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CNN Live Sunday

Yankee Detractors Switch Sides

Aired November 04, 2001 - 15:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: New York Yankees used to be considered the team that America loved to hate. But these days, even some Yankee detractors have found a soft spot for the Bronx Bombers.

CNN's Jeannie Moos with our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The World Trade Center rubble is no field of dreams and has made the World Series more serious. Is it possible that the Yankees, resented for their success, resented for their payroll really have become America's team? Nah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've always hated the Yankees, and I don't see any reason to stop now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody but New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an loyal Met fan, and I'll always hate the Yankees.

MOOS: But wait, even fans of bitter archrival Boston are letting slip an encouraging word.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's something about what New York has been through that makes me want the Yankees to come from behind, in the same way that the United States will recover from this terrible hit that we've suffered.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With all that's happened, I won't be as disappointed if they win.

MOOS: Emotions stirred by the World Trade Center disaster even had Boston fans singing the Big Apple's praises at a game last month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were singing "New York, New York," during the seventh inning stretch.

MOOS: And then, there was the moment when the manager of the team the Yanks beat to get into the series admitted the unthinkable.

LOU PINIELLA, MANAGER, SEATTLE MARINERS: But I felt good for them, and that I really did. And that's a strange thought to come from a manager who's getting his ass kicked. MOOS: From a rival manager to folks at a Florida retirement community's Halloween party, solidarity abounds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been there once in my life, and even I'm a New Yorker.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll go Yankees.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, absolutely the Yankees. How they say, damn Yankees? Am I allowed to swear?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DAMN YANKEES")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those damn Yankees!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: There's enough hate for the Yankees to base a musical on, the love fest between former rivals is enough to make a Yankee's head spin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't want any sympathy fans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't need sympathy fans.

MOOS: The series even has the secretary-general of the U.N. quoting Yogi Berra.

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: It ain't over 'til it's over.

MOOS: These Boston fans can't get over their hard feelings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mayor Giuliani specifically told us to go back to life as normal, and life is normal for us is hating the Yankees. So, you know, we're doing our patriotic duty.

MOOS: Instead of needling the Yankees, some rescue workers down from Boston went under the needle at this New York tattoo parlor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a crew of 10 guys down here from the Massachusetts Correctional Facility, and they all got Yankee logo tattoos. I never thought I'd see the day Sox fans would be getting Yankee Tattoos.

MOOS: Their way of taking up arms.

Jeannie Moos, CNN, New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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