Also, fc, I’m with you, if the Sox never got new fans, they’d be in serious trouble.

But I also think there is a certain TYPE of new fan that is worthy of derision. Those who ignore either the actual sports component of sports fan living…

For example, I ran into a person who was complaining that the Sox hadn’t won the World Series at home. I was on the very of apoplectic. New fans are welcome, but they need to have perspective, you know?

Now, for this moose-hunting trip, do they make bright orange Sox gear for safety? As a wise man once said: “Hunt and Live Safely–Teach the Children.” I am sure that applies to slumpbusting (in any species, really).

Although I do own one of those “B” logo camoflage tshirts from last year, so I guess I’m a hypocrite. A REDNECK HYPOCRITE. I don’t wear it to games, though. I save it for moose hunting.

This is offensive to me as a woman. It has nothing to do with bandwagon. And while Steve’s snipe isn’t really worthy of a reply, I can’t resist the opportunity to tell him that the only pink was in the bad tint of my family’s newfangled color TV when I cried over the World Series in 19……well, let’s just say Yaz sends his regards.

I do have to say… I don’t think it is fair to say that any woman who loses some enthusiasm for Mr. Youkilis is necessarily a pink hat. I mean, you can disagree, but this was wrongdoing on his part, not theirs.

A fairweather fan would take off because Youk was unpopular, but I don’t think the term applies when the fan is really let down by the player.

That being said, I’ve previously stated I would not let this cloud my judgment of him as a player, because as Tex said, everyone makes bone-headed mistakes.

Let the healing begin, my friends, let the healing begin.

Also: SlumpBuster energy’s hero is “Mark Grace”. ENOUGH SAID. The curvy girl on the can + “Take One Down” emblazoned on the front + Mark Grace as a hero + the wink, wink press release = it’s exactly what we all said it was. Youk trying to pretend otherwise is just silly.

Steve: Come on now- in the wake of this anti-female product hoopla, let’s not go with a “pink hat” insult. Would you have said that to a guy who posted that comment?

But, yeah, fc I wouldn’t let this ruin you being a fan of Youk. It’s stupid and childish and silly and totally inappropriate- but hopefully not mean-spirited. It was not a well thought-out move by him, or his management team, and I think everyone is perfectly right to get upset at the misogynistic tones of the product- but everyone makes bone-headed mistakes. This was bone-headed deluxe, to be sure!

I dothink some of the reaction is a bit over the top though. Is the #20 jersey pink by any chace?

By the way, Texas Gal, your website is great!

1. I never said Mark Grace invented it. But, Mark was really the first athlete silly/dumb enough to go on record (repeatedly) talking about it.

2. That is a real picture of the can- see here.

3. Of COURSE Youk’s people are going to say that’s not the meaning that was intended. But I don’t buy that- because the press release was all “wink, wink” about it to begin with — and once again used the “take down a slumpbuster” phrase.

Every single pro baseball player at any level knows EXACTLY what the term means – and they’re not referring to wearing different socks or a rally cap. High school softball girls or little league baseball players may have latched on to the term’s alternative, nicer meaning – but for pro ballplayers, you are kidding yourself if you think they don’t all use it in exactly the way Mark Grace talked about.

http://news.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1064506

Now if you know me you know I am not a Youkilis fan. (frankly his whining about the fans bothering him turned me off years ago) but I just can’t see him being this ignorant.

I just lost a lot of respect for Youk, but I can forgive and forget provided this, um…[i]idea[/i] dies a quick death. Like Margaret said, I doubt this was done out of malice, but it’s certainly in extremely poor taste from where I sit.