At the risk of jinxing things: Are the Yankees finished?
Posted on August 28th, 2008 – 2:03 PMBy Michael Rand
The year was 1995. Many of you probably approached March Madness with a smile on your face. The reason? Duke was finishing a dreadful 13-18 season (2-14 in the conference! Cherokee Parks!) and was nowhere to be found. If you want to talk about hated teams — rational or not — Duke is near the top of many people’s list. Right next to them (again, rational or not)? The New York Yankees. And that spring of 1995, the Yankees were about to embark on an amazing run that would see them make the playoffs every year through 2007. They would win the World Series four times in five years from 1996-2000, then go on to waste $80 million of their obscene payroll every year thereafter trying to sustain the magic. They won. They spent. People hated. And now: is it over?
A Yankees loss today (currently 2-0 Boston in the sixth, though despite our non-jinxing hopes the Yankees now have two on and no out as of writing) and they will be 8 games behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card chase with 29 to play. Update: They did not, in fact, lose. They won 3-2. So that’s 6 games back with 29 to play. We jinxed it. That’s not “magic number of zero” dead, but it’s still pretty close to finished for practical purposes. Sure, maybe it felt like the Yankees were a non-factor the past three years because they lost in the ALDS each time, but we’re talking no Yankees in the postseason. What would that feel like, and how would it rank up there with the other cathartic moments (healthy or not) you have experienced via the failure of other teams?
38 Responses to "At the risk of jinxing things: Are the Yankees finished?"
Boo-Flop just popped out to the catcher with runners on first and third with one out. Talk about not clutch. Not nearly as clutch as Jeter, who’s clutchness saved a man’s life when the clutch went out in a 1988 Honda Civic at 70 mph on the Jersey turnpike. Clutchy.
Watching the Yankees miss the playoffs reminds me of seeing Terry Benedict’s face when he realized he had been the target of a successful caper. I bet A-Rod cries more than a little kid with a skinned knee.
Did I mention I hate the Yankees? If only the Red Sox can miss them as well…There would be mass suicides on the east coast and the WWL would probably have to shutdown.
If only the Red Sox can miss them as well…There would be mass suicides on the east coast and the WWL would probably have to shutdown.
ESPN wouldn’t shut down, they’d just show more Poker and re-run episodes of Madden Nation between talking about the Paytriuhts, Favre, and USC.
Did I mention I hate the Yankees? If only the Red Sox can miss them as well…There would be mass suicides on the east coast and the WWL would probably have to shutdown.
The mass suicides I can see, but doesn’t the WWL just blink a couple times, wipe a tear from its eye, and catch the first flight to Chicago and ram the [redacted] Cubbies down everyone’s throat?
<What would that feel like, and how would it rank up there with the other cathartic moments (healthy or not) you have experienced via the failure of other teams?
Well, it’s really quite simple. It’d kinda be like:
Gonna find my baby gonna hold her tight
Gonna grab some afternoooon de-light…
Good job with the tags there, ace. I win at the internet.
And one more here: The NFL has re-instated Pacman Jones. What’s the over under on games played before he’s suspended again?
Hootie: EPIC FAIL
And one more here: The NFL has re-instated Pacman Jones. What’s the over under on games played before he’s suspended again?
It depends on whether he tries to “make it rain” on a Cowboys cheerleader…if so, I’d give him 3 quarters into the first game. If not, maybe 4 weeks.
The day after the Yankees are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs will be a holiday at the fasolamatt household. It always is.
OFF-TOPIC:
I’d like to thank Jama for finding this, Sid for writing it, and Sharper for saying it:
“Pour me in your mouth, suck it up and enjoy the run.”
/OFF-TOPIC
The Red Sox = the Newer York Yankees.
I like to see the Lakers lose. I like to see the Red Wings lose. I like to see the Bears lose in Tecmo Bowl. I’d like to see Wile E. Coyote eat the Road Runner.
To put it simply, “yay!”
Via Deadspin:
Pacman Jones was at Hooters when he learned that he’d been re-instated by the NFL. Genius.
http://deadspin.com/5043129/pacman-jones-just-got-reinstated-receives-news-at-hooters
Who do you hate more, the Yankees or Duke?
I have started to look forward to the last out of the Yankee season each year in the ALDS, but not as much as watching the senior Duke guard walk off the court with tears in his eyes into the waiting arms of Coach K.
I hate Duke more than the Yankees.
Ah, the Duke guard walks off the court crying after they lose in the 2nd round of the tourney. That’s what I meant.
I lose at the Internets worse than Hootie….
