Jimed, after considering our discussions (among others that I've had), I'm submitting this to the Popular Culture Association to hopefully present this April 11-14:
Get Rid of the "Pink Hats," because I Want My White Boys Back: Red Sox Nation, Corporate Post-Nationality, and the Paradox of Neoliberal Apoliticality.
Following the Boston Red Sox collapse at the end of the 2011 regular season some of those in Red Sox Nation (RSN) curiously rejoiced. While disappointed that the team lost, longtime supporters suggested that maybe it would clear the franchise’s bandwagon of ‘pink hat fans’. Using this response as a backdrop I will attempt to critically evaluate its socio-political import. More to the point, after years of futilely chasing the New York Yankees, in 2007 USA Today (White, 2007) had proclaimed RSN as baseball’s biggest fan base. Certainly then, RSN became the poster-child for the post-national moment (Miller, 2008) whereby the traditional nation-state’s importance has waned in favor of consumption-based ideological (national) identity formations (i.e. Budweiser, under Belgian ownership, is still marketed as an “American” beer).
Similar to Budweiser representing “America”, RSN was once a fiercely local fan base that has given way to a corporatized structure focused more on profitability than representing New England. Paradoxically, in RSN’s case this has been a somewhat positive move. For what was once thought of as the most racially monotone fan base (Bryant, 2002), has given way to a slightly more mutli-ethnic/cultural/national group of people whose consumptive practices have provided the Red Sox with the funding to compete with the Yankees. Thus, this presentation will seriously consider the cultural, on-field, and in-the-stands implications of RSN attempting to return to its ‘roots’. Finally, I will conclude by taking into consideration the idea that corporate apoliticality may have brought about progressive social change in RSN.
Following the Boston Red Sox collapse at the end of the 2011 regular season some of those in Red Sox Nation (RSN) curiously rejoiced. While disappointed that the team lost, longtime supporters suggested that maybe it would clear the franchise’s bandwagon of ‘pink hat fans’.
First ... who rejoiced? I'm in San Francisco, so, I'm not there in it hearing people in Boston directly ... so, I'd want some folks in Boston to chime in on the fact that, "yeah, people were kind of happy the Sox tanked hoping the fringe fans would go away."
I mean I get your point, and I agree. Everyone loves a winner, so with the Sox winning, the games became more of a place to be seen than a sporting event. And it certainly has become a more diverse "RSN" over the past decade ... here in the bay area, I see tons of folks from all different races and backgrounds sporting Sox gear ... and no doubt, these people have no idea who Tom Yawkey, Pumpsie Green or Tommy Harper are.
The pink hats won't go anywhere until the Sox put up a few sub .500 records, though.
So ... the only thing I don't agree with ... or should I say, feel is backed by evidence, is that the old RSN wants to be less culturally diverse (if that is indeed what you're implying). I think they just want the people that sit in the stands who are more interested in updating their facebook with photos at the game to not be at Fenway anymore, those could very easily be white males as well. If people are truly hard core fans, no one gives a crap what color, sex or religion they are.
"You're one of the few Red Sox fans I don't mind." - Newch91
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
I took the "rejoiced" from this clip on the Scott Van Pelt show, Rusillo claims he was a hardcore Sox fan (plus this was similar to some of the stuff I was hearing from friends/fam in Beantown). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WeoTS4Dxb4 I'm planning on starting the presentation off with this then kinda going from there into the discussion. It'll be in Boston so I hope to get some good discussion on it.
new york's exit has got to take a little of the sting away, right?
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
new york's exit has got to take a little of the sting away, right?
Not really I lost a bet last night when I put it all on the frisking Yankees. So I'm a loser just like their fans today.
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
new york's exit has got to take a little of the sting away, right?
Not really I lost a bet last night when I put it all on the frisking Yankees. So I'm a loser just like their fans today.
Peace
you bet the yankees....and you're a sox fan? sorry, but a true fan never bets the enemy....even if they perceive a "sure thing."
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
new york's exit has got to take a little of the sting away, right?
Not really I lost a bet last night when I put it all on the frisking Yankees. So I'm a loser just like their fans today.
Peace
you bet the yankees....and you're a sox fan? sorry, but a true fan never bets the enemy....even if they perceive a "sure thing."
My daughter is a Yankee fan and the bet was 1 dollar and loser had to clean HER ROOM. :shock: I would rather put up a 100 bucks than the mess of room she has. :(
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
you bet the yankees....and you're a sox fan? sorry, but a true fan never bets the enemy....even if they perceive a "sure thing."
Nah ... that's horseshit ... the only team I never bet on or against in the playoffs is the Sox. Win or lose I'm invested enough in any Boston team ... hell, I've bet against the Sox in regular season games. (I would NEVER do that in the playoffs).
I'd even bet my mother to lose a cooking duel if there was money on the line. Smart money doesn't mean you don't love your team. Or your mom.
"You're one of the few Red Sox fans I don't mind." - Newch91
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Dude, there is NO betting against your team. You cannot benefit for your team losing.
A regular season baseball game?
If my Sox homer friend wants to bet me dinner that the Sox are going to win and Lackey, coming off 4 straight disasters, is on the mound in some random game in May ... I'm going to take him up on it.
Where is jeagler to come in here and call me a fraud?
"You're one of the few Red Sox fans I don't mind." - Newch91
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Dude, there is NO betting against your team. You cannot benefit for your team losing.
Well I look at it this way IF you are a fan of your team for 40 years or more well then you can do ANY damn thing you please with said team. I've been a SOX fan since 71-72' so there.
