Tampa307_018Scott Butherus' "View from the Cheap Seats," Mar. 7:

“You think that’s funny? You think you’re funny? You’re a fucking asshole, dude.”
I knew it was coming. I really was asking for it. Today’s adventure brought me to Legends Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. I thought it would be fun to soil the hallowed grounds of the stadium that was built to be an exact replica (minus the upper bowls) of Yankee Stadium in New York by showing up in Boston Red Sox regalia. I must be suicidal. I was wearing the uniform of the sworn enemy  (although it should be noted that I’m not even a Boston fan). It was like wearing Bloods colors straight into the Crips hood. But then again, I knew it would be like this before I entered the gates. I was ready for all the evil stares, the drunken middle fingers, and all the insults…
“Go back to Boston you dirty bum!”
But why all the hate?  Maybe Yankee fans are just misunderstood. Before the game I spoke with a married retiree couple who shed some light on the subject while rehashing an incident from the night before. “You support your team, I support mine. You say your guy was safe, I said he was out. You call each other some names and then you spend the rest of the game talking baseball. There is no hatred. That’s what being a fan is about.”  Maybe he was right. Maybe it is all in good fun…
“Hey buddy! The ladies’ bathroom is down the walkway.”
Then again maybe not.

This article appears in Mar 7-13, 2007.