Fair-weather fandom conquers Boston

It has long been a trend for sports enthusiasts to pull for the underdog. Competition is about becoming the best, and for spectators and the media, competition is about the chase to tear down the best and take their place. Thus we have the sports world's favorite event: the upset.

Consider one of the greatest upsets in the history of American sports. The 2004 Boston Red Sox won the American League Wildcard and made it to the league's championship series.

Down three games to none to the hated and Goliath-like New York Yankees, the Red Sox came back and won four straight games to reach the World Series and win their first title in 86 years.

Now pause in that moment in time, because there was a dramatic shift in this country's sports fan alignment. A perennial mediocre team who was the classic underdog showed a great deal of heart and overcame the odds to win it all.

The Red Sox's dramatic season was not the big story here as I would come to find out. The more important phenomenon was the avalanche of Red Sox fans that came out of the woodwork at the conclusion of the 2004 MLB season.

Did the population of New England increase ten fold that year? What caused millions of people who did not pay any attention to baseball suddenly admit they were Red Sox fans?

It seems Boston area fandom is simply trendy right now. Why? I'm not sure.

There are some colorful characters on the Red Sox with catch phrases like, "That's just Manny being Manny," which is the number one most senseless phrase in sports.

Also, all three major sports teams are highly competitive for a league championship on a yearly basis, and that certainly explains why they are fun to watch. But, it is difficult to pinpoint such a dramatic increase in a fan-bases' population in such a short period of time.

Trendy fans dilute the great tradition and spirit of true Red Sox fans who adored the team even when they were perennial losers. Now millions of people are making a feeble attempt to garner that same label, part of "The Nation".

While I cringe when I hear the term "The Nation," it is fair to give serious Red Sox fans the title. But let's exclude those who live across the nation who don't have any ties to Boston, and are part of a fan-trend which will end when the economics of baseball catch up to the reigning champs, and the Red Sox find themselves out of playoff contention.

That's when the fair-weather fans stay home.