Red Sox Nation Flap: Hank Steinbrenner Talks the Talk

Without even a pitch being thrown yet this season, the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry has already started, and this one has nothing to do with batting stats, or pitching performances. In the March 2 issue of the  New York Times "Play" Magazine, Hank Steinbrenner, new figurehead of the Yankees, was quoted as saying " [Red Sox Nation] was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans," he said. "Go anywhere in America, and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order." What a bold statement. It is pretty common knowledge—outside of the microcosm the Steinbrenners live in— that both the Red Sox and Yankees have huge national, and even international followings. What was the reaction of John Henry, owner of the Red Sox, you ask? Using the actions-speak-louder-than-words school of thinking, Henry ... (link)