Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I live in New York, the home of those who perpetuate the curse. In 1969 a random black cat kept the curse at 61 years and counting. In 1986, the Mets and Ray Knight helped keep Boston’s curse running for 68 years. The Yankees, the evil empire, keep the curse discussion going on and on and on until they got their pay back in 2004. This year, Joe Torre, a New Yorker, ended all the Cubs hopes for ending the curse. I guess they have yet to find that distant descendant of the billy goat they shooed away 100 years ago.

     Before I make my case, let me come out and say it. I hate the Yankees. I always have. I hate how they feel this divine right to have the best players and make the playoffs every year. I hate how they feel that they should be the only team ever allowed in the World Series. I hate how because you’re owned by a Steinbrenner you should do everything with military precision. I hate those pinstripe because they remind me of product bar codes, especially when that hot new free agent signs with them.

      The actions of the Yankees lately make them the prime candidates for a new curse. How serendipitous would it be to see the Yankees of all teams not win for another 50 to 60 years? The franchise that holds more playoff and World Series appearance than John McCain has houses would be playing golf and raking those October leaves, just like the rest of the country. Ahhh!!!!! Let the dreaming begin.

     So why are the Yankees setting themselves up for a curse? Here’s why:

1. Letting Joe Torre go:This is the man who has brought class and dignity to the organization for the first time since Joe Dimaggio. He had kept bringing the franchise extra October revenue every year since 1995. He has been to the World Series 6 times, winning 4 of them (none since O’Neill & Martinez left). How do you treat him? With enough arrogance that you send him an insulting, incentive laden contract because you weren’t given what you believe to be yours and only yours (World Series trophy). Now, he goes to LA, gets Manny as a present and made the playoffs for the 14th straight season while Cashman, Steinbrenners, and Girardi start thinking about how (and who) they can buy to start another playoff streak. (PS: History says you won’t make the playoffs for a while, see the Yankees from 1965-1976).
2. Tearing Down Yankee Stadium: While your stadium is a dump, it’s still historic. even the cursed franchise are staying in their old historic ball park. You are tearing the down the home of many famous and powerful ghosts (some of whom are likely to be pissed) to sit in a nice, brand new luxurious stadium.
3. Screwing the Regular Fan:The Cubs and Red Sox have never really forgotten about their fan base. Their parks are still intact, they may slightly raise prices and have found creative ways to increase their seating capacity. You have taken away seats from the average fan while adding more corporate luxury boxes. You have almost doubled your ticket prices in most areas, making ticket unaffordable for the masses of fans. Plus, you have the gall to add on PSL’s. Great idea, let’s pay for the right to buy season ticket later. You have forgotten about the average fan by sucking up to corporate America, who probably can’t afford your seats now because they can’t stay open for business.

Yankees, you are primed for a curse and based on current events, how do we know it’s not beginning to happen?????