Know more, Mr. Nice Guy
Vision of Happiness
Earlier this week I got the disheartening news that a close friend, who I had met last summer while interning at Petco Park for the San Diego Padres, had passed away. Her name was Miriam and she was one of the sweetest elderly women that I had ever met. Thinking back to those couple of months I got to spend down there, I was lucky enough to get the pleasure of experiencing one of the most amazing days of her life…
For years, “Miriam of Chula Vista” lived for her San Diego Padres, having only missed two of their radio broadcasts in the teams 42 year history. In her tiny apartment in Chula Vista, score books and audiotapes of Padres games were stacked floor to ceiling, so many that she had only half of her single bed to sleep in.
Yet she had never attended a Padres game.
This weekend the Boston Red Sox held their annual Disability Awareness day. The folks at Fenway did a lot of great things for kids with challenges throughout the day, but it’s what they did before the game that had me absolutely speechless. An autistic man sang the national anthem in front of thousands of fans and when he got a little nervous, the Fenway faithful helped him out.
Tonight may have been the only time in my life I’ve ever wished to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan. During this evenings game in Philadelphia against the New York Mets, fans suddenly started to embrace a chant that echoed throughout Citizens Bank Park shouting “USA USA USA!” after the crowd was informed of the death of Osama Bin Laden.
I say as a fan of the cross town Pittsburgh Pirates, a fan of baseball, and a fan of the United States - thank you to the fans of Philadelphia. This is just truly awesome and I would have expected nothing less. America has shown us once again that we are prideful, determined and stronger than ever.
God bless the fans of Philly. God bless all the people affected by the horrible tragedy of 9/11. God bless the USA!
It’s Not Easy Being Santa
It’s that time of year again, when our thoughts turn to the plus-sized lovable elf with the rudy red cheeks, the white hair and the belly of jelly, the one who never needs an airplane. John Madden. No, actually Im talking about Santa Claus. This holiday season the morals of a lot of athletes are lower than fish droppings. The other day I heard an announcer say, “What must kids think of the way we are behaving?” But you really can’t ask a kid that because when a kid is asked a question by an adult, the only thing the kid really thinks is, Why is this man so hairy?
Perfect Timing
There is really nothing on earth that I would rather do than watch a baseball game. Nothing. Whether it’s sitting at the ball park soaking up the sun or just sitting in my room with a mouthful of seeds, watching a baseball game is a daily routine for me. It’s the best three hours of my day.
Or, better to say, best three and a half or four hours of my day. But for some reason everyone wants to shrink baseball games.
Nothing But Nets
I’ve never really asked for a lot in my lifetime but now, Im begging.
We need nets. Not hoop nets, soccer nets or lacrosse nets. Not New Jersey Nets or clarinets. Mosquito nets.
See, nearly 3,000 kids die every day in Africa from malaria and according to the World Health Organization, transmission of the disease would be reduced by 60% with the use of mosquito nets and prompt treatment for the infected.
Three thousand kids! Thats like having 9/11 every day.
Let me draw a mental picture for you: Let’s say your little brother or sister has a big youth soccer tournament coming up this weekend. There are 15 kids on the team, 10 teams in the tourney and 20 tournaments going on all over town. Suddenly, every one of these kids gets chills and fever, then starts throwing up and gets short of breath. The next week, they’re all dead of malaria.
World Cup Heating Up.. Literally.
Is there anything more exciting than the World Cup? The lush green grass? The thousands of screaming fans? The burning of an opposing countries flag?
Now thats crossing the line.
On Thursday of last week, a mob of despondent supporters of the Liverpool Reds, one of the most successful teams in the English Premier League, burned U.S. flags in protest of American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillet Jr.
One Fishy Situation
People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals or commonly known as PETA, has what looks to be a new billboard just outside of town claiming that fishing is cruel. It shows a labrador retriever with a hook in its bloody lip and reads “If you wouldn’t do it to a dog, then why do it to a fish?”
I agree, fishing is cruel. Sitting in a boat for hours, catching nothing but a sunburn and discovering what the true definition of boredom really is. Unfortunately, this is not what PETA is talking about. What they are saying is fishing is cruel to the fish. Seriously?
Im not going to harm my dog because it’s practically my best friend. I wailed for whales, fumed over fur, and emotionally clubbed myself over baby seals but i’ll be damned if I’m going to weep over a walleye.
Opting out of the fan data plan
I spend at least a quarter of my day reading about baseball, listening about baseball or thinking about baseball. (I’m probably being conservative in that estimate.) I absorb everything from all sources: scouts, managers, players, reporters, bloggers, very loud people on the radio and television. I am surrounded by baseball. Ill put my baseball knowledge up against anybody not named Tony La Russa, Peter Gammons or Bud Selig.
And I’ve decided I know too much. Learning as much about baseball as I have is making me enjoy it less.
