Seven years is a long stretch for spoiled Yankees fans (oxymoron). That is, as you are surely all too aware, the number of years that have passed since the Yankees last won themselves a beautiful bling-alicious World Series ring, years made all the more painful by the fact that those seven teams didn't simply fail to win a championship but crushed our souls by making it to the playoffs and then blowing it. Big time.

Take a moment to yourself and do a little gentle sobbing. I'll wait.

Ready? Moving on now:

The Yanks have been the divisional favorite for the majority of the past 10+ years, with the Red Sox serving as the default underdogs- I say "default" because there have been years in which the Bosox team was just as good as the Yanks', but the Yanks were looked at as the perennial champs. The teams have been talented, but being favored obviously didn't do too much (or anything) to boost the team's chances of winning. Personally, I'm convinced that 'twas the cockiness of those old-folk-infested teams that damned them- but that's a topic for another day. On the other hand, being tagged as second-place finishers has worked well for the Sox. They have pulled off some obnoxious comebacks (more gentle sobbing) and actually thrived in the same period that the Yanks have continued to falter.

This year, most statisticians, analysts, and many writers are pegging the Sox as division champions and Spring Training hasn't even started rolling yet. It would be a tad far-fetched to think of the Yankees as underdogs, but in effect, they are- in relation to the Red Sox anyway.

Their "underdog" status actually goes along well with the mojo of the Yankes this year. They've got a bevy of youngsters, a hip young manager (Girardino better act hip now, and prove me right. Put on those True Religion jeans, Joe [that was a transparent subliminal message to any YC reader that works for TR that I like but cannot afford their fine products]) and now a challenge: beat the Red Sox the hard way- from the underdog position.

I'm anticipating a huge year for the team. Feelin' positive, lovin' the youngsters, appreciating the veterans, jazzed about A-Rod, and happy with the Steinbrothers' decision to go with Girardi as hip young manager. They may not be "the favorite" for 2008, but I'd watch my back if I were a Red Sock. Sox. Whatever.