By Thalia Bardell, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA
Maybe it’s too soon to go here, the victory too fresh, but I’m beginning to wonder if howiGit and myself are the only people left who care about the Red Sox. Boston has always, above all else, considered itself a baseball town. Baseball has a history and culture that is ingrained right down to the field. Fenway Park is one of the most historic and beautiful ballparks in the United States. As baseball as a sport slip-slides downward in popularity all over the country I thought that here in Boston the fervor for the game would never die.
On Sunday an estimated one million people turned out in black and gold to watch the duck boats roll through downtown; that’s more people than have turned out for any other rolling rally here in Boston, including the 2004 Red Sox and that championship drought was more than twice as long. These people had to come from somewhere; have we been mistaken all along in thinking that hockey wasn’t alive and well in the Hub? Clearly, the interest is there. In 2004 when the Sox won the World Series a group of self-proclaimed “idiots” captured the hearts of fans; probably because the city of Boston saw a lot of itself in these guys – not always the most talented, cleanest, or well polished. But they captured their hearts for a mere moment and that particular team was mostly disbanded by the following season. These Bruins; however, have staying power – this particular team is ripe with young talent. Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin in particular are young studs, and the Bruins will return to the ice next year with a nearly identical roster. This gives fans something to hold on to; they can attach themselves to these particular players beyond this victory and into the coming years.
The Bruins have established themselves as the people’s team; with fan favorites Shawn Thornton and Tim Thomas giving the team a blue-collar attitude that Boston eats right up. On Thursday Zdeno Chara was wheeling the Cup around the North End in a stroller; Nathan Horton took it out for dinner to Tia’s on the waterfront; and during the parade members of the team came down from the duck boats and allowed fans to touch it. This type of behavior has given the squad an accessibility that is hard not to love. The Bruins are here to stay and are taking Boston by storm.
At the Red Sox game on Sunday afternoon runs were celebrated with the Bruins’ fog horn and music pulled straight from the inside of the Garden. It’s almost as though the Sox were hoping that they could grab a little of what makes the Bruins special – a little of that atmosphere. Perhaps they feel what I feel, that soon they may no longer be number one.
While I’ll gladly be the first to admit that I was very surprised by the fan fare the Bruins received when they won (both from bandwagon fans and otherwise), I think your notion that the Bruins could supplant the Red Sox in Boston in ludicrous. To clarify, the crowd in Boston for the Bruins parade was a little over 1 million. The Red Sox 2004 parade was 3 million. There isn’t, and never will be (as loveable as the Bruins are), even a comparison here.
Geoff is right. This will always be a baseball town first and foremost but make no mistake; the Bruins are number two. I’d even argue despite recent success the Pats are fourth
I’d put the Pats at #2 without question.
Sorry wrong name above
no, they do not now rule boston. Not being a native of the town I am comfortable saying that confidently. and I question if the bruins took over the pats as no. 2. I wouldn’t think that to be the case but really couldnt say.
They didn’t, everybody is just very short-sighted. Everybody in New England (besides the Connecticut/wannabe NYC contingent) watches the Patriots games on Sundays. The regular season aside, I know very few Bostonians outside of big hockey fans that watched the Bruins games even in the early rounds of the playoffs.
I think its interesting you use the phrase “short sighted” The Patriots were a joke in this city for three decades. Ultimately, the Bruins and Red Sox are in the blood of New Englanders. They were the first two teams that this region really bonded with and empathized with. Just because you love football and don’t like hockey has nothing to do with rankings as it pertains to the city.
A decade and a half of good football doesn’t take the B’s out of number 2 or the C’s out of number 3
Red Sox
Bruins
Celtics
Patriots
Your the one being short sighted
The Bruins were similarly a joke for 3 decades. I’m going by what I seeing, and that’s a hell of a lot more people watching the Patriots than the Bruins.
The Bruins were a joke for 3 decades? Im not sure what criteria your using but teh Bruins were good up until about the mid 90′s and have been good for the past 5 years or so (since the lockout ended)
And oh wow, more people watch the 16 games the patriots play than the 82 the Bruins play? By that methodology the Patriots are number 1 because more people tune in to their 1 game a week than any 1 game the Red Sox play per week.
Your argument is a lame way to justify what you think is right.
I’m not saying game per game, as the difference in the length of the season is severe obviously. I don’t see many people watching regular season Bruins games, period. I know tons of people who watch 16 full regular season Patriots games every year. I don’t know nearly as many who watched 16 full regular season Bruins games. Yes, the Bruins were a joke for the past three decades. They hadn’t won a Stanley Cup in 39 years and last played in one in 1990. The Patriots played in the Bowl in 1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2007. 30 years ago was 1981, and there’s no denying that the Patriots have had much more success in that time.
I’ll also not that while you call my argument a “lame way to justify what you think is right,” you discredit my notion without providing any justification as to what you think it right…
And I am sure hte fact that the Bruins had the most people at their parade means nothing too, right? There are just that many more people in Boston now than in 2007?
You are proving to be the most bandwagon Boston Bruins fan ever. The Bruins did not have the most people at their parade – that is absolutely, unequivocally false. The 2004 Red Sox had 3 times as many people at their parade.
I never said the Bruins are my second favorite team. They aren’t. I do like them more than the Celtics though. I am just pointing out, that despite what you say, the Bruins have been ingrained in this region a hell of a lot longer than the Patriots and more people empathize with the Bruins than the Celtics.
You may be right about the numbers but the Bruins did have the biggest parade in Boston history.
How can I be right about the numbers, yet the Bruins had the largest parade? They didn’t – it was a third of the size of the 2004 Red Sox parade. And your comments are very different from what you said before – of course more people emphasize with the Bruins – they’ve been bad much longer than the Celtics have been. And yes, the Bruins have been around longer, but the Pats have been more successful over the past 3 decades.