Jed Jacobson | Getty Images

Randy Miller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

In this day and age in baseball in which there's a lot of schmoozing and friendships between opposition players, we're pretty certain that the Yankees do not – repeat, do not - hate the Red Sox.

And we’re pretty certain that the Red Sox don’t hate the Yankees.

We don’t even think these age-old rivals dislike one another.

They used to back in the day, but not anymore.

Based on conversations we've had with players from both teams in recent years, on and off the record, we believe what the Yankees and Red Sox feel for one another more than anything is mutual respect as a fellow American League East superpower.

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The best rivalry in sports is a hated one.

It’s the fans on both sides that make it this way.

The fans made it this way decades ago and perhaps the only thing changing over the years is the level of hatred has grown due to social media, which allows fans to go at it on Twitter and comment sections of blogs.

It’s obvious Yankees and Red Sox fans hate everything about the other.

Yankees fans hate the name Red Sox, hate their colors, hate the players.

It’s mutual, too.

And it’s all in good fun, of course.

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The player hating adds to the fun, especially the heckling that goes on during games … you know, the abuse that A-Rod always received at Fenway and the boos that David Ortiz always heard at old and new Yankee Stadium.

And so, with the Yankees and Red Sox going at it again this week in another showdown series at Fenway, we compiled a list of 20 past and present Red Sox players that (we think) Yankees fans hate the most … or should hate the most.

Some that made our list are obvious, others aren’t.

Some were great Red Sox players that were easy to hate while others did something memorable to make them forever despised.

Here’s our list ... and tell us who we missed!

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Ted Williams of the Red Sox congratulates Joe Cronin after he hit a home run over left field in the seventh inning of a second game against the Philadelphia Athletics at Fenway Park in Boston, May 24, 1942. Photo: Paul J. Maguire/Globe Staff via @BostonGlobe archives #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/gUmYCWroHW — Joshua Miller (@jm_bos) May 24, 2018

Joe Cronin, player-manager

Born: Oct. 12, 1906.

Died: Sept. 7, 1984 (age 77)

Career stats: .301 average, 2,285 hits, 170 HR, 1,424 RBI, .857 OPS, 2,124 games, 7 All-Star Games over 20 seasons with Pittsburgh Pirates (1926-27), Washington Senators (1928-34), Boston Red Sox (1935-45).

Red Sox stats: .300 average, 1,168 hits, 119 HR, 737 RBI, .878 OPS, 1,134 games, 4 All-Star Games over 11 seasons (1935-45).

Why Yankees fans (should) hate him: The Hall of Famer was a player-manager with the Red Sox on May 30, 1938 when he fought Yankees outfielder Jake Powell on the field and then underneath the stands at Yankee Stadium. Both players were fined and suspended for 10 games. Powell got the last laugh, as the Yankees won the World Series in '38.

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Julie Jacobson | AP

Johnny Damon, OF

Born: Nov. 5, 1973 (age 44)

Career stats: .284 average, 2,769 hits, 235 HR, 1,139 RBI, .785 OPS, 2,490 games, 2 All-Star Games in 18 seasons with Kansas City Royals (1995-2000), Oakland Athletics (2001), Boston Red Sox (2002-05), New York Yankees (2006-09), Detroit Tigers (2010), Tampa Bay Rays (2011) and Cleveland Indians (2012).

Red Sox stats: .295 average, 730 hits, 56 HR, 299 RBI, .803 OPS, 2 All-Star Games in four seasons (2002-05).

Why Yankees fans hated him: Before Damon switched loyalties and became a popular Yankee, he was a symbolic leader of the Red Sox's Idiots in 2004 with his long hair and bushy beard. And it still sickens Yankees fans remembering Damon prancing around the bases at Yankee Stadium after his second-inning grand slam off Kevin Brown gave the Red Sox a 5-0 lead in their Game 7 2004 ALCS blowout win.

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Carlton Fisk, C

Born: Dec. 26, 1947 (age 70)

Career stats: .269 average, 2,356 hits, 376 HR, 1,330 RBI, .797 OPS, 2,499 games, 11 All-Star Games in 24 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971-80) and Chicago White Sox (1981-93).

Red Sox stats: .284 average, 1,097 hits, 162 HR, 568 RBI, .837 OPS, 7 All-Star Games in 11 seasons (1969, 1971-80).

