Yankees Are Not a New York Team (Rodman: house, construction)

[Fred314X]

OK, granted. So what should happen next? No more professional sports unless the athletes actually come from the city they're representing? You may have a legitimate complaint, but there's no way it's going to be resolved. This kind of thing doesn't belong in this forum anyway; it should go in the Great Debates forum, so that people in other cities with teams that aren't "real" can get into the ranting and raving too.

[brooklynborndad]

there are lots of teams with local OWNERs, some of whom are well connected to the life of the city.

In NY, I am thinking of Joan Whitney Payson of the Mets. The Mara's of the Giants.

In DC of course Abe Pollin of the Wizards, who though born elsewhere, cared deeply for DC, changed the team name on that account, and built a new arena to revive part of the city.

Steinbrenner, though from Ohio, seemed very New York to me.

[captaincatfish]

Originally Posted by samyn on the green

Governments and people put all of their resources, energies and time into these passive spectator sports while ignoring the sports -like handball or tennis- that will provide the best return into their lives. Sport is supposed to provide exercise, competition, mental sharpness and comradely. These team sports provide little of this. The whole construct that these are New York Teams is completely false, there is nothing New York about them and the fans of these teams are identifying with a false entity. The local governments have spent so much on these teams around here. Recently local teams such as the Mets, Yankees, Nets, Devils, Jets, Giants, and Redbulls have all had a new stadium built for them with taxpayers money. This is a poor use of public funds and it is not in the public's best interest.

One of the best things about living in America (or in this case New York) is the ability to do something just because one feels like it---such as taking my passive-spectator-sport-loving behind and going to a stadium of my choice and rooting for the team of my choice...

I'm terribly sorry that it upsets your sensibilities that people follow the Yanks, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, etc, and that we aren't all flocking to the neighborhood courts shouting 'tennis anyone?' or bitching about how the handball couts at Yankee Stadium aren't up to spec...

Get over it already...I live in SW Ohio, and I know full well that a lot of the guys who wear 'REDS' and 'BENGALS' on their jerseys, probably don't live in the city their jerseys represent, and I say---so damn what?

I happen to BE a memeber of that public, who you high-handedly claim that team sports aren't in the best interest of, and I say, if you are so hot to follow tennis, and play handball, then hop a train, catch a cab, or ride a bike, and do so, and quit standing around 'tut-tutting' the rest of us who LIKE buying tickets and rooting for our 'out of town paid mercenaries'...I swear, nothing makes me madder than hell, than somebody standing somewhere with their hands on their hips, trying to tell everybody else how something they like sucks, and how much better their whatever is for everybody...sheesh...

If you don't like what your local government is doing in regards to sports, then WRITE THEM and voice your displeasure, even though they might read your letter and go 'pffffft---who is this jamoke, carryin' on about handball and tennis and misuse of public funds?' and drop your letter in File 13, aka the wastebasket

[MrGreatness555]

Originally Posted by samyn on the green

The Yankees may play in New York but they are not a New York team. The owners are from Cleveland and the players are mercenaries from all over the Americas. Their Captain Jeter is from Michigan. The star pitcher Pettite is from Louisiana. The only connection they have to New York is that they take New Yorkers money. The same could be said about all of these pro teams.

This is a real New York sport played by New Yorkers.

Lol!! Who cares where they are from... Was Babe Ruth from New York? Mickey Mantle? What are you talking about? Thats not the point AT ALL. There are no major league sports teams with more then 2 or 3 players from that area, its not how it works, its a business, you wanna see who is going to make your team WIN. You have no clue what you are talking about. Why do you care where they are from, Jeter and Pettite are down to earth guys, and do a lot for the NY community. Let me ask YOU this sir, are YOU from New York? I'm guessing not, because I have NEVER heard anybody say anything this STUPID in my life. I mean this is DUMB. Wow...

[MrGreatness555]

Originally Posted by samyn on the green

The Yankees may play in New York but they are not a New York team. The owners are from Cleveland and the players are mercenaries from all over the Americas. Their Captain Jeter is from Michigan. The star pitcher Pettite is from Louisiana. The only connection they have to New York is that they take New Yorkers money. The same could be said about all of these pro teams.

This is a real New York sport played by New Yorkers.

Like I'm actually going to watch handball? Lol are you kidding me bro? That's something I played when I was a kid, thats pretty boring to actually watch when your a grown man though...are you saying you watch people play this as a sport? How old are you?

[MrGreatness555]

Originally Posted by 009

Well, there is 1 Yankee who was born in NYC...

Lou Gehrig he was born in Manhattan and lived in the Bronx. He died a long time ago though...

[MrGreatness555]

Originally Posted by samyn on the green

The Yankees are not a New York team. Nor are the Mets. None of these teams are. Out of town owners and out of town mercenaries playing for the team. They are New York in name only. When the local government spent 2 billion to finance two stadiums and a train station for these two teams, this displayed that government serves power and not the people. These teams are not by or for New Yorkers.

