NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm a huge Red Sox fan myself. But, come on. Have a little class.

Like any of these Sox fans would have turned down the better offer in Damon's place.

Don't blame Johnny Damon for going to the Yankees. Blame the MLB for allowing the Yankees to have three times the average payroll of the league.

Blame the MLB for allowing the Yankees to have three times the average payroll of the league.

Too true. Also blame the MLB for allowing a team like the Marlins to exist. The un-parity of baseball is pathetic.

I'm a huge Red Sox fan myself. But, come on. Have a little class.

Like any of these Sox fans would have turned down the better offer in Damon's place.

Don't blame Johnny Damon for going to the Yankees. Blame the MLB for allowing the Yankees to have three times the average payroll of the league.

When you're the highest drawing team in baseball, why shouldn't you be allowed to invest the money in your team (thereby increasing fan attendance)?

When you're the highest drawing team in baseball, why shouldn't you be allowed to invest the money in your team (thereby increasing fan attendance)?

Because parity is better for business.

Because parity is better for business.

And it's just not as fun if one team can buy off all the good players. :(

When you're the highest drawing team in baseball, why shouldn't you be allowed to invest the money in your team (thereby increasing fan attendance)?

Because not everyone gets to play in a market like NYC.

So what's the solution? A salary cap? Revenue sharing has benefitted MLB and leveled the playing field. Don't believe me? Then why has there been 6 different teams that won the championship in the last 6 years?

MLB is fine the way it is, payroll-wise.

Because parity is better for business.
That is part of the reason that the NFL is the sport in the United States.

That, and baseball is pathetic for all it's records being owned by roidheads.

That is part of the reason that the NFL is the sport in the United States.

That, and baseball is pathetic for all it's records being owned by roidheads.

Really? You think the great Hank Aaron was a "roidhead"? What about Babe Ruth, Ricky Henderson, Cal Ripkin Jr, etc....

Maybe you should alert Bud Selig, so he can wipe all those records off the books. :rolleyes:

What I keep trying to tell people (to some, it's a practice in futility), is that in the end it's all about the money.

What? You actually THOUGHT professional atheletes CARE about their "fans"? He'll piss on them in a second if someone offers him a million dollars to swing a bat (Infuriating, by the way).

It's time to leave "Fantasy-Land", and come back to "Reality-Land".

(And if you couldn't POSSIBLY guess...No, I do not have a very high opinion of professional sports.)

If you think about it, why should Damon have any partiality to the Sox? It's not like he grew up as a Red Sox fan. They just happened to sign him as a free agent from the Oakland Athletics. Did he "betray" the As fans when he went to Boston for a more lucrative contract?

And to all those people who think that a salary cap would be good for business:
You're probably right that a little parity helps the MLB to sell its product. But, for the past few seasons, there's been more parity in the MLB than in the NFL, at least as far as championships are concerned. Anyway, you're forgetting the main reason that there will never be a salary cap in baseball; there's no chance in hell that the players' union would ever allow it. Salary caps severely limit players ability to "play the field" and get the best deal possible.

No wonder I rarely watch sports.

Who looks like jesus, acts like judus, and throws like mary?
and who just lost the ny/bos game?
that's what happens to traitors.
any other team...

you're right it is all about money so why should johnny damon be called a "traitor" for getting more money?

If you think about it, why should Damon have any partiality to the Sox? It's not like he grew up as a Red Sox fan. They just happened to sign him as a free agent from the Oakland Athletics. Did he "betray" the As fans when he went to Boston for a more lucrative contract?

Exactly, this is Damon's 12 year in the Majors, he spent 4 at Boston. The Red Sox wish they were the Yankees, and whine miserably when they can't be the Yankees.

you're right it is all about money so why should johnny damon be called a "traitor" for getting more money?

Because when he was a Red Sox he was the leading voice on the team denouncing the "Evil Empire" and all that stuff. He was the loudest about how he disliked the Yankees and how they were bad for baseball and how he had no respect for the mercenary way they build teams, and then he bailed on Boston for a bigger contract with New York. He may not be a traitor, but based on the way he used to act, he's definately a hypocrite.

Exactly, this is Damon's 12 year in the Majors, he spent 4 at Boston. The Red Sox wish they were the Yankees, and whine miserably when they can't be the Yankees.

The Yankees wish they had fans like the Red Sox does, and spends millions of dollars trying to obtain them.

in case anybody's wondering, damon was 0-4 against the Sox today, ortiz hit a homer over him, Sox win 7-3. :D

it was damon's choice to cross a major rivalry, the fans have the right to boo him. you can bet his salary was enough without the raise from the yanks.

The Yankees wish they had fans like the Red Sox does, and spends millions of dollars trying to obtain them.

Like hell, the Yankees fans are the reason they can spend $250M on players. Boston fans think that, just because they stuck by the Red Sox while they couldn't win the World Series, that they are God's gift to baseball. In fact, the World Series drought is the only reason that Red Sox fans can be so proud of themselves, if the Sox had won a couple in there, their fans would be no different.

Like hell, the Yankees fans are the reason they can spend $250M on players. Boston fans think that, just because they stuck by the Red Sox while they couldn't win the World Series, that they are God's gift to baseball. In fact, the World Series drought is the only reason that Red Sox fans can be so proud of themselves, if the Sox had won a couple in there, their fans would be no different.

It's the other way around. The only reason so many people rooted for the Yankees in the past decade is because they monopolized over the championships and spent millions of dollars on big-name players. Once the Yankees started losing, thier fanbase started to slip.

