While waiting for my Wooster sandwich at Elm City Java in New Haven (Connecticut's former "next Seattle"), I took a peek at the most recent New Haven Advocate. In the letters to the editor section, I came across a steaming dump of a letter from a guy named Jim, which you can read here. (It's the fourth letter down on the page.)

Here's a highlight of the letter, if you don't feel like reading the whole thing:

"In lieu of the neverending publicity and grandeur the Red Sox Nation is still receiving, keep in mind that the New York Yankees have won 26 world championships to the Red Sox' 2. All I hear and see is Red Sox Nation plastered all over the malls, streets, magazines, advertisements, and newspapers. All right Already! You did the impossible, but the party has got to end! It has to end!"

Oh my. Before I go on, take a look at the closing of his letter, which proves that his "2 championships" theory wasn't a misprint:

"Perhaps when the Red Sox win another 24 times, as the Yankees have done, they would have something to cheer about in their never ending party. All I can say is that most Red Sox fans don't know how to win or lose with class, dignity and with good sportsmanship. I am sure there will be another Boston massacre next year when our pitching staff and power players deliver! The more you antagonize the Yankee fans, the tougher the whooping the Sox will take next year. I can't wait for opening day!"

The guy uses TEN exclamation points in a four paragraph letter, but that's beside the point. I'm going to write a letter to the paper in response to this inaccuracy-fest, which I'll share with you below.

Anyway, here's my response:


To Jim, a Yankee fan who wrote in complaining about all the attention the Red Sox have been getting since their World Series victory:

Mr. Bege, I apologize on behalf of my fellow citizens of Red Sox Nation who may have made some "nasty comments" to you during this glorious off-season. But if you haven't noticed, we've had to put up with quite a bit of the same (and much worse) from your fellow Yankee fans for our entire lives. So you're going to have to grit your teeth and prepare for the wrath of what may come from people who have literally waited a lifetime just to be able to say that their team is the World Champion.

You live in New England, home of the Red Sox. You're going to have to witness this "never ending party." It's quite painful to see the logo of your rival plastered everywhere you go, isn't it? You've had three months of this, just imagine a lifetime of it. Imagine putting your heart and soul into a team for your whole life, and then seeing ten people a day at your office who know nothing about baseball come in to work with Yankees shirts on, proud to be a part of a "champion." No, they don't know who played shortstop before Derek Jeter, but they know to call you a "loser" for wearing a Red Sox hat.

Well, as hard as it may be for you to grasp, the Red Sox are now the World Champions, and we, the fans, will be celebrating. For a long time. Right in front of you. Wouldn't you if your team hadn't won in 86 years? You'll never know what that's like, because if the Yankees ever go anywhere near that long without winning, I guarantee you'll find a team to root for that IS winning. Like, say, the Mets. Don't tell me you didn't jump on that bandwagon in 1986.

I'd like to thank you, though, Jim. For a Red Sox fan to hear such frustration coming from a Yankee fan is better than any heaven that may exist. This was the year I'd always hoped for. One where it was your team who "choked," and mine who won the whole thing.

I'd also like to correct you on one thing. This year, the Red Sox won their sixth championship, not their second. I'd expect the "most knowledgeable fans in sports" to know such a basic baseball fact, but I forgive you, you must be going through a rough time right now. I'd like to commiserate with you, but I really can't relate to how you must feel--my team never choked that bad.