"What's the lesson of the 2009 New York Yankees? With the Bronx Bombers taking an early 7-1 lead in Game 6, we had more time than usual to bat around the clichés of sports championships to see which ones might fit. Had the Yankees redeemed the long suffering of their supporters? Did they stand for youthful vigor or quiet professionalism? Did they represent the idea that pride and excellence can't be bought and sold—or the exact opposite?
"There are Yankees fans under the age of 10 who had never seen their team win a title. There you have your long suffering. With tattooed yobs like Nick Swisher and A.J. Burnett and players like Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte who shave to solemn, muted trumpet fanfares, New York's win can be attributed to both swagger and savvy. And of course there's that ridiculous payroll, a third again the size of the sport's next largest.
"An apologist can cite the $1.4 billion the team spent on salary between its two most recent titles as proof that cash can't buy rings. Everyone else can mock him and point out that the Yankees spent $423 million on just three players last winter."
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