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World Series Rooting Interest Poll Rays vs Phillies

Who do you root for in the 2008 World Series

AL Champion Tampa Rays	27 votes
NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies	6 votes

SteveJRogers Oct 19 2008 09:46 PM

Tampa Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies. Fox's worst nightmare for the 2008 postseason has been realized! Though Milwaukee might have been a worse option than Philly.

Nymr83 Oct 19 2008 09:48 PM

milwaukee would be worse for ratings. obviously i'm rooting for tampa to beat the hated phils.

Gwreck Oct 19 2008 09:50 PM

Tampa, in 4 please.

Willets Point Oct 19 2008 09:52 PM

I don't hate the Phils, there's no reason to hate them other than jealousy. I'm a NL fan except when the Red Sox are involved and I like to root for underdogs. The Phillies are the losingest team in sports history and have only one championship in a franchise history dating back to 1883 so I'd say that trumps the underdogness of those whippersnapper Rays. So put me down for the Phillies. Really I just want a good series.

Gwreck Oct 19 2008 10:06 PM

Willets Point wrote: I don't hate the Phils, there's no reason to hate them other than jealousy. I think your perspective would change if you went to a few more Mets-Phillies games. If Philadelphia wins, our games against them next year will be unbearable. If Tampa wins, our games against them next year will be like any others.

Zvon Oct 19 2008 10:07 PM

No Fair. I need time to get in touch with my feelings. HA. j/k. This is kinda tuff. I've always rooted N.L. I hate the Phils but only in my perspective as a fan of the Mets. When "it's on". I respect the Phillies team and most of the players and the Mets will be sitting home watching these games with us. My in-season hatred is a non factor. I really know the Phils team well cuz I get all their games here (as part of my basic cable package). But I like the Rays story. Reminds me of the Mets early years. There are some nice parallels there. So I'll vote for the N.L. team and root for a memorable World Series from both teams.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 19 2008 10:10 PM

Yeah. I root for a good series above everything but I find all this hatred for the Phillies a little small. If the Mets did what the Phils did these last two years we'd be beside ourselves in love. We'd be the gayest people on earth.

Frayed Knot Oct 19 2008 10:12 PM

Of the cities with franchises is all four major sports Philly has gone the longest w/o a championship ('83 Sixers) This makes the 6th different AL team in the WS in the last 10 years: NYY (3), Bos (2), + LAA, ChiW, Det, and now TB and the 9th different NL team: StL (2) + Atl, NYM, Ariz, SF, Fla, Hous, Col, and now Philly ]Fox's worst nightmare for the 2008 postseason has been realized I think this whole concept is vastly over-played. If they get a good series they'll get good ratings and it's not like Philly & TB/StP are minor TV markets. Plus I think the folks in the hinterlands get turned off by the thought of the same teams from the big East Coast cities in it year after year and historically some of the better rating series have been from "non-sexy" matchups (Cleve-Fla '97, Atl-Minn '91, etc.)

Willets Point Oct 19 2008 10:13 PM

Gwreck wrote: ="Willets Point"]I don't hate the Phils, there's no reason to hate them other than jealousy. I think your perspective would change if you went to a few more Mets-Phillies games. If Philadelphia wins, our games against them next year will be unbearable. I'm looking at it more as the Mets games versus the Phillies will be all the more sweeter when the Mets crush "the Champs" and clinch the division shortly after Labor Day. And if that doesn't happen, well it's probably because the Mets bullpen sucks.

Valadius Oct 20 2008 03:45 AM

Tampa Bay. The parallels to the '69 Mets are all I need.

Rockin' Doc Oct 20 2008 04:50 AM

I generally pull for the NL teams, but this year put me down for the Rays. I like their collection of young players, I like that they have Cliff Floyd, I like their style of play (fewest sacrifices and most steals in MLB), and I like that they don't have Jimmy Rollins. Go Rays!

Iubitul Oct 20 2008 04:52 AM

Valadius wrote: Tampa Bay. The parallels to the '69 Mets are all I need. What Val said...

themetfairy Oct 20 2008 05:02 AM

I live among Phillies Phans. Go Rays!

