It's no secret how much I love Boston.
I believe that the spirit of Massachusetts sits within the suburban cities and towns. Neighborhood pride is very real, and it fosters sibling-style rivalries with other cities and towns. It develops an intensity, especially on sports fields. The rivalries are intense, historical and an intricate part of where people grow up.
Boston always served as the unifying brand. The representative sports teams are institutions that stand for the city and the region to the rest of the country and the world. They represent us, as if the players are our neighbors.