What do you think?
Lori made the observation recently that the New Englander's motto is "God, family, and the Red Sox." I thought that was pretty funny and perhaps partly true. So, would you New Englanders concur with this statement?
posted by Kristi | 4:35 PM
45 Comments:
This is definitely a sure motto for church-going New Englanders...true New Englanders, anyway. At least, I approve.
However, I'm realizing that, sadly, the motto for the rest of our lot these days is more like "Liberalism, Volvos, and the Red Sox," or maybe just "The Red Sox."
This make me mad!! "God, family, and the Red Sox."?? I hate the Red Sox. Somebody is pulling your leg. Out here in "laid back New England", it’ about 50/50 when it comes to Red Sox vs Yankees(otherwise know as America's team). So the "Red Sox" should certainly be left out, for the motto to be true.
Well, I guess you can substitute Yankees for Red Sox if you want to!
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50/50 nothing. It's only a few random lost souls who go for the yankees, except in CT where they are more lost. New England centers around Boston, not NYC. But as for me and my motto, I'd say "God, family, and the Red Sox" is pretty much true, except that a few friends might squeak in above the Sox. :)
I don't subscribe to that motto myself, mainly because I can't hate the Yankees, so am barred from being a Soxfan.
But after living here for the past 5 years, I would have to concur with your statement...
ditto to asaphat
I apologize, but the niceness gene will not prohibit me on this occasion from confronting lies when I read them. 50/50??? I'm going to be physically sick!
(runs to the bathroom)
Yes, there are Yankees fans in New England, but 50/50 is nowhere close to accurate. If tash were speaking of CT, where I've spent the greater part of my time the last two years, it might, almost possibly be believable. Even there it's mighty close and the battle is bitter. However, many of the CT Yankees fans I know are actually transplanted New Yorkers, so not New Englanders by any stretch anyway. ME, NH, VT, MA, and even RI are indisputably Sox territory. I think tash should conduct a few polls, or at least brush up on math skills.
I do have polls with me! And one of them says that in CT the % of Red Sox fans to Yankee fans is 3 to 6.(poll taken in 2005.) As for RI it pretty much 50/50 with a Yankees edge. And MASS, well, that’s John Kerry's state so what can we expect? NH... Do they even care? Their busy enough keeping bears out of their garbage can's to get involved. VT, again I would say from my knowledge that again it's 50/50.
Nice classic Red Sox fan tactic by asaphat in attacking my math skills of which you know nothing about.(said in mock anger.)
If I could submit a motto that could avert a civil war- I propose “ Church (There are a lot of churches in New England, not a lot of God sadly.) Liberalism, and New England Patriots.’
Whoa there! I'm gone for the day and my blog erupts! This was never meant to be a Yankees vs. Red Sox debate! Tash, I think you're outnumbered on this blog anyway. But we do all support freedom of speech. Right??
Don't blame Tash!!!!! You will notice he is not the one to attack anyone!! It was Mr Asaphat who started the attacking business. And Tash simply provided facts to backup his statements. Not so for Mr Asaphat.
One more reason I can not be a soxfan-I allow facts to influence me.
And see, this is what happens between sox fans and others. Imagine it in RL! hahahhhaaa...
Pardon my apparent thick headedness, but what facts did tash cite other than an alleged poll about CT? Can he provide a link to this poll to prove its existence?
And ryusoma, since you do allow facts to influence you, I hope that the following websites--facts, if you will--will show you how wrong tash is on this one. One poll shows how heavily RI favors the RS, the other shows how heavily each New England state other than CT favors the RS. If anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, go ahead. Until then, RS fans--with their hard facts--win in New England.
http://www.insidepolitics.org/polls/REL205.html
http://www.geospatial-online.com/geospatialsolutions/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=142973
RedSox-
Now that is what I'm talking about!
Why didn't asaphat do that instead of calling Tash a liar? Excuse me, i just reread his comment, he called his statements lies heheheheehee.
Oh man, this is fun. Nothing like good old sports to get some people fired up. Just push a few buttons, stir the flames just right, and voila, AN INFERNO!!!!
Gotta love it...
Kristi, did you have any idea of what monster you were awakening when you first posted? Just curious...
"Yankees beat Red Sox among Connecticut fans, Quinnipiac University Poll finds;
By a 43 – 35 percent margin Connecticut baseball fans prefer the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Nine percent say they are New York Mets fans.
From March 29 to April 4, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,541 Connecticut registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points. The survey includes 909 baseball fans, with a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percent.
The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida and the nation as a public service and for research."
Hard Facts from thr largest state in "laid back New England".
Thanks for the info tash. I'm glad to concede that CT is very divided in their baseball loyalties. The rest of NE is not.
Caspian, thanks for the link. The article is hilarious!
Derrick, I've heard you say multiple times that you are not
a Red Sox fan because you can't hate the Yankees. Do you consider yourself a Yankees fan? Because your dislike of the Sox comes across strongly sometimes.
