Tuesday, April 04, 2006
A New Beginning....
Baseball was a bigger deal to me when I was younger. Like many Americans, the baseball strike was the final straw for me, and "America's Pastime" has become nothing more than a Sportscenter highlight. In 1981, I could of told you the starting rotation for the Kansas City Royals, the leadoff hitter for the Indians, and the 4th outfielder for the Mariners. Today, I'm not sure if I can give you a name of one Royal, Indian or an Mariner. But there is one part of baseball that has stuck with me for the 32 years that I have been on Earth, and that is "Opening Day". Everyone from a Devil Ray fan to a Yankee fan has the same hopes and aspirations on opening day. For me it cleanses the soul and signifies a new beginning. You forget you're watching overpriced, physically and mentally inflated, petulant children and hone in on the one pure element those assholes can never take away from the game. Balls and Strikes. Sac Flies and Double Plays. Infield Hits and Doubles hit down the left field line. Sliding into home or making a diving catch. You are more aware of the game itself, and less aware of the controversial whirlwind. I took the day off yesterday and pretended I was that 8 year old kid in 1981 that knew the game inside and out. I watched four full games yesterday, and I'm not sure if I'll watch 4 full games the rest of the year. But I woke up this morning with a sense of purpose and hope. Getting a sense of a "New Beginning" will have that effect. Maybe baseball can persevere and become that game I knew and loved.
Tidbits
- As you probably have gathered, I don't read too many blogs. I have a short attention span, and unless something grabs me immediately, I usually click and move on. However, I started reading this blog called Redpill's Poker Journey". It's the funniest god damn thing I ever read. If the author is actually making up these things about his life, than it is pure genius. If he isn't, than it is pathetic and sad. The comments that people leave for this guy are sometimes funnier than the posts. You have to check this out.
- The Tennessee Titans have to be the losers of the month for their unwarranted treatment of Steve McNair this week. After ten years of service and playing through every injury known to man, they sent him home from their offseason conditioning program until he reworks his contract. You always hear players say, when asked about contract negotiations, that it's not personal and always business. It has to be personal in a case like this. This is a guy that has been a productive player, a good teammate, and a model citizen. The Titans should be ashamed of themselves.
- The Sixers will finish the season 5 to 8 games under five hundred, and go into next season owing Iverson 17 million, Webber 20 million, Dalembert 10 million, Greg Buckner 6 million (hasn't played here in almost 3 years), Mashburn 10 million and Todd McCullough about 6 or 7 million ( although insurance covers the pay of both Mash and McCullough because of retirement, there is still a percentage against the cap). If the Sixers G.M. Billy King still has a job next year with this team, than he must have pictures of Sixers president Ed Snider eating a carrot out of a midget's ass (sorry, I meant to say "little people") It's not like Ed Snider is new to the sports scene, he owned the Flyers from the late 60's up until about 10 years ago. I'm not sure why he feels loyal to this guy, but the longer he waits, the worse this team is going to get.
- Oh No!!! Barry Bonds is going to pass the Babe!! Oh No!! He's only 45 homers from catching Aaron. It's a catastrophe!! What are we going to do???? You know what you'll do? Nothing. Zilch. Zip. Why in the hell do people care about these records anyway. Anyone who loses sleep over this has bigger problems in life. I don't care if he's a fucking prick. I don't care if he took Testosterone, Methadone, Vicodin, Horse Tranquilizers, Beaver Tranquilizers, Rhino Sperm, or any bodily fluid that discharges from Rosie O'Donnell. You want to know about the Barry Bonds stat I care about? How many championships has Barry won?........answer......0!!! To me, the media is making a big deal out of a stats stuffer with a piss poor attitude that has no regard for his teammates, his organization, his league, and most importantly his fans. Breaking that record takes nothing away from the accomplishments of Ruth or Aaron because they will always have 1 milestone Barry will never get to, that is a world championship. Wait a minute, he got close once right? Well, you can put that under his plaque in Cooperstown.
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