To the victor, the spoils�not the spoiled
November 7, 2001 ~ 5:01 a.m.
I recently had to send a rather strong-worded e-mail to a local news station. Every noontime, I would hear about the World Series, and how much "America backs its team, the Yankees." This is ignorance on a stupifying scale. But, furthermore, why the hell would Americans want a team composed of arrogant brats and managed by a megalomaniac to represent them? No reason at all, unless we're content to live with the "ugly American" image with which the rest of the world gleefully labels us.
On Sunday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks, an upstart team that has been in the majors for only five years, won it all. Not only that, they came back from a one-run deficit with one out in the ninth inning. Incredible stuff. How could you not feel good for this team?
Arizona has made the playoffs every year of their existence, but yet no-one gave them much of a chance of surviving the playoffs, never mind making�and winning�the Fall Classic. But the reason this team works is because it is composed of veteran players, hitters and pitchers alike who've played for other teams, some good and some bad, but all of them have been around long enough to know how to win. Some of these guys will soon be announcing their retirement; others may have just one or two more seasons left in them. They had that fire in their belly and the determination to do it now. These guys came close to never winning a World Series ring to wear on their finger. A sad way to end a career�so close, yet so far. Instead, this team of "old men" showed what can happen when you want to win for your fans, your family, your teammates and for yourself.
This is in stark contrast to the New York Yankees whose arrogant swagger as they take the field suggests, "of course we're going to win. We're the Yankees!" They're smart not to add "and America loves us," because that ain't the case. Californians don't like them, middle America doesn't like them, and fans along the East Coast have plenty of their own teams to root for.
America is about competition and overcoming the odds. However, just as monopolies are bad for business, the Yankees are bad for baseball. They have completely dominated the sports scene for too long, and it's about time another team stepped into the limelight. General Manager of the Yankees, George Steinbrenner, won't admit it, but he is happy to watch smaller-market teams like Kansas City and Minnesota slide while he continues to purchase the best players on Yankee payroll�otherwise known as Steinbrenner's war chest. Considering the way the Yankees are managed, Steinbrenner has effectively declared war on every other team in the league.
But a few nights ago, it was hard-working veterans like Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Mark Grace, Jay Bell and Craig Counsell who held up the trophy for their team. The young slugger Luis Gonzalez didn't have long to wait for his World Series ring, and considering the kid's offensive output this year, he deserves every filament of gold in that ring.
I can understand the reasoning behind wanting the Yankees to win. New York City needs a reason to smile after the atrocities committed on September 11. I am for New York and want the healing to take place as soon as it can.
However, even Sept. 11 is not enough to turn me into a Yankees fan, albeit temporarily. The Yankees are an arrogant monopoly on the world of baseball. They needed to be dethroned as champions.
New York City needs to heal and grieve. But baseball also needs to recuperate from the damage done to it. The Arizona Diamondbacks victory in the World Series will help this process of healing.
� M.E.M.
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Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.
AMERICA FOR TRUE AMERICANS!