The New Yankees

DISCLAIMER: For the first time in my fledgling Journalism endeavor, I’ve been scooped. The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, just posted his weekly article on ESPN.com discussing the exact same story I’ve been working on this week. I got the idea on Thursday while reading the comments of Patriot fans on an Sports Illustrated Football Blog (See the story here), but before I had a chance to finish and post my story, Simmons rode in to steal my thunder. Unfortunately, I only told my idea to two people, my wife and my buddy, fellow Chicago sports enthusiast Matt Kolsky (who writes an NBA blog and publishes a weekly podcast, both of which rock), so aside from the testimony of my friends and the created date of the Microsoft Word document I used to write the story, I have no admissible evidence validating the originality of my idea. You will have to take my word that I came up with the idea independent of my favorite sports columnist, but I know how suspicious that sounds. I decided not to read Simmons’s work before finishing my own article, so hopefully we’ll approach the subject from two different angles and my work won’t seem derivative. Now, without further ado, let’s get it on!

---

Everyone hates Yankee fans.

Scratch that. Everyone used to hate Yankee Fans.

Chicks dig the long ball? I thought chicks dug the post-season strikeout?

That was before Boston shocked the world with their stunning come from behind ALCS victory and subsequent World Series title. Since then, Yankee fans don’t have quite the same veracity they once did. Their smug attitudes and condescending dismissal of other franchises have notably lessened. Their delight in the play of golden boy Derek Jeter and constant mockery of the rival Red Sox have similarly waned. They used to taunt Sox fans with cheers of “1915” – the last year the Red Sox had won a World Series – and summarily dismiss any notion of the Sox, or anyone else for that matter, beating them in the playoffs. Now they endure the mockery of opposing fans, while their team continually falters in the playoffs. The thrill of Jeter has been replaced by the agony of A-Rod. The constant winning replaced by perpetual post-season collapse. Worst of all, they have to suffer through the taunts of their hated rivals, the Red Sox fans, whose rabid intensity has reach unparallel heights due to their storybook ascent from their role as red headed step child to the Yanks. But, why bring this up now, in the heart of the NFL playoffs?

Because history is repeating itself.

The modern NFL is supposed to be dynasty proof. The salary cap and revenue sharing are designed to hinder any team from stockpiling excessive talent and winning year after year. Yet, somehow the New England Patriots, behind their slovenly football savant, Bill Belicheck, and confident trigger man, Tom Brady, have won three of the last five Super Bowls and are on the verge of winning another this year. During this time, they have transformed from loveable underdogs to the team that everyone loves to hate. Whether it’s Tom Brady up at a podium smiling like he just slept with your daughter, talking about how he doesn’t get any respect – Tom, if you got any more respect you’d be the Godfather – or Bill Belicheck making off hand comments about his genius – Seriously, can we as a country stop our cavalier usage of genius? Bill Belicheck is not a genius. Karl Rove is not a genius. Shakespeare was a genius. Einstein was a genius.

Guinness Draught in a bottle? BRILLIANT!

Hell, I’d be willing to concede that the guy who invented Guinness draught in a bottle is a genius, but these days it seems that any two bit hack with a few decent ideas is a genius. Easy there hyperbole nation. – the Patriots exude an aura of infallibility and a cocksure bravado that has transformed from a quiet confidence to full blown hubris. Along the way, the fans of the New England Patriots, the same fans that root for the Boston Red Sox, and constantly complained about the arrogance and haughtiness of the Yankee Fans, have become the football equivalent of their hated rivals. Take a quick look at any internet message board and you’ll see scores of ardent Patriot supporters posting messages such as:

“Here it is plain and simple: Who has the superbowl rings? BRADY, 3 to be exact.
Enough Said. Pats WIN!!!”

“Someone would have to be an idiot to bet against Tom Brady in a playoff game no matter where it's played.”

“Pats could beat the Colts on the Moon if it was a playoff game. Dungy/Manning VS. Belichick/Brady - Nuff said...”

“It's hard to play quarterback with both hands wrapped around your throat. Here's a guarantee, Colts fans: Peyton will choke. Like he always does. That overrides everything else.”

Rather then argue about football, they just point to their previous championships. No logic. No debate. They’re just going to win because they always win. Now as a logical man, I’ll be the first to admit that history is a good indicator of the future, but as any investor will tell you history is no guarantee of future performance. Michael Jordan broke up the Pistons dynasty, the Red Sox broke up the Yankees dynasty, market forces burst the dot com bubble and this Sunday, Payton Manning and the Colts are going to tear down the wall of the Patriots dominance. Then on Monday, Patriot fans will wake up and realize that they’ve become the very thing they hate the most and swore to never become, but by then it will be too late.

Say hello to the New Yankees.