As a die-hard fan of the White Sox, I have a genuine emotional conflict in cheering for the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. It's too soon to forget they "royally" kicked our posteriors this season, winning 13 of 19 games, but it's also impossible to not respect the improbable way in which they earn the right to be called "champions."
They're grinders
I know many believe there should be a statute of limitations on the number of times I can reflect on the 2005 World Series, but seriously, do you not see the similarity? The Royals' success is built on pitching, defense and speed, much the same as the 2005 Sox. Watching them grind out wins by laying down bunts, stealing bases and crashing into walls making game-saving catches has my heart pattering out the melody to a certain Journey song (even if Steve Perry is actually a Giants fan), while reciting the Sox fans'"grinder rules" of our magical championship year.
"The Super Bowl Shuffle"
The last and only time the Royals won the World Series, the Bears were doing "The Super Bowl Shuffle," dominating their way to the championship game in much the same fashion as the Royals have dominated in the playoffs. Much like the Bears, while the Royals have had several extremely talented players over the years, the legends of recent memory date to 1985. While Sweetness danced, the punky QB threw touchdowns and Samurai Mike stopped them cold, George Brett slugged home runs, Bret Saberhagen threw shutouts and Dan Quisenberry's submarine delivery broke the closer mold. As it's football season and 1985 was the last time Bears fans basked in title glory, you can't help but empathize with Royals fans' angst-and excitement.
They're the red-headed step child
Sox fans often feel like afterthoughts of the Second City and their team is treated the same way. Royals fans often draw parallels in this regard, being second-class citizens of the state of Missouri. Their attendance reflects their passion in a similar mold to the Sox (some argue we both only show up when our team is winning), and no matter what we do or how well we play, the "other baseball team" in our geographic proximity seems to garner all the attention. Sox fans feel your pain and share your proverbial hair color.
They're the underdogs
Look, up in the sky: It's an Angel, it's an Oriole, it's a frog. No, it's just the little ol' Royals, the underdogs. Since the season began, no one gave them a chance, even when they were winning. Experts and baseball fans alike kept waiting for the Detroit Tigers to roar away with the division. In the end, the Royals did the schooling, earning "A's" and never looking back.
Forgiveness for the Gamboa Incident
Officially backing the Royals is just good sportsmanship as they represent the best of the American League Central. Honoring them might be the best way to forget about our worst moment as fans when in 2002, an inebriated father-son, non-dynamic duo stormed the field and attacked then-Royals first-base coach Tom Gamboa. As Sox fans are some of most remarkable people I've ever had the honor of representing, this moment has haunted us in the same vein as the 1919 Black Sox scandal. As Sox fans know, nothing helps forgiveness more than a World Series title. So with that in mind, I say to the Royals team, city and fans: "Take the crown!"
Soxman is a RedEye special contributor. @thesoxman72