Papelbon, Papelbon, Woowooowoo!
(my new chant)
I'm not sure where you got the "largest state in NE" statement, Tash, but in any case, it's wrong. Massachusetts outnumbers Connecticut in population about 2 to 1. And in Massachusetts, Red Sox fans (may they live forever!) outnumber Yankees fans by about 1 to 30 according RSWTY's links. If you meant largest state in NE in surface area, you're dead wrong. Two CTs put together are barely larger than the wonderful (Red Sox dominated) state of New Hampshire. Not to mention Maine.
Not that all this proves anything about the argument. It just chips away at your credibility. "The bolt of Tash falls from above!"...and once again, finds itself snagged.
"And the crowd goes wild!" I'm getting a kick out of this "discussion." Carry on.
Oh, one thing: Derrick, I think you need to choose either one team or the other. "How long will ye halt betwixt two opinions?" (Something like that.) Are you for the Red Sox or against them? Are you for the Yankees or against them? Perhaps it's time to make that crucial decision and take a stand for what you believe! You might be crucified by the Red Sox fans if you don't follow them, but hey, at least you've stuck to your convictions!
[I can safely say all this because I don't have any strong feelings for either team! I'm supposed to be a Mariner's fan.]
There used to be an argument that New York is really part of New England.
“In Massachusetts, Red Sox fan outnumber Yankees fans by about 1 to 30 according RSWTY's links.”
What’s this “RSWTY's links.” I do debate, and if I told the judge evidence and then backed it up with the source “RSWTY” I would be tarred and feathered and pushed off the Empire State building. You ‘evidence’ is lacking.
Hey RyuSoma! You don’t have to go for any team if that’s what you like. For many years I could have cared less about the RS. and Yankees rivalry. And it didn’t hurt me one bit. In fact it helped me become a better fan. When it did come time to chose teams though, there was no-way I was going to cheer for a team with “No-Maaeree” The Red Sox got a big X. I was in a state of despair... I would wonder outside at night looking up at the stars and wondering is there any team I can go for? Everything changed one July evening when I was outside building a chicken pen and tuned into the Yankees station(I was just trying to find any channel with baseball on) and heard Charlie Stiner(I might not have gotten his name right) and John Sterling They were the only radio announcers I had ever heard who didn’t talk through their noses or mumble home run calls. I listened to more…
“The bolt of Tash falls from above!”
RSWTY stands for redsoxwinthisyear which is MUCH too long to type. By "RSWTY's links" I was referring to the URLs RSWTY provided in a comment on this page. In one of the polls, the New Hampshire Yankees to Red Sox fan ratio was 3 to 87, which is exactly 1 to 29 and roughly 1 to 30.
Also, I am shocked with your lack of faith in the United States Judicial System. Faulty though its judgments may often be, it would never think of tarring and feathering anyone at all, not to mention pushing crooks off the top of the Empire State Building. The judges are too busy granting murderers candy and plasma screen TVs. (Plus it would constitute "cruel and unusual punishment"...)
But don't mind me, Asaphat, Redsoxwinthisyear, drewey fern, Ryusoma, or Brilynne: we're all too busy keeping the bears out of our garbage to care.
Back to the motto issue. New Hampshire has my favorite moto: "Live free or die!"
Hurah!
Deo vindice!
Kristi-I refuse to choose. For you see, I have friends who are diehard soxfans[as can be told by the opinions voiced here :)] and I live in NE, but I have a sister who is a staunch Yankees fan. You would force me to choose between friends and family, and I won't. Besides, so far, it is only the Sox fans who have called for such a measure.
Tash-thanx. Good luck with your crusade here tho
Bri-as much a yankees fan as a sox fan. And when have I said that I dislike the Sox? I willingly admit a dislike of soxfans[their rabidness and blind hatred really turns me off], but I dont have any problems with the actual team. Don't confuse the team with the fans :)
And I think that answers all questions put my way?
Preach it!
I hate Christians, too, because of their rabidness and blind hate. They never can seem to learn to tolerate the other side. This really turns me off.
And that is the issue, folks. I'm totally not joking when I say that being a Red Sox fan is an issue of morality. Those on the outside will never understand. I get sick of arguing teams with people, because they do not get this aspect...it's the most frustrating thing ever to try to explain how it is when they spit in your face for feeling deeply about it. So I don't usually try. Sports for them is not about right and wrong--it's about their choice for who to cheer for. Who wins the most? Who has the prettiest uniforms? Who has the coolest mascot? Who has the players that strike your fancy? These are the questions that guide the fans of other teams.
And I think you don't know many Yankees fans if you think RS fans are the only rabid and hating ones around. I've heard some pretty nasty stuff.
tash...Quinnipiac is in southern CT, also western CT, heartland of Yankee territory in that state. So who were they polling? There's an invisible line through CT, and I'd guess they were polling those on their side. Regardless, maybe CT is heavily on the Yankees side--I'd reiterate my previous comment that it's full of transplanted New Yorkers. Not a true poll of New Englanders, in other words. Maybe they should just secede and join NY. Honestly, no real New Englanders would miss them. In any case, the ratio in the other states totally kills any edge in CT. Again, 50/50 is nowhere close to truth.
