Guest Post- EXCITE US, RED SOX- a Sox fan in New York

The following guest post is by TooSoxy friend Andrew- in celebration of his new book. Want to check it out? Click here! Want YOUR writing on TooSoxy? Awesome. Because Lauren is busier than she’s ever been, and loves posting things she doesn’t have to write- particularly fan testimonials. EVERYONE loves a good fan testimonial. E-mail me for details- ohnolauren@gmail.com.

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It’s a funny thing this Red Sox fandom.  There are good days, there are bad days, and then there are Red Sox days.  Sometimes they all blend together.

I have been living in New York City for the last four years.  Having  been born in Portland, Maine (yes, I own a couple Sea Dawgs t-shirts) and growing up in the North End of Boston it is safe to say my sports interests did not mesh with the natives.  So what do you do?  You find a safe haven.  A place of refuge.  In Manhattan there were four such bars when I first moved here.  There are now three.  Places where you could wear your Sox hat, drink Harpoon, and let the provincial Boston accent slip out after a few drinks.  Truly glorious mirages in a wasteland of Yankees/Giants/Jets/Rangers/Satan fans.  But a funny thing has happened.  Especially last year (even when the Sox were the best team in baseball – you do remember that don’t you?) the bars were not as full.  Hell, one of them even closed down.  The manager told me “The Sox fans just don’t come out like they used to.”  I could see it. The fans just weren’t there.

Certainly there were the diehards, but the casual Sox fan (the ones who had their pink hats on in 2004) are no more.  They have moved on to pink Tebow jerseys or Jeremy Lin shirts.

Let me tell you why my favorite Sox bar had to close:  The Sox just haven’t been exciting.  They are no longer a bunch of lovable idiots.  They are no longer underdogs.  They have a payroll the size of many countries’ GDP.  They have cry babies.  They have guys who don’t seem to give a frick*.  They are a team that quit in September. They are a team that hasn’t made an ALCS since 2007.  They are overpaid and overrated.  They have been for the last four years.

So this is what I’m saying, Red Sox.  Give me a reason to be excited. Give me Iglesias at shortstop.  Let me see Bailey come in and light the world on fire.  Let me see this so called team come together for something other than seventh inning stretch video game playing.  Give me a reason.  I don’t need much.  But I’m going to tell you something; you guys need to get your act together because your TV ratings are down, fan moral is at an all-time low, and you guys are all driving Mercedes.  It doesn’t sit well.

Here is to all things new.  To a new season.  A new attitude.  A new closer (hopefully one who can get that last out).  A new manger (I really liked Tito so I’m on the fence here).  And most important – let’s get a new banner to put above Fenway.  As fans we deserve nothing less.

Go Sox!

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*edited for for content. Here’s hoping spring training fever is just what we need to get excited again!

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