Suddenly nobody is paying attention to the elections any more

[fpb]

I am enough of a sports fan to feel what it must mean to many Americans that the big mighty monopolistic capitalistic side (the Yankees) has been overhauled by the long-time hopefuls (Red Sox) and are within a game of going down to what for them is abject defeat (i.e. failing to make it to the finals). And certainly I carry enough detestation for the local equivalents of the Yankees (Manchester United, Arsenal, Milan, Juventus) to have every sympathy for the surprisingly large number of Bostonians on my f-list. But what I want to know is: is this going to sabotage the elections? Are all Yankee and Red Sox fans suddenly going to lose interest in a matter of mere politicians, when baseball history is being made? (Apparently, in the historic Italian elections of April 1948, civil war was narrowly averted when the legendary cyclist Fausto Coppi won a stage of the Giro d'Italia race in spectacular style, thus distracting all the angry Communist and anti-Communist supporters...)

Comments

[ashesofautumn.livejournal.com]

I doubt that it would sabotage the elections. Very highly.

New Yorkers aren't going to forget how much they despise George Bush (which they showed pretty well a month and a half ago at the RNC) just because they lose the playoffs. (It isn't the first time that the Sox have gone to the Series, anyway. Just, I believe, the first time that the Sox beat the Yankees to go to the Series.)

If these playoffs were the night of Election Day, then maybe we'd have a problem. But I don't think baseball is going to be a distraction because New York City in particular (no idea about Boston) wants the man gone so badly.


(And! Couldn't care less if Yankees are the Mighty Rich Republicans of the game. They're New Yorkers, and so am I. :P Some of us have long-standing attachment because we're from the tri-state area. And we think the Mets suck.)

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I was not being entirely serious, you know! As for local loyalties, I understand, up to a point. But there is a saying - in both Turin and Manchester - that if you are a real Turinese or Mancunian, you support, not Juventus or Manchester United, but Torino or Manchester City. I take it that the Mets are the NY equivalent? To me, it was simply too familiar a situation not to comment. Maybe one day I will tell you how politics and football support have clashed in my own life... But that is too serious a subject for now.

[falco-conlon.livejournal.com]

all I know is that I am euphoric.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sorta figured that from your LJ entry.

[virginia-bell.livejournal.com]

Well, as of right now, Red Sox are much more interesting than the Democrats (sorry, I'm originally from Massachusetts *g*) and the Republicans, but the election is simply too important to be brushed aside.

Signing off, V.M. Bell

[fpb.livejournal.com]

So I take it you are going for an all-Massachussets sweep with Kerry and the Sox?

[virginia-bell.livejournal.com]

I should hope so. :-)

Signing off, V.M. Bell