Sportsmanship between the Sox/Yanks?

[Boon 0]

ACTON, Mass. -- Tensions were running high on the Merriam School playground.

 

Yankees fans and Red Sox fans were relentlessly taunting each other, and the fun of Boston's comeback win in the 2004 ALCS was being lost.

 

As school officials worked to calm the students, they had a radical idea: Why not extend their peacemaking efforts to the big league level?

 

Their project to get the Red Sox and Yankees to shake hands before the opening-day game April 11 at Fenway Park has since been endorsed by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

 

Red Sox manager Terry Francona called the school to tell officials he liked the "The Merriam School Handshake Project," though he added he won't force it on the players.

 

"If our guys want to go shake some hands, they're going to do it," Francona said. "I'm not going to make them."

 

The plan goes against a big league rule that discourages fraternization between opposing players while in uniform, though the rule is occasionally flouted. In professional hockey, handshakes between opposing teams are a routine part of series-ending play in the postseason.

 

The Merriam School drew up the plan after school assemblies addressed sportsmanship. Students put together a PowerPoint show, and mailed and e-mailed it with letters urging team owners, managers and captains to support the opening-day shake.

 

The PowerPoint show begins with an image of students saying, "We look up to you."

 

A series of photos follows, with one showing Boston's Jason Varitek brawling with New York's Alex Rodriguez. Another portrays children shaking their fists at one another. Beneath that image, a caption reads, "We follow your example."

 

"Fans and players are getting too worked up about what's just a game," the students wrote in their letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig. "The negativity and intensity is influencing children's sportsmanship after our own sports games.

 

"After children's sports games, we shake hands with the team we're playing. If kids can show good sportsmanship, then professionals can, too."

 

Steinbrenner had an enthusiastic reaction to the plan, according to spokesman Howard Rubenstein.

 

"He thinks it's a great idea," Rubenstein said.

 

Credit: ESPN.com

 

There's also a poll up asking if they should shake hands and other stuff.

 

Personally, I don't see the point in the showing of respect between the Sox and the Yanks. The focal point of their rivalry according to many is the hatred between the two teams. I just have a vision of a handshake and then six innings later another brawl. It would be stupid, I think.

[Brett Favre 0]

I think that would be pretty funny. Of course though, Varitek will use this occasion to feel up A-Rods crotch again.

[Guest Shadow]

I love the concept and it's sad that grown ups are the ones acting like little kids.

 

You don't see kids going home after the game to their Rolls Royces and whatnot. They go to the local ice cream shop.

 

They go and try to bury their peers as much as possible. You can have rivarly but have some respect.

 

However anything that involves respect with capital class jackasses like A-Rod, Schilling and Jason Veritek is a pipe dream.

 

Funny how Schilling's this ultimate christian conservative guy and yet lives to slander people at any second without hesitation.

[Brett Favre 0]

So how is A-Rod a capital jackass? And since when do the Yankees bury the Red Sox? All I hear is Alex this, Alex that from Boston.

[Ripper 0]

Not really. its a fucking baseball game. I don't think that dissing someone in BASEBALL is going to get you to ~THE HELL!!!!

[2GOLD 0]

Shake hands after the game. MLB is the only sport that has no sign of sportsmanship between the teams.

 

NFL, handshake between the coaches and some players after the game

NBA, center court hand slaps and some handshakes/hugs after

NHL, big ass team handshake after the game

 

MLB, exchange line-ups before the game....walk into the dugout and pout after.

[Boon 0]

So how is A-Rod a capital jackass? And since when do the Yankees bury the Red Sox? All I hear is Alex this, Alex that from Boston.

see also Bronson Arroyo.

 

1) A-Rod started that shit with Varitek, Varitek was stepping in front of A-Rod, protecting Bronson. Everyone clearly say A-Rod say "fuck you" to Varitek.

 

2) A-Rod slapping the ball out of Bronson's glove, like a little bitch.

 

And what I hear coming out of New York is more A-Rod bashing then Red Sox bashing, esp. after the series. "He's not a Yankee," and such.

[Brett Favre 0]

So how is A-Rod a capital jackass? And since when do the Yankees bury the Red Sox? All I hear is Alex this, Alex that from Boston.

see also Bronson Arroyo.

 

1) A-Rod started that shit with Varitek, Varitek was stepping in front of A-Rod, protecting Bronson. Everyone clearly say A-Rod say "fuck you" to Varitek.

 

2) A-Rod slapping the ball out of Bronson's glove, like a little bitch.

 

And what I hear coming out of New York is more A-Rod bashing then Red Sox bashing, esp. after the series. "He's not a Yankee," and such.

I'm not going over the fight again. Discussed many times before.

 

I'll give you the glove thing, but does that really make him a jackass? He smacked the glove out of a guys hand? Would you rather he run over the guy? Well, atleast that would have been legal.

 

As far as I know, he hasn't spoken shitsquat on the Red Sox other than agreeing with them on him not being a true Yankees. Doesn't sound like a capital jackass to me.

[The Czech Republic 0]

It wouldn't be sincere. Why bother.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I'm not going over the fight again. Discussed many times before.

Funny you should say that when you were the poster that brought the first mention of that fight into this thread.

