Larry Brown Sports

Much like Phillies fans, we are all aware of how crazy Boston Red Sox fans can be.  Some are crazy in a fun way while others are crazy in an obnoxious way.  Then there are those who are just plain stupid.  Since we all love to give security guards crap for using excessive force (see Cal security guard who slapped a choke hold on a fan), it would be unfair to snub them out of a well-deserved pat on the back.  That is exactly what this Fenway Park security guard — who we call Ray Lewis for the purpose of this discussion — deserves for the hit he put on a Red Sox fan Monday night.  Check out this video of a Red Sox fan getting laid out by a security guard, courtesy of Jimmy Traina:

That hit by Ray Lewis could be even better than the one that Fresno State staffer put on a shirtless maniac in the Fall.  Note to the fan: if you’re going to run onto the field, put a little hop in your step.  The idea is to see how long you can go without getting caught, not to tip-toe around like you’re trying to win a Miss America pageant.  Wake up.

Boston sports fans are similar to New York and Philly sports fans in that they’re very passionate and widely disliked because of it. But if there is one quality that Boston sports fans have it’s that they’re extremely loyal. Brand Keys conducted its annual sports loyalty test and Patriots, Spurs, Phillies, and Red Wings fans all were number one in their respective sports. Hardball Talk via Philly Sports Daily noted that the positive ranking for Phillies fans was a nice contrast to GQ which named the Eagles and Phillies fans the meanest last week. But the thread that stood out most to me was that the fans of all four major sports teams in Boston were in the Top 5.

In the NFL, the Patriots fans were ranked as the most loyal ahead of the Steelers, Colts, Packers, and Jets in that order. Celtics fans were named the fourth most loyal, behind the Spurs, Lakers, and Mavs fans but ahead of the Suns. Red Sox fans were named third most loyal behind Phillies and Yankees fans, but ahead of Giants and Dodgers fans who were 4th and 5th. And in the NHL, Bruins fans were 5th most loyal behind the Red Wings, Flyers, Sharks and Canucks. Not all teams’ fans seemed to be included in the surveys, but it still gives us a pretty good idea of something we probably already knew, that Boston fans are enthusiastic and extremely loyal.

Anyway, getting back to Phillies fans, this is great news for their reputation. Most of us know them for horrendous antics like this, this, this, and this. Way to redeem yourselves, Phillies fans!

There are some times when those sports arguments at the local bar can get a little out of hand. And by a little out of hand, I mean resulting in capital punishment. With Leather has the story of a Yankees fan who was a duck out of water, drinking at a Red Sox bar in Nashua Massachusetts. The woman was being taunted by said Red Sox fans when their argument spilled outside. The Sox fans then found a Yankees sticker on the woman’s car, prompting them to chant, “Yankees suck!” And what ensued? You guessed it:

[Yankees fan Ivonne] Hernandez, 43, allegedly gunned her car and struck [Red Sox fan Matthew] Beaudoin and his friend Maria Hughes, 21. Beaudoin’s sister Faith Beaudoin said Hughes had only minor injuries, because her brother shielded her. Beaudoin died of massive head trauma at a hospital, Morrell said.

Hernandez, of Nashua, was arrested at the scene. She acknowledged she had been drinking and refused to take a breath-alcohol test, said Morrell, a senior assistant attorney general. Hernandez said she had been in an argument with the group.

“She indicated to police that she wanted to scare this group of people. She thought they would get out of the way,” Morrell said.

I suppose when you’re BAC’s as high as Ian Kennedy’s ERA you’re banking on other drunks to get out of the way of a high speed vehicle. Probably not the best way to scare someone. Usually we like to stick with cutting the scrotum of opposing team’s fans — that’s much more civil. I knew Yanks fans and Red Sox fans didn’t like each other, but come on people, be more reasonable here.