Why Yankees fans hated him: The top two catchers in the American League in the 1970s were Fisk, who became a Hall of Famer, and Yankees great Thurman Munson, who might also be in Cooperstown if he hadn't been killed in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979 … 39 years ago Thursday. This wasn't a friendly rivalry either, as Fisk and Munson truly hated each other. During an Aug. 1, 1973 game, a 10-minute brawl ensued after Munson plowed his shoulder into Fisk's mask as he was running from third to home on a missed suicide bunt attempt by Gene Michael. Two seasons later, Fisk fought Yankees outfielder Lou Piniella after being plowed into at home plate when Piniella tried scoring from second base on a hit by Otto Velez. Four-plus decades later, Yankees fans still probably hate seeing highlights of Fisk waving his walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series to stay fair, but they love knowing the Big Red Machine ultimately prevailed in seven games to keep the Red Sox's curse alive.

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Jim Rogash | AP

Nomar Garciaparra, SS

Born: July 23, 1973 (age 45)

Career stats: .313 average, 1,747 hits, 229 HR, 936 RBI, .882 OPS, 1,434 games, 6 All-Star Games in 14 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1996-2004), Chicago Cubs (2004-05) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-08).

Red Sox stats: .323 average, 1,281 hits, 178 HR, 690 RBI, .923 OPS, 5 All-Star Games in nine seasons (1996-2004).

Why Yankees fans hated him: Red Sox and Yankees fans used to argue over who had the best shortstop when Garciaparra and Derek Jeter were two of baseball's young superstars. Jeter had longevity while Garciaparra fizzled out, but this was a fierce rivalry for a few years. Nomar was easy to dislike for Yankees fans, as he never came off as a friendly guy. He just had that look about him when he was on the field. But in his heyday, Garciaparra sure had game.

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Charles Krupa | AP

Joe Kelly, RHP

Born: June 9, 1988 (age 30)

Career stats: 42-23, 3.86 ERA, 2 saves, 225 games, 79 starts, 604 IP, 473 K in sevens season with Boston Red Sox.

Why Yankees fans hate him: It was Kelly who intentionally hit Tyler Austin this season during an April 11 game at Fenway to ignite the last Yankees-Red Sox brawl, and it was a good one. Austin was traded to the Twins on July 30, but he'll be a Yankees folk hero forever because he charged Kelly and tackled him, and Kelly will be hated by Yankee nation forever for being the Red Sox instigator ... even if he changes teams. And it doesn't help Kelly that he looks like a punk.

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Eric Risberg | AP

Derek Lowe, RHP

Born: June 1, 1973 (age 45)

Career stats: 176-157, 4.03 ERA, 86 saves, 681 games, 168 starts, 2,671.1 IP, 1,722 K, 2 All-Star Games in 17 seasons with Seattle Mariners (1997), Boston Red Sox (1997-2004), Los Angeles Dodgers (2004-08), Atlanta Braves (2009-11), Cleveland Indians (2012), New York Yankees (2012) and Texas Rangers (2013).

Red Sox stats: 70-55, 3.72 ERA, 384 games, 111 starts, 85 saves, 1,037 IP, 673 K, 2 All-Star Games in eight seasons (1997-2004).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Lowe had a cup of coffee with the Yankees at the end of his distinguished career, but he was the Red Sox's winning pitcher in their ALDS, ALCS and World Series clinching wins in 2004 when the Curse of the Bambino finally ended. In Game 7 of the ALCS, Lowe held the Yankees to one run over six innings when Boston completed its comeback from an 0-3 series hole to win the best-of-seven. And that picture above of Lowe in the arms of catcher Jason Varitek after the final out of the '04 World Series is enough of a reason for Yankees fans to hate him forever.

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Chris Faytok | Newark Star-Ledger

Pedro Martinez, RHP

Born: Oct. 25, 1971 (age 46)

Career stats: 219-100, 2.93 ERA, 3 saves, 476 games, 409 starts, 2,827.1 IP, 3,154 K, 8 All-Star Games in 18 seasons with Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-93), Montreal Expos (1994-97), Boston Red Sox (1998-2004), New York Mets (2005-09) and Philadelphia Phillies (2009).

Red Sox stats: 117-37, 2.52 ERA, 203 games, 201 starts, 1,383.2 IP, 1,683 K, 4 All-Star Games in seven seasons (1998-2004).

