this position you reap what you sow. Johnny knew it was coming, he even told his wife to stay home because he anticipated the fans’ ferocity. So don’t martyr him for circumstances he not only expected but created.
Not to mention the fact that Damon’s actions are a personification of the symptomatic problems in professional sports created by free agency. He should have been booed for his arrogance and his spotlight chasing. He should have been booed for spouting his mouth off about Yankee traditions of which he has never been a part. He should have been booed for continuing to perpetuate the one of the major societal issues in baseball, lack of loyalty and stability within teams. And most of all he should have been booed because he left the Red Sox to play for the Yankees!
So to Jacobs and friends in the news media I say, “Get off your high horse, you’re no better than us. You think you are the voice of reason because you know these guys better personally than we do, but if you were in the stands last night you would have been compelled to boo just like Sully from Dorchester. Don’t look down on us for doing what deep down you would have loved to do.”
That being said, it’s over now. He’s just another guy playing in pinstripes. The window of opportunity to either cheer his previous accomplishments or deride his career decisions is closed. It’s time to put his departure and our feelings about it behind us.
I don’t believe this to be true about all Yankees. I think that A-Rod should be booed at all times, everywhere. If Paul O’Neil were ever to enter Fenway Park for any reason he should be jeered immediately, Jorge “Elmo” Posada as well. But Damon is different. He was one of our guys, the king of the idiots, and we can’t totally dismiss the fact that his grand slam in Game 7 of the ’04 ALCS probably, more than any hit (not struck by D.O.) brought the World Series home to Boston. And, as much as it pains me to say it, Damon showed class last night.
When he tipped his cap and pointed towards the Red Sox dugout he softened my hatred for him enough to stop the bloodlust. There is no way that he thought he was being cheered more than jeered (as he said after the game), the ratio was roughly 80-20 but he acted as though the Fenway faithful were greeting him in the way that he was greeting them, and that was impressive. He may be a moron and an ego-maniac but he’s still a human being and deep down inside it must have struck a nerve at least a little bit to be booed by the fans that loved you so unconditionally for four years.
To the credit of the fans in attendance (although they will get none from the Vatican Counsel of Boston sports writers) once Damon acknowledged them the cheers seemed to at least equal and maybe outweigh the jeers. Which, considering what I expected (AA’s to be hitting him in the face etc.) is a great show of restraint and rationality on the part of a fan base which is not known for such traits.
Sure he will be booed tonight as well and at every game he plays at Fenway for the rest of his career. But from now on his boos will be for an opposing player, not a demonic Judas that broke our hearts and our faith in the idiots.
And a final word to McAdams and the rest, not only were you arrogant, condescending, and pompous in your reviews of the fans’ reaction to Damon, you were also wrong. Many cheered him when he showed respect, and those many deserve credit more than those who booed him justifiably (just as you would have done if you were sitting the bleachers instead of the press box) deserve your unwarranted derision.
P.S. I just love this sign "Looks like Jesus, Acts like Judas, Throws Like Mary"
