This article by SI’s Michael Rosenberg came out after Game 2 of the ALCS, but it’s a provocative, thought-provoking piece. With the Bombers swept out of the playoffs, we’re curious about what our fellow Yankee fans think about his premise.
Here are some excerpts, but we encourage you to read the whole thing:
As team president Randy Levine told ESPN last year: “We are the Yankees. That is the way The Boss set it up. When you don’t win the World Series, it is a bitter disappointment and not a successful year.”
When you don’t win the World Series, it is a bitter disappointment. No doubt, many Yankee fans feel the same way.
And this makes me wonder: Is it fun to be a Yankees fan?
Here is the problem with being a Yankees fan: You’re cheering for Goldman Sachs. Like the folks at Goldman Sachs, the Yankees go through two cycles: They are either obscenely rich and extremely successful, or extremely rich and not quite as successful as they planned, forcing them to hold a conference call with reporters in which they apologize for “not meeting expectations,” and then they resume being obscenely rich and successful.
There are benefits to cheering for Goldman Sachs. You don’t feel embarrassed like Clippers fans or hopeless like Pirates fans. But it’s a lot harder to fall in love. Whenever the Yankees win, they were supposed to win; they’re the Yankees. And when they lose, they were supposed to win.
Yankees fans are incredibly passionate, but passion is not the same as joy. The difference is best illustrated in their treatment of Alex Rodriguez.
In his nine years with the Yankees, A-Rod has hit .292 with a .387 on-base percentage, .538 slugging percentage, 302 home runs, 960 RBIs, two Most Valuable Player Awards and seven All-Star appearances.
A-Rod’s postseason numbers with the Yankees are not as great, of course. But until this season, they certainly weren’t bad either, by any reasonable standard. He had a .388 on-base percentage and a .480 slugging percentage. Comparison time: In Derek Jeter’s True Yankee postseason career, he has a .374 on-base percentage and a .465 slugging percentage
And yet: Yankee fans are booing A-Rod like crazy this postseason.
I can see those smug grins in Boston right now, and on behalf of America, let me just say: Get over yourselves. The Red Sox are only an underdog in the context of their rivalry with the Yankees. For most of the last decade the Red Sox have spent wildly, won consistently and set a standard of World Series-or-bust. At this point, Boston fans are just New York fans with slightly larger apartments. This is why the Bobby Valentine disaster, while painful, was actually good for Red Sox fans. They needed to suffer again.
It wasn’t always this way. When the Yankees won the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000, they were still largely homegrown, or assembled through shrewd front-office moves. Some Yankees fans argue that those teams were special — tougher, grittier, hungrier than the current group. Maybe, maybe not. But I think the main thing that has changed is the fans. In 1996, the franchise had not won the World Series since 1978, so fans of those teams had really waited a generation for success.
56 Comments
I'm Swish, MAN October 19, 2012 11:18
It’s not even fun to be a Yankee
Future October 20, 2012 08:06
It won’t be your problem much longer.
I'm Swish, MAN October 22, 2012 09:29
RT’ING THAT, BRO: @YANKEEFAN1996 @SWISH YOU SUCK
Brian S. October 19, 2012 11:30
We were stinky in playoffs
bartonbickle October 19, 2012 11:33
of course it’s still fun to be a Yankee fan.
winning never gets old or less fun. can’t do everything right every year.
I’m glad we had the few October (Ibanez) moments that we did instead of watching a team wither away and die starting in April like the Red Sox fans.
Its not fun October 19, 2012 11:44
I think it has more to to with the personalities of the team though. The quiet intensity that the team adopted from Jeter in the 90′s and early 2000′s has morphed into corporate PR soundbites perfected by Tex, Granderson and Arod. The team’s best player is lazy and disinterested. The only player with any heart is a .200 hitter (martin). Whether you like the manager or not, his explanations for his decisions are either shrewd lies or based on third grade logic which is not fun to watch either way.
I don’t pretend to know the solution, but I hope some rebuilding is in the works.
A Waste October 19, 2012 16:23
How about sitting around waitinbg for the big homerun? If the big homer doesn’t happen, they don’t win. Couldn’t be more evident in the playoffs. Not as exciting to watch games anymore.
haha October 19, 2012 16:31
yes too many homers in the regular season is the reason they batted .270 for 162 games and .180 in 9 playoff games and scored O runs off of pitchers not named valverde / johnson
The Truth October 19, 2012 11:51
Gee you wonder why it sucks to be a Yankees fan, because the perception of the team & it’s players is shaped by one organization, ESPN, that happens to be chock full of Red Sox fans. Therefore we as fans and to a greater extent the organization will always be seen as entitled assholes. I don’t expect the team to win the World Series every year, hell it just became more difficult with this extra wild card, but I do expect the organization and the fan base to be above the petty shit I spent the better part of a week watching.
