Yankees, So Who's Your 'Papi' Now?

In my four years in Boston, the one thing I can say about New Englanders is that they are the ultimate sports fans. It's quite fascinating to me how loyal they are despite circumstances. All the more fascinating since I am not a sports fan. The only sports I ever played were volleyball and badminton, and both aren't big here. But walking by any sports bar during football and baseball season is quite an experience. The euphoria that unleashes everytime the home team scores radiates into the streets and envelopes any passersby. It makes me smile seeing so many people so happy. And to me, the scene is so 'Americana'.

In my first year here, I was asked what I thought about the possibility of the Patriots going to the Superbowl. "Who?" I asked. The reaction was quite amusing. It would be the same kind of look one would receive if they said they were Republican here in Massachusetts. It didn't help that the girl I was talking to was engaged to someone who worked for the New England Patriots.

So just to see what the hoopla was all about, I watched the Superbowl and saw the Pats, then the underdogs, win. I always enjoy it when underdogs win. I think it makes victory sweeter. It was the same reaction I had when I watched the last four games of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) when the Boston Red Sox faced the NY Yankees to see who goes to the World Series.

The Red Sox had lost the first 3 games in the best of 7. Everyone was saying that the Yankees had it in the bag, especially since the Red Sox had not advanced to the World Series since 1986 and never won it since 1918. It was 3-0. When I heard that, I decided to watch Game 4. The underdog seemed to be in deep trouble, and this I certainly didn't want to miss. Not that I wanted to see them lose, but in case they decided to go against insurmountable odds, and triumph over seemingly certain defeat, I wanted to witness it. There's nothing like witnessing a moment like that as it happens. And it did! They won the next four games, in heart-stopping, nail-biting, history-making fashion. One New York newspaper's headline was "Hell Freezes Over". I think they summed that up pretty well. Haha!

The World Series starts tomorrow. The last couple of weeks, I kept saying that the curse of the Bambino will lift on its 100th anniversary. It just seems more romantic that way. But after seeing all the drama that unfolded in the last few days, I say that now is certainly a good time as any.