Over the weekend, the obnoxious Red Sox fans came out in full force to the Trop to watch their team play the Devil Rays. Now it's the obnoxious Yankees fans filling up to the Trop to watch a Rays "home'' game. It shouldn't be this way. It's embarrassing for a home team to have three-fourth of its fans rooting for the visitors.

But don't blame the fans. As disgusting as some members of Red Sox Nation can be and as arrogant as some of those transplanted New Yorkers can be, it's their right to root for whatever team they want to root for. That becomes a right as soon as any fan whips out his wallet or her purse to plop down their hard-earned dough for a ticket. As long as the obscenities at left at home, a fan should be able to cheer or boo anything they want.

Remember years ago when Packers and Bears fans would fill up Tampa Stadium and cheer against the Bucs? Remember in the early days of the Lightning when Red Wings, Flyers and Penguins fans would make up most of the crowd at Expo Hall or the ThunderDome or even the then-Ice Palace? When the Bucs and Lightning got good, all that stopped. As soon as the Devil Rays get good and start filling the stands with their own fans, we'll have to continue putting up with all the Big Papi and Jeter jerseys. After all, cheering for the Red Sox or Yankees is a right that simply can't be denied.