G-Fafif Oct 20 2008 05:45 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Yeah. I root for a good series above everything but I find all this hatred for the Phillies a little small. I don't think I truly rooted for the Phillies to lose on strict party lines (as opposed to rooting for the Mets to win and whoever our opponent was to lose) until I spent a three-game series with their fans in September. I can't stand the idea of those people feeling any satisfaction. Or Shane Victorino, for that matter. ]If the Mets did what the Phils did these last two years we'd be beside ourselves in love. And I wish the Mets had won 114 games in 1998. Doesn't mean I rooted for the team that did no matter how well that team played. I admire how the Phillies were built, how there are a lot of homegrown players who have coalesced into a unit, how Pat Gillick plugged in a lot of pieces brilliantly. From the standpoint of earning it, the Phillies deserve to be league champions more than anybody else who could have won it. But we don't do this in a vacuum. Brand names mean something to us. The Phillies brand is anathema to the Mets consumer at this point in time. Grudging admiration for the rival does not trump the rivalry. The spirit of '69 has been reborn in St. Pete. Go Rays. ]We'd be the gayest people on earth. And perhaps getting our [url=p://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/14/matt-stairs-loves-having-his-ass-pounded/]ass hammered by guys[/url]. There's no better feeling than to have that done.

Fman99 Oct 20 2008 06:07 AM

I have no NL-based loyalty. I hate all the NL teams that are not the Mets. After all they all spend 162 games trying to beat my team. On top of that, I went to a Mets-Phillies game in 2007 and sat in the upper deck at Shea with those animals (the Phillies fans, that is, though I saw some real Phillistines in orange and blue that day also). I won't be rooting for the Phillies to win anything besides getting struck by a comet anytime soon. Go Rays.

smg58 Oct 20 2008 07:22 AM

G-Fafif wrote: But we don't do this in a vacuum. Brand names mean something to us. The Phillies brand is anathema to the Mets consumer at this point in time. Grudging admiration for the rival does not trump the rivalry. Couldn't have said it better myself. I have enormous respect for the Phillies, but I can't root for them. And the Rays are as easy a team to root for as you can have.

MFS62 Oct 20 2008 07:23 AM

Holding my nose while I vote for the NL team. Later

AG/DC Oct 20 2008 07:26 AM

I voted Phillies. I guess I really want the Rays, though. I'm afraid they could be dynastic, but there's worse things than a dynasty in the Yankees division.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2008 07:26 AM

Rays. For some of the above reasons, primarily the similarity to the 1969 Mets, and the fact that I live among Phillies fans. I suppose I don't have much against the Phils themselves, but I really don't want this fan base to have a World Series victory to crow over. And I have no loyalty to the N.L. I gave that stuff up years ago. And I don't care if it's a good series or not, since I won't be watching. My preference is Tampa Bay in four, just to get it over with.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Oct 20 2008 07:37 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 20 2008 07:46 AM

Brand schmand. And all teams have lousy mook fans, the Mets might lead the league in that department. And the Rays represent Florida.

Frayed Knot Oct 20 2008 07:46 AM

I haven't decided yet. Sometimes I start watching it hoping for a good series and just unconsciously find myself pulling for one team or the other. Considering that the last four WS have gone 4, 5, 4 & 4 games I'll settle for anything that makes things a little more interesting.

Vic Sage Oct 20 2008 08:32 AM

what is this "world series" of which you speak? J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

soupcan Oct 20 2008 08:40 AM

Don't really care one way or the other but I voted Rays because I just can't root for the Phillies.

holychicken Oct 20 2008 08:41 AM

Rays in 4 and Lidge getting 4 blown saves. That would be sweet.

G-Fafif Oct 20 2008 09:04 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: And the Rays represent Florida. Technically, or at least on their stationery, the Marlins represent Florida. And for whoever started the poll, that's the Tampa Bay Rays who won the American League pennant. The Rays represent the Bay Area, the Gulf Coast and, in their dreams, Central Florida. Not that their region is necessarily a prize, but don't blame Tampa-St. Pete for the rest of the state. ]And all teams have lousy mook fans, the Mets might lead the league in that department. Hard to imagine the Mets leading the league in anything right now.

