As a Mets fan, I am much happier at the exclusion of the Braves from the upcoming postseason than the Red Sox. But you wouldn't know it by my Tweets last night. I made joking references to the National Guard in New England going to high alert, and to summary executions of Boston's entire on-field and front office staff. There are two underlying causes. One is the timing and nature of the endings in the two leagues. St. Louis made easy work of Houston, and the Braves had the entire bottom of the 13th inning to answer the Phillies' run from the top half. But in the American League, it was not unlike a bang-bang play at first base. That five-minute span mirrored the entire month for the Red Sox and the Rays - Carl Crawford coming up inches short of a catch, followed by Evan Longoria delivering the final death blow.
The other reason I focused on the Sawx was the passion they exhibit. (And the arrogance, exhibited in January by Eric Ortiz in perhaps the most linked article in recent Internet history.) A friend wrote on Facebook that the Braves now know the misery of Met fans. I commented that the team certainly does, but the fans have shifted their attention to whatever SEC football game most holds their interest. I wish to enter onto the record the following screen captures from about 10 pm EDT Thursday night:
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| Atlanta Journal-Constitution. | Boston Globe. |
I don't think it's quite accurate to say that Atlanta is a bad sports city. But as a baseball city, or even as a professional sports city in general (see also: Thrashers, Atlanta), it leaves more than a bit to be desired.