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
francona is not doing too badly for the first time out in his broadcaster gig.
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
francona is not doing too badly for the first time out in his broadcaster gig.
smart guy. sad to see him go.. even sadder to him in a booth with the two biggest assclowns in broadcasting...
the head assclown has the night off....but rosenthal's working the dugouts.
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Conspiracy theory: Theo pushed Tito out so he could hire him once he heads to the Cubs.
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
__________________________________________________________
Shameless beer-related plugs:
Instagram/Twitter/Untappd: FtMyersBeerGuy
Comments
Get Rid of the "Pink Hats," because I Want My White Boys Back: Red Sox Nation, Corporate Post-Nationality, and the Paradox of Neoliberal Apoliticality.
Following the Boston Red Sox collapse at the end of the 2011 regular season some of those in Red Sox Nation (RSN) curiously rejoiced. While disappointed that the team lost, longtime supporters suggested that maybe it would clear the franchise’s bandwagon of ‘pink hat fans’. Using this response as a backdrop I will attempt to critically evaluate its socio-political import. More to the point, after years of futilely chasing the New York Yankees, in 2007 USA Today (White, 2007) had proclaimed RSN as baseball’s biggest fan base. Certainly then, RSN became the poster-child for the post-national moment (Miller, 2008) whereby the traditional nation-state’s importance has waned in favor of consumption-based ideological (national) identity formations (i.e. Budweiser, under Belgian ownership, is still marketed as an “American” beer).
Similar to Budweiser representing “America”, RSN was once a fiercely local fan base that has given way to a corporatized structure focused more on profitability than representing New England. Paradoxically, in RSN’s case this has been a somewhat positive move. For what was once thought of as the most racially monotone fan base (Bryant, 2002), has given way to a slightly more mutli-ethnic/cultural/national group of people whose consumptive practices have provided the Red Sox with the funding to compete with the Yankees. Thus, this presentation will seriously consider the cultural, on-field, and in-the-stands implications of RSN attempting to return to its ‘roots’. Finally, I will conclude by taking into consideration the idea that corporate apoliticality may have brought about progressive social change in RSN.
Whattya think?
First ... who rejoiced? I'm in San Francisco, so, I'm not there in it hearing people in Boston directly ... so, I'd want some folks in Boston to chime in on the fact that, "yeah, people were kind of happy the Sox tanked hoping the fringe fans would go away."
I mean I get your point, and I agree. Everyone loves a winner, so with the Sox winning, the games became more of a place to be seen than a sporting event. And it certainly has become a more diverse "RSN" over the past decade ... here in the bay area, I see tons of folks from all different races and backgrounds sporting Sox gear ... and no doubt, these people have no idea who Tom Yawkey, Pumpsie Green or Tommy Harper are.
The pink hats won't go anywhere until the Sox put up a few sub .500 records, though.
So ... the only thing I don't agree with ... or should I say, feel is backed by evidence, is that the old RSN wants to be less culturally diverse (if that is indeed what you're implying). I think they just want the people that sit in the stands who are more interested in updating their facebook with photos at the game to not be at Fenway anymore, those could very easily be white males as well. If people are truly hard core fans, no one gives a crap what color, sex or religion they are.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Not really I lost a bet last night when I put it all on the frisking Yankees. So I'm a loser just like their fans today.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
My daughter is a Yankee fan and the bet was 1 dollar and loser had to clean HER ROOM. :shock: I would rather put up a 100 bucks than the mess of room she has. :(
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Nah ... that's horseshit ... the only team I never bet on or against in the playoffs is the Sox. Win or lose I'm invested enough in any Boston team ... hell, I've bet against the Sox in regular season games. (I would NEVER do that in the playoffs).
I'd even bet my mother to lose a cooking duel if there was money on the line. Smart money doesn't mean you don't love your team. Or your mom.
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
A regular season baseball game?
If my Sox homer friend wants to bet me dinner that the Sox are going to win and Lackey, coming off 4 straight disasters, is on the mound in some random game in May ... I'm going to take him up on it.
Where is jeagler to come in here and call me a fraud?
"I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass." --- Pedro Martinez
Well I look at it this way IF you are a fan of your team for 40 years or more well then you can do ANY damn thing you please with said team. I've been a SOX fan since 71-72' so there.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
boston fan.....duhhhhhhhhh
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Once I get out of this town
9/29/04;6/27/08;6/30/08;8/23/09;08/24/09;5/17/10
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Once I get out of this town
9/29/04;6/27/08;6/30/08;8/23/09;08/24/09;5/17/10
Once I get out of this town
9/29/04;6/27/08;6/30/08;8/23/09;08/24/09;5/17/10
chicago is awesome.
easier to win in the NL too...especially going from the AL East
He wins with the cubs he'll be a hall of fame gm. Glad cashman had no interest though
Once I get out of this town
9/29/04;6/27/08;6/30/08;8/23/09;08/24/09;5/17/10
__________________________________________________________
Shameless beer-related plugs:
Instagram/Twitter/Untappd: FtMyersBeerGuy
probably will happen...though i wish giradi would take it
i agree. even if the cubs could bring babe fucken ruth back from the dead, they still wouldnt win a WS.
and sometimes, people just need a change.
plus....
whoever is attached to the cubs if they were to win a title would be a king forever in this city.
true. this might be destiny...ed is a big cubs fan, theo and ed are tight...ed sang someday we'll go all the way...maybe the cubs win it all in 2015?