Here’s another open forum for Yankee and Sox fans to leave their thoughts tonight before, during or after an important Game Two, which pits Pedro Martinez against Jon Lieber. Should be another tense ride. Try and enjoy.

Common Sense

Steven Goldman offered some sage and sobering thoughts on the ALCS yesterday in the latest edition of The Pinstriped Bible. I think they are worth sharing:

Though the American League Championship Series promises to be a highly diverting contest, bursting with great baseball play, compelling personalities, and high-pressure situations, enthusiasm cannot help but be dampened by the sure knowledge that some so-called fans will use this series and the anonymity granted by large crowds as an excuse to drink too much, say too much, and act badly out of over-identification with one team and unearned hostility towards the other.

Baseball: it’s just a game, not life and death. In the case of the Yankees and the Red Sox, it’s not even a game. It’s a spectator sport, which means except for a select 50 of us plus associated hangers-on, we’re watching, not playing. Nothing is happening to us that will change the course of our lives. Most of us will simply enjoy these games, but some will make them into Ken Caminiti and Christopher Reeve, and use that as an excuse to treat their fellow spectators and the players to abuse. Pity them, for they lack both perspective and humanity.

The rest of you, have a swell time. It should be fun to watch.

Right on.