AG/DC Oct 20 2008 09:25 AM

They definitely lead the league in Ambiorices.

Willets Point Oct 20 2008 09:40 AM

I just realized that this is the first World Series since 2001 without a wild card team.

Gwreck Oct 20 2008 10:16 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: And all teams have lousy mook fans, the Mets might lead the league in that department. No disagreement. But aside from the Yankees, we get more of the Phillies' lousy mook fans in our ballpark than from any other team. My own anecdotal study also reveals that the only time I've ever felt truly unsafe while wearing Mets stuff at a road game (this study includes the House of Evil and the Wrigley bleachers) was at a Sunday night game in Philly early this year. If Tampa wins, are we going to get it rubbed in our faces when they come to town in June?

HahnSolo Oct 20 2008 10:32 AM

Gwreck wrote: If Tampa wins, are we going to get it rubbed in our faces when they come to town in June? Maybe, but the Yanks will get it rubbed in their faces nine times in their new place.

Frayed Knot Oct 20 2008 10:51 AM

No team from the state of Florida has ever lost a post-seaon series. 8-0 to date Marlins x 3 in '97 Marlins x 3 in '03 Rays x 2 in '08

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2008 11:18 AM

Gwreck wrote: My own anecdotal study also reveals that the only time I've ever felt truly unsafe while wearing Mets stuff at a road game... was at a Sunday night game in Philly early this year. I hear you. I went with my son to a Mets-Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park last year, and we went "undercover." I wore a Brooklyn Dodgers cap instead of my Mets cap, and my son wore a souvenir cap from Denali National Park. We didn't get any hostility directed our way, but it was such an ugly environment that I don't think I'll go back there again, at least not with kids. If I see a Mets road game in 2009, it will either be in DC or at Fenway, if it's possible to get tickets. (DC will be easy, Fenway might be nearly impossible.)

metsguyinmichigan Oct 20 2008 11:43 AM

Iubitul wrote: ="Valadius"]Tampa Bay. The parallels to the '69 Mets are all I need. What Val said... What Val and Iubitul said...

seawolf17 Oct 20 2008 01:06 PM

="Fman99"]I have no NL-based loyalty. I hate all the NL teams that are not the Mets. After all they all spend 162 games trying to beat my team. Go Rays. This. And this:

MFS62 Oct 20 2008 01:24 PM

The more I think about it, the more I'm rooting for the Phillies. The talk show folks have been comparing the Rays' worst-to-first rise to the '69 Mets. I don't want any other team to share that magic. Later

willpie Oct 20 2008 04:35 PM

Rays, but it was closer than I expected. I have a few Phillie fan friends who could use the pick-me-up. Philly's a cursed sports city that could use a break. I believe I detailed my friend's theory about rooting for your league/division/conference/etc. when your team isn't in it, on the premise that it makes your team awesomer by association when their peers win. In the end, though, the 'this could be Tampa Bay's 1969' premise is just too awesome to pass up. I won't be sad if the Phillies win. I wouldn't have believed that if you told me 3 weeks ago.

Kong76 Oct 20 2008 05:37 PM

cooby Oct 20 2008 06:18 PM

Phillies. Why would anyone vote for a Florida team? Might as well vote for an Alaskan.

Gwreck Oct 20 2008 06:50 PM

Because politics have nothing to to with who plays in the world series? Besides, if it's politics you care about, Phillies owner Bill Giles [url=http://b2.caspio.com/dp.asp?AppKey=c0351000e2e5h8b6c3i4g8b6f7f8]supports McCain[/url].

Kong76 Oct 20 2008 06:57 PM

coob: Why would anyone vote for a Florida team? Might as well vote for an Alaskan <<< The Mets have a long history in St. Petersburg. Alaska? I can't wait 'til the fuckin' election is over.

Nymr83 Oct 20 2008 11:00 PM

cooby wrote: Phillies. Why would anyone vote for a Florida team? Might as well vote for an Alaskan. You guys left the Obama option out of this poll, he's anounced he is rooting for both teams at seperate press conferences.

