I am a Mets fan. To some people, they may assume that that means I am also a Yankee hater. This is not the case. I have never fully understood the constant gripe between Mets fans and Yankees fans. The two teams may “battle” for New York supremacy, but the fact of the matter is, there is no battle. The Yankees have always, and will always, be THE New York team synonymous with baseball. The Yankees are the most historic franchise in American Sports. Some believe the Yankee hatred to stem from jealousy. Mets fans come in contact with Yankees fans every day, which means every day is a chance for a Yankees fan to boast about their team. You know what I say to that? Let ‘em. If they’re a true fan, then they have that right. I don't care about playing second fiddle to the Yankees, because it's inevitable. It's just the way things are, and I accept that.
Why should I hate the Yankees? Sure they beat us in the World Series in 2000, but let’s face it, the 2000 Mets are one of the worst World Series teams ever. Timo Perez? Jay Payton? Mike Bordick? Bobby Jones? C’mon now. The Mets never had a chance against the almighty Yanks. Surely I do hate some Yankees FANS, because some fans aren’t even fans. Some are bandwagon drunks who don’t have a clue about baseball.
-I don’t hate the Yankees, just like I don’t hate the Jets. I just don’t. There’s no reason to. (I do hate the Islanders, even though they are currently a joke of a franchise, but it’s just so fun to hate on the Islanders, isn’t it?) I keep my hatred focused on the teams I need to hate, the division rivals. Plus, the fact of the matter is, I have many friends that root for the “other” New York teams. And you know what? If their team wins, good for them. I’ll never forget when one of my best friends, who is a HUGE Jets fan, called me a little while after the Giants won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. He called to tell me congratulations, and that he was happy for me. That left a big impression on me.
At the end of the day, we all deserve to see a championship. That Giants Super Bowl win was my first real chance to celebrate a team of mine winning it all (I only have very vague memories of the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in ’94). After experiencing the ecstasy of that moment, I truly hope that my friends who have yet to experience that feeling do some day have the chance to, because it is incredible.
-It is true that the Mets/Phillies rivalry only came to the forefront over the past several years, but that’s what happens in sports. When your team is good, and another team in that division is good, a rivalry ensues. Yankees/Red Sox is one of, if not the biggest rivalry in sports. Why? Because they’re in the same division, and they’re both damn good teams. If one of those teams weren’t good, there wouldn’t be much of a rivalry.
Yes the Mets’ games verse the Yankees may hold the same weight as the games against the Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, etc. But the Mets play the Phillies 18 times a season. 18 GAMES. You can’t tell me that 6 games that are basically a battle for the back-page headlines are more important than the 18 against a division opponent that is a clear playoff contender.
-If you’re looking f
or evidence of a rivalry further back than the past few seasons, the true roots of the Mets/Phillies rivalry go back to the winter of 1974, when the Mets traded the man famous for coining the phrase “Ya Gotta Believe!” Tug McGraw, to none other than the Phillies. McGraw had been a staple of the Mets bullpen throughout the first 9 seasons of his career, but concerns over the health of his arm sparked the trade. McGraw, in true traitor fashion, took his catchphrase with him, and oh, he also pitched pretty well. The Phillies won division titles in 1976, 77, and 78, and of course, won their first World Series in 1980. McGraw had a career best 1.46 ERA that season.
or evidence of a rivalry further back than the past few seasons, the true roots of the Mets/Phillies rivalry go back to the winter of 1974, when the Mets traded the man famous for coining the phrase “Ya Gotta Believe!” Tug McGraw, to none other than the Phillies. McGraw had been a staple of the Mets bullpen throughout the first 9 seasons of his career, but concerns over the health of his arm sparked the trade. McGraw, in true traitor fashion, took his catchphrase with him, and oh, he also pitched pretty well. The Phillies won division titles in 1976, 77, and 78, and of course, won their first World Series in 1980. McGraw had a career best 1.46 ERA that season. -This debate runs deeper than the battle for New York supremacy. Really what this comes down to is the battle between the cities of New York and Philadelphia. Although the Mets/Braves rivalry that took place when I was younger was quite intense, this rivalry seems so much fiercer, especially due to the close regional proximity. What also helps this rivalry is the fact that these two cities have developed 
quite a rivalry with the help of two of my beloved New York teams.
quite a rivalry with the help of two of my beloved New York teams. The Giants and Eagles have been heated rivals for a long time. There’s always bad blood, and it’s amazing. There’s nothing better to me during a Giants season than watching them play those 2 games against the Eagles. These two teams have been division rivals forever it seems, and have had some classic moments, including “the fumble” (take the damn knee!), and the Giants playoff victory in 2001 en route to their Super Bowl appearance.
Rangers/Flyers has had some nice moments as well. These division rivals have met in the post-season 10 times, the first of which was in 1974, when the Flyers beat the Rangers in 7 games in the semi-finals, en route to their first Stanley Cup win. One moment that stands out in my mind is when Jeremy Roenick had to be helped off of the ice at MSG after he was bloodied by a puck to the face back in 2004. I remember it quite well actually, because it happened right in front of me. I was sitting front row, and it happened roughly 15 feet in front of me. As awful as it may sound, I loved every second of it (I hated, and still hate, Jeremy Roenick.)
