Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Yankees = Liberals

(This one's for L-girl.)

My adopted "little sister" Caroline over at Respect the Tek and I have a symbiotic relationship--she explains baseball to me, and I explain Canadian politics to her. Here's how it went this morning:

Caroline: The problem with the Yankees is that, well, their ownership and a lot of their fanbase really expect a World Series every year or consider it a failure.

IP: That's some serious entitlement.

Caroline: Yes.

IP: They're...the Liberals.

Caroline: Well, I mean, it comes from the fact that they have won 26 or 27 of the damn things.

IP: Yeah, the Liberals have, too.

Caroline: But okay, you have to imagine a Liberal party where, like, everyone, regardless of their leanings, agreed that various members of the party over their history were better at government than anybody else.

IP: I don't have to imagine--that's actually the case. Even the ones I call the "good Liberals" think that.

Caroline: No, I mean, not that the Liberals think they have the best people--EVERYONE "KNOWS" that they have had a high percentage of the best people.

IP: Oh, okay. In that case...it's like that, too.

Caroline: And that 'best' can be measured and quantified.

IP: Check on that one, as well.

Caroline: It also doesn't help that their owner is nuts and really does believe that not winning = dying. Or something.

IP: And from what you've said previously, not winning also seems to mean that the team manager should be fired. Which the Liberals also think.
Come to think of it, the parallels are kind of eerie.

Caroline: Heh.

IP: I mean, people use the phrase "natural governing party" unironically.

Caroline: ...that scares me.

IP: That scares you? Try being me!!!

10 comments:

laura k said...

Wow, my very own post! Thanks I/P!

This is excellent. I'm having extra chuckles over it, because among Red Sox fans, it's fairly common to say the Yankees are Republicans and the Red Sox are Democrats - the big, mean, moneyed machine vs the supposed party of the working class.

And the analogy goes further, because the Red Sox are very rich themselves. Although the Sox are not nearly as rich as the Yankees, they are not quite the blue-collar heroes some claim. See?

On a purely baseball note, I've exchanged blog comments a bit with LuckyNumber33, and I think she needs to worry less about the Yankees/Liberals/Republicans and just believe in the NDP. That is, vote Red Sox!

Idealistic Pragmatist said...

Bwahaha! Okay, well, if you made that leap yourself, you deserve the follow-up, too:

Caroline: If the Yankees are the Liberals, then what are the Red Sox, then?

IP: Um.

Caroline: We're insane, obnoxious, and masochistic.

IP: I think...I think you might be us.

Caroline: I don't know, we might be too well funded.

Ryan said...

Excellent analogy! I guess the NDP are due for their first pennant, then.

Idealistic Pragmatist said...

END THE CURSE!

;-)

lucky number 33 said...

It's "reverse the curse," silly!

- Caroline

Chris said...

Best political post I've read in a long time. What a great analogy.

Ryan said...

I would just wonder who Steinbrenner is, then. My guess would be Ignatieff... he's the only one with an ego big enough.

laura k said...

Steinbrenner is Ronald Reagan!

I guess the NDP are due for their first pennant, then.

The Red Sox have won NINE pennants and SIX World Series.

AND THERE AIN'T NO CURSE!!! Never was.

And every self-respecting Red Sox fan should know that. Ahem.

Ryan said...

Oh, I thought the Red Sox were the Conservatives actually. They've got a huge budget but just can't quite get it right...

laura k said...

They've got a huge budget but just can't quite get it right...

Check your MLB standings! That description could only be the Yankees.

OK, I/P, I'll stop now. :)