Shockingly, there's a Sox site out there that says the Rays don't deserve their trip to the World Series and that's why you should root for the Phillies. I love this kind of stuff after a team loses. Nothing brings out the true class of a fan base like this.
From the post:
The Rays? Let's just say they haven't exactly earned this as yet. That shiny new team merchandise you saw those 15 year old kids and 70 year old Grandparents wearing at 'the Trop' (can you believe they are going to hold series games at that monstrosity?) will be on show again. Endless shots of spotty faced Tampa teens sporting brand new Rays caps with the silver MLB merchandise label still shining bright on them, yeah that's a fan base alright.
Ah, yes, because nobody bought shiny new Red Sox caps after they won in 2004, right? And why do the Rays not deserve to win even if you think their fans aren't legit?
Oh, there's more:
At the end of the day, when all is said and done, I am not prepared to live in a world where people like BJ Upton, Jamie Navarro, Matt Garza or the arrogant, ignorant Aussie Grant Balfour are king. Maddon, Pena and Crawford certainly come across as classy guys, however those mentioned initially have a little bit of learning to do before they come across as anything but punk, spoilt, brash NBA star types.
For starters, "at the end of the day" and "when all is said and done" are hoary, cliches used by mouth-breathers. You used both meaningless space-fillers to start your sentance because you think it made your sound more worldly. You're a shitty writer. Now, as to your assertion in that paragraph... well, seriously? You're "not prepared" to live in that world? Well, you might want to get prepared.
And a Sox fan -- a fan of guys like Jonathan Papelbon -- claming the Rays players are "arrogant" is kind of laughable. And they have "a little bit of learning to do"? They won the division from your precious Sox this season, took 10 of 18 against the Sox in the regular season, held off the two regular winners of the AL East all season and then just beat the Sox in seven games, under intense pressure at the end... to get there. What more do they have to do to gain your respect?
Thing is, I imagine this kind of Sox blogger is the exception rather than the norm. From the short perusing I've done, most of them seem like you'd expect a vanquished team's fans to be -- disappointed, but not upset at their team or at losing to a good club like the Rays. So I don't think this guy is the norm or represents all Sox fans -- I just noticed the link to him on Deadspin and thought it was worth pointing out how pouty he was being.
[UPDATE: Yikes, just read this one, too.
Oh and as for the World Series, I'm throwing my support behind the Phillies... here's hoping the Phils give the Rays some unholy hell. Especially that punk-ass Carl Crawford, who you know is just an injury away from boosting car stereos.
Wow, that's not racist or anything.]