-Those are unquestioned rivalries. So why question this one? It was only a matter of time before both teams were going to be good at the same time (I am excluding the 2009 Mets from that statement considering how bizarre their season was.) The rivalry between the cities of New York and Philadelphia is a big one. And now, a New York team is facing a team from Philadelphia in a championship series. Let me make one thing clear, I will not “root” for the Yankees, and I certainly love to rib my Yankees fan friends during the Subway Series each year just as much as the next guy, but there’s just no possible way I can favor the Phillies. It hurt enough to see them win rings last season, and now that they could be on the brink of, dare I say, a dynasty? No way could I favor them. So here’s to the Yanks coming back from their current 1-0 deficit, and at least as a positive for Mets fans, giving New York some bragging rights in the New York/Philadelphia rivalry.From Butchuskey...
ROOT FOR THE PHILLIES...
We're still alive folks, don't worry. It's unfortunate we have to write to you on such a somber occasion, but this is the grave reality we face as ardent Met supporters.
Similarly to 1999 (Yankees-Braves), the Mets biggest division rival will face its biggest geographical rival in the World Series. My hatred for both the Phillies and Yankees cannot be put into words. It runs deeper than pecking away at computer keys on a laptop. It runs deeper than just two baseball teams. It runs deeper than seeing an over-the-hill Kate Hudson at every Yankee game, undoubtedly confused as to if she's still banging A-Rod or Lance Armstrong or that other celebrity or that other parking lot attendant with one leg.
But in answer to J.A.T.'s question...I can say with full certainty and no reservations that I am rooting for the Yankees to lose. Yes, that means I'd prefer the Phillies win, but it's not as if I'll be sporting an XXL Ryan Howard jersey like every obese, front-running female Phillie fan at Penn State.
In fact, I would argue that any Met fan who says they're rooting for the Yankees is in fact a closet Pinstripes fan, and should thereby have his or her title of "Met fan" stripped from their proverbial nameplate. (Bring it, Tasch!) How can you (the Met fan) root for that team?! I defy you to give me one reason I should ever support the most evil sports franchise in the history of organized competition. Root for Pinstripe Failure.
And in the words of Bill Clinton...
Here's hw-uyyy...
-The Mets have played in one World Series in my lifetime. The team that beat them: The New York Yankees. The Phillies have never even played the Mets in the postseason. The only time the Phillies really embarrassed the Mets was by winning the 2007 NL East crown, and the Mets were far more at fault for losing their lead than the Phillies were for acquiring it.
-Prior to 2007, Mets fans never had a reason to hate the Phillies. We hated the Braves. In fact, I can guarantee you every single person who reads this article wanted the Phillies to beat out the Braves for the 2005 NL East title. I guarantee it. Our hatred of the Phillies is a recent development, not a lifelong loathing.
-The Yankees are evil.
No, really, they're evil. Think about it...
They're pure evil.
-Yankees fans. There is no group of fans who are more cocky and arrogant on this God-given planet than Yankee fans...for no reason! They have nothing to do with their team's success. Any human being could decide to root for the winningest team in sports history. That says nothing positive about your character. In fact it says you are a coward who is only willing to embrace easily achievable challenges.
And I don't hate Phillies fans. They know they're front runners...or at least 98% of them. The team didn't draw dick until the middle of 2007. One of the highlights of being a Mets fan was going to Philly and making more crowd noise than the 20,000 lost souls who were actually there.
Philadelphia is a football city, and to a lesser extent a hockey city as well. Their attitude towards the Phillies is the same as their attitude towards the early 00's 76ers. You're good? We'll root for you and buy AI jerseys, but don't you dare start losing again!
-If you hate two people a lot. Would you rather see one of them be happy or both of them be happy?
Obviously one, right?
Phillies fans are still riding high off last year's championship and deservedly so. But the Yankees haven't won anything. I'd rather see Phillies fans a little happier than see Yankee fans as happy as Phillies fans were last year. Plus, think about how much fun it will be to taunt Yankees fans?
And the argument that a World Series loss this year would silence Phillies fans is bull shit (sorry for language; this is emotional). These are the same people who reference the 76ers' 1983 NBA title like it happened last spring. The city of Philadelphia may not win a championship for another 25 years, but in the minds of Phillies fans it will always be 2008.
- I'm a National League fan and a National League East fan. Isn't it somewhat comforting to know maybe the Mets don't suck as much as you think? I hate when people hype the AL East as baseball's best division. It's the Yankees and the Red Sox and maybe the Rays. The Orioles and Blue Jays have been perennial losers for the entire decade. Four of five NL East teams have played in a World Series in the past ten years. It's a far superior division, and at this point, who cares if the Phillies win. They're the better team. It's well-established.
-Perhaps the thing I detest the most is when Yankee fans compare the Mets-Phillies rivalry to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. You're insulting yourself in a way. The Yankees and Red Sox have been bitter enemies since the the days of Babe Ruth. The Mets and Phillies have been rivals since the days of...Pedro Feliciano?
And you have no reason to hate the Mets. I hope you would root for them verse the Red Sox. In fact, the Mets are helpful to you. Whenever you screw up as organization, you can simply say, "Guys. Yeah, we screwed up, but look over there (points to Queens). Come on. I think we're doin' pretty well, wouldn't you say?" (Everyone nods head.)
-I also hate the argument the Yankees success has no effect on the Mets. That's also crap. The Mets play the Yankees the same amount of series as they play the Cubs, Cardinals, Astros, Pirates, Reds, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Diamondbacks and Rockies. In fact, who provided the Mets worst loss of the season? Here's a hint:
So I beg you, I implore you, please, in the name of all that is good and right, DO NOT ROOT FOR THE YANKEES. It will leave a black mark on your soul. I know the Phillies are the hip team to hate right now, but I promise that will change. In five years it may be the Braves again, heck, it may even be the Nationals in ten years. The Phillies may be an afterthought by the time the Mets are good again.
You will always hate the Yankees.