Which reminds me of your math skills. One comment says the CT ratio of Sox/Yankees is 3 to 6, then the next one says the poll is 43% to 35%. Somehow the math doesn't add up there. And with a margin of error of 2.5 points, couldn't that possibly mean the ratio is 40.5% to 37.5%? Even at 43/35, that sounds pretty close for CT, like I originally said.
Okay, I'm sick of conflict. I shouldn't visit this page for weeks so I can recover.
Have I hit some sort of record for number of comments on a blog? :-o
I think everyone needs to take a deep breath, step back, and realize that there are more important issues in life than what team you support. I'm sure you do realize that, but just remember it.
Craig, at first I thot you were being facetious, but after reading it again, I am not sure.
So, before I write something I will probably regret at a later date :), please let me know if you were being serious or funny.
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This loving community discourse is continued on www.snsnewsnow.blogspot.com.
Can't we all just join hands in an internet circle and sing kum-bay-yah or something?
My name is spelled Tash (Caps please). as in-
"The bolt of Tash falls from above!"
Jeremy, are you sure it's "Live free or die"? I'm thinking it might be "Support the Red Sox or die."
30+ comments!!!Wow!!!! I am impressed...
Yep, pretty sure!
http://www.nh.gov/nhinfo/emblem.html
Excerpt: "State Motto. The words "Live Free or Die," written by General John Stark, July 31, 1809, shall be the official motto of the state."
:-J
Liberty, equality, fraternity. Peace, dudes. Chad, will you please start off the Kumbayah?
Kristi, you definitely have the record for the most comments ever. I think I should write about the sox...
I've truly enjoyed reading what everyone has to say. I love the give and take of baseball fandom.
As to the passion that Boston fans bring to the game...as far as I'm concerned, this is all fun and games. However, there were times last October when I wouldn't have thought some was so funny. The Red Sox are intertwined with many aspects of my life, for better or for worse, and I needed them to win the World Series last year. Thank God they did.
Are you still sure it is God, family, THEN the Red Sox?
All of my observations tend to shake that order up a bit (this debate included).
Good point Zac...
For any of you who cannot subject yourselves to the life and death decision as to which team you will side with,I will pass on the wisdom given me by my brothers (some RS and others Yankee fans). Recently,faced with this dilema myself, I consulted them for their opinions. My main problem being that I cannot support the yankees because they are too popular a team, and my parents have always instucted me from my earliest age, that the majority is usually wrong (the staight and narrow analogy). Yet at the same time I do not like some of the things I have seen in the Red Sox team (excessivily bad attitudes in the players, etc.) which prevents me from lending them my patronage. Anyway, back to the subject... as I was ponderously considering my options and what I should do, my brothers informed me of a newly formed team which could symbolize peace and unity in a divided country - the Washington Nationals.
As they further spured my interest and enhanced my knowlege of this team, the two facts that sold me were, (1) the team operates in our nations capital (hopefully they will not fall through any swamps) and (2) that the most honorable George W. Bush had sent the first pitch flying for this team (it helps to be clueless as to what other teams he has thrown pitches for). I mean, what better symbolism of patriotic attachment than that of the president of the U.S. throwing the first pitch to a team based in such a patriotic district?...Oh, say can you see, from.... So from now on, whenever I'm faced with the grueling question as to what side I'm on. I can calmly answer that I am a fan of the team that symbolizes America, and all the values true americans hold dear. And I could engage in a most delightful discussion informing these animosity seeking listeners of this wonderful team - the whole while make them feel entirely ignorant because they are diehard baseball fans with little or no knowledge of this (newly formed - I can leave that part out) team. ...Oh, for the glory days of the Clevland Indians... peace to all -Conrad
TTTHHHHHHHEEEEEEE RED SOXXXXXXXX WINNNNNN!!!!!!!
WHO CARES!!!
P.S. AND I AM A RED SOX FAN. BUT I DO HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF FENWAY PARK. DO YOU ALL REALLY THINK THAT THE PLAYERS REALLY CARE ABOUT THE WAY WE ALL FEEL? JUST AS LONG AS THEY GET THEIR MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PAYCHECKS...THEY DON'T CARE IF THEY ARE PLAYING FOR THE SOX TODAY AND THEN TRADED TO THE YANKEES TOMMORROW! JUST KEEP THE MONEY ROLLING IN! LETS GET BACK TO REALITY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I think the horses are dead. We can move on now.
Hi Kristi,
After much heavy reading your blog provided just the right amount of fun. Thank you :)
Hi Kristi,
I've seen this post before but important things are always worth reminding. After all, repetition is the mother of learning.
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