To those of you who for some reason seem to think that hearing the Yankees fans chirp is more annoying than our division rival winning their 2nd World Series title in a row, I say to you the following:
I would root for Apollo Creed to not get up in Rocky IV after being physically manhandled by Ivan Drago. After Ivan Drago says, “If he dies, he dies” I’d say, Yeah!” before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Alex Forrest played by Glenn Close to be with her one true love, Mr. Daniel Gallagher played by Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for the show Seinfeld to be taken off the air without ever having a final season before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Ross Perot to be the President of the United States before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Michael Kay & Steve Phillips to partner up for a morning talk show on WFAN before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for a MySpace account to be a job requirement before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Veronica’s Closet to be brought back to NBC before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Joanie NOT to love Chachi before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Mike Francesa to take over for Gary Cohen before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for baseball to diminish it’s steroid abuse policy, and the NFL to diminish it’s personal conduct policy before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Mike Tyson after he bit Holyfield’s ear off before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for the team from Remember the Titans to sit out the entire season due to integration before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for Global Warming before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for the unemployment rate to go up before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for the Hunter in Bambi before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
I would root for all Dog’s NOT to go to Heaven before I eeeeeeeeever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The bottom line is this. The Yankees fans will always have the upper hand when it comes to the supposed Mets/Yankees rivalry which really only exists to sell tickets to 6 games. The one thing that is not a certainty is whether the Phillies fan will have the upper hand on us Mets fans. We can’t take away their championship last year, and we can’t deny it’s value. However, we certainly can unite as New Yorkers and say, “Philadelphia is not better than New York.”
To root for the Phillies is rooting for their fan base to have experienced 1 more World Series title than our fan base. The Phillies players are constantly disrespecting the team we love, and our fan base. Whether it be Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, or Shane Victorino. When was the last time Derek Jeter said anything negative about the Mets and their fans? So what you have to hear “27,” a few times a day. What’s the big deal? How is that any different than the rest of your life? It’s not as though we can deduct championships from the Yankees, therefore it will never end. Acting as though if they don’t win this year you won’t have to hear it from the guy in the cubicle next to you is ridiculous.
On the other hand, watching as the team that has caused you pain and anguish for almost your entire sports life do the same to the team in your division you loath the most, well that my friends is priceless.
If in the same shoes and the Mets were playing the Red Sox, 9 out of 10 Yankees fans would root for the Mets. How about if the Jets played the Eagles in the Super Bowl, would Giants fans root for their division rival? You don’t cheer on division rivals. This ain’t the pesky little Marlins of 03 where it’s just funny to watch them beat the Yankees. This is the team and the city that represents all of which we despise.
If you as a Mets fan are wearing red or cheering on Victorino as he tries to elbow Jeter at SS, or slapping hands as Jayson Werth hits another dirty HR, you can forget about being respected as a Mets fan by those Yankees fans you encounter every day. You can hang up your Mets jersey and turn your playbook in to coach, because you’re done. Tonight, and for the rest of the series, be a New Yorker.
Finally, I would root for the New York Yankees before I ever root for the Philadelphia Phillies.
