Lately, we’ve seen Yankees fans fall into two camps. Those who have “given up” on the season, and those who haven’t. I have a question on this front, asked directly in the title: how do fans give up on the season?
We’re not the ones playing the games. It’s not like the Yanks are powered by the number of people who think they’re still in the race. Only the players can give up. You might think that they have. You have no way of knowing, but you can assume, if that’s your bag.
I guess I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around what it means for fans to give up. Does it mean you won’t go to any of the remaining games? If that’s the case, you can certainly make a few dollars for your tickets. I know a number of people who would like to see the final games at the Stadium, whether or not the Yanks are contending.
Does it means that you won’t watch on TV anymore? That’s the mark of a real baseball fan right there. Watch your team while they’re winning, stop when they’re out of it. There’s a name for that type of fan. Hootie & the Blowfish know what I’m talking about. If that’s your thing, go ahead.
Does it mean you’re abandoning any expectations? I’m not sure that makes a difference, at least for me. Whether I expect them to win or lose, I still get frustrated when the Yanks fail to score runs, and when their mediocre pitchers give up five runs in four innings. I can tell myself that it doesn’t matter, but lying never got me very far.
Does it mean declaring the season dead? What does that accomplish? What, is the New York Post smarter than everyone else because they put a picture of a tombstone on the back page in mid-August? Is a blogger smarter for saying it’s over, let’s pack it in? I think not. We’re fans. We’re here to watch the team. What fun is it to sulk? How can anyone stand to go through an entire season doing nothing but criticize the team, bitching all the while? That’s not why I watch baseball, at least.
I remember back in ’96, when I was a freshman in high school, everyone started wearing Yanks caps in October. A few friends and I complained about the bandwagon mentality. Well, maybe this is just the kind of purge we need. Get rid of the fans who don’t care enough to watch a season of baseball. Of course, if the Yanks start winning next year, they’ll be back just as if they never left. C’est la vie.
So, I reiterate the question. What does it mean for fans to throw in the towel? Is it symbolic? Do you think it makes you a smarter fan? I’ve always yearned for a crop of smart baseball fans, with whom I could discuss the game with at a reasonable level. I have that with RAB. But if being a smart fan means bitching that the season is over, well, then maybe I got what I wished for — it’s just not what I had in mind.
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