Mets Fans: When is it okay to root for the New York Yankees?

Despite being in opposite leagues and playing in the same city, there’s a rivalry between the New York Mets and New York Yankees. Is it ever okay for the Mets fan to cross over and cheer for the Bronx Bombers?

Before the ALDS started, I noticed a lot of posts on Social Media about loyalty. Some New York Mets fans were chastising others about rooting for the New York Yankees because they’re the enemy. How could you root for them with anything?

While this was going on, there were other posts, where some Yankees fans were getting on Mets fans, stating that they should be rooting for the Bronx Bombers because all New Yorkers should want a Big Apple baseball team to win. This was especially true when facing a team from Boston.

This got me thinking about how I felt about things and also about circumstances. Mainly, is it ever okay for a Mets fan to root for the Yankees?

Now, I have to admit, my gut reaction and first inclination is to say, NO! I mean, how could you?

You grow up with an allegiance to a team, and even if another team plays in your state, they’re still not your team. This pretty much runs across the board, in every sport. New Yorkers are spoiled because they have options everywhere, and to be fair, I have crossed team lines to root for the competition in other sports, depending upon circumstances.

For example, I’m a New York Jets fan, but rooted for the New York Giants in all the Super Bowl games they played in, especially against the New England Patriots, who are the most Yankee-like team around in other sports.

Yet another example, I’m a New York Islanders fan but rooted for the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup back in 19994. Heck, I even rooted for the New Jersey Nets to beat the San Antonio Spurs in 2003 and they weren’t even New York then. But I’ve never done it in baseball, and unfortunately, I’ve been around long enough to have received many opportunities.

I became a Mets fan in 1975. One of the people who actually taught me the game was my grandmother, an old Brooklyn Dodgers fan, who had sworn off baseball after they moved to Los Angeles.

When I started following, she jumped back in. For some unknown reason, I chose to root for the Mets. Back then, it was because I liked Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman. The following year, Lee Mazzilli. My grandmother even told me later, that if I had chosen to follow the Yankees instead, she couldn’t have brought herself to join me in rooting. Her hatred had been too strong. Too deep. Probably would’ve been easier for me if I had, but nope, I chose the more difficult path. The first game I ever went to, was, of course, a loss. As a matter of fact, it was to the Dodgers.

So, I set along on my path, but I still hadn’t grown into that Yankee hatred. But, let me tell you something; the Yankees give you plenty of reasons to do so. Want me to share some? It would be my pleasure.