What is fannation.com? Who is Andrew Perloff? I have to question if this guy is even a baseball fan if he thinks Yankee Stadium is "wildly overrated." http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/for_the_record/posts/5984 Yankee Stadium is wildly overrated by: Andrew Perloff I'll never forget my first visit to Yankee Stadium. I had heard so much about it growing up: The House that Ruth Built, home to the greatest team in history, the mecca of American sports. I trekked up to the Bronx expecting a living, breathing slice of baseball history. When I came through the tunnel in section 642 and viewed the field for the first time, I could only utter one thing: "Is this it?" Baseball history? History of what, the 1970s when cities across America built boring stadiums? Yankee Stadium is your basic huge, antiseptic '70s stadium. Nothing like Fenway, which feels like a museum. Fenway's not very comfortable, but it's authentic. The history has been washed over in the Bronx. SI's Tom Verducci wrote a beautiful obituary for Yankee Stadium in this week's mag, but was very clear that the mid-1970s renovation completely changed the stadium: "There is almost nothing you can see from your seat today that somebody in that same spot could see in 1973." I expected the stadium to look much more like the old photos with Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. Today's version of Yankee Stadium is basically a souped-up Shea Stadium. Ordinary plastic seats, no intimacy, padded blue outfield walls, etc. What's with all the hysteria about the Yankee Stadium collectibles? Anything that isn't from the original pre-1973 building is just an ordinary '70s stadium souvenir. Want to make some money? Grab an old Riverfront or Veterans Stadium seat, paint it blue and say it was from Yankee Stadium. Or go to the basement, grab any old toilet seat, take a Sharpee and write on it "Danny Tartabull sat here." Lots of Yankee Stadium mourners have also pointed to the non-baseball events that made the stadium so special. Again, what's the big deal? So the Giants played their 17 years? They've played at Giants Stadium for over 30 years and no one's going to miss that dump when it goes away. I understand the history of the Yankees. They are the greatest team in sports history. That alone has no effect on my feelings about their stadium. The Celtics and the UCLA men's hoops program are right up there and I didn't care when they tore down the Boston Garden or Pauley Pavilion. (I cared so little, I didn't even know the Bruins still play in Pauley Pavilion.) When the Yankees finish up on Sunday, I won't shed a tear. In fact, I can't wait for the new stadium. I peeked in there a few weeks ago and it looks more historical and a lot nicer than the current building. So don't go out of your way to get me fired, Hank Steinbrenner, I'll be first in line to watch a game at "The House That Melky Built."
The House that Melky built. Wow, it's gonna be really rough time for Yankees fans, if that's the case.
i kinda agree with that guy, but even as a met fan, i think the stadiums still a great place to be around.
There isn't much wrong with what he said, they basically did create a new stadium with that renovation.
I must be out of touch. I love going to Yankee Stadium. There's just a certain feeling when you walk in it. My dad took me to my first game when I was ten. I remember getting shivers as I looked down the runway to the field and saw the players taking batting practice. I still get that feeling now. I love hearing Bob Sheppard's voice, seeing the monuments, hearing the fans chanting in the bleachers, and thinking about all the baseball legends that have played on that field. Heck, I even like the vendors. I know the chairs are uncomfortable and there are some terrible seats for viewing, but I can overlook all of that with all of the intangibles that the Stadium has to offer. I am not saying that there shouldn't be a new stadium, I'm just saying that Yankee Stadium is a special place for many baseball fans. To say that it is "wildly overrated" is a bit of a stretch.
its wildly overated to him,but its just fine when its special to anyone else. hell i used to love coming up the escalator at Giants stadium to see the limegreen artificial turf glowing and the players stretching.
I think what he is getting at is that most of the history went down with the 1970s renovation which even Yankee fans agree to a point is true, so the whole nostalgia of this was where Babe Ruth played is kind of misplaced since back then they played in a gigantic pitchers ballpark with 460 feet to center field, etc, sure each person has there own experiences in the stadium which will amplify the history of the stadium. However that can be said about a lot of places. However by itself, it is a shell of the stadium that it used to be.
This jerk sounds like a true Red Sox red n' white pom-pom waver. I dismiss this article as pure trash. Hey Andy, eat yer chow-dah, watch the playoffs and STFU!
It's not the original Stadium but it's in the same spot. It's the most historical Stadium in the World outside of the Colisseum. it's an incredibly sad day for any true baseball fan whether you love or hate the Yankees. The saddest part about it is the Stadium is fine, this is all about greed.
The spot isn't the same thing as the building itself, however I will agree that even after the renovation they have created some history but it is far from what the original stadium was like.
I've been twice, and it's underwhelming. 1st time was upper deck, 2nd time was right down the 3rd base side, 2 rows back from the field where jeeter did his face plant into the stands a few years back. monument park was cool. I fail to understand the fascination with the building.
For all of you who find Yankee Stadium overrated, I would like to know which baseball stadiums top your list and why.
I've been to Yankee Stadium(2004, sat in right field) and to Fenway Park (2005, sat in right field), and I'd rate Fenway head and shoulders above Yankee Stadium. The atmosphere there, it's just different. Hard to explain.
What's the writer's angle? He uses many Boston references, but also says he will still be watching. I've also heard the new stadium is fashioned to have a more historical feel, I actually can't wait for it. Yankee stadium feels more like a relic from the 70s, giving off a 70s feel, not the 20s feel. That's what this guy was trying to say but couldn't articulate that point.
I went to Wrigley last summer while on a 24 hour layover, I wasn't a fan, but I can see why people love that stadium.
for those of you on this board that knows me, you know im a die hard mets fan. for someone to ask, whats the big deal about yankee stadium, is ludarcris i had the privelege of going to yankee stadium one time in my life, i could feel the aroura, history, and the tradition. its gonna be sad when they knock it down
I would rate both Fenway and Wrigley much higher than Yankee Stadium. Why? Because just by sitting there you can tell how old those places are and the history they have. Nobody is saying that Yankee Stadium doesn't have historical significance, but the stadium that it started out as hasn't existed for more than 30 years. Yankee Stadium right now bears almost no resemble to the stadium it used to be. It looks and feels like a stadium built in the 1970's. On top of that, I thought its surrounding neighborhood sucked when I went there. If the stadium weren't essentially reconstructed in the '70's I would view this as more of a big deal, but it was. They've played at the same location since 1923 but it's been two different stadium.
