“Don’t let them s*ck you in this year”

My uncle Bobby would say (and actually STILL says) this every year to me.  "Don’t let them s*ck you in, Cyn.  You know how it’s going to end!".

Yet every year since I was around 9 or 10, I let them s*ck me in.  Every year.

I used to sit inside with my father and my great-grandfather in the summer on Sunday afternoons while all my cousins and my sister were outside with my mother, the aunts, uncles and my grandparents, enjoying the summer days and my grandparents’ pool.  My father would explain what was going on to me and my great-grandfather (who I suspect only watched the games for the company of my dad, who he loved)…and I was in heaven.

Tonight was bad.  I’m sad.  Really just sad.  After last year, I don’t really feel like being mad…and I know this is all something I’ll get over.  But I feel like I just watched the bottom drop out of the team.

Before all the Yankees fans start gloating, I certainly haven’t given up.  The Red Sox still have as much of a chance to get into the post season as the Yankees do.  If the Yankees really want it, they’re going to have to take it in Fenway – and I still hold out hope that my boys won’t let that happen.

Yet, I’m still sad at the way they lost.  Two in a row.  At home. 

Maybe they’re all sad too?  That doesn’t help, it just makes me feel bad for them.

When I came back from spring training this year, my uncle greeted me with a "I’m telling you, don’t let them s*ck you in!"…even though that had just won the world series.

They’ve broken his heart too many times. 

They’ve broken mine too…but I always come back (incidentally, so does he…he just doesn’t admit it!)…and I always will. 

I love this team and I’ve loved this team since I knew how to.  Long before I got to see them win a World Series.  So don’t tell me to give up.  I won’t.  Don’t tell me I root for a loser…I don’t.

I’ll never understand the joy other fans get in gloating to Red Sox fans about the failures of their team.  As if you all expect us to not cheer for them just because they aren’t the champions every year.  That won’t happen here.  So if you’re expecting a big gloom and doom post, look elsewhere.

I’m sad, but I’m not beaten…neither is this team, I think.  I think they’ll take these losses and examine them for what they are…and come back harder.  They still have four games to go and the Yankees are only up one.  Definitely not insurmountable odds.

Math can be our friend sometimes.  🙂

I’m going to the game tomorrow night and again on Saturday.  I’ll be in my Timlin jersey,in the bleachers, cheering until I’m hoarse.  And regardless of how this week ends, I won’t regret a minute of it.

And I’ll get s*cked in by them next year either way!