We get it Brian you don’t want to pay Alex. Fan base some of us get it, some of you are so attached to Jeter’s nuts you can never judge Alex objectively. Media we know you hate Alex because you are all short, fat and bald. To answer this question, is it fun to be a Yankees fan? It will be when all the assholes who cover the team die.
NoMaas October 19, 2012 14:08
It’s got nothing to do with Jeter at this point (if it ever did)…
It’s time for Arod to go… nobody wants to root for the guy anymore, and even if he gets back on roids he can’t even come close to earning that contract
The Truth October 19, 2012 14:36
It has nothing to do with Jeter? Nomaas either you’re as stupid as the fans of this team who cling the 90′s crew like wino’s clutching a bottle or you’re completely delusional. The fan base that worships at the altar of the Tino-O’Neill mafia never accepted Alex. Why? Because in a magazine article Alex was critical of St. Derek. Fuck that. Derek has always acted cooly towards him therefore the fickle brain dead fan base followed suit. This entire team stopped hitting and yet one man was made the focal of the offensive struggles. For crying out loud what the fuck did Granderson do for this franchise to endear such loyalty? Was he on the team in 2009? Stop it your beloved GM and his pet of a manager made this personal, fuck them both. This was not the time for petty bullshit. When does the Ninja get held accountable for his off field issues, which were far more embarrassing?
NoMaas October 19, 2012 14:51
Stop being a crybaby..
Arod was made the focal point because A. he makes the most money (fair or not) and B. unlike the other struggling players, you had the whole righty/lefty thing with Chavez
As for whining about the Jeter/Arod thing… seriously, get over it already.. Jeter did a fantastic job as the captain/leader of this team to help get them to game 1 of the ALCS.. he went down, arod (and others) struggled, season ends… that’s baseball
The Truth October 19, 2012 15:11
Nomass, fuck you and grow a pair. He makes the most money so therefore he should get the most criticism? Honestly what the fuck happened to this site? The reason that this situation boiled out of control is that the braintrust of this organization, any oxymoron if there ever was one, said this was about baseball and nothing else. Great then Grandersn and Swisher should have hit the pine also.
For god’s sake
Nick Swisher was 1-36 with RISP the last four postseasons. You do remember him being benched for Jerry Hairston in the 09 World Series don’t you? Jeter has been a great leader for the franchise but has dropped the ball too often when it comes to Alex, this is not opinion just fact. Oh and you still haven’t addressed the matter of your boy Cashmoney.
NoMaas October 19, 2012 15:20
I’m not going to sit here and have a debate with a guy (girl?) whose whining about how salary influences how ‘hard’ we are on players…
it does, whether or not it should, it does.. grow up already and join the real world…
as for cashman, do i think he should be fired in disgrace? no.. do i think he’s doing a great job? no.. We’ll re-evaluate in the near future!
A Waste October 19, 2012 16:29
Cashman made some superb moves this year when people went down with injuries. He hasn’t been all bad.
D October 19, 2012 11:59
It’s a rhetorical question, not a real one. To be a real question, it would have to make the ridiculous assumption that people first do some kind of cost/benefit analysis about how much fun they’re likely to have, and only then decide to be fans.
Most real, non-bandwagon fans become fans as kids or because they form an emotional connection some other way.
I became a fan at age 7, during the 1977 season that ended with a WS win featuring the Reggie Jackson Game. Of course, they repeated in ’78 with a huge late-season comeback culminating in the Bucky Dent Game.
So, as an 8-year-old, I thought the Yankees always won the WS and was crushed every year when they didn’t. The glow of ’77 and ’78 carried me through a long 18 years. By the time they won again in ’96, I was 26 and had to pinch myself — I could hardly believe that they won it again, and was sad that Mattingly missed out on it.
Kids growing up since 1996 were spoiled like I was in 1978, only more so with more rings and vastly expanded media hype.
Is it “fun” being a Yankee fan? Occasionally, but more often not. But it is still uniquely rewarding because the team has real traditions that means something, including the refusal to accept mediocrity — ever.
You are 42 October 19, 2012 12:04
Do you have wrinkly balls?
D October 19, 2012 12:13
Only on NoMaas could a post like this get a response like yours. But, maybe I take myself too seriously. so, my bad.
Born in the 60s October 19, 2012 12:25
Hey, pimple-face: grow the fuck up and then maybe we’ll let you talk with the adults.
You are old October 19, 2012 12:45
Guess that’s a yes! Enjoy your cialis
Born in the 60s October 19, 2012 12:29
Couldn’t have put it better myself — the history and tradition make all worthwhile, and living through the lean years and sharing Mattingly’s pain makes the eventual breakthrough that much sweeter. Keep the long view!