Why Yankees fans hate him: There are a lot of reasons for Yankees fans to hate Pedro. The best chapters of his Hall of Fame career came during his Red Sox days, plus he was cocky, arrogant and a headhunter. Most of all, Pedro never will live down grabbing Don Zimmer's head and shoving him to the ground when the Yankees' 72-year-old bench coach charged him during a benches-clearing dispute at Fenway Park in Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS. Zimmer was wrong initiating the confrontation, but Pedro looked terrible tackling a senior citizen who was 41 years older and worse when Zimmer rolled forward about 10 feet after hitting the ground.

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MLB trade deadline: Grades for every Yankees deal

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Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

David Ortiz, 1B/DH

Born: Nov. 18, 1975 (age 42)

Career stats: .286 average, 2,472 hits, 541 HR, 1,768 RBI, .931 OPS, 2,408 games, 10 All-Star Games in 20 seasons with Minnesota Twins (1997-2002) and Boston Red Sox (2003-16).

Red Sox stats: .290 average, 2,079 hits, 483 HR, 1,530 RBI, .956 OPS, 10 All-Star Games in 14 seasons (2003-16).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Big Papi was a Yankees killer, he has three World Series rings and the first came in 2004 when he had two walk-off hits in the ALCS when the Red Sox rallied from three games down to beat the Yanks. With the Yanks looking to sweep, Ortiz won Game 4 with a 12th-inning homer at Fenway, then he ended Game 5 there with a game-winning hit in the 14th inning. For his career, Ortiz hit .303 against the Yanks with 53 homers and 171 RBI in 243 games. He had 16 homers in 56 games at the old Yankee Stadium and 15 homers in 61 games at the current one. Ortiz made games fun with his personality, but he still was booed relentlessly in New York because he was a great Red Sox for a lot of years.

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Winslow Townson | AP

Jonathan Papelbon, RHP

Born: Nov. 23, 1980 (age 37)

Career stats: 41-36, 2.44 ERA, 689 games, 3 starts, 369 saves, 725.2 IP, 808 K, 6 All-Star Games in 12 seasons with Boston Red Sox (2005-11), Philadelphia Phillies (2012-15) and Washington Nationals (2015-16).

Red Sox stats: 23-19, 2.33 ERA, 396 games, 219 saves, 429.1 IP, 509 K, 4 All-Star Games in seven seasons (2005-11).

Why Yankees fans hate him: The Red Sox's all-time saves leader came off as a pompous jerk on and off the mound when he was in Boston even though this trait was more publicized when he with the Phillies (grabbed crouch while being booed off mound) and the Nationals (fought Bryce Harper in the dugout during a game). And who didn't hate seeing Papelbon out there on the mound leaning in and squinting for the catcher's sign looking all intense? But Yankees fans sure enjoyed seeing Papelbon have occasional struggles facing their team. While with Boston, Papelbon converted 19 saves in 22 chances over 46 career games against the Yankees, but he was 0-6 with a 3.86 ERA.

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Winslow Townson | AP

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

Born: Aug. 17, 1983 (age 34)

Career stats: .300 average, 1,803 hits, 140 HR, 724 RBI, .806 OPS, 1,506 games, 4 All-Star Games in 13 seasons with Boston Red Sox (2006-18).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Pedroia took over the title as most hated Red Sox when David Ortiz retired after the 2016 season, but he's been on the list throughout his great career because he's a little guy who runs his mouth a lot. Give him credit for being the best small guy of his era – there aren't many 5-foot-9 players who have won an MVP - but the over-the-top cockiness that's forever been a part of his game always has irked Yankees fans.

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File photo

Jimmy Piersall, CF

Born: Nov. 14, 1929.

Died: June 3, 2017 (age 87).

Career stats: .272 average, 1,604 hits, 104 HR, 591 RBI, 1794 games, .719 OPS, 2 All-Star Games in 17 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1950, 1952-58), Cleveland Indians (1959-61), Washington Senators (1962-63), New York Mets (1963), Los Angeles Angels (1963-64) and California Angels (1965-67).

Red Sox stats: .273 average, 919 hits, 66 HR, 366 RBI, 931 games, .737 OPS, 2 All-Star Games in eight seasons (1950, 1952-58).

Why Yankees fans hated him: One of the strangest players in baseball history, Piersall always had a big mouth and made a lot of enemies throughout life. As a Chicago White Sox announcer, he ripped White Sox players and their wives during WGN telecasts. His lasting contribution to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was fighting Billy Martin under the Fenway Park stands during a May 24, 1952 game. Piersall instigated the dispute by mocking Martin from the Red Sox dugout. In a tunnel between the Red Sox and Yankees dugouts, Martin ended it by getting in two hard punches that bloodied Piersall before Yankees coach Bill Dickey and Red Sox pitcher Ellis Kinder separated them.