G-Fafif Oct 21 2008 03:44 AM

Nymr83 wrote: You guys left the Obama option out of this poll, he's anounced he is rooting for both teams at seperate press conferences. Reaching across the aisle and bringing people together, those who wear blue caps, those who wear red caps. A good sign.

Willets Point Oct 21 2008 05:19 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 21 2008 07:26 AM

KC wrote: Alaska? I can't wait 'til the fuckin' election is over. Yeah, but after the election is over we'll have at least 4 years of a VP from Alaska.

Fman99 Oct 21 2008 06:42 AM

="seawolf17"] ="Fman99"]I have no NL-based loyalty. I hate all the NL teams that are not the Mets. After all they all spend 162 games trying to beat my team. Go Rays. This. And this: You betcha. Add Brad Chadford (the bearded Chad Bradford) to the mix, as another Ray who acquitted himself well in the orange and blue. I can pull for these guys real easy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is not one former Met suiting up for the Phillies in this tournament.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 21 2008 07:40 AM

Another reason to root for the Rays: A World Series ring for Steve Henderson!

metirish Oct 21 2008 07:48 AM

Ex Met Tim Bogar - Quality Assurance Coach for the Rays

Willets Point Oct 21 2008 07:52 AM

Mathematician picks the Ray.

Nymr83 Oct 21 2008 11:50 AM

Willets Point wrote: ="KC"]Alaska? I can't wait 'til the fuckin' election is over. Yeah, but after the election is over we'll have at least 4 years of a VP from Alaska. Have you seen a poll lately?

Willets Point Oct 21 2008 12:32 PM

Nymr83 wrote: ="Willets Point"] ="KC"]Alaska? I can't wait 'til the fuckin' election is over. Yeah, but after the election is over we'll have at least 4 years of a VP from Alaska. Have you seen a poll lately? Only one poll counts and it's on Nov. 4.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 21 2008 12:41 PM

Do you really think McCain will win, or are you doing that 27th World Championship piss-taking?

Farmer Ted Oct 21 2008 01:07 PM

A bearded Dan Wheeler chucking fastballs for the Deviled Eggs.

metirish Oct 21 2008 01:10 PM

Two very annoying things about this series are the white towels that Phillie fans will wave and the cow bells in Tampa.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 21 2008 01:18 PM

The most annoying thing for me will be the pep rally in my office building's lobby tomorrow at noon. I'll have to sneak out for lunch through the back door.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 21 2008 01:23 PM

Jon and Kate Plus 8 got all down with the Phillies last nite. Shane Victorino and Charlie Manuel's Wifey and stuff all gave 'em the red-carpet treatment. Considering all the free shoit they get I'm thinking of having sextuplets myself.

metirish Oct 21 2008 01:27 PM

Your missus makes you watch that too? , when my missus was pregnant I had to endure that show every week and the goddamn Roloff family and the other family in Baltimore with the 16 kids...Irish dad and German mother.....every now and then I sit through them all.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 21 2008 01:39 PM

I can't deal with the weird 16-kid mormons. That show creeps us both out. I used to like the little people, but I think they jumped the shark or guppy or whatever. (yes, I'm a bastard). But, seems like Matt has lost it.

G-Fafif Oct 21 2008 02:01 PM

="Fman99"]Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is not one former Met suiting up for the Phillies in this tournament. Not only that, but Pat Gillick includes an all-time Met villain among his circle of confidantes, [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3650057]according to Jayson Stark[/url]: ]Unlike many people in this line of work, Gillick and his most trusted advisers -- Arbuckle, Ruben Amaro Jr., Gordon Lakey, Charlie Kerfeld and Chuck LaMar -- don't get real stoked up about the stuff their fans and media obsess on all offseason. That's Charlie Kerfeld who tried to be John Rocker before there was a John Rocker. That's Charlie Kerfeld who woofed during the '86 NLCS at Shea, "I'm ready to get away from this zoo. I'm ready to get back to where some real people are and get away from these animals." That's Charlie Kerfeld who fielded Gary Carter's bouncer in Game Three and waved it at him before throwing it to first. That's Charlie Kerfeld, a punk twenty-two years ago, unforgiven to date. Eph him. Eph the Phillies.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Oct 21 2008 02:04 PM

="metirish"]Two very annoying things about this series are the white towels that Phillie fans will wave and the cow bells in Tampa. What's wrong with cow bells?