Jim Leyritz's Cellmate October 19, 2012 11:59
These articles pop up once in a while; they’re lazy journalism. They’re a web-hits grab and nothing more.
Of course it’s fun to be a Yankee fan. Watching Raul Ibanez hit meaningful home runs is a hell of a lot more fun than watching Ortiz hit a meaningless one. Living and dying with each win and loss in a pennant race is certainly more fun than hoping my team finishes above .500 this year. Having some kind of hope in October and occasionally winning it all is better than usually having no hope in October and very infrequently winning it all.
Are fans of other teams happy that the Yankees lost? Of course they are – but I’d much rather leave the playoffs early than not play in them.
Russell October 19, 2012 12:18
I largely still like this team with the exception of ARod. But no, it’s not as much fun anymore. Stopped after Joba fever ended.
Federal Reserve October 19, 2012 12:40
Holding tough press conferences to tell people that you weren’t as wildly successful as people would have liked?
HAHAHAHA! I wonder what that feels like?
I only get some softball questions from Congressmen that still believe in creationism.
Rambo October 19, 2012 13:04
Honestly, going through a few lean years would (hopefully) cut down on the bandwagon chodes, lower ticket prices due to suckage, and make us appreciate winning even more. Can you imagine how Cubs fans will feel when (if) they ever win a world series? Or Pirates? Etc.
Fuck em
Hair Gel Hal October 19, 2012 16:15
Lower Ticket Prices! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
Yankee Hater October 19, 2012 13:05
I got it easy – why just this season alone I’ve been a Rays fan, a Orioles fan, and a Tigers fan. I get to bet the field every year! Life is sweet. Have fun watching on TV losers!
NoMaas October 19, 2012 13:58
We aren’t having fun being Yankee fans… As evidenced by us completely embarrassing ourselves on the Jeter topic…
bartonbickle October 19, 2012 19:45
it does seem like you’re being somewhat reactionary, though.
just because things don’t work out the way they’re supposed to, or swing in a negative direction (short OR long term-wise) doesn’t mean that the big picture is completely bleek.
for all we know the $189M clause could be lifted in the interest of generating more revenue. it would behoove the Yankee corporation/organization to entice fans by continuing to ensure an attractive product on the field. the mud on their face with regards to the playoff home crowds can’t possibly be lost on them.
perhaps that means eating portions of bad contracts and moving certain pieces (as they’ve set a precedent for already with Burnett) and getting younger/better. maybe Ca$hman can get creative again to stay competitive while also getting younger like he did with the Pineda deal. I mean hey, maybe Pineda comes back and pitches next year like he did in ’11.
the window of opportunity isn’t closed is all I’m saying. this injury laden, makeshift, geriatric team still won 95 games and more than anyone else in a much more competitive and open league. they get to play the Astros and several putrid NL teams a bunch more next season. things will probably be okay.
Adolf Hilter October 19, 2012 13:59
It’s definitely not fun to be a Jew.
Benny Ka Back October 19, 2012 15:49
^ This comment is not kosher. Daddy! Please censor this guy!
Brad Pitt October 19, 2012 14:44
It’s like rooting for me to get laid.
DormantUlcer October 19, 2012 15:02
My response is the same: Fuck SI and all it’s pompous end-all-be-all-of-sports writers. The only thing more overpaid than athletes are the shitheads who are paid to write and talk about sports.
Gay Destro October 19, 2012 15:51
Shut the hell up and stuff a dildo up my ass, moron.
Josh October 19, 2012 15:33
Of course it’s still fun. Still, it was more fun rooting for Tino, Bernie, and O’Neill than Teixiera and A-Rod. From 1996-2001, we saw ordinary players (Brosius, Curtis, etc.) become the heroes that we expect A-Rod and Tex (and Giambi, Sheffield, Randy Johnson before them) to be.
A Waste October 19, 2012 16:36
No doubt. We need playmakers and a balanced lineup. We were good enough to beat the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and the Orioles hardly, but not good against the elite pitchers.
Sarah Palin's Boy Toy October 19, 2012 16:00
As a lifetime Yankee fan, I felt there was a definite shift after we signed our first former MVP (Giambi), who I liked and rooted for with no problem. Torre’s style of NL play, moving runners over and manufacturing runs quickly became all about the long ball once we signed a guaranteed HR Hitter and I feel that was more George than anything. Big names (Giambi, Sheffield, A-Rod, Clemens) for the big stage of NY became the way after our late 90′s World Series domination.
Yes it’s still fun to be a Yankee fan, but the dynamic has changed (as it would naturally) and I’m partially glad we didn’t get that far in the playoffs b/c it highlights that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. The Yankees will never openly admit to a rebuilding year or process, b/c we’re designed to win all the time. Progress doesn’t happen until we recognize our faults.
