Burns: Be ready for Yankee fans to take over Chase
Jun 21, 2010, 10:20 PM | Updated: Jan 14, 2011, 4:23 pm
It’s going to be a shock, a jolt to your system. I’m well beyond the point of hoping for the best; I’m fully anticipating the worst at Chase Field.
Like an icy cold shower or a scalding hot cup of coffee that burns your tongue. Or when your alarm goes off in the middle of that crazy dream and it takes you a minute or two to remember the difference between the dream and reality. You’re going to walk into the park and it will take you a minute or two, heck, maybe an inning or two to get used to it.
60% Yankees fans? 75%? Higher than that? Sedona Red will be engulfed by the pride of the Yankees. Be prepared for it, but understand that when you see it, you’ll still be astonished.
That’s what it’s going to be like when the Yankees visit the Arizona Diamondbacks. Something truly extraordinary will have to happen for anything else to be topic number one tomorrow. I’m talking Rivera-gives-up-a-grand-slam-in-the-9th extraordinary.
Arpaio-tries-to-deport-A-Rod extraordinary.
Three seasons ago, shock and awe hit the Chase in the form of the Red Sox. It took the Diamondback and their fans, two whole games to swim around the pool and get used to the temperature of the water. Just listen to this play-by-play highlight of a J.D. Drew home run. Fenway West.
I’m not telling Cardinals fans anything new; every year the Cowboys used to invade Sun Devil Stadium like the Russians in “Red Dawn”. Even in this year’s Western Conference Finals, the number of Lakers fans in the building was bordering on obnoxious.
But the difference this time around is just how little resistance the D-backs could offer up these next three days. The season is beyond lost at this point and everyone knows it. The concern is that the lack of interest in the Diamondbacks will only add to the stampede of Yankee fans. Remember, when the Red Sox came to town the D-backs were in the midst of ultimately what would prove to be a division winning year. Back then, at least Diamondback fans had something to be proud of.
It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if tonight’s crowd is more boisterous than a typical Yankee crowd at Yankee Stadium. Yankee fans in Arizona don’t get many opportunities to see the Bronx Bombers in person. I’m sure they’ll relish the chance.
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