I moved to Boston last summer, directly from New York, and I grew up in Philly, so I've gotten to see the reactions of three of the most sports-crazy cities first hand. There is definitely something unusual about the Boston fans. They are amazingly intense -- obsessive -- about sports, I think even more so than in NY or Philly. The odd thing is, they seem to be simultaneously both the most-knowledgable and the most irrational of fans. They know their stuff, and they REALLY care, but they do seem to turn completely against one of their own who leaves here. I don't mean the sportswriters, I mean the fans. I could not believe the way they ripped Nomar after he left, and just bring up Clemens's name if you want a reaction. I did not detect anything close to this among Yankees fans, who could have certainly felt jilted about Clemens's alleged "retirement" and subsequent return. Likewise when Andy Pettitte left, the fans just missed him, they did not start blasting him. As for the Philly fans -- well, as long as they have something to boo, they're pretty happy. Baseball is clearly number two in Philly, while in Boston it seems to be number one (lots more Sox talk than Pats, even though both are champs and it's football season.) In New York, I think it depends on who is winning. The two Boston athletes I never hear criticized are Bobby Orr and Yaz. Of course, I wasn't here when they were playing.
The only ex-Mariner Seattle fans deride is A-Rod. We thought he was flat-out lying that there was anything the Mariners could have done to keep him; all he cared about was the money. Randy Johnson still gets an ovation when he returns to Seattle, as does Gary Payton in basketball.
Nomar was a documented clubhouse cancer. Think it was a fluke that the Red Sox started winning big as soon as they ditched his pouting ass? And Clemens is a thug - no loyalty, no honor, just thug. Bad-mouthed Boston to no end. Boston, the town that made him famous. Clemens stopped playing because he was all pissy with Boston brass. So... why am I supposed to hold him in any regard again?
I did not detect anything close to this among Yankees fans, who could have certainly felt jilted about Clemens's alleged "retirement" and subsequent return.
The Yankees couldn't care less - they are all about hired guns. Clemens' snubbing of them was just par for the course. (Besides, it wasn't as if Clemens didn't even acknowledge that he ever played in NY. He never acknowledged (still hasn't to my knowledge) Boston.) In any case, my obligatory Yankees jab: the Yankees are loyal to one thing: spending WHATEVER IT TAKES to win. Boston fans want more loyalty than that.
As for Andy Pettitte, that guy is complete class. I don't think the Yankees have anything to complain about with his departure.
It's almost as if the writers/fans take it personally. That they, in some silly, childish way, believe that the player is rejecting THEM!
Go figure.
"...As for the Philly fans -- well, as long as they have something to boo, they're pretty happy. Baseball is clearly number two in Philly, while in Boston it seems to be number one..."
It is said that in Boston, we only talk about three things: sports, baseball and the Red Sox. My friend was in the shower when his wife yelled, "We got him!" "Who," he replied, "A-Rod?" "No! Saddam Hussein!"