Okay, first of all, I signed on to "Blogger" today, and found an awesome article about sports blogs by Jennifer Garrett. Please read it.

Second of all, the Sox had a nice win tonight, with Nomar hitting a grand slam. Since the yankees played the Orioles, the magic number only went down by one, but we're in double digits now at 99. 50 Sox wins, 49 yankee losses, and it's wrapped up.

Third of proverbial all, Gammons seems to think the yanks are the team most likely to get Beltran. Go ahead, George, add more offense instead of pitching; and give up your best prospects to do it. And we'll keep Youkilis.

Okay, sorry to hit you with another letter so quick, (the tv station wrote back, I'll post that soon) but I just had to write to DirtDog after I saw that he said, "Real Red Sox fans are sick and tired of this obsession with the Yankees."

So here's that letter:

Dear Steve,

I read the Baltimore Sun article (I got the link on your site) where you announced that "real" Red Sox fans are sick and tired of the yankees obsession--you know the quote.

And you also mentioned the "curse" business.

I agree that talking about the so-called curse is pretty stupid. And I think that people who make money off of either of these issues are most likely bigger fans of dollars than they are of the Red Sox.

However, I was pretty offended how you basically said that anyone who is really into the whole "yankee hating" thing is not a real Red Sox fan.

I am a fourth-generation Red Sox fan. I love my team and never quit on them. Despite being constantly made fun of my whole life here in southwest Connecticut, I am very proud to be Red Sox fan. I really think being a fan of this team has played a big role in me being who I am today--a humble, down-to-earth, optimistic, fiercely loyal person. I definitely consider myself a "real" Red Sox fan.

And I HATE the New York yankees.

I've always been able to get the yanks on TV, while hardly ever getting a chance to see the Red Sox. Thanks to my parents, I grew up vigorously rooting for whoever the yankees were playing, with the sound down on the television, listening to the Red Sox on the static-filled radio. I've hated yankee players most yankee "fans" haven't even heard of. From Reggie, Bucky and Mickey (Rivers) as literally a toddler (I have audio tapes to prove this), to Steve Sax, Paul Zuvella, and Dale Berra as a pre-pubescent teen, to Randy Velarde, Jim Leyritz, and Tony Fernandez as a college student, to Posada, Giambi, and A-Rod today.

It's very important to me that the yankees lose. Partly because they've never failed to disgust me, and always seem to win in the end, and act like they've won even when they've really lost. But also because I've had to face yankee fans just about every day of my life, between school and work. Lots of them. Most of my friends are yankee fans. I don't think I need to tell you what (most of) these people are like, but imagine them being the majority of people you deal with day in and day out. (I'm assuming you live in the Boston area.) Jerry Seinfeld has said that whether your team wins or loses doesn't really affect you personally, so what's the big deal? Well, he's never been a Red Sox fan in pinstripe territory.

So I'll always keep up with the yanks, like I always have in the past, rooting against them whether they're in the cellar or the World Series. And sure, if they're up 10-0 against the Orioles (I chose the most realistic example), I just turn 'em off if I want to. But hearing a yankee score can't not affect me.

If you think this means that, when the Red Sox are on TV here, I'd miss ONE pitch of the Red Sox game in favor of watching the yankees to root against them, you're crazy.

I know lately there's been a lot of hype surrounding the rivalry recently. And I can see that maybe up in the Boston area, there might be some people jumping on the "yankee hater" bandwagon, and maybe that's cheesy, but still, I don't see how anyone could NOT hate that team. So I say, if someone who's indifferent realizes how disgusting the yankees are, let 'em jump on board. I'd rather have yankee fans know how much their team is hated, even if it means people jumping on a bandwagon of sorts. But I don't even think it's that, I think it's a lot of "real" Red Sox fans showing everyone that they're sick of the god damn yankees. That's a lot better than what the media does, saying things like, "If you hate the yankees, you hate baseball" (Bob Ryan), and "Even Red Sox fans had to be rooting for Mussina when he almost got that perfect game against them." I was watching that game, and I had the same opinion as a buddy of mine, who said it best: "I'd rather puke blood than see the Red Sox get no-hit by a yankee." Oh, and then there's, "Even if you hate the uniform, you gotta admit, these yankees are a great bunch of guys." Bullcrap. I can tell what kind of person Derek Jeter is just by seeing that arrogant look on his face. And then he proves me right by deceiving the umpires into thinking pitches are inside, and pumping his fist after reaching base on an error against the Devil Rays as if to say, "I'm on base because I earned it!"

I was glad when John Henry ripped George, I love it when anyone stands up to that team, instead of bowing at their feet, and saying how great an owner Steinbrenner is. Gimme a break, he's a convicted felon, and if he "always did what it takes to win," then they'd still have Andy Pettitte.

And maybe when you said what you did, you just meant that you want Sox fans to concentrate on our own team, and have the attitude of yankee fans which is to say "What Rivalry?"

But if you look closely, you can see how when they lose to us, it really does get under the skin of their fans. Like all of a sudden, after last year's World Series loss, it was, "At least we beat Bawston!" And after the 6 out of 7 we've beaten them so far this season, I swear, the yankee fans at work have hardly ever worn their yankee gear, and haven't brought up baseball much at all. (Except to say things like "I think this is Boston's year," and "I'd kinda like to see the Red Sox win for a change.")

When they're ignoring us, it doesn't mean they're being good fans, it just means they're arrogant, like, "Why would I care about those LOSERS?" But they're the ones who started "Boston Sucks." I think that "real" yankee fans hate the Red Sox. (And the fake ones--90% of all yankee fans--care more about the Mets, and don't pay attention until October anyway.)

