Yankees Fans Should Not Be So Cocky

Posted by James Lincoln Ray Oct 27, 2009

I gotta be fair. For the past five years, I have been hammering Boston Red Sox fans for their obnoxious behavior in the wake of their 2004 and 2007 World Series wins. Well, now that Red Sox Nation is crumbling worse than our nation's infrastructure, New England fans have quited down a bit. Thank God.

However, I am starting to worry that the fans of the 2009 New York Yankees could actually out-annoy even the most moronic members of The Nation. Since their team won the ALCS on Monday, New York newspapers and Yankees fans have been acting like the Bombers already won the World Series. There is little respect being shown for the Phillies in the city that never sleeps.

Today's New York Post featured a photoshopped picture of Phillies All-Star centerfielder Shane Victorino in a red cheerleader skirt, with a caption underneath that read, "Victorino a Slugger? Please!" Obviously, the slow-witted author of that headline didn't see Victorino's grand slam off C.C. Sabathia in the 2008 NLDS.

It's not just the papers. The Post quotes tons of fans, who showed off their baseball knowledge with such quotes as "Here come the Phrillies," and "This Ain't Rocky, the underdog ain't gonna win." Stupid stuff like that.

Well, in case New Yorkers have forgotten, the Phillies are the defending world champions, and the Yankees haven't won a title in nine years. The Yankees players obviously know this.

It's time for the fans and the media to learn it as well. Confidence is fine. Cockiness is a prescription for an embarrassing letdown.