RED MENACE
New speaker, mayor united (ugh!) in Sox fandom
NEW CITY Council Speaker Corey Johnson has vowed to take on Mayor de Blasio when necessary — but on one controversial topic, they’re in perfect agreement.
With Johnson’s ascension to the speaker’s post, the city’s two top elected officials are now fans of the Boston Red Sox.
Johnson (photo), who grew up in Middleton, Mass., told the Daily News he’s sticking by his teams.
“I am honest about the fact that I grew up going to Fenway Park and the Boston Garden and Foxboro Stadium as a child,” he said. “I support the Red Sox and Celtics and Bruins and Patriots.”
The new speaker’s election is just the latest in a trend of Massachusetts natives rising to high places in New York City government. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg grew up there too, as did former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
De Blasio, a devoted baseball fan, has stuck to his guns despite some political discomfort — even telling The News during last year’s American League Championship Series that as a “crazed, rabid” Red Sox fan, it was “constitutionally impossible” for him to root for the Yankees.
During his own turn as the Council’s sole Red Sox fan, de Blasio forced a fellow councilman who’d lost a bet to wear a Red Sox cap and deliver a speech praising the team from the floor at a Council meeting.
Johnson, on the other hand, says he roots for New York teams — including the Yankees — when they’re not up against Boston.
“When the Yankees are not against the Red Sox, and are in the pennant race or the World Series, it’s hard, it makes me uncomfortable, but I still root for them because I want to see New York succeed,” he said. “It’s the city I love. The only real long-term relationship that I’m currently in is with the City of New York.”
While voters have been willing to overlook their leaders’ sports interests, not all fellow pols are as forgiving.
“It’s very depressing,” said former City Councilman Sal Albanese, an ardent Yankees fan who once tried out for the Bronx Bombers.
“The most influential politicians in New York City being friends of the enemy,” he said. “It’s unprecedented.”
Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan said he can’t blame the Massachusetts natives for refusing to change their stripes. “I’d rather them root for a team that I do not support than sort of pander,” he said. One group of New Yorkers now thrilled with the latest turn of events: The Benevolent Order of Honorable Ancient Red Sox Diehard Sufferers, aka BLOHARDS. “This is an unprecedented time for Red Sox fans, so we want to get some laws on the books,” said group member Joe Cosgriff. “Maybe making it a hate crime to curse at Red Sox fans in sports bars . . . This is a oncein-the-lifetime opportunity for us. This is our time.”