A View From Behind Enemy Lines

It all looks familiar, and yet it looks strange. I recognize the streets and the buildings. The people too. But they don't seem to recognize me. It has been a strange October for me in this place, it is a city I embrace, but now it is cold. I guess it's my own fault. The chill in the air means it's World Series time, and while this never mattered to most people here before, the past few years have created a tornado of activity. I've celebrated my Octobers in this city in obscure anonymity. My joyous screams rising into the night sky unanswered. You see, I'm a Yankee fan. And, before this year no one seemed to mind that. Friends or strangers.

But this year is different. This year, a line has been drawn in the sand. The people look at me differently. The strangers give me dirty looks. I welcome it, to an extent. For years I wished I could spend my Octobers in New York. But that's not possible when raising a family. So now I get to be a part of the buzz. Actually, I'm more like the Buzz's adversary. My Family is against me, friends too. One went as far as calling me a Traitor. It's all in good fun. Mostly, this is Philly after all.

Regardless, I plow on. Proudly displaying the Pinstripes. It's interesting. Even though they are the Defending World Champs, there is so much venom spewing my way about the Yankees. "We have an inferiority complex." someone told me. Really? Inferior to New York? News Flash... The whole world is inferior to New York! And, no, the Phillies will never be as popular as the Yankees. They're the New York Yankees! The most recognizable franchise in all of sports. Why can't they just be proud of their baseball team. After the Game 1 loss, my phone lit up like a Christmas tree. Text messages, emails, & Facebook. All of them telling me to get ready, cause it's over, the Phillies are so much better, and I must pay them their dues. My response simply was "tip of the cap to Lee, but it's still just one game." Today, I had to check my phone to see if it was on. The silence was deafening. Why can't this city admit it has a good fight on it's hands between two quality combatants. I guess there is a complex. If they don't crush the opponent, the possibility looms large that it might not end well for them, or that the team is not worthy of Championship status. I gave the Phillies their do, why am I still getting spit on. By my friends mind you. Again, I know it's all in good fun, but come on.

This brings me to my final point. I know the city of New York has felt more pressure from other series, most notably the 2000 Subway Series. I felt that pressure to, but from a distance. This is my pressure series. My wife said I was miserable to watch the game with. She asked me why, told me this was supposed to be fun. I told her she didn't understand, I'm in a no win situation here. These people hate the Yankees. If I win, it's "Oh, they bought another title and cheated Philly of it's rightful place.". And, if the Yankees lose... Well, I'll never live it down. It'll be how the underdog (by the way, the idea of the defending champion being some kind of huge underdog is preposterous) slayed the mighty favorite.

Rocky was a great underdog, and Philly thrives on him. The '93 Phillies were Rocky. This is nothing like Rocky.

So I sit, I try banter with the local folk. I wait. For the pressure gets ratcheted up again soon for Game 3. I feel the cold coming back. I'll be an alien again soon. But I'll watch and cheer my Yankees, loudly and proudly, here behind enemy lines.

-MT