I think what happened was the tank job of 2011 broke people's brains. They came back the following with year with an Old School coach pleasing the octogenarian crowd, but wound up in last place. In a span of 12 months, they went from presumed best team in the league to the bottom of the division. Following that up with a WS win just made it a very manic experience to be a Sox fan. If the Sox are either dead last or winning the division, I can see how fans wouldn't be ok with being told they won't win the division. Likely, that means they'd be in last damn place.