The Boos That Blew It
Sometimes the enormous pride that New Yorkers take in certain pillars of our city morphs from pride to arrogance. And I have always felt that arrogance warps one's perspectives.
The pillar I am referring to is the New York Yankees. The moment was the All-Star Game (American League vs. National League) at Yankee Stadium in New York last week; the game was located here to celebrate the national esteem in which the Yankees and the Stadium are held before it is razed in favor of a new stadium. Following an impressive pre-game ceremony in which dozens of Hall of Famers marched in a procession, every player was individually introduced to a crowd of approximately 60,000. When each of the three Boston Red Sox players who made the team (the Sox are arch rivals of the Yankees) was introduced, the Yankee fans at this nationally televised event booed them. And the booing was sustained throughout the game, each time each Red Sox player got up to bat, except when a Sox player tied a very close game. Then, of course, our fans cheered because it was a factor in a potential American League victory.
Well, we may have great pride in our Yankees, but we certainly do not have much pride in ourselves. What kind of hosts are we? And to reveal our worst traits on national television. This only feeds the New York reputation for arrogance, which I am not proud of.
At a game where inter-city rivalries within a league are always set aside, it was distressing to see Yankee fans exhibit such poor sportsmanship and commit such a public relations blunder, thereby embarrassing Major League Baseball before millions at one of its showpiece games of the year.
Technorati Tags: New Yorkers, pride, arrogance, New York Yankees, All-Star Game, American League, National League, Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball, rivalry, business, communications, public relations
The pillar I am referring to is the New York Yankees. The moment was the All-Star Game (American League vs. National League) at Yankee Stadium in New York last week; the game was located here to celebrate the national esteem in which the Yankees and the Stadium are held before it is razed in favor of a new stadium. Following an impressive pre-game ceremony in which dozens of Hall of Famers marched in a procession, every player was individually introduced to a crowd of approximately 60,000. When each of the three Boston Red Sox players who made the team (the Sox are arch rivals of the Yankees) was introduced, the Yankee fans at this nationally televised event booed them. And the booing was sustained throughout the game, each time each Red Sox player got up to bat, except when a Sox player tied a very close game. Then, of course, our fans cheered because it was a factor in a potential American League victory.
Well, we may have great pride in our Yankees, but we certainly do not have much pride in ourselves. What kind of hosts are we? And to reveal our worst traits on national television. This only feeds the New York reputation for arrogance, which I am not proud of.
At a game where inter-city rivalries within a league are always set aside, it was distressing to see Yankee fans exhibit such poor sportsmanship and commit such a public relations blunder, thereby embarrassing Major League Baseball before millions at one of its showpiece games of the year.
Technorati Tags: New Yorkers, pride, arrogance, New York Yankees, All-Star Game, American League, National League, Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball, rivalry, business, communications, public relations
posted by Ken Makovsky at 5:15 PM
1 Comments:
I think you're off the mark...part of Yankee pride is booing the Red Sox. They boo the Yankees in Boston. It's not personal. It's in the DNA of the rivalry. I don't think it was embarrassing for baseball or that unexpected.
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