Without hate, there's no love

Are the Yankees good for baseball? \nFamilies of four being able to attend a game, have a snack and read the program without losing half their life's earnings would be good for the game. \nLast year's bone-chilling playoffs, every-series-going-down-to-the-wire drama is good for baseball. \nWatching Barry Bonds and other slugging studs crush the ball half way to the next town and not wondering if that's a syringe in his back pocket is good for baseball.\nSeeing Marlins manager Jack McKeon, a 73-year-old, teach players a third of his age about discipline and the drive to win is good for baseball.\nNo-hitters, two-and-a-half-hour games, hustle triples, home plate collisions and small market underdog teams wining the World Series is good for baseball.\nBut you asked about the Yankees?\nAbsolutely. \nThe only way America's favorite underdog team can defy all odds and knock down the mighty Goliath is if there exists a Goliath. By the time I finish writing this, the Yankees will have signed three more All-Stars, just making it even sweeter when another Mighty Mouse comes quietly from behind and crushes the evil empire. \nThe larger the upset, the more memorable of a story.\nIt's why "the Russian is cut," and "do you believe in miracles?" are two famous sports movie lines. And that's why baseball and its fans need a team they love to hate. Thank you, New York. And thank you, Steinbrenner, for not moving over because the Red Sox thought it's now their turn. Thank you for not allowing a team which was four outs from the World Series to think it was the manager's fault. \nSo what if the Yankees are working with $200 million? They don't have the rally monkey or the ... \nAll right, fine, it helps to have money, but bling-bling don't mean a thing without the ring. And last time I looked, the 2003 Marlins, ($63 million) 20th in baseball, the 2002 Angels, ($61 million) 15th overall and the 2001 Diamondbacks, ($81 million) eighth overall, ignored the phrase "money buys everything." All were champions. \nFind a proven 1-2 punch, which the Yankees don't have, speed at the top, which again the Yankees don't have, and team chemistry. Find a manager who teaches and players who don't care about odds, and I'll find you the next World Series Champions.\nSo what that I said the Yankees have Boardwalk and Park Place? The remaining teams have the rest of the board. \nI can't wait for the Yanks to come to town so I can sit on the third baseline eyeing Mr. Glitz and Mr. Glamorous and just anticipating a ball to squeak through the hole, so I can stand, cheer and shout and be glad there's a team to hate.\nWherever they go, wherever they play, normally half-empty stadiums will fill with passionate fans who couldn't care less about the money they spent, the steroids used and the lengthy games because they only care about one thing:\nBeating those damn Yankees.