A vast majority of Red Sox fans annoy me. It started when the Red Sox came to San Francisco in 2004, before the team had won a World Series. The collective arrogance of the fans...it still irritates me to think of it right now.
You know when a team scores a run to tie a game or take a lead, the television camera does a crowd shot, and in that crowd shot, there's an almost-attractive woman dancing? Her eyes are closed, she's biting her lip (maybe just smiling), looking down, and she's just swaying around as if to say, "The fact that my team just did well somehow validates every choice that I've ever made as a person, and I will dance a dance of arrogance to alert you to this fact," and you kind of want to pour a jar of mustard over her and poke her fat, bearded boyfriend in the eye? This demographic comprises about 2% of most teams' fanbases. After the 2004 Red Sox/Giants series, I did some research. It turns out that this demographic comprises 50% of the Boston fanbase. Look it up.
Before the 2004 series, I liked the Red Sox. I really did. Giants were my team, obviously, but if I had to pick an AL team, the Red Sox were right behind the A's. When they came to San Francisco, I was unfortunate enough to attend this game. Nothing brings out arrogant, swaying, almost-attractive quasi-fans and their fat, bearded boyfriends more than comeback victories. The Giants were up 7-2, but the Red Sox scored seven runs in the fifth inning and never looked back. It was ugly. The Red Sox fans were unbearable in a way that I had never experienced before.
So I regret to inform everyone that I kind of enjoyed watching last night's game. I'm still pulling for the Rays; don't get me wrong. But eight unanswered runs to stave off elimination...wow. All I really want to watch in a non-Dodger playoff series is compelling baseball, and, man, did we get some compelling baseball last night.
And, heck, you know there are a bunch of Tampa fans who've been living and dying with their team since its inception. They used to set their VCRs when their team was messing around with Jared Sandberg and Dewon Brazelton. So with those fans in mind, a part of me was hoping the Rays got a chance to win the pennant at home.
Dang, though. What a fantastic game last night. I hate myself for thinking so, but I can't help it.