Well, my thoughts are getting more and more scattered, so I'm gonna finally shut up. I hope you understand where I'm coming from, and you say you're a third generation-er, and I read your site almost daily, so I know you know all about this rivalry.

I'll close with the following summary, which I realize creates a risk that I never hear from you again. But I want you to know I'm just being honest and I'm not trying to start a fight, because I don't believe in Red on Red crime. I hope that when the Red Sox win the World Series, we can share a friendly embrace on Yawkey Way. Also, If you do reply, let me know if it's okay that I post it on my blog, as I'm sure my seven fans are dying to read your thoughts on all of this...

I just think rooting against the enemy, who also happens to be the team we've been just behind for the last few years, and rooting for and loving your team, makes one a "real fan." Whereas it seems like you think that ripping all your team's beloved stars for things as trivial as their choice of hairstyle makes one a "real fan." I'd sooner leave that to the Boston media. Oh wait, I guess that's you now. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Later,

Jere

http://letsgosox.blogspot.com

I take it this has been done before, but I noticed that the Blogger spellcheck's first suggestion when it came across the word "Castiglione" was "gesticulating." I thought that was pretty funny, so I tried some more.

Here are some other #1 suggestions from the mystical spellcheck oracle:

Ortiz--orates
Varitek--varieties
Embree--embryo, of course
Yastrzemski--asterisks
Youkilis--yokels
Gedman--Goodman (?)

Kinda comical, but the awesome thing is, look what is does to the yanks:

Hideki--hides
Giambi--gimpy
Posada--posed
Jeter--jitter

And the all time champion:

Nomar Garciaparra--mammary grasshopper

The Sox were on Fox on Saturday--woohoo! I can see my team, right?
Wrong. The CT Fox station opted for yanks-Dodgers. I wrote a letter, feel free to do the same here: WTIC-TV

If not in this case, please take the time to write a letter or make a phone call whenever you feel injustice is being done.

Here's my letter:

Hello. As a lifelong resident of Fairfield County, Connecticut, I've never been able to get New England Sports Network--which now carries almost all of the Red Sox' games--due to the fact that my county is the only one in New England considered outside of NESN's viewing area. So the nationally televised games are my only chance to see my favorite team.
I was very disappointed with your decision to show the Yankees-Dodgers game on Saturday, June 19th, over the Red Sox-Giants game. This move denied everyone in Connecticut the chance to see the Red Sox (New England's only team). Including one entire county (mine) that NEVER gets to see them.
It also put the Yankee game on two different stations through most or all of Connecticut. (I couldn't find the exact facts here, but I'm pretty sure almost all of CT gets Channel 5, the Fox station in New York, which also showed the game on Saturday.)
I don't understand why you wouldn't want to give the baseball fans of our state a choice of which game they want to watch, especially when the alternate game involves a team loved by so many viewers in the area.
I could see choosing the Yankees over the Red Sox if you were the only station available in the state showing the game(although I'd still complain). But like I said, most of the state already gets the New York Fox station which will, understandably, ALWAYS show the Yankees over any other team.
If the reason is for ratings, well I still feel like the Red Sox-Giants game would've given your station higher ratings.
Consider the following:
1. The biggest concentration of Yankee fans in CT reside in Fairfield County. I know that ALL of Fairfield gets Channel 5, and I would say that most people here consider 5 their main Fox station. I think this stems from the fact that up until cable TV came along, it was very hard to get stations beyond 2 through 13 (without making a trip to the roof!) And since the New York Fox station is 5, and yours is 61, I think a lot of people are just used to going right to 5 for Fox programming. Also, with this being the "tri-state area," many people here consider New York to be the home of their "local" stations, which is unfortunate, since we are our own state. Even for news, I'd say most people here watch the New York news over the Connecticut News. (I prefer your news to that of the NY stations.) So most Fairfield County fans probably watched the game that you showed on a channel other than yours.
2. There are probably enough Sox fans in the rest of Connecticut, and fans who are sick and tired of seeing every Yankee game (as their games on YES are available throughout the state) to give you better ratings if you showed the Sox game. And
3. The matchup of the greatest hitter in the game today, Barry Bonds, against one of the best pitchers in the game, Pedro Martinez, probably would've enticed many more neutral fans to the Red Sox-Giants game than the Yankees-Dodgers "rivalry" would've to the game between those two teams.
My request is that you consider these issues the next time there is a choice of showing the Red Sox or Yankees to the viewers of Connecticut.
However, I've noticed on your schedule that yo've already made the same decision for next Saturday, as Fox has again put both teams on at the same time, with the Yankees being the "primary" game, and the Red Sox being the "secondary" game.
Changing to the Sox game would make a lot of people happy, and not many sad, as alomst everyone can still see the Yankees anyway. Plus, most Yankee fans don't start paying attention until October:)
Do you just go with the primary game automatically? Or does Major League Baseball decide for you? Please let me know.
Sincerely,
Jere
http://www.letsgosox.blogspot.com.

In other news, the magic number is down to an even 100 through June 20th, as the Sox and yanks lost on the same day for just the fourth time this season...The Red Sox have 5 more losses than the yanks, and 5 less than the Devil Rays. I'm not kidding...On Friday, before the yankees-Dodgers series, Mike Francessa was saying on the FAN that he'd like Gagne's streak to be broken, specifically by an Enrique Wilson bloop hit. He said it with that smug yankee-fan style confidence, while giggling. Gagne saved both Dodger wins as the yanks lost 2 out of three. Nice.