Take the Rockies for example. Last year, I started rooting for the Rockies because I went to Coors Field with my wife in April. I also have a (very very light... as in fraternity parties light... as in I don't really know him I'm just trying to drop a name light) personal acquaintance with Matt Holliday. So last year I used the Rockies as my healing salve, but it had nothing to do with them winning virtually every game from September 1 to the end of the year. It had nothing to do with them making it to The Series against all odds. It had nothing to do with any of that. There are two reasons (one big, and one VERY big) that I try to pick a team that will have my support from April to October.
Reason the 1st (the big one): It is easy as a fan of baseball to get caught up in "your" team every year and forget about the other 29 teams. The problem here is October. If for some reason "your" team doesn't make it, you could care less about the playoffs or the Fall Classic. That is just not right. It isn't fair to your fanhood.
Embracing secondary teams every year will eventually lead to a fuller, more appreciative knowledge of the sport as a whole. Will you really give a shit if this year's Classic is Diamondbacks vs. White Sox? Neither will I, because I know virtually nothing about those two teams. Hence the need for a fuller, more appreciative knowledge of the sport as a whole.
Reason the 2nd (the VERY big one): Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum... err... Dumb and Dumber... err... Aids and Cancer... err... Cashman and Steinbrenner.
Now I'm one of the most pure family based Yankees fans around, but those two names give me agita every time I hear them. There has been no end to my frustration of their moves since about 1999. How much money have they wasted? Names like Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Randy Johnson, and more recently Roger Clemens (pro-rated $28 million for 6 wins) make me want to shoot someone. What happened to Paulie and Tino, Brocious and Bernie?
These two mezzofinooks have destroyed a very proud franchise for almost a decade by signing over the hill, ex all-stars and overpaying them to be past their prime. There have been four guys you can depend on. Jeter, Rivera, Posada, and Torre (whom they fired at the end of last season). It has gotten so bad that I am dreading the prospects of them actually signing Bonds.
And by the way, I can't believe I'm getting ready to say this, but I wish George was still healthy. Hank Steinbrenner is a son of a bitch... not to mention a little oobatz.
I will say this though...
Not too long ago, I realized that my eyes were blinded by the veil that was the firing of Joe Torre. Once I stopped seeing red, I noticed that the front office was actually starting to give me what I have wanted for so long: youth. Joba, Hughes, Kennedy, and Cano... not to mention the new Skip, Joe Girardi. These guys have given me a boost of belief that Dildo and Fuckface are actually planning for the future.
But I digress. Back to Reason the 2nd (the very big one). I gotta have a distraction from the frustrations of being a fan of the Yankees.
So I ask. Who will it be? What team will be my distraction, my salvation? And I answer:
Thats right! The San Francisco Giants will be the other white meat this year. "But why?" you ask. "Why that team Ab? Surely you would root for the Dodgers since Torre went there."
You are right for raising such queries. I have even asked myself the same questions. Though I do not feel the need to justify my selection, I will boil it down to 1 word: respect. Read this article and then come back.
Pretty impressive right? That team is so ready to move on from the Bonds freakshow that they are scrubbing the walls and revamping the whole thing. Did you see that part about a plaque to commemorate his accomplishment? I once received one of those for "employee of the week" at Tony Roma's. Any team that is willing to remove itself from its only means of popularity in order to start fresh and rebuild gets my interest. There is a lot of hope there, and I intend to follow it.
5 comments:
Did my Cardinals even get a damn look! Did you even consider the fact that we are also in the middle of a rebuilding process. I mean, with all but one of the heroes of yesteryear traded or on the indefinite DL for rheumatoid arthritis, we are poised to make some huge percentage moves. Now granted 5% to 10% is only 5 percentage points, but that is a 100% gain! After the Cardinals decided to part ways with Walt Jockety, even though no one has oopsed into a Series win with fewer wins, we were poised at the end of last season to do some great things with the potential cap freedom of getting rid of some overly paid dead-weight. Now that's what I call "in position to rebuild".... oh, but wait, we did dick with that. Our top two pitchers are out... rumor has it that Pujols will sit out at least part of the year with ongoing injuries, and our ace is a 2 year starter who is showing promise at best.... shit, dude, count me in, GO GIANTS!
But seriously, couldn't agree more with the sentiment, I'm leaning toward the A's or the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Not quite sure yet. I did happen to notice that we are both looking at teams that are in opposite leagues as our favorites. Can't have too many games against the team of origin, huh? Yeah, me too.
Not to mention, the Giant's stadium is amazing. If you get a chance, you should try to catch a game there. It will make you a fan.
I hate Bonds with a passion, but he hit two out in the game I was at, and you couldn't help but get caught up in it. That being said, he was always a reason to not fully embrace the team. Now that he is gone, I will stick by you in support of the Giants.
cry me a river if i remember right there are 26 world series wins and a trip to the post season 7 out of the last 15 years, hears a quarter. try to be a real fan try loosing every year for 25 years and the only thing to holed on to is an almost in 95. you want to talk pathetic try going to a home game and the best thing that the fans can put on a sign is "we love ichi". we have the 3rd highest pay roll, but every one of our stars that we watch come up and blow the doors off goes and wins a world series some were ells.
you don't win for a few years and you say you hate your manigment new york fans kill me, clime into my night mare the water is worm
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