Prepare for the Backlash

I know that I might be blowing this all out of proportion but to hear that the Red Sox have been declared by anyone, much less USA Today, as "America's Team" must be a sign of the Apocalypse. Seriously, to have this moniker attached to any sports team is akin to being called overrated or overhyped. While the times that I spent chronicling some of my feelings on the Sox when I was writing my comic book column (Preachin' from the Longbox for those who have a short memory or haven't read the sidebar) during the 2004 season was like being a part of something bigger than yourself; almost like you were attuned to the power cosmic and knew that this was going to be the year.

But once they won the World Series, the sports fans' equivalent of blood sucking leeches, otherwise known as the"casual" fan, began their life-draining attachment to my team. It's not that I have this inane idea that they are my team and my team alone. But to see the plethora of Sox merch on people who didn't suffer the '78, '86 or even the '03 heartbreaks is revolting.

Luckily for me, the USA Today idea seems to have fallen flat. One of the online repsonses to the article showed a link to a recent Harris poll that shows the Yanks as still secure in their #1 ranking since 2003. One cause for concern is that the Sox have steadily grown in popularity from #6 in '03 to #3 in '07. Although if it means a few more World Series crowns, I'll take being called "America's Team".

Newsfeed: USA Today
Other Links: Harris Poll

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