Frayed Knot Oct 21 2008 02:05 PM

They showed Kerfeld in the stands the other day sitting w/some other Philly execs. Has grown out of his Drew Carey-ish '80s dork/punk look to the point where he looked almost human. Remember it was Kerfeld who went out of his way to show Gary Carter the ball after fielding a come-backer as if to taunt Carter's slump even more. Gary got his revenge to end game 5.

metirish Oct 21 2008 02:10 PM

="G-Fafif"] ="Fman99"]Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is not one former Met suiting up for the Phillies in this tournament. Not only that, but Pat Gillick includes an all-time Met villain among his circle of confidantes, [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3650057]according to Jayson Stark[/url]: ]Unlike many people in this line of work, Gillick and his most trusted advisers -- Arbuckle, Ruben Amaro Jr., Gordon Lakey, Charlie Kerfeld and Chuck LaMar -- don't get real stoked up about the stuff their fans and media obsess on all offseason. That's Charlie Kerfeld who tried to be John Rocker before there was a John Rocker. That's Charlie Kerfeld who woofed during the '86 NLCS at Shea, "I'm ready to get away from this zoo. I'm ready to get back to where some real people are and get away from these animals." That's Charlie Kerfeld who fielded Gary Carter's bouncer in Game Three and waved it at him before throwing it to first. That's Charlie Kerfeld, a punk twenty-two years ago, unforgiven to date. Eph him. Eph the Phillies. Chuck LaMar of course was the GM that did the deal with Duke.....not that anyone cares anymore.

AG/DC Oct 21 2008 02:58 PM

Well, I guess if Ed Charles is with the Rays, that's good enough for me. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/21/s6-how-do-you-explain-a-miracle/

Valadius Oct 22 2008 06:18 AM

From a Yahoo Sports article on the Rays, with the help of Rays backup catcher Shawn Riggans: ]Cliff Floyd, the grand old man on this team (36 in December), has his own customized purple bowling ball that he calls “Purple Thunder.” There were rumors that Floyd, like former pitcher John Burkett, might take a run at the Pro Bowlers Tour, but he killed that one quickly Tuesday. “Hell no,” he said. Don’t let him fool you, Riggans said. The man is dangerous with his thumb lodged in a ball. “If you saw the magazine from the Players’ Choice awards,” Riggans said, “Cliff was in there with his bowling shirt and customized ball. At the University Bowl, near where I live, he rolled a 300 game. His picture is up on the wall.” Floyd and closer Troy Percival, the other dominant veteran presence on the club, combined to unite this team like never before, Riggans said, and not for a bowling tournament. “They both shoot you straight,” he said. “This team used to be a little cliquish; now we’re one big family. Cliff and Percy have been huge for us.”

Centerfield Oct 23 2008 08:20 AM

My only rooting interest in this series is for Philadelphia to be weakened for 2009. I haven't quite figured out how that can happen. Part of me wants them to win it all and hope they can get lackadaisical. Their free-agents to be can become World Series heroes, get overhyped, and price themselves into a range where the Phillies can't afford to bring them back. Another part of me thinks that the best thing that can happen is for Brad Lidge to be perfect all season long then give up an absolute bomb to blow Game 7, have him go back into a funk and be completely worthless next year. Or they could win it all, and in the celebratory pileup, have Cole Hamels blow out his elbow and Chase Utley blow out his achilles.

AG/DC Oct 23 2008 08:38 AM

They can also come close but lose, and overcompensate with some panicky offseason moves.

metirish Oct 23 2008 08:40 AM

Pat Gillick is retiring after the WS so that's a blow for them.

themetfairy Oct 25 2008 07:06 AM

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/sports/baseball/25rays.html?_r=1&ref=baseball&oref=slogin]This[/url] makes me like Garza - LOL ]Matt Garza takes an exaggerated leap over the foul line on his way to the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays. He scales the granules of white chalk as if he were jumping over a fire hydrant because he thought it looked cool when he saw Turk Wendell do it more than a decade ago. “Been doing it since Little League,” Garza said.