It might have made you gag, but you should have said your AL team was the Red Sox and said how everyone back home praised the Cards fans in 2004 for being so friendly and respectful after Game 4.
My favorite shtick with Orioles fans is to say that I like the Red Sox because of the underdog angle/story. I wish I could document facial reactions to that one.
I don't hate the Sox, I vacationed in Cape Cod every summer as a kid, did Cape League baseball camps and watched the Red Sox a lot. Honestly I'm not sure how I didn't end up a Red Sox fan, my brother was until we got the Nats here.
I followed players more than teams and just liked baseball in general.