Growing up, I've always been a huge fan of baseball, but living in New York while being one hasn't been the easiest thing ever. When people hear I'm a Red Sox fan, I get tons of questions like "Why would you ever like them?" and "You live in New York; why don't you like the Yankees?" Along with those types of comments, here's some things that you've without a doubt heard if you're a Red Sox fan living in New York
1. "27 Rings"
So yeah, the Yankees have won 27 World Series Championships, but really? That's the best comeback you can give me? This might be the oldest one in the book, and Yankee fans continue to use it to try and get us to switch teams. Personally, I've gotten a vibe that some (not all) Yankees fans like to live in the past and always bring those rings up, but I'd rather focus on what's happening in 2016 (the Red Sox being half a game behind first place, and the Yankees being in last).
2. "The Red Sox look unprofessional with their beards"
Maybe it's just me, but last time I checked the lengths of a baseball player's facial hair does NOT reflect on how well they are able to play the game, and I do believe that those "unprofessional beards" helped them win a World Series in 2013.
3. "You should be staying true to the team from your home state"
I've heard this one quiet a lot actually. Just because I live in New York does not mean I NEED to be a fan of the Yankees. I've been a Red Sox fan since I was born, and the team has never given me any reasons not to be. Yeah, they did go from worst to first to worst again but now they've got a 19 game home run streak, so I think I'm fine with still supporting them.
4. "The Red Sox have no class"
In baseball, there are always going to be fights (really sorry about your face Jose Bautista). Maybe it's because I'm only 18 and haven't been around long enough to know about the Red Sox being "classless", but from my experience I only have one thing to say: Bronson Arroyo might know a thing or two about someone having no class.
I really don't think A-rod was trying to wave hello to him before slapping the ball directly out of his hand and no, it wasn't in his "running motion".
5. "The bloody sock was fake"
Now this one is one of those things that blows my mind. If you're a baseball fan and haven't heard about Curt Schilling's bloody sock game in 2004 then you might be living under a rock. The poor guy had cameras on him the entire night he played, so I don't believe there was any way for him to get caught putting fake blood in his sock. The man pitched a game with an open wound - give him the credit he deserves
6. "The 2004 ALCS was just luck, they weren't really that good"
I'm sorry, WHAT?!? The 2004 American League Championship Series will go down in sports history as one of the greatest comebacks of all time. After being down by three games, the Red Sox managed to find the faith and WIN four games in a row in order to beat the Yankees and head off to the World Series. Maybe a little bit of luck was involved, but that team was full of some insane talent and it may have just taken them a little longer than usual to come together.
No matter what anybody says to me, I will still proudly wear my Red Sox hat whenever I want while living in New York. Just because I don't live there doesn't mean I don't feel the same pride someone else does when the Sox win a game. And in the words of Big Papi, "This is OUR f****** city"!
