MVN - Most Valuable Network

Hated pink hat, Josh Hamilton, and the Devil Rays

The Hated Pink Hat

“Why is this pink hat so hated? Fans say it’s a fashion statement. Naysayers counter that anyone in a [Red] Sox cap is a poseur.” Kate M. Jackson Boston Globe Correspondent

Kate M. Jackson’s article, which appeared on Boston.com in June this summer, describes the culture clash between two groups in Red Sox Nation; the new fans represented by those who wear pink Sox caps and those die-hard Sox fans who wear only traditional team colors. Jackson’s delightful analysis looks a how the pink-hat part of Red Sox Nation developed over the last four years as new fans jumped aboard the proverbial Red Sox Nation band wagon and the confrontation with the die-hards has begun to go public. Jackson quotes Shawn McBride, vice president of sports marketing for Ketchum, a public relations firm on what is happening to the New England sports world as he describes the growing tension in Red Sox Nation:

It happened with the Patriots, it’s happening now with the Celtics. But with the Red So, it’s an even bigger phenomenon. It’s not so much a bandwagon as a caravan.”(1)

The article made me smile as a person who grew up in New Hampshire and waited forty years for the Sox to win a World Series Pennant and as a person who regularly attends Red Sox Spring Training in Fort Myers so as to get close to my favorite players I would consider myself a die-hard Bosox fan. Maybe because I have lived south of the Mason-Dixon line for the last fifteen years, I have developed some perspective on die-hard Red Sox fan’s slant on the sports world. Last month when the Celtics made it to the NBA finals it hit me that I had not watched the Celtics since Bird, McKale, and Parrish, the original big three, retired and the Celtics became one of the worst clubs in the NBA. In fact, I remember six years ago while visiting a friend in Boston who had Celtics Season Tickets, I passed up those same free tickets up because the team was so unwatchable. So today this “old skooler” feels a little like a band-wagoner jumper myself, I too may very well be a “pink-hatter” myself. Check out Maggie Magner’s GirlSoxNation.com for her challenge to my people, the die-hard Red Sox fans; only in New England.

Josh Hamilton

Not a fan of the All Star Home Run Derby, but there are always those individual players that are worth watching. While the Twins’ Justin Morneau won the competition, last night really belonged to Josh Hamilton. Hamilton set a new record with twenty-eight home runs hit in the first round; breaking Bobby Abreu’s record of 24 blasts set in 2005. A wonderful story of a young man with an incredible ability and a terrible demon, the addiction to drugs. Hamilton is an inspiration to all people who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. At the same time it is this young player who has helped people in Texas get excited about the Rangers.

Sharing his story last night I hope helps fans understand how difficult drug addiction can be for people. I had no idea Hamilton had a sponsor who traveled with him to help him stay sober and drug free. The demons that Hamiliton’s carries with him have to be terrifying - the twenty eight home runs he hit last night in the first round may be nothing compared Hamilton staying sober from day to day. My challenge to Hamilton fans is this: If Josh Hamilton ever, and I certainly hope he does not, slips in his battle with his drug addiction, I hope people will continue to stand by him and support him. Congratulations Josh Hamilton for the great show last night and for the real accomplishment of staying clean one more day, the best of health to ya!!!!

The Devil Rays

Speaking of demons, how about those Rays, another All Star Break and the team from Tampa Bay find themselves out of first place again. In fact until the Rays finish the season atop the American League East we’ll just keep calling them who they really are, the Devil Rays. Unlike Danica, Kobe, and Tiger, who have all won races and honors, you Rays have not earned the right to gloss yourselves with a single moniker - so show us what you’ve got Devil Rays in the second half of the season.

With the way the Devil Ray’s have been hitting over their last few series, the Devil Ray front office might want to seriously think about signing Barry Bonds for some needed punch in their lineup. Bonds did have better slugging statistics than Manny Ramirez when the season ended last year. Then again maybe not, this is the same team that felt the need to remove “Devil” from their brand name. Second half of the season should be a good one in the battle for the American League East title, enjoy the All Star Game tonight!

(1) Why is this pink hat so hated, Kate M. Jackson, Boston.com, June 26, 2008.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 5:02 am and is filed under MLB. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.