The Rivalry: "Manufactured fan nonsense?"

In case you missed it, Bob Ryan labels our favorite rivalry "manufactured fan nonsense" in his Globe column today. Ryan argues that a rivalry is only "really good when it's from the inside out, not when it's from the outside in."

"For the players, the rivalry is about the competition. For far too many Red Sox fans, it's about some imagined grievance with both the Yankees and the city of New York. It's chic to say you hate the Yankees, even if there really is nothing to hate. Really, what has Derek Jeter ever done besides not be Nomah? And now that Nomah is gone, perhaps not be Papi?"

"What we have with the Red Sox and Yankees now is manufactured fan nonsense. Hate to tell you, but no one in uniform hates anyone in the current Yankees-Red Sox state of affairs. The players can't believe what they hear and what goes on in the stands, or on the streets. They cannot relate to any of it."

What do you think? As fans, did we just make this whole darn thing up?

I think that most fans love baseball and are smart enough to be interested in the competition between the Red Sox and Yankees. ESPN and Fox Saturday Baseball will over-hype and sensationalize the rivalry this weekend--but that is the media, not the fans. What are fans looking forward to this weekend? I am excited to watch veterans, Andy Pettitte and Curt Schilling match up tonight. I wan to see Daisuke Matsuzaka pitch against the Yankee lineup Sunday. I'm curious to know if the Red Sox league leading pitching staff can shut down Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the Yankees' league leading offense. Etcetera. Do I hate the Yankees? Yes, but there won't be "sophomoric overuse of many naughty words" in my living room this weekend. (Well...maybe...I guess it depends on the score.)
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