A. Espinosa October 20, 2012 22:50
I actually agree somewhat with this. When we brought in Giambi, the dynamic of the team and future teams completely changed.
NoMaas October 19, 2012 16:17
Hey guys let’s get people’s thoughts on a MSM article because we are too lazy to write our own shit!
Brilliant idea!!!
next post lets see how people feel about the Daily News!
Great man – we are awesome!!!!
A Waste October 19, 2012 16:43
Wow the Daily fuckin News. Good enough to pick up dog shit. I can’t believe how bad they’ve gotten.
Daily News October 20, 2012 12:45
When where we not a waste?
Robinson Tilapia October 19, 2012 17:44
Tilapia says Mike Axxisa is the best blogger in Yankee Universe .
My anus eating friend Plouffy agrees
Justin Tuck October 19, 2012 18:57
My thoughts on the SI article are thus:
People who aren’t Yankee fans think its easy and NY buys championships. My response is that if championships could be bought, we would get one every year.
So, it is annoying in that context that NY does not win more championships. But, that being said, baseball is very hard and dominance over 162 games does not translate into a win in a short series (just ask the 116 win Mariners). It is extremely fulfilling when our team wins it all, even the 2000 WS when they won their 4th in 5 years… it was as fulfilling as all the others.
Big Poppa Pump October 19, 2012 19:03
TO ALL MY FREAKS – FEAST YOUR EYES AND FANTASIZE!
IS IT FUN TO BE FANS OF THE 27 TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS!?!?!
COMPARED TO WHAT? THE ORIOLES! THE LAST 15 YEARS THEY’VE BEEN LAYING HORIZONO WHILE WE STUCK THEM WITH OUR 38 OUNCE BATS AND DIVISION TITLES.
THE RECKONING IS COMING. WHEN WE GO BEHIND AND DO THE BUMP AND GRIND.
YANK FANS ONLY CARE ABOUT TWO THINGS: WINS AND CHINS. WINS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PLAY OTHER TEAM AND CHINS ARE WHAT WE REST OUR BALLS ON.
SUCK IT! YANKEES FANS – NUMBER ONE IN CHAMPIONSHIPS. NUMBER ONE IN FUN!
Handwave October 19, 2012 19:45
i stopped reading when it says cheering for the Yankees = cheering for Goldman Sachs… gtfo
Manager without braces October 21, 2012 11:20
I did too. This plagiarist writer substituted Goldman Sachs for the old quote. It used to be rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for AT&T.
The problem with sportswriters is that when they die off they’re replaced by the same small, smarmy, bitter nonathletic losers like for example Mike Lupica. Lupica does not only hate everything about the Yankees he uses his sports columns to share his totalitarian views about government. He is such a tool.
Snakes Have Short Dicks October 19, 2012 23:04
No. It’s not fun being a Yankee fan anymore. It’s like watching a advertisement billboard in human form falling short of ridiculous expectations almost every year. Even when they won it all in 2009, it was like watching 100 overfed Socs pummel the shit out of 5 starving greasers.
Also, the addition of Joke Girardi and the new Yankee Stadium both took away from the excitement somehow. For me, Girardi is an awful manager and the new stadium is boring. A lot of you will disagree with that, but it’s how I see it.
Evan October 19, 2012 23:26
Of course it’s still fun to be a Yankee fan. I root for everyone on my team. Trading Alex and eating most of his salary is madness. (Though I might consider it if the Dodgers descend into full blown insanity and take the full contract)
Stupid SI Question October 20, 2012 11:01
What a stupid question. They should have just asked, do you like baseball?
Rambo October 20, 2012 14:37
When they lose, they’re trash. When they win, they were supposed to win anyway. < this attitude really ruins things
Shirtsey Owner October 20, 2012 18:38
Do they sell Yankee sex toys?
That would make being a Yankee fan much better.
Joanna Garcia October 20, 2012 21:15
After this year it’s going to be impossible to be a Yankee fan.
Screw you guys for not watching Animal Hospital and all the other shows that I’ve been in that were canceled.
Betty From Brookline October 20, 2012 23:36
I’ll ride Robbie C any day!
Winking Cockhole October 21, 2012 11:45
Shut your fucking cocksuckers.
Poopchute Sally October 21, 2012 11:49
It is still fun to be a Yankees fan. You dont have to associate yourself with the poser Yankee fans who really have no idea who is on the team, and you just turn the channel when they lose because the constant negativity becomes very annoying.
BronxFan October 30, 2012 12:27
Just not the same since the Boss died and they ripped down the old stadium. Too commercial and no heart! If its proven that Jeter took HGH it will be over for me.