Keller @ Large: Mitt Romney Not A Profile In Sports Fan Courage
BOSTON (CBS) - If you don't care about sports, fine, that's your right. But if you are a big sports fan, especially a Boston sports fan, you understand the basic rule of being a true fan - your allegiances aren't transferable.
That's why the sight of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney cheering on the Utah Jazz Monday night was so disconcerting. When he was here, Romney claimed to be a Celtics fan, and actually owned Red Sox season tickets.
But now Romney is running for senator in Utah.
"If I become your senator I'll fight for freedom, I'll fight for our values, Utah values," he told a crowd recently.
Utah values? What the heck are those? And do they require you to abandon your past sports allegiances?
I understand, it isn't easy to be a pol on the make in one city while rooting for a team the locals hate.
But that hasn't deterred New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who grew up in Cambridge, from his lifelong support of the Red Sox, to the point of refusing to attend a Yankee playoff game.
Now that's a profile in sports fan courage.
So was the determination of Cambridge police chief Branville Bard, who refused to ditch his love for the Philadelphia Eagles even when they faced the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
You gotta respect a pol who stands by their team even when it may cost them a few votes. And while it isn't likely to happen, a Utah Jazz-Boston Celtics NBA Finals would pose a problem for Mitt Romney - he might have to clone himself.
Add your thoughts via email at keller@wbztv.com, or use Twitter, @kelleratlarge.
