This weekend I plan to be watching as the Astros take on the White Sox. I've read the articles and seen the sports segments. I really want the Astros to win, not by the skin of their teeth, but to dominate in this series. I don't want anyone to say that St. Louis was "sandbaggin" when they played the 'stros. More importantly, I want to see guys like Biggio, Clemens and yes, Bagwell come up big against the Sox.
I've watched each of those guys play since they came to the majors umpteen years ago. I was watching on ESPN the night Roger and his Longhorns won the college world Series in 1983, long before I'd ever heard of the other two guys. I want them to win so they can be complete as ballplayers. As good as they've been for so long, they deserve the shot. I'm sentimental about that.
I understand that the Chicago White Sox is arguably the most disparaged MLB team in existence, but I have no sympathy for them or their fans. It's hard to be sympathetic for a team that comes from the same place that Al Capone once called home. If they're under a curse, it's because they sold themselves out in 1919. Whether Shoeless Joe was guilty or not isn't my concern. There's enough problems in sports without having to wonder if one side or other is throwing a game.
When the Red Sox won last year, their "nation" was pleased and I was sentimental along with them. They hadn't been to the big show since 1918. If they were a cursed team, it was simply because they were in the same time zone and division as the damn Yankees. Unfortunately, some things are beyond anyone's control. They finally had the team and the breaks they needed to beat their nemesis. I was sentimental and glad they won. I also wanted them to destroy St. Louis. But, I wouldn't have been sentimental at all if they were playing my Astros.
I'm proud to say I'm not sentimental at all this year. This one belongs to the Astros.
2 comments:
hey joel
i have only one tiny thing to point out on your post. the red sox had indeed been to the world series a few times since 1918. i believe the years were 1948, 1975 and 1986. they just couldn't pull it off.
good thing the series now switches to houston. go 'stros!
Should'a said "won" instead of "haven't been there." I knew better. For one, I was watching when the ball rolled through Buckner's legs in '86.
IMO, I think the Boston fans are generally nicer people than those from Chicago. They're definitely less obnoxious. Another reason I want Houston to win is so that I don't have to listen to the entire city of Chicago bragging about how "they" won the series for the next year.
Call it a matter of semantics, but if the Sox win, the team is who won, not the entire city.
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