 

NHL, big ass team handshake after the game

They only shake hands in the post-season, and that's only after the entire series has ended.

[The Czech Republic 0]

It was kinda cool when the Dodgers and Cardinals shook hands but Yankees and Red Sox would just be an empty gesture.

 

 

Hey I heard the Red Sox were adding gold trim to the script and numbers on their uniforms. I hope this isn't true.

[Brett Favre 0]

I'm not going over the fight again. Discussed many times before.

Funny you should say that when you were the poster that brought the first mention of that fight into this thread.

Discussing and mentioning are two different things.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Only if during the handshake, a player gives another a short clothes-line, the other player, leading to a pier 6 brawl.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Screw this hippie PC shit. Give me Don Zimmer lunging after Pedro rather than some gay "Let's pretend we like each other for the CHILDREN" stage show any day...

[2GOLD 0]

NHL, big ass team handshake after the game

They only shake hands in the post-season, and that's only after the entire series has ended.

 

True, but MLB doesn't even do that. They basically tackle each other on the middle of the field and give the other team the finger.

 

I give MLB props for one thing; at least they didn't bother with cheerleaders.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Truthfully, most of the Red Sox and Yankees do NOT hate each other already. They know it is just a game, and they are just hired players anyway. How many of them grew up Red Sox or Yankee fans anyway?

 

That's the problem with this handshake gesture. The problem isn't that the Red Sox and Yankees hate each other. The problem is that the media creates this perception of mass hatred, and everyone buys it.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Truthfully, most of the Red Sox and Yankees do NOT hate each other already. They know it is just a game, and they are just hired players anyway. How many of them grew up Red Sox or Yankee fans anyway?

 

That's the problem with this handshake gesture. The problem isn't that the Red Sox and Yankees hate each other. The problem is that the media creates this perception of mass hatred, and everyone buys it.

Great, blame the media

 

Redsox fans HATE the Yankees

Yankee fans HATE the Redsox

 

The media has nothing to do with it

 

Did the media create the hatred in the 1970's with Thurman Munson v. Carlton Fisk and Graig Nettles v. Bill Lee and such

 

Steve

[Guest LooneyTune]

I'll definitely say the majority of fans, both for Boston and New York, are very passionate about their teams, and tend to dislike the more determined and historical linking opposition.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Truthfully, most of the Red Sox and Yankees do NOT hate each other already.  They know it is just a game, and they are just hired players anyway.  How many of them grew up Red Sox or Yankee fans anyway?

 

That's the problem with this handshake gesture.  The problem isn't that the Red Sox and Yankees hate each other.  The problem is that the media creates this perception of mass hatred, and everyone buys it.

Great, blame the media

 

Redsox fans HATE the Yankees

Yankee fans HATE the Redsox

 

The media has nothing to do with it

 

Did the media create the hatred in the 1970's with Thurman Munson v. Carlton Fisk and Graig Nettles v. Bill Lee and such

 

Steve

Thurman Munson didn't like anyone. Graig Nettles brawled often with George Brett as well. The 1970s, particularly with the Bronx Zoo Yankees, were a completely different group than today. I will grant you that the fans hate the other teams. I doubt the players hold the same amount of hatred. Sure you get the occasional brawl, but you get that with any two teams. Are the Tigers and Royals mortal enemies because Jeff Weaver brawled with Mike Sweeney?

[Mole 0]

Fuck no.

 

There should be no hand shaking at all.

[Jericholic82 0]

I find it funny that everyone used to call arod the greatest player in the game (well mostly the media), then thee second he joins the Yanks, hes evil.

 

as for the brawl, well it technically silly to see two grown men fighting like little kids.

 

 

Youre never gonna see handshakes, though it would be cool to see. I always say that though we hate each other, at least sox and yanks fans seem to have a mutual respect (even if its never muttered( and appreciation for the game of baseball. Which is what makes the feud so great.

 

I have seen it in person, I went to a sox-yanks game in the bronx in july 2002. after the game, both yanks and sox fans poured into a bar across from the beacher seats, and drank together.

 

 

AH SCREW THIS, AS THEY GO FOR THE HANDSHAKES, JETER BOOTS VARITEK AND GIVES HIM A STUNNER!!!!!

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I think both teams should go to that playground and pelt those little bastards with fastballs.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Better yet, the Red Sox should go for the handshakes, and make sure they are wearing their gaudy 2004 World Series rings.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

As long as they fight. I almost like Baseball fights more than Hockey Fights.

 

The Nolan Ryan headlock and pummel.

[Boon 0]

I think both teams should go to that playground and pelt those little bastards with fastballs.

 

I guess you could say the Red Sox players hate A-Rod more then they do the Yankees. But the fans, believe me, hate all the Yankees. Maybe not in New York, but I'll tell you here in Boston, a Yankee player or fan is marked for death at some points throughout the season.

 

Just look at the market for "Yankees Suck" t-shirts. Yankee hatred is always on the mind- I was at a Raw taping in the venue-formerly-known as the FleetCenter, and a Yankees Suck chant started. During a break, for no reason other then some poor shmuck was wearing Yankees gear and the fans decided to rip on him.

 

Maybe the players only hate A-Rod (since Pedro is no longer here) but the fans sure hate all of the Yankees.