One man’s (obstructed) view from the outside
Posted by: Josh Thomson - Posted in Misc on Nov 06, 2009 
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My job today was to delve into the massive crowd in Lower Manhattan and talk to local fans about the parade. Here are a few quick impressions:
1. No city throws a party like New York. I took the train to Grand Central, then the 4-train from there to Fulton St. As I waited for the 4, an MTA officer turned to another and said, “This is like New Year’s, only rowdier.” Sure was. My subway stopped in the middle of the track while underground traffic cleared ahead of us. Annoying, but not abnormal. What really struck me, however, was the crush of people at Fulton St. It took me about 30-40 minutes to get from the subway car to streetlevel. Check out the picture I uploaded to Twitter.
2. Yankee fans were completely, utterly undeterred. This impression was made razor-sharp, time and again, all…day…long. The crowds were insane. They were brutal at times, like when I walked up Church St. shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of others, moving only a couple inches at a time. And we were a block away with no view! … But no matter where I turned, no matter the roadblocks, both real and metaphorical, fans partied on with big smiles on their faces. I was very, very impressed.
3. Being there meant more than anything. From where I stood — a block south of Fulton and less than a block east of the site of the World Trade Center — fans could barely see the floats as they pulled by. Three or four dozen at least climbed on top of a garbage truck and stood tight on its roof, as you can see in this photos of Twitter. Eight or 10 others climbed on the hood, truck and roof of a cop car. Almost none of these bold moves allowed them a look at their heroes, but that didn’t seem to matter. They were just enjoying being part of the celebration.
4. The Canyon of Heroes is no canyon. As we all know, Lower Manhattan streets were made for coach-and-buggies, not trucks and buses. You may be surprised to know that was never more apparent than when a few million people are jammed in there.
5. For twentysomethings, this parade was theirs. I still remember where I was when the Yankees won in 1996 — at a house party with some friends. I was 16 at the time, but I don’t recall the entire series pitch-by-pitch, nor do I remember the parade. So for people a few years younger than me, the run from ’96-’00 is even more clouded in their memory. “This felt like my championship,” a few people told me. Very true, if you don’t remember the others.
— Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone who e-mailed me last night. Sorry I couldn’t reply to you all (there were about a 100 total), but please believe me when I tell you that I read and appreciated every last message.
When I saw the picture of people crowded on top of a Police Car – peacefully – it really made me home sick. Where else but NYC would that happen. (Laker fans throw rocks at or turn over an burn police cars)
Frank from Chatham, NJ
November 6th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Doreen
Check this out….
http://popdose.com/frank-sinatra-once-upon-a-time/
=================
Thanks for that! Brought a smile.
For a Yankees fan in Boston, this is precisely the kind of angle I would have missed. Thanks for facing the crowds.
JT, what the hell time did you head down there?
How Pathetic ESPN is.
They had to show the percentage of championships won in the 4 sports.
SO of course, the Celtics are number 1 with 27 percent.
And the Yanks are 2nd with 25.7 percent.
I cant believe they pull stuff like this.
Josh -
You are a brave, brave man and a dedicated employee!
I am very, very glad I opted to watch at home!
crotch…I don’t know what time this photo was taken. Probably around 11ish, I’d guess.
I’m a lot older than most around here being very north of 50 years of age, but to each his own, I love the song “Empire State of Mind”. Of course, my favorite part of the song is the chorus sung by Alicia Keys. The montage of baseball produced by YES with that song is great.
By the way, I love Sinatra too so there are some of us that can appreciate both types of music.
“How Pathetic ESPN is.
They had to show the percentage of championships won in the 4 sports.
SO of course, the Celtics are number 1 with 27 percent.
And the Yanks are 2nd with 25.7 percent.
I cant believe they pull stuff like this.”
Let’s remember that MLB is a lot older than the NBA.
The sound of silence:
http://johnsterling.blogspot.c.....lence.html
In complete agreement, Craw Daddy. Both are awesome. Alicia Keys is absolutely amazing on Empire State of Mind. She things the chorus with such skill and gusto. Its strong yet beautiful. Kind of like the city she is singing about.
I was personally on a telephone box. Saw everyone! The parade was awesome and I had a blast. I was amazed as to how many younger kids were there, including parents holding children no more than a year or two old.
You guys did an excellent job blogging the parade! I didn’t know what to expect when you said you were chronicalling the day, but your experience and insight was awesome and very appreciated. Not many beat writers would put in that effort and, at least for one fan, it didn’t go overlooked or underappreciated.
Whoa -
I have YES on. Did you all know Nancy Newman does the pre-game desk work? (Like Bob Lorenz for the Yankees?)
Re:ESPN. Funny, Peter Gammons hasn’t been writing too much lately. Maybe he’s in a retreat w/ Theo,Rob Neyer,and Bill James….or as Gammons (Mr. Ramones) would write, “Hey, ho, let’s go”. Great being a Yankee fan, isn’t it?
NYY626 – GO ANDY!!-that’s funny. At least you caught his attention, right?
Kevin
Gammons immediately wrote something about Jeremy Hermida and what a great gamble it was, the day after the Yankees won the World Series. But nothing dedicated toward a season finished with a win by the best franchise in all of sports.
