WIN OR LOSE, THE YANKEES & RED SOX HAVE A HISTORY

I love this rivalry.  Growing up, there were never Red Sox fans around me, it was a much smaller market... at least that what it seemed like to me.  I was a kid so where did I travel? Who did I know? There were a few kids on the block who always wore their Yankee caps like me and that one kid who was a Mets fan…every gang had 1.  No one was a Red Sox fan. 

I remember Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens were big deals when I was growing up.  I was always fascinated with batting average and that’s why a guy like Don Mattingly was so amazing to me. Wade Boggs fell into that category, Tony Gwynn and ironically it all stemmed from Ted Williams…a Red Sock.  I once even mailed a baseball card to Wade Boggs and he signed it and mailed it back.  Sure, I hated the Red Sox but everyone appreciates talent. Check it out:

For me, the Yankees, Red Sox rivalry really got hot as I got older and really understood it.  Sure, Carlton Fisk and Thurman Munson absolutely hated each other and that disagreement between the 2 teams is historic, and carries over easily to the fans, but when you get older and really start to understand the passion these players have, it gives you chills.

That’s why Aaron Boone’s home run was such a big deal in 2003.  Sure, we lost the World Series that year, and that stung, but that Yankees, Red Sox series was MY World Series.  We beat the Red Sox again that season, it was incredible and to do it the way we did, well, amazing.

And you want to talk about leadership? Jorge Posada standing in Fenway park barking at Pedro Martinez reminding the Sox that, "if there’s a problem, we’re coming after you!"…That’s when Posada became a team leader.  That’s like mob shit.  Watching Posada standing there arguing with Pedro in Pedro’s house? Are you serious? No fear…pure adreneline…pure guts…gotta love Poe for that.

As we move forward and we truly learn about loss, like in 2004, you really understand just how important this rivalry is.  Which is why 2012 is so important.  With Bobby Valentine blabbing about things that no one understands and Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester looking at him puzzled, let's just say it can single handedly bring a franchise to their knees.  Valentine’s demise is happening in 2012, he’s in over his head and the best part…it’s for the Yankees benefit.  Sure, the Yankees and Mets had their rivalry in 2000, but Valentine doesn’t seen to understand how much bigger the Yankees and Red Sox is compared to that.  The Mets were the Mets. The Red Sox are bigger and forever they’ll be attached to the Mighty Yankees. It will never change.  Winning for Valentine just became 10 times more important.

They know that, the Yankees know it and believe me, with Derek Jeter leading the charge, we will provide a pounding so extreme, Red Sox fans will run Valentine out of Boston and hopefully for our sake he’ll run home to his father-in-law Ralph Branca and Ralph can pull out a history book and say “Let me show you what you’ve missed while you were in Japan...” 

I love the Yankees and this 2012 team.  I want them to beat the Red Sox every single time.  While it’s probably not possible, it is in fact doable and hell, if they can win 3 out of 4 this weekend, I’ll be thrilled, after all, the Sox are still a good team. Plus how the hell did the Sox players know they would get a know-it-all manager who knows nothing about managing personalities as well as a ball club.  You know who the genius in all of this is? Jason Varitek…he saw the writing on the wall.  Sure, he could have hung around another year, but he saw what was about the unfold…and he limped far away from Yawkey Way. Smart.

OK Yanks... the time is now... let's go baby... LET'S GO YANKEES!

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