Linguistic boundaries [was: A novel notion of "balance"]

[Victor Steinbok]

I was actually discussing this very issue with a friend only a couple of
days ago. IMO the answer is yes. There seems to be a lot more support
for Patriots in Connecticut than for the Red Sox and it inches a lot
closer to the NY border. But there are Giants fans in Rhode Island and
no Yankees fans to speak of. Remember that it's "New England Patriots",
not "Boston Patriots". Fandom for both Boston teams stretch up North as
well, but there's measurable Giants support in Vermont and Maine.

It's even more complicated with hockey. Since Hartford (formerly New
England) Whalers left, the void in Connecticut filled very slowly, as
the Bruins were always thought of as "the Enemy" and neither Islanders
nor Rangers had much appeal historically. That's what started the
conversation on this subject with my friend -- a long-time Whalers fan.

     VS-)

On 1/12/2014 2:35 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> At 1/12/2014 01:51 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>> --LH (in Pats' country)
> I will assume LH was somewhere close to New Haven when he wrote the
> above.  If not, the questions are still answerable but perhaps the
> answers less interesting.)
>
> Where is the Patriots--Giants boundary?  Further west than the Red
> Sox's--Yankees boundary?
>
> Joel (also in Pats' country as I write, but formerly from Yankees' country)

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