Wasif's World

I want to take a departure from my usual “hard-hitting journalism” and dedicate this to you, the reader. I am extremely humbled by your interest in my columns. Writing them has meant supreme enjoyment for me.

When I first started, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I can tell you, I wasn’t counting on it becoming such an interactive experience as you click on my icon. I certainly did not imagine such wonderful feedback.

And I was amazed at the groundswell of support I have received. After my most recent posting titled, “Yankees Win: It’s About the Fans,” I figured a comment or two. But some of my readers actually went to great lengths to help me out by adding personality.

In the piece, I spoke of how Yankees fans get a bad reputation. Well, of course, each fan base has their bad seeds, and Yankees fans are among those I consider my best friends, but the readers didn’t think I went far enough in capturing the true Yankees fan character with my humorous hyperbole and wanted to lend their assistance in proving my point to others.

I can see where I came up short in my aim. Attempting to illuminate the public perception of Yankees fans, I used words such as condescending, cocky, arrogant, quarrelsome, self-righteous, obnoxious, belligerent, and rude, among others. I was sure people would get that.

But my readers, who are the best readers a scribe could wish for, came to my aid by going above and beyond. They actually sought to paint the picture I was merely trying to describe. They know how the saying goes, “a picture’s worth a thousand words.” Well, I could’ve written a million and it wouldn’t have exemplified the characterization of Yankees fans like their honest, slice-of-life comments. They really nailed what I was trying to say. And for that, I give them kudos.

Like Mike who said,
“your a jealous ******* every team has the same option, they are just CHEAP.”
Ho ho! That’s a dead-on Yankees fan impression, Mike. Well put! In fact, if I didn’t write that very point in the third paragraph of the piece, I’d think you were speaking out against me instead of showing how angry these fans can be. Love the vitriol!

Or Tony who wrote,
“The Yankees take the money they make and put it back in the team to put a championship caliber team on the field. They spend to improve and bring home a winner. Everybody who complains are just a bunch of whinning crybabies. The other owners pocket the money. The Yankees spend it for the fans and to WIN.”

Again, repeating my third paragraph helps make my case. I appreciate that. And I’ve never known crybabies to “whinn” so thanks for opening my eyes to that.

Oh, and Leo, I was LOLing (or would it be “LingOL” because it’s the present progressive tense of the verb and not of the adjective?) at your reply. Great stuff, man!
“Andy, go have a flavored latte, (don’t burn your pouty lips), change your damp sheet’s last night’s bed-wetting and go get your skinny legs waxed… or whatever they do in LA … what a whinner!
(I believe it’s spelled “winner,” and I appreciate the compliment, but, rest assured, I don’t always win. Let’s just say my success rate’s above 50 percent.

(Oh, and don’t worry about my lips. There’s enough collagen in them that I don’t feel anything when I sip hot coffee, my friend.)

And finally “Brooklyn,” you took the cake, brother! If I could take you on the road with me, I would. We’d make a great team. You said:
" I got a hundred guns a hundred clipse.....i`m from NY.....NY"......everyone always pulls the "cash" card ( their GMs name is "cashman" what do u expect?) yes the yankees pay for top players, yes most dont work out, but Brian never puts a gun to their heads....this is America....land of free enterprise, just look at all of the great players that were brought up over the yrs with out being bought, including Jeter and "HiP HiP Jorge". yes we NY fans are a special bunch we cheer with passion and come together as one for our team. If you went to a car dealership and had the money to buy a brand new BMW M5 would you buy it? or go out and get a nice compact kia?....while im on the belt parkway in my M5 im sure to blown the horn at the kia while blowning his doors off, sure i have to enudure $150 oil changes but that was my choice so go cheer in your kia and STFU!”

I have no idea what you’re talking about, or what “blowning” is (sounds fun, though), but I love the little shout out at the end to Southern Tallahassee of Florida University. Go Fighting Pigeons!

But I know these guys are just helping with the humor. They only amped up the condescending, cocky, arrogant, quarrelsome, self-righteous, obnoxious, belligerent, rude tone that I referred to in the blog in order to help me get my thesis across – that Yankees fans are typically a very passionate crew who

cares deeply about how their team fares.

One thing I must warn you Yankee Haters out there (roughly 90 percent of the reading audience) – do not bring up the whole “buying their team” issue. They are tired of hearing it.

Yes, they’ve purchased a couple of above-average priced free agents equal to the GDP of the Philippines, but, as "Brooklyn" alluded to, the core of their team came up from the farm system. They’ve been there from the very beginning and the Yankees were fortunate enough to get these stars to take the hometown discount when they re-signed.

Other teams have lost their stars because the free-agent market proved too enticing than their rinky-dink team. But the history and charm of New York was enough for these legends to stay with the pinstripes for the bargain-basement 2009 prices of $21.6 million (Jeter), $15 million (Rivera), $13.1 million (Posada) and $5.5 million (Pettitte – a bargain!). The Yankees steadfast ownership and desire to win was enough to keep these former draftees in uniform for as long as they want at these discounted rates. No big spending on them! Unlike Minnesota or Oakland who can’t wait to unload their superstars the minute free agency comes a-callin’.

So don’t go saying it’s because of a bloated payroll that puts the team in contention every year. The Mets and Cubs both spend up to 33 percent less than the Yankees and can’t even make the playoffs. It’s about shrewd signings and solid coaching.

Ah, Yankees fans, I love ya! I know I’m borrowing from journalism legend and my hero Ron Burgandy when I say, “You stay classy, Yankees fans.��

And thanks for reading. Please, tell your friends!