Spring Break
A 'Hank'ering For Controversy
New England Sports
Chris Brodeur
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Sports
In an off-season where current and former Yankees have occupied the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, Steinbrenner has been anything but a source of stability. Fans cringed at the laughable A-Rod ultimatum he issued shortly after the World Series, and his latest jabs at Boston are not the first time he's targeted the defending champs and their fans. In response to the inevitable steroid chants that await his team when they visit Fenway this year, Steinbrenner elected to launch a preemptive strike, hurling over a baseless claim that the Sox themselves are full of juicers and shouldn't talk. As outlandish as some of his statements may be, you have to love the passion he's injecting into the rivalry.
What is it I like best about Steinbrenner's frequent zingers? They're getting responses, both from Red Sox management and players. Sox owner John Henry mockingly offered Steinbrenner membership to Red Sox Nation, complete with a membership card, an open invite to sit in the famed green monster seats and an autographed David Ortiz hat. Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon suggested the businessman "stick to pencil-pushing" while the players do battle on the field. So far the comments have been light-hearted and comical, but who knows? Maybe some harmless quotes now will translate into some heat on the diamond in the future.
The two franchises are in somewhat unfamiliar territory in 2008. The Yankees are the underdogs within the division, with a lot of young talent, a good mix of veterans, and of course, Rodriguez as their centerpiece. The Red Sox have the team in place to defend their World Series title and contend for years to come with elite starting pitching as their foundation.
With his words it seems Steinbrenner is determined to fire up his team or instigate their most storied opponent, whichever comes first. With both sets of fans clamoring for an exciting new chapter to be added to the great rivalry this year, I for one am thankful for Steinbrenner and his mouth. I hope the cameras find him somewhere in a Fenway luxury box in April, spewing more expletives as he witnesses Red Sox Nation in full force.
Chris Brodeur's New England column runs every Wednesday. He can be contacted at Christopher.Brodeur@UConn.edu.
What is it I like best about Steinbrenner's frequent zingers? They're getting responses, both from Red Sox management and players. Sox owner John Henry mockingly offered Steinbrenner membership to Red Sox Nation, complete with a membership card, an open invite to sit in the famed green monster seats and an autographed David Ortiz hat. Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon suggested the businessman "stick to pencil-pushing" while the players do battle on the field. So far the comments have been light-hearted and comical, but who knows? Maybe some harmless quotes now will translate into some heat on the diamond in the future.
The two franchises are in somewhat unfamiliar territory in 2008. The Yankees are the underdogs within the division, with a lot of young talent, a good mix of veterans, and of course, Rodriguez as their centerpiece. The Red Sox have the team in place to defend their World Series title and contend for years to come with elite starting pitching as their foundation.
With his words it seems Steinbrenner is determined to fire up his team or instigate their most storied opponent, whichever comes first. With both sets of fans clamoring for an exciting new chapter to be added to the great rivalry this year, I for one am thankful for Steinbrenner and his mouth. I hope the cameras find him somewhere in a Fenway luxury box in April, spewing more expletives as he witnesses Red Sox Nation in full force.
Chris Brodeur's New England column runs every Wednesday. He can be contacted at Christopher.Brodeur@UConn.edu.
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