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Michael Dwyer | AP

Manny Ramirez, OF

Born: May 30, 1972 (age 46)

Career stats: .312 average, 2,574 hits, 555 HR, 1,831 RBI, 2,302 games, .996 OPS, 12 All-Star Games in 19 seasons with Cleveland Indians (1993-2000), Boston Red Sox (2001-08), Los Angeles Dodgers, (2008-10) Chicago White Sox (2010) and Tampa Bay Rays (2011).

Red Sox stats: .312 average, 1,232 hits, 274 HR, 868 RBI, 1,083 games, .999 OPS, 7 All-Star Games in eight seasons (2001-08).

What Yankees fans hate him: Manny was a controversial but great Red Sox in their greatest era, and like partner in crime David Ortiz, he made his living crushing Yankees pitching. In 123 Yankees-Red Sox games, Manny hit .346 with 36 homers and 101 RBI. He also hit .330 (9-for-30) against the Yanks in the infamous 2004 ALCS in which Boston made history winning four in a row after losing the first three.

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Peter Southwick | AP

Jim Rice, LF

Born: March 8, 1953 (age 65).

Career stats: .298 average, 2,452 hits, 382 HR, 1,451 RBI, 2,089 games, .854 OPS, 8 All-Star Games in 16 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1974-89).

What he's hated: The Hall of Famer was one of the most-feared sluggers in the '70s and '80s, but he's always had a reputation of being a not-so-friendly fellow. He certainly feasted on Yankees pitching, as he was a career .330 hitter against the Bombers with 36 homers and 129 RBI in 170 games. At Yankee Stadium, he hit .336 with 22 homers and 66 RBIs in 73 career games.

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John Munson | The Star-Ledger

Dave Roberts, OF

Born: May 31, 1972 (age 46)

Career stats: .266 average, 721 hits, 23 HR, 213 RBI, 243 SB, 58 CS, 832 games, .708 OPS in 10 seasons with Cleveland Indians (1991-2001), Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-04), Boston Red Sox (2004), San Diego Padres (2005-06) and San Francisco Giants (2007-08).

Red Sox stats: .256 average, 22 hits, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 5 SB, 2 CS, 45 games, .772 OPS in one season (2004).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Roberts forever will be loved in Boston and hated by Yankees nation for being the catalyst who turned the 2004 ALCS. Who knows, maybe the Curse of the Bambino would still exist if the present-day Dodgers manager hadn't stolen second base as a Red Sox pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 4. With the Yanks up 3-games-to-none in the best-of-seven, Roberts wound up scoring the tying run on a hit by Bill Mueller and the Red Sox won in 12 innings to stay alive. From there, the Sox went on to steal the series from the Yanks, then they swept the Cardinals in the World Series for their first title since 1918.

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Winslow Townson | AP

Curt Schilling, RHP

Born: Nov. 14, 1966 (age 51)

Career stats: 216-146, 3.46 ERA, 569 games, 436 starts, 22 saves, 3,261 IP, 3,116 K, 6 All-Star Games in 20 seasons with Baltimore Orioles (1988-90), Houston Astros (1991), Philadelphia Phillies (1992-2000), Arizona Diamondbacks (2000-03) and Boston Red Sox (2004-07).

Red Sox stats: 53-29, 3.95 ERA, 119 games 98 starts, 675 IP, 574 K, 1 All-Star Game in four seasons (2004-07).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Schilling is hated more in retirement because of his mouth and opinions from his work in TV and radio, but he was known as a loud and obnoxious jerk throughout his playing career, including his time with the Red Sox when he won two World Series in four years. And raise your hand if you suspect that Schilling beat the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS wearing a white sock that was stained with ketchup, not blood due to an injured ankle. His reputation in New York probably would be a lot different if he hadn't turned down more money from the Yankees to sign a four-year contract with the Red Sox in November 2003 when he was a 37-year-old free agent, At the time, Schilling said he wanted to be in the same rotation as Pedro Martinez and help lead a club that hadn't won a World Series since 1918 to a couple of titles. And that's what he did. He won in '04 with Pedro, then won again in '07, his final season.

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YouTube

Reggie Smith, 1B/OF

Born: April 2, 1945 (age 73)

Career stats: .287, 2,020 hits, 314 HR, 1,092 RBI, 1,987 games, .855 OPS, 7 All-Star Games in 17 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1966-73), St. Louis Cardinals (1974-76), Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-81) and San Francisco Giants (1982).