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/.....2842_n.jpg
AJ has his back turned towards Molina – they don’t get along anymore since Molina’s bad game 5.
we need another one of these parades. to celebrate fat pete going back to bawston.
“I have YES on. Did you all know Nancy Newman does the pre-game desk work? (Like Bob Lorenz for the Yankees?)”
I still can’t stand her, however, I do like Kim Jones.
“Stultus Magnus November 6th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Ha! That’s funny. I don’t own white socks means I don’t work out.
To be honest, not lately. But when I was running every day, I wasn’t wearing white socks.
Though I did wear sneakers”
pesonally i find black socks strange. Except when it is dress socks.
Rob Neyer and David Wells know that the New York Yankees are the team of the decade in MLB. Sorry, Red Sox Nation.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweets.....ughts-dust
I tell my wife that I would take a bullet for Mariano Rivera
She laughs, but she knows I’m serious
Ugh, lol. I taped the parade on MLB and YES and, for some reason, all I got on my MLB network tape was a black screen. I’m so glad I taped it on YES as well as I would have been slightly upset right now had I not.
Bernie playing National Anthem at Knicks game and many Yankees players expected to attend.
That’s one way to get people to watch the Knicks.
“Ugh, lol. I taped the parade on MLB and YES and, for some reason, all I got on my MLB network tape was a black screen. I’m so glad I taped it on YES as well as I would have been slightly upset right now had I not.”
Betsy,
It’s time for a DVR!
“Ugh, lol. I taped the parade on MLB and YES and, for some reason, all I got on my MLB network tape was a black screen. I’m so glad I taped it on YES as well as I would have been slightly upset right now had I not.”
Betsy, I taped the parade on YES, MLB and ESPN News. I’m glad to see I’m not the only who decided to record the parade on multiple channels. My problem is, I’m still at work, and I won’t be home for another hour. I did see it online on fox 5 and mlb.com. So, by tonight/tomorrow, I might all paraded out, but I doubt it!
pat -
what channel, and what time?
Craw, we have a DVR, but I’ve no idea how to use it and I love my tapes. This used to happen a lot with MLB and I don’t know why. It doesn’t appear that they will be replaying it, so I will deal with YES (who will be replaying the whole thing tonight after the Net game)…..I’m sure that will be fine.
Joe, I taped both because I wanted to hear the MLB commentators. I guess I can still do that if I don’t mind the distraction of a black screen, lol.
Betsy,
To operate the DVD is a lot easier than the VCR without having to deal with tapes.
I meant DVR is easier to operate than a VCR.
Wasn’t at any of the celebrations – parade or otherwise, but the music they played at the key ceremony at City Hall was the absolute worst mickey mouse anal gland tickling garbage they could have played for such an austere moment.
Sorry to complain about something – but, might as well get the offseason underway…
Craw, it’s what I’ve heard, but I’m a Neanderthal when it comes to technology; I just don’t love change. One of these days, I will get someone to show me how to use the DVR……I did use it once and I admit it was pretty neat.
betsy,
tivo is much easier than the cable company dvr. if you have hd, then you almost have to go with the dish or cable option. otherwise, tivo!
Since Mick was complaining about Jay-Z, I thought I’ll provide the following link for him and the rest of the crowd that hates “Empire State of Mind”.:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_gt8W9D2II
Doreen
MSG Network at 7:30 is pre-game. Game at 8
Thanks, pat!
A-Rod, CC, Melky, Cano, Tex and Jobber to be at the knicks game tonight. For those that still needs a yankees fix
Just watched The Insider. Laura Posada filmed behind the scenes look at the WS celebration including pictures of Kate and Alex in addition to her own family.
Hope they gave the okay and Laura didn’t use them for her own benefit.
I think socks (and kind) and sandals are the strangest shoe look.
And those croc things too.
Crocs and Uggs are salvation if you have kids. Easy on and off when it’s too cold for flip flops
crawdaddy -
That was a really good video. Thanks. Actually gave the song a nuance it didn’t get from the stadium and City Hall performances. Bittersweet, actually, and less braggadocio than wonderment at what he’s accomplished, when so many don’t.
I love Uggs living where I do, lol.. just crocs I dont get. They do look like good kids shoes, though.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.....id=7125149
12 mins of John Sterling. Gotta love it.
Gammons speaks.
http://audio.weei.com/m/272729.....red+sox%22
JT: No wonder. Next year you should head down way earlier. I got down there around 8:45 and it was already pretty horrible. Also, do not bring a two-year-old.
You’re absolutely right about this being a championship for the 20-somethings. I’m 18, and, while I remember the ’98-’99-’00 championship teams, I was 7, 8, 9 years old, so they’re foggy memories, and I hardly remember ’96 at all. My little brother (who’s 16 now) doesn’t even remember the 2000 win (Game 5 ran past his bedtime that year). While I could not make it to the parade because of school, this is definitely the first championship that I’ve felt was “mine.”
This really felt like my championship too. I watched it pitch-by-pitch, had very much invested emotionally the entire season and when the final out was made I went absolutely crazy. I felt like the biggest weight had been lifted all the shoulder, but in a good way. I don’t know what other way to describe the feeling. It was amazing.
i think we were in the same section Josh
I made it just in front of those garbage trucks and was launching beach balls up until about 20 minutes into the parade…