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Boston vs. New York


Whenever anyone screams about the media's love affair with Boston vs. New York, I nod in acknowledgement. I agree. It's true. It's all true.

But I don't feel their angst. I like Boston. I've enjoyed my visits there. My brother used to live there. I have family from there. My family has an allegiance to a sports team from there that goes all the way back to before World War II.

So, no, when Boston vs. New York pops up on the TV again, I don't foam at the mouth. It gets a little tired, but before I know it, I'm rooting for the Red Sox to give those Yankees exactly what they deserve.

It will always be that way. The Red Sox will have a place in my heart. The Yankees (and to a lesser extent, the Mets) never will.

For me to experience what everyone else outside of Boston and New York is experiencing when the media fawns all over those two markets, I have to go to football.

Back when I really followed football, there were a select few teams that must be despised. Every Bills fan knew the ritual:

1. The Dolphins, without question, were slime.
2. The Jets, when they were good, were vile and disgusting.
3. The Patriots and Giants were just mean, full of mean people and simply unlikable.
4. The Cowboys needed to go away for a long time.

As the years went on, and I cared less and less about the NFL, I didn't care that much about the Bills or their enemies. I'll always hate the Dolphins, and Dan Marino will always be an object of derision. The Jets? I just can't get myself worked up. Same with the Cowboys.

But the Patriots and the Giants? I never want them to do well.

I'll never forgive the Giants for Super Bowl XXV, the only Super Bowl the Bills had a real chance of winning. And the Patriots have delivered numerous humiliating losses on the Bills over the years. Plus, the Patriots wear silver, which really needs to be eliminated as a team color choice. I can't stand what they wear or Bill Belichick's Old Mother Hubbard get-up on the sidelines. Also, Tom Brady's alien grin is unbearable.

If the Patriots brought back Steve Grogan and started wearing those red jerseys, maybe I'd reconsider.

But now we have the Patriots vs. the Giants in the Super Bowl, just like we did four years ago. And I am just as thrilled now as I was then.

Boston vs. New York.

Whoopee.

If it wasn't my job, I wouldn't tune in on Feb. 5th. And don't say "what about the commercials?" I can't take that stuff either.

I'll say one thing about this Super Bowl matchup. It's making me look forward to the first Red Sox-Yankees game this year.


(P.S.: Why, yes, that IS the only Patriot card and the only Giant card in my collection. So nice of you to ask).

Comments

hiflew said…
It's not my job, so I won't be watching the Super Bowl for a 2nd straight year. There are only a handful of teams that I actively root against. Boston, NY, and almost all LA teams in every league qualify, except the Celtics in the 80s and the Chargers in the NFL (they'll be back just wait).

In the NFL, I am a Bears fan first and foremost (even bigger than the Rockies), but I can usually find a team to root for if the Bears are not involved. Most of the time that is any team playing the Vikings or Packers, but I would have rooted for either of the losing teams on Sunday. In fact, I screamed at the top of my lungs when the field goal was missed by the Ravens kicker. I just don't want to see this game, although it still isn't as bad at the Packers/Steelers from last year.
Imagine my shock when I clicked over and there were football cards on Night Owl! FOOTBALL CARDS! I was less shocked when Dayf converted to ponies.
Spiegel83 said…
Your the only guy that could get me to click on a write up with Boston or New York in the title. My super bowl was watching to make sure the football Giants beat that "classy" Frisco team. I never like seeing Frisco fans happy about anything.

I will probably skip watching this Super Bowl. Nothing interests me about his game.
Offy said…
As a long time Patriots fan, I can't stand their current uniforms. The flying Elvis head is ugly looking. The only Patriots gear that I've purchased for myself has the throwback logo on it. I've got a few gifts with the new logo on it from people who obviously don't know me. :) I look forward to when they wear those throwback uniforms every year.

That being said, I'm not sure how any football fans can say that they dislike watching the Patriots. What they do on offense is nothing like any other team out there. Have they seen the big runs that Aaron Hernandez, a tight end, has pulled off this season? Have they seen the number of potential tacklers that Gronkowski has either left in the dust or dragged along behind him sometimes three at a time. Are they not excited by a tight end lining up at 5 different positions on 5 consecutive plays? I love that kind of stuff and would love it even if I weren't a Patriots fan. Then again, I can watch any football game that's televised and really only root against the Pats rivals.

As far as the commercials, they haven't been good since SNL was worth watching. If they bring back the Bud Bowl with the stop motion animated bottles, then I'll be interested. It used to be a game full of great commercials, but now there might be two or three good one and you can just catch them online these days if you mis them during the game.
EggRocket said…
funny...i'm done with the superbowl too. i thought i was the only one. i haven't broken the news to my brother yet.
c'mon april!
ps-sorry for the all lower caps. just feeling lazy today.