How many 50, 60 or 70 really fit guys do you see playing baseball in the park with their friends? None, but you will see a obese fans of all ages walking around the malls and street with fan gear on. Now go to the local park and you will see 50, 60 and 70 year old guys playing handball that devolved a lifelong love of the game that led to a life of great health. Handball is the real New York sport played by New Yorkers and the sport that brings excellence into New Yorkers lives. Handball has all the fitness and character development traits of boxing without any of the negative aspects of hand to hand violence. Someone that plays handball will develop a lifelong love of the game that will bring fitness, health, stamina and mental strength into their life.

Fitness is in the peoples best interest. Watching games on TV is not. The same government that promotes obesity by funding TV sports wants to provide health insurance? When America was great in the great depression the city and WPA built 2000+ courts around the city. Now with the yoke of power squarely away from the people that money goes to build stadiums for rich owners.

In comparison, a fan of baseball will rarely play the game, they will likely develop obesity and become a couch potato who is a consumer of team products. Have you been outside lately to a beach? There is now a majority of people that are obese, especially urban lower class. This is a direct result of consuming too much media and watching these out of town Yankees instead of playing sports like handball.

Which sport is in the people's interest for the government to spend $2 billion on? The city should have spent more on handball, the courts are there but no money goes into this sport. The greatest irony is that the Yankee stadium project included a public park with handball courts but the courts were not built to specs- the fences are three feet from the out lines- so games can not be played on these courts. Even as handball is on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport -it is played in ten countries across North America and Europe- the city instead sinks its money into baseball stadiums so that out of town owners and out of town players can get rich while the hosts watching get fat.

Lol, I don't think your from NYC at all...Every New Yorker loves baseball. Shadd up and go back to wherever you came from. 'Handball' what kind of grown man plays that? Your saying your afraid to box because of 'hand-to-hand violence'? Hahahahaha, go say that on a Handball court near my block in the Bronx and the kids would laugh at you and maybe even jump you, who knows... Its up to you. By the way, I was a boxer, not very long, fought 2 pro fights, but my uncle trained for 30 years, he knew Foreman, Duran, almost every boxer you probably never heard about because your playing handball, on your 'green courts' with your fellow yuppie friends. What would YOU know about NY sports or street games? When did you come to this city? Unlike you I was actually born and raised here, I played street games on Mulberry street in the 70s, and we had a lot of fun. We didn't go around promoting stupid things like you and putting other people down. You have know clue what your talking about, if you said something like that in my old neighborhood, you would be looking for a good old punch in face. It gets you fat huh? I'm in pretty good shape for a guy who is 50 and I watch the Yankees every night, so does my son Steven, would you like to call him fat as well? You might wanna think twice about that though, as he is a Marine going on his 3rd deployment to Afghanistan. He doesn't play 'Handball' with 12 year olds either.

[brooklynborndad]

"One of the best things about living in America (or in this case New York) is the ability to do something just because one feels like it---such as taking my passive-spectator-sport-loving behind and going to a stadium of my choice and rooting for the team of my choice..."

Does one have the right to withhold the taxes spent on stadiums? Since one does not, this is a legitimate subject for debate. And in fact the cost benefit of subsidies on stadiums is fairly seriously debated area, I don't think a letter on that would be thrown out.

[captaincatfish]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

"One of the best things about living in America (or in this case New York) is the ability to do something just because one feels like it---such as taking my passive-spectator-sport-loving behind and going to a stadium of my choice and rooting for the team of my choice..."

Does one have the right to withhold the taxes spent on stadiums? Since one does not, this is a legitimate subject for debate. And in fact the cost benefit of subsidies on stadiums is fairly seriously debated area, I don't think a letter on that would be thrown out.

And you do raise a good point...but I guess my main beef with samyn was the fact that he seemed to be looking down his nose at people who enjoy team sports...now THOSE points, I won't retreat on, but you yourself made a good point in regards to discussion of stadium subsidies

[samyn on the green]

That's what I'm talking about. Billions on multiple stadiums so owners can get rich selling a little boy game to grown men. When the games themselves become a bore-which they frequntly do- ESPN is always willing to turn the teams into a male soap opera like Day Of Our Lives. The more selfish and degenerate the player is in their personal life, (think Ochocinco, Dennis Rodman, etc)the bigger star they become on ESPN. This is what passes as man entertainment.

The tragedy is that poor people who don't know any better are having their tax money plundered by rich owners, while real local sports activity that could benefit their physical and mental health is neglected. It is no wonder that people are growing more and more obese in this country and the NFL as to run commercials to encourage its morbidly obese fans to get out of the house for an hour a day.

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Does one have the right to withhold the taxes spent on stadiums? Since one does not, this is a legitimate subject for debate. And in fact the cost benefit of subsidies on stadiums is fairly seriously debated area, I don't think a letter on that would be thrown out.