Blue Jays used Yankees to fuel possible ALCS comeback and somehow didn't get roasted

Remember when Aaron Boone and his coaching staff thought it'd be a good idea to show the 2022 New York Yankees some good, old-fashioned 2004 ALCS lowlights to motivate them against the Houston Astros? Bad. Bad idea. They went down fumbling that night in Game 4, which easily could've ended the Boone Era, but somehow didn't.

Anyway, lending further credence to the idea that the Toronto Blue Jays are not some fearsome Yankees rival, but simply another team that plays in their division (despite at least one music video to the contrary), Toronto employed a similar strategy down 2-0 in this year's ALCS. Not only have they successfully avoided being roasted for it, but it actually seems to be working so far.

ESPN's post-victory fluffing of the Jays' never-say-die attitude after their Game 3 romp included the nugget that hitting coach David Popkins sent manager John Schneider some 1996 World Series footage to fuel his fire. That series, of course, was the last time any team lost Games 1 and 2 at home, then went on to win the round — the Yankees did it to the Braves.

Of course, the big difference here is that trying to spark something by showing your own franchise's supreme failure (2004) isn't the same as showing your franchise rival's triumph. Still, if the Jays are able to channel the Yankees to pull off the near-impossible, then it's just more evidence that New York is really lodged against their brainstem. After all, they could've watched some '86 Mets footage! They pulled off the same feat after a trip to Boston.

Toronto Blue Jays used 1996 Yankees World Series win to spark ALCS comeback in Seattle

To add insult to insult, Blue Jays spark plug Ernie Clement seemed particularly motivated, admitting to childhood Yankees fandom.

"I remember watching, I think it was '100 Years of the Yankees' or whatever, some documentary, and I remember seeing Joe Torre, no panic whatsoever," Clement told ESPN. "They lost the first two, and he's like, 'We'll go back to Atlanta and get it done there.' It's that no panic that's so huge. Like, we're in the same boat."

So, if you're keeping score, you raise your level of play against the Yankees if you hated them growing up (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) or loved them (Clement). Anyone out there feel neutrally about us? That'd be great.

For now, the Yankees will just have to wallow and hope history doesn't repeat itself until next October. We'd love to see the "Yankees win the World Series" kind of history come back in vogue. Other teams channeling our greatest moments? Not so much, no.