Fenway Park has seats that are passes on in people's wills. Also, the entire area of New England is Red Sox nation. The Yankees have to share a city with anouther team. Nothing will ever beat the passion Red Sox fans have for thier team.

Nothing will ever beat the passion Red Sox fans have for thier team.
Don't say that in Green Bay!
(Or in Brazil about any soccer team)

However on Damon; he is a professional sportsman, not a beantown baby. Yes, going to the Yankees was bad from the fans point of view, but it was great for both clubs. More fuel to the furnace, more reason for fans to buy tickets, merchandise etc. etc.

Baseball is a business first and foremost.

Don't say that in Green Bay!
(Or in Brazil about any soccer team)

However on Damon; he is a professional sportsman, not a beantown baby. Yes, going to the Yankees was bad from the fans point of view, but it was great for both clubs. More fuel to the furnace, more reason for fans to buy tickets, merchandise etc. etc.

Baseball is a business first and foremost.

But he cut his hair!

Because when he was a Red Sox he was the leading voice on the team denouncing the "Evil Empire" and all that stuff. He was the loudest about how he disliked the Yankees and how they were bad for baseball and how he had no respect for the mercenary way they build teams, and then he bailed on Boston for a bigger contract with New York. He may not be a traitor, but based on the way he used to act, he's definately a hypocrite.nah, he's a traitor. He took what Boston has always said, made it his pet project, and then went directly against it for money. If that doesn't scream traitor, I dont know what does.

Perfect example that it isn't just that he left...Bourque a few years ago went to the Avs. He got cheered longer than ever his first game back in Boston. It isn't just that he left for personal gain. It is that he went against everything he stood for in Boston for some more money. He sold his soul. That simple.

But he cut his hair!

In that he went too far, true. So boo him for that.

The Yankees wish they had fans like the Red Sox does, and spends millions of dollars trying to obtain them.

The Yankees do have fans like the Red Sox, it just looks like the Sox have more because wearing boston hats became fashionable after they won.

The Yankees do have fans like the Red Sox, it just looks like the Sox have more because wearing boston hats became fashionable after they won.
wearing sox hats has been "fashionable" for decades......

Oh, and Boston is known for its fans. We treat our players of all sports like gods, and they really get close to the community. The sports are a major part of the city.

It's the other way around. The only reason so many people rooted for the Yankees in the past decade is because they monopolized over the championships and spent millions of dollars on big-name players. Once the Yankees started losing, thier fanbase started to slip.

Fenway Park has seats that are passes on in people's wills. Also, the entire area of New England is Red Sox nation. The Yankees have to share a city with anouther team. Nothing will ever beat the passion Red Sox fans have for thier team.

The Red Sox do not own New England. There's a lot of Yankees fans in CT and RI (I see a lot of NY logos down past New Haven, Score 99.7 from RI broadcasts Yankees games, some of the bars around here have Yankees signs, ...).

Just as a final note, I am no fair weather fan. I've rooted for the Yankees since I was a kid. You say Red Sox fans have passion for their team, true Yankees fans have that same passion.

I know nothing of this man of whom you speak...

I also know nothing of this game that you refer too....

I had best get my coat.

*gets coat*

The Red Sox do not own New England. There's a lot of Yankees fans in CT and RI (I see a lot of NY logos down past New Haven, Score 99.7 from RI broadcasts Yankees games, some of the bars around here have Yankees signs, ...).

Just as a final note, I am no fair weather fan. I've rooted for the Yankees since I was a kid. You say Red Sox fans have passion for their team, true Yankees fans have that same passion.
the majority of New England is Red Sox nation. Only some areas of southern CT have any decent ammount of yank fans. By and large, New England is Red Sox.

I'm a huge Red Sox fan myself. But, come on. Have a little class.

Like any of these Sox fans would have turned down the better offer in Damon's place.

Don't blame Johnny Damon for going to the Yankees. Blame the MLB for allowing the Yankees to have three times the average payroll of the league.


I agreee. Im a huge red sox fan and if I was at fenway that game I would have stood up and applauded him when he went up to bat.

I agreee. Im a huge red sox fan and if I was at fenway that game I would have stood up and applauded him when he went up to bat.
the issue isn't that he went to the yankees, or even that he went for more money. It is the fact that during his tenure in Boston, he spoke out against players who did exactly that. He took what Boston has been saying for decades, parroted it back word for word, and at the drop of a hat, went against every word he said. He was a hypocrite and in doing so, betrayed his fans. I, for one, was more than happy to be able to hear the boos from my room.

the majority of New England is Red Sox nation. Only some areas of southern CT have any decent ammount of yank fans. By and large, New England is Red Sox.

You'd be suprised how many Yankees fans are in CT. Also, like I said, there's Yankees support in RI, too. Why else would a RI radio station be a broadcaster of Yankees games (especially since that station doesn't reach a large portion of CT or NY).

The Yankees are loosing a major, major market to the Mets this year. With Mets billboards plastered all throughout NYC, and with the aquisition of major Hispanic players over the last two years, and the Yankees not dominating as they used to, many fans within the city have switched to Kings of Queens. With this, and because the Red Sox fan base is growing because of their recent WS championship, the Red Sox should soon be making close to what the Yankees are making.

They probably could have afforded to outbid the Yankees and get Damon back, but the Red Sox chose not to pursue him, because they figured that someone like Crisp would provide similar production for a longer amount of time. So, if the Sox fan's want to blame someone for Damon leaving, I think it should be the Red Sox front office.