I can hear the groans already - Baseball is NOT America's Pastime. The NFL sells out on a weekly basis, TV ratings are through the roof, the Super Bowl is a national holiday, the NCAA Tournament is the most exciting three weeks in sports, blah blah blah blah blah.
All of that is true. But none of it holds a candle to baseball. Major League Baseball has done so much more for so many more people for so much longer than any other sport. Period. Do father's raise their sons running post patterns and working on the "Three Technique" in the backyard? No, they play catch. At the beginning of an NFL season, does every team feel like they have a chance to win? No - but in baseball, even the Royals and Pirates can feel excited during spring training, because you NEVER know what will happen.
As we sit here on March 27th, the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's are preparing to open the 2012 season in Japan. I don't care that the Mariners lost 95 games last year, or 101 the year before - ok, that's a lie, I do care, tremendously - but it has no bearing on THIS season, at least not yet. Before a pitch is thrown, any and all fans can dream of October baseball, and heart stopping theatrics from teams that nobody thought would even make the playoffs in August - right St. Louis fans?
It's very true that your team might be completely out of the race by mid May, and it's very true that they might deal away your star players for prospects by June. But for now, think about this. The next six months hold immense potential - for a dream season, for heart stopping heroics, for legends to be born. If that's not what you're into, then imagine it's a 75 degree Seattle night, with the sun setting over the Olympic Mountains.
From the Beer Garden in center field, you and your three best friends sit and sip on your $9 Coors Light's. There's no conversation - just a calm between you as you take in the game you grew up watching. You remember going to the Kingdome with your dad or grandpa or older brother to watch the "legends" of the past, like Rey Quinones or Pete O'Brien or Scott Bankhead. Or, you know, those other guys .
So, no disrespect to NFL Opening Weekend, or The NCAA Tournament, but nothing beats baseball. Nothing.
All of that is true. But none of it holds a candle to baseball. Major League Baseball has done so much more for so many more people for so much longer than any other sport. Period. Do father's raise their sons running post patterns and working on the "Three Technique" in the backyard? No, they play catch. At the beginning of an NFL season, does every team feel like they have a chance to win? No - but in baseball, even the Royals and Pirates can feel excited during spring training, because you NEVER know what will happen.
As we sit here on March