‘Yankees Suck’ shirt offensive?

June 2nd, 2009 Heather Kovar Posted in Heather Kovar |

The Yankees welcome the Texas Rangers to the new Yankee stadium for the first time tonight.

As the teams play over the next three days, here is some flap straight from the Rangers Ballpark at Arlington to think about.

A Rangers fan was asked to turn her “Yankees Suck” t-shirt inside out or leave the Ballpark at Arlington. (Read the story here.)
I first heard about the issue from a tweet from the sports department of Dallas television station WFAA. (Follow at http://twitter.com/wfaasports )

People in Texas logged their comments on the stations’ blog, so I decided to ask Yankee fans what they thought of the issue. Of course, since New York and Connecticut is full of Yanks, Mets and Red Sox fans, the question spurred quite a discussion on twitter and my Facebook. Here are some of the public comments.
The question:
Yanks fans- what do you think?

Via twitter:
mikemat4 @hrkovar I think it’s silly! I always wear those shirts in Toronto!

tmartelon81 @hrkovar who cares, the Red Sox have been doing that for years, they even have a Yankee Hater cap that looks like the interlocking N Y

edkuryluk @hrkovar: It seems that Rangers fan had the wrong team on his shirt. Go Bombers!

parksideq @hrkovar As a Yanks fan I say we prove haters wrong not by censorship but by having a winning season lol. He shoulda been able to keep it on

And from Facebook:
Tim Parry:
I don’t like the Yankees, but I’d never wear a Yankees Suck shirt. Something called “sportsmanship.”

Doug Carroll
freedom of expression.. being w/o class is a choice, not a command.. and the yankees suck.

Kevin Conway
Since Heather asked a Yanks fan…I think it is a nice gesture to not have that kind of poor sportsmanship going on in the stadium, and I would never a anyone sucks shirt. so I agree with Parry but on the other hand if someone was told to take off a “Yankees Suck” at Fenway or a “Red Sox’ Suck at Yankee Stadium I think they would be unleashing Hell.

Tim Parry
Kevin, every now and then one fan sets another fan on fire at a Yanks-Sox game. Not like anyone’s gonna miss them! lol!

Kevin Conway
Suck it Parry!, Yankees/Indians this weekend.
It’s go time!! BTW your statement about the fire is true.

Tim Parry
OK, fine, I really need one of those Yankees Sucks t-shirts! And a Cookie Puss. I’m heading to Carvel before the game!

Kevin Conway
Cool pick up a fudgie the whale too.
Have a good weekend

Sheryl Rosen
I have one with the Red Sox logo on the front. I only wear it among friends who are Red Sox fans. I’ll wear it at Fenway but ONLY if the Yankees are playing. I think it’s stupid when they start the Yankees Suck chants when the Orioles are there. In other words, I would only wear it when it wouldn’t offend people. I got it more as a joke than anything.

David Cullen
Sportsmanship is sadly lacking among all fans.

Sheryl Rosen
One thing I can’t abide is poor sportsmanship. I never EVER boo at a sporting event. It’s ONLY a game and I’m about as die-hard a Red Sox fan as they come! It makes me crazy when Yankees fans boo their own players.

David Cullen
Exactly.

Thank you to all my friends who played along!
Oh, and by the way, according to Quinnipiac University, Yankees are number one among Connecticut fans. (Read the poll here.) Click on Polling Institute.