2004 - Who's your Daddy Now!?

The Yankees Evil Empire was up 3-0 ... then it all went wrong!

For Boston Red Sox fans, 2004 again looked as if their 86 years of suffering would continue yet again; 87 years without a world title.  Making matters worse, this pain was again being administered  by the team Boston fans despised the most, The G@$  D%^^#, Yankees ... The Evil Empire! 

The New York Yankees that had won 26 world titles since the Red Sox last title in 1918. Yes, Yankee fans loved to remind Sox fans of that fact.  Late in the 2004 regular season, The Red Sox and their beloved pitcher, Pedro Martinez had just  lost another critical late season game to the Yankees. While being interviewed about his performance and his loss to the hated Yankee’s, a dejected Martinez uttered a statement that made Red Sox fans cringe and all Yankee fans goes crazy with joy,  “The Yankees, I guess they are my Daddy.” The blood was in the water, and Yankee fans were ready to take full advantage.  All of a sudden, it was  Hey Boston - “WHO’S YOUR DADDY?”  Chants throughout Yankee stadium, everywhere Yankee fans would remind Red Sox fans that they owned them ... even the licensed apparel folks broke out a shirt for Yankee fans.  Trouble was, that shirt was shut down by MLB, making the owners of one of these prized shirts, big dollars on eBay. 

Well the “Who’s Your Daddy” ridicule by Yankee fans continued.  That was all Yankee fans could say; it was just too much fun and if it pissed off Red Sox fans then even better. New York won the division and Boston slipped in to the playoffs as the wildcard team. New York in 1st place, Boston in 2nd; same old, same old.  Well both New York and Boston won their first round playoff matchups setting up the American League Championship Series, Red Sox vs. Yankees. 1918 vs. 26 time World Champions.  Yankee fans were ready to deliver ridicule like never before.  “Who’s Your Daddy?” signs were painted and ready for the game. The “Who’s Your Daddy?” screams where ready to be unmercifully unleashed as well.  If the Red Sox could not come out and win a game or two early in the series, this was going to be very painful for the Red Sox and their fans. 

Right on queue and according to a NY Broadway script, the Yankees won the first three games and were up 3-0 in the best of seven series.  No team had ever come back from being down 0-3 in an ALCS.  The damn Yankees looked to be heading for their 27th World Title and the Red Sox again looked to be just more of New York’s ROADKILL!  Well something funny happened on the way to the Yankees’  27th world title; somehow, some way, the Boston Red Sox came back from being down 0-3 to win FOUR STRAIGHT. The Red Sox were heading to the World Series and they had just ripped the hearts from Yankee fans!  

How could the Red Sox fans celebrate the greatest moment in their LIVES!  The curse was looking like it finally could be lifted and the Hey NEW YORK: Who’s Your Daddy NOW!? t-shirt was born.  Of coure Boston also went on to win their first World Series in 86 years. Someone even managed to get a shirt to Pedro Martinez, which in itself made the shirt Hall of Fame worthy.  He hung it on the back of the float during the parade celebrating the first world title in 86 years. The shirt was also discovered by the producers of The Soprano’s and was used as a prop in a murder scene.  Only fitting for this SMACK Hall of Fame t-shirt.