Derek Jeter Proclaims Red Sox Fans Have Gotten Soft Since Team Won World Series

It was only about a decade ago that the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox were involved in the most heated rivalry in sports, but over the past 12 years, the rivalry has cooled off a bit.

Perhaps it's because of changes in personnel. Or perhaps it's because one side has chilled out after finally achieving some success.

Former New York shortstop Derek Jeter recently went on Late Night with Seth Meyers and revealed that Boston fans have been much nicer to him in recent years than they were early in his career. In his opinion, it's because winning the World Series has "softened up" Red Sox fans.

During the early part of Jeter's career, Boston was enduring the dreaded "Curse of the Bambino." But in 2004, the Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit—in the American League Championship Series against the Yankees—on their way to ending an 86-year title drought.

Since snapping the curse, the Red Sox have won two more World Series titles, giving them three in the past 12 years. The Yankees have won "only" one championship during that span, in 2009.

Jeter believes all of that success has had an impact on the Boston fanbase. While he certainly wishes his archrivals had never won a title during his playing days, the New York legend at least appreciates the fact that fans are kinder to him than they used to be.

Also, Jeter talked about his recent (and possibly fake) hole-in-one. The retired Yankees star wouldn't say whether the shot actually went in, but he did tease it a bit.

[Late Night with Seth Meyers]