Red Sox stats: .281 average, 1,064 hits, 149 HR, 536 RBI, 1,014 games, .826 OPS, 2 All-Star Games in eight seasons (1966-73).

Why Yankees fans (should) hate him: Yankees fans who have been following the team since Mickey Mantle was playing may remember Smith picking up Yankees pitcher Thad Tillotson and body-slamming him to the ground during a benches-clearing brawl in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on June 21, 1967. The fight started after Tillotson was hit by Red Sox ace Jim Lonberg as retaliation for Tillotson hitting Boston's Joe Foy in the temper earlier in the game as a payback for the third baseman belting a grand slam in Game 1 of the DH.

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Clint Frazier on DL, but was wanted man at trade deadline

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Winslow Townson | AP

Jason Varitek, C

Born: April 11, 1972 (age 46)

Career stats: .256 average, 1,307 hits, 193 HR, 757 RBI, 1,546 games, .776 OPS, 3 All-Star Games in 15 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1997-2011).

Why Yankees fans hate him: Varitek was the captain of the Red Sox's 2004 and 2007 World Series teams that Yankees fans hated, and unlike Derek Jeter, he looked like a hockey player with a 'C' on the front of his jersey. Varitek's signature moment in the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was his incident with Alex Rodriguez in the third inning of a July 24, 2004 game at Fenway Park. With the Yanks up 3-0, A-Rod got mad after being hit in the elbow by Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo. Walking slowly to first, A-Rod yelled at Arroyo, then was told by Varitek to take his base. A-Rod got madder and started jawing with Varitek, who responded with a shove to the mouth that ignited a bench-clearing brawl. Once play resumed with A-Rod and Varitek ejected, the Red Sox rallied for a wild 11-10 win that ended with Bill Muuller hitting a two-run, walk-off homer off Mariano Rivera that capped a three-run Red Sox ninth.

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Associated Press

Ted Williams, LF

Born: Aug. 30, 1918

Died: July 5, 2002 (age 83)

Career starts: .344 average, 2,654 hits, 521 HR, 1,839 RBI, 2,292 games, 1.116 OPS, 19 All-Star Games in 19 seasons with the Boston Red Sox (1939-42, 1946-60)

Why Yankees hated him: Joe DiMaggio and Williams were biggest stars of the 1940s (minus their war years) and they were big rivals, as baseball fans everywhere argued over who was the better ballplayer. People still talk about DiMaggio beating out Williams for the 1941 AL MVP. That's the season DiMaggio had his record 56-game hitting streak and Williams became the last player to hit .400. Over their careers, Williams hit 160 more homers, but their other stats are very close. They weren't close in rings. DiMaggio played in 10 World Series and won nine of them. Williams made it to one and lost.

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27 year old long time Boston Red Sox pitcher George Winter warming up for the 1905 pic.twitter.com/hQxNKbfXes — The Skimmers (@TheSkimmers) October 1, 2015

George Winter, RHP

Born: April 27, 1878

Died: May 26, 1951 (age 73)

Career stats: 83-102, 2.87 ERA, 220 games, 182 starts, 1,656 IP, 568 K in eight seasons with Boston Americans (1901-07), Boston Red Sox (1908) and Detroit Tigers (1908).

Boston stats: 82-97, 2.91 ERA, 213 games, 176 starts, 1,599.2 IP, 543 K in eight seasons (1901-08)

Why Yankees fans (should) hate him: During the first ever game that the Yankees and Red Sox franchises played in New York, their rivalry appropriately began with a fight started by Miller, who was angry over being hit by a pitch. This May 7, 1903 game was played at Hilltop Park in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan and it occurred when the Red Sox were called the Americans and the Yankees were called the Highlanders. Boston switched names in 1908, then five years later New York changed its name in 1913.

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Associated Press

Carl Yastrzemski, LF

Born: Aug. 22, 1939 (age 78)

Career stats: .285 average, 3,419 hits, 452 HR, 1,844 RBI, 3,308 games, .841 OPS, 18 All-Star Games in 23 seasons with Boston Red Sox (1961-83)

Why Yankees fans hate him: Yaz is a Hall of Famer who played more seasons and more games with the Red Sox than anyone, so he has to be on this list, right? Yaz did some damage to the Yankees, too, as he was a career .283 hitter against them with 52 homers and 163 RBI in 329 games.

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NJ Advance Media

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.