Primary reasons why people hop the Sox bandwagon

What prompts someone to pull for the Boston Red Sox? Before delving into that question, let's clarify this: There is no such thing as a Red Sox fan that isn't a fan of all Boston sports. If you are supporting one entity, then you may as well support them all, because your face is already covered in dirt. So none of this, “Well I've always loved the Sox but the Cowboys are my NFL team.” No no no, please don't try and get classy and save face.
The “B” [for Bandwagoner] hats are selling like hot cakes these days. Is it because people once felt sorry for the Red Sox because of the curse? (No need for caps on “curse”, it doesn't warrant it). Is it because they feel the pain of Boston always being inferior to New York, whether it's the Yankees or the city itself being far more prestigious than anything Boston ever will? Maybe it's just a fad, and people tend to love fads. The point is, there is no acceptable answer.
That said, here is a closer look at some of those sad-sack excuses people come up with in regards to their undying support of the Red Sox:

The “curse”. Can't hear that one enough, can you? 86 years when they couldn't win a World Series. The ball through Bill Buckner's legs in the '86 series? Bucky “F***ing” Dent? Who knows? Who cares? There is a false sense of “lovable loser-ness” here that doesn't belong (much more suited to the Chicago Cubs). That always wins over some slimy hearts.
The underdog mentality garnered from being slapped around by the Yankees for years on end. Again, underdog is going overboard. Title or not, the Red Sox always had money to spend and seasons to remember. No one likes the Yankees; I can't stand them. But they are the standard of excellence in baseball, with 26 World Series titles to boast and countless daggers into the hearts of Boston fans (no complaints from me about the latter).
The fad. The hats are pretty basic. But then again, cigarettes are pretty nasty. And yet people smoke to look cool, or because it's a habit they can't kick. The Red Sox gain so much media attention thanks to their personal sports network, ESPN. Media attention is the primary reason for the grisly fad that doesn't figure to fade anytime soon.
“Red Sox Nation”. Another media creation. I don't pay much attention to Raider Nation, as entertaining as Black Hole in Oakland is. But any time a group of sports fans utilize this label, it diminishes their credibility greatly. Especially when the title was crowned by a television station, and not even the fans themselves.
Hatred of the Yankees. Might seem repetitive. I can't stand the Yankees, but I would stand behind them under an attack of whining Red Sox fans who are envious of the prestige and glamor of New York. The Giants are Super Bowl champions, and the Jets are on their way. The Mets and Rangers are always competitive. And New York, simply put, is the city that never sleeps. And for good reason. It is one of the best places to be in the world, with everything in every facet of life and culture to offer. Many hypocritical Bostonians end up moving there, like people from all over the globe. When it comes to sports, like it or not, New York is the cream of the crop. And the dislike for the Yankees (and this is what really gets my goat) automatically steers people to pull for the Red Sox, as if it's “If you're not cheering for one, it's the other.” This small-mindedness can again be largely attributed to the overdose the media provides of these two organizations.
You need to feel good about yourself. Sometimes sports act as an escape for us. We wrap ourselves up in our teams. If they win, we win. If they lose, we get down as if we lost. Like the countless Lakers and Cowboys supporters, it's always a safer bet to back a team that constantly wins. Therefore we (well, not me, speak for yourselves of course) are more likely to be satisfied. With that little psychoanalysis comes the striking reality that this is the poorest excuse yet. You really can't hold an intelligent sports conversation with someone like that because it is hard to really take them seriously as a sports fan.