Coming from the Southeast, I am surrounded by three "fandoms": Braves, Red Sox, and Yankees.
I side with the first.
With this, came the natural hatred of the New York Yankees.
They seemed to be the polar opposite of my beloved Bravos. They always spent a TON of money and never really focused on their farm.
However, with the gradual evolution of my love of the game of baseball came the gradual increase of respect for the Yankees.
I will admit, I am one that still throws around terms like the Bankees, selfish, and thieves (using all other MLB clubs like a farm system) when describing this club, but there is a certain aura about the following facts that will not allow me to hate them with the same passion with which I hate the Mets:
1. 26 World Series titles (St. Louis is next with 10).
2. Keeping a gem like Yankee Stadium alive for so long.
3. Carrying an entire city on their backs after 9/11.
4. Having a class act like Derek Jeter.
5. Fans are knowledgeable and charismatic.
The first three speak for themselves. You see the history of this franchise, the way it respects the game of baseball, and the devotion to the city it inhabits.
Now, this team may have had the most accused steroid users (Giambi, Justice, Clemens, Rodriguez—although he was with Texas—and the list goes on) of any from the Steroids Era, but they don't seem to fret under these circumstances.
Why?
Derek Jeter.
This man deserves everything he gets. He is the ideal man for representing what has become the dirty game of baseball. He is, or at least is perceived to be, clean and is, as mentioned above, a class act. He never gets into trouble, never makes himself, or his team, look bad.
OK, BoSox fans, my hate on me a little here, but the members of the Yankees' Universe posses a unique stance on the game of baseball.
In fact, I had the best conversation about baseball that I have ever had with a Yankee fan at the stadium formerly known as Legends Field.
This guy epitomized, from what I've heard, what a Yankee fan should be: Critical when a guy sucks (Kei Igawa), embracing when a player is performing up to expectations (A-Rod 2007 edition), and possessing a sharp wit that can make you grin when you talk with them (a straight-up trade of Bob Wickman for Kei Igawa-about equal value—after Kei surrenders six in one inning to a bunch of Rays minor leaguers).
This team will never be my favorite, but because of my realignment of views they will no longer be my least favorite.
The Yankees have moved their way into a tiny space in my heart, somewhere in-between chocolate cake and herpes (as I said, I don't necessarily like them, but there is some level of respect there).
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