I’m beginning to think that I’m in the minority here, with thoughts about Duke being more apathy than antipathy. Maybe because I’m not a Wolves fan?
Let’s see where does the Yankees missing the playoffs fall? Here’s the things that are better than the Yankees missing the playoffs:
1998 Vikes
41-donut
Brett Favre’s last pass as a Giant
Said 1995 Duke team that Coach K bailed on
-That should read last pass as a Packer but in the future Favre could play for the Giants and I’m sure his lass pass for them will be an interception too.
I hate the Yankees so much I think I may have to start cutting myself as I find myself rooting for them over the Red Sox (shudders). Because let’s face it, the Yankees are probably not going to the playoffs, whereas the Red Sox are still leading the Twins in the wild card.
I don’t know what I hate more: the Yankees, or pulling for the Yankees.
2-2 in the ninth. JINX!
It is a great day when the UND hockey team loses their final game of the year. The players hang up their skates, kiss their wives, kids, and grandkids goodbye, and return to their Canadian prisons and counterfeit money cartels.
By the way the Yankees chances of making the playoffs are zero. Not only do they have to jump the Red Sox but they also have to jump the Twins and/or White Sox.
It’s 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth with Pudge at the plate. Man do I wish he was on roids right nowl
Timberhill: I agree I’ve been rooting for the Yankees in this series with the Red Sox. It makes me feel unholy pulling for the evil empire.
I’m just glad football season starts tonight. Go Cyclones!
Things that are worse than Duke:
Two words: Appalachian State
It was also kind of fun that NBC had to broadcast SIX Notre Dame losses last season.
It was also kind of fun that NBC had to broadcast SIX Notre Dame losses last season.
Dana Jacobsen nods approvingly, knocks back some more Grey Goose.
Speaking of booze, this has been weighing heavily on my mind, and I’ve been meaning to ask those of you who would know.
Captain Morgan & Cola in a Can: Hot or Not?
They’ve advertised it during the 10:00 news here the last 2 weeks, and I’m wondering what kind of demographic they’re going for. Need to know soon as my anniversary is approaching and the RandBall T’s aren’t ready.
Depends. Can your husband drink Captain Morgan without turning into a raging lunatic? If so, he’s a better man than I, and I therefore don’t feel worthy enough to recommend gifts.
Wait they are selling it in a can, I thought you meant dumping Captain into a coke can to mask what is being drunk. I don’t get it.
Is this Morgan/Coke in a can full-strength Morgan, or just a flavored malt beverage? That would seem to be the crux of the matter.
But to reiterate what Brandong is saying, the Captain, sweet and delicious as it is, can only bring heartbreak. You can’t not overindulge, and you end up doing something stupid like believing Tim Brewster or downloading the entire Rammstein catalog. Not that I’ve done either, but you get the point.
Of course, now I can’t find a thing about it on the internet. Maybe they’re testing its popularity in this cheesy wannabe market in which I live. I think now I have to track it down, raging lunacy be damned. Expect a full report.
Here’s the worst part about the Yankees’ run of playoff berths:
Several times every year (once in May, once in July, a few times in August, and maybe in September), the New York tabloids and all Yankee “fans” go into complete “sky is falling” mode - “Season’s over!” “A-Rod’s a joke!” “Moose doesn’t have it!” “Fire Torre!” “Mariano’s washed up!” “Giambi needs the juice!” “Where’s the real Boss?” Etc., etc.
And while common sense tells me, “hey, it’s only May and they’re only 5 games back,” I still inevitably start to think, “hmmm, maybe the Yankees ARE done…” And I let down my guard.
Two weeks later, they have a 2 game lead and all the “fans” are predicting that this “is the [redacted] year!”
I hate that.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 13 consecutive times, shame on me.
I, for one, will not rest easy until the Post delivers a witty, pun-filled proclamation that the season is over…and it’s in October
AZ
Parrot Bay came out with a Captain Coke concoction in a bottle about 2 years ago. I have never found a Captain Coke that I wouldn’t drink, so I consider myself somewhat of an afficianado. Long story longer, the bottled/canned Captain Coke is terrible. Don’t waste your time or money.
Thanks for the tip, jama. It’s probably for the best, seeing as we already have the Rammstein catalog.
DU! DU HAST!
Ja, they remind me of my Grandma Bertha screaming at Grandpa Clem in German. Sweet childhood memories.
Mixing in the can is solid. Just make sure if you’re having someone mix one for you that they know the difference between a quarter can of booze and a half can of booze. Makes a big difference (when it’s your 6th can of the day).
