Yanking the "Yankees"

WBZ in Boston is reporting that the Red Sox Class A Affiliate the Lowell Spinners is making some news by offering free Spinners uniforms and access to the Lowell ball park for any Massachusetts little league or youth league team that changes their name from the "Yankees" to something else.

The Spinners, which are owned by the Red Sox, say they think the name of the Red Sox #1 rival should not be a part of the leagues. From the Spinners site: "Red Sox fans understand how devastating it can be for any child to be on a Yankees youth baseball team in New England. The Spinners have heard stories first-hand of children actually crying and refusing to play if they have to play for the Yankees. The Spinners believe they have found an answer to the problem."

According to the Spinners, half of the little league towns in Massachusetts use the "Yankees" as a team name, while the other half has eliminated it from their list of team names because it is so unpopular. On the WBZ report a Spinners representative said parents are tired of having their children booed during town parades because of their uniforms.

While your Uncle Buck is all for this, the one thing he doesn't understand is why they would include the "NY" on the uniforms? Doesn't that stand for "New York"? UB thought the only teams allowed to say they were from New York even though they were in a different state was the Giants and Jets...

The anti-Yankoff sentiment must be spreading...UB went to see Billy Joel at the TD Banknorth Garden on Saturday night and at one point in the show Billy put on a Red Sox cap and wore it through several songs...UB could have sworn he was a Yankoff fan, even including the Bronx Bums in many of his songs...UB can only guess Billy's time on Martha's Vineyard changed him or maybe he was trying win back Christie Brinkley after this sighting last season:

Clark: Real tomato ketchup, Eddie?

Cousin Eddie: Oh, nothing but the best.

Billy: What? When was the last time the "Yankees" won anything?