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Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Watching joyful Toronto fans party last night, you wonder how the Yankees became so lifeless

Back in the late seventies, when the fans stormed Chamblis' home run, and Wade Boggs climbed up on the horse, a post-season game ran long and delayed Saturday Night Live. The show opened with Bill Murray draped in Yankee swag, portraying a crazy fan in the empty stadium, wondering where the hell everyone went? It was joyous. Everyone knew that the Yankees had the fiercest, most rabid fans anywhere - and that everything was happening in the Bronx - (they were even inventing rap) - and Yankee Stadium was the center of the baseball universe, if not the universe, period.

Well, that was a long, long time ago and apparently in a galaxy far, far away. Because last night, the epicenter was Toronto, and every fan was Bill Murray, and - well - Yankee Stadium might as well be holding grain. WTF happened to us?

The Yankees have not enjoyed a full-moon, bat-shit crazy delirium since the new stadium - and it's new price structure - were imposed on working fans. I wonder if the great Yankee crowds, which were always greater than the teams themselves, will ever return - at least in this lifetime. They had the wildest, most drooling, most loyal fans in the world, and they replaced them with golfers. The Yankees exchanged success on the field for success in the bottom line. Did money also kill the spirit of the fans?

That's why mooning Big Papi seemed such a perfect project. It was exactly the kind of stupid activity that Bill Murray would sign on for. Parts of the media understood this. The Yankees didn't. They were always a corporate entity, at times maybe even a tax write-off, but we couldn't fully appreciate how crazy George Steinbrenner was, until he's been gone. After seven years, we've never seen an outburst of joy - or of anything, for that matter - from Hal. He's a corporate entity. He's a cardboard cutout. He's Lonn Trost.

I have never met the guy, so maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he's an absolute delight, putting a twinkle into children's eyes with his magic tricks. But I'm betting Hal will never punch out an elevator or call anybody a fat toad. He's already let Boston outbid us on key players, and - frankly - replace us as the AL's dominant franchise. When big names hit the auction block, he's happy to finish second in the bidding. And if a player expresses the desire to play for the Yankees - a temptation George could never resist - (and yes, George deserves to go into the Hall) - Hal hides under the bed.

So last night, Toronto was the center of the universe. (No new form of music, but they are banning pit bulls.) It should have been the Bronx. Damn. Those days are gone. I'm wondering if they'll return in our lifetimes.

13 comments:

I'm Bill White said...

They will not return. They are gone. Desiccated and dustier than Charlie Hayes's glove from 1996. The question is--and it's a question that needs to be asked and answered on this blog--is what to do about it?

JM said...

I think we should start following curling, eh. Go to Tim Horton's, have a doughnut, learn bad French. I don't have enough time left to wait for a miracle--like, say, an earthquake that destroys the mall that Levine built.

I'm Bill White said...

I am all for it. Just like I am all for Jason Giambi becoming the next Yankee manager. I'd say Don Mattingly, but he would not come within 500 miles of that job.

Anonymous said...

DIDN'T ARIZONA JUST FIRE THE GM AND MANAGER?.... THAT IS REALLY BECAUSE OF THE PAST 2 YEARS OF DISAPPOINTMENT....... THAT IS HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.....YOUR IDEAS AND MOVES DON'T WORK, YOU MUST BE REPLACED, WITH FRESH IDEAS AND NEW MOVES........ THESE YANKEES OF THE PAST 5 YEARS ARE A CARBON COPY OF DISAPPOINTMENT...... WE CAN'T REALLY HIT, AND WE HIT EVEN WORSE WITH RISP, OUR STARTERS CAN'T GO MORE THAN 5 INNINGS, OUR MIDDLE RELIEF, (INNINGS 5 THRU 7,) IS A DISASTER EVERY YEAR......OUR MANAGER KEEPS "RESTING" PLAYERS, BUT HE ALWAYS DOES IT AFTER A PLAYER GOES 3 FOR 3, OR 2 FOR 4 WITH A HOME RUN!.... YOU DON'T REST A PLAYER WHEN HE IS HITTING!!! ESPECIALLY ON A TEAM THAT CAN'T HIT!!!!...... AND FINALLY, EVERY SINGLE YEAR OUT OF THE PAST 5, THE YANKEES KEEP RUNNING OUT OF GAS AND GOING INTO SWAN DIVES THE LAST 15 -20 GAMES OF THE SEASON!.... IT KEEPS HAPPENING......NOW YOU TELL ME, IS IT TIME FOR A CHANGE?

Parson Tom said...

Remember when the Yankees were winning the final game of the series and the Bronx was burning. Those were some serious fans.

Stang said...

YOU DON'T REST A PLAYER WHEN HE IS HITTING!!! ESPECIALLY ON A TEAM THAT CAN'T HIT!!!!

Amen, All-Caps Anonymous.

ranger_lp said...

THE YANKEES KEEP RUNNING OUT OF GAS AND GOING INTO SWAN DIVES THE LAST 15 -20 GAMES OF THE SEASON!.... IT KEEPS HAPPENING

I betcha Joey G has binders full of metrics that prove this to be true....

Anonymous said...

TY MUSTANG, AND RANGER....JUST SPEAKING FROM THE HEART AS ALWAYS...... C'MON MADBUM AND SAN FRAN!...BEAT THAT BIG DOUCHEBAG SYNDERGARD!

Steve Miller said...

Mets fans are what we used to be.

I'm Bill White said...

(Applause)

Anonymous said...

HEY GUYS, CASHMAN JUST SAID TODAY HE WANTED TO THANK THE YANKEE FANS FOR THEIR PATIENCE, AND HE IS ASKING FOR MORE PATIENCE FROM US....... GOODBYE 2017!!!

I'm Bill White said...

Angel Pagan looks like the bad guy from True Lies. He is more valuable than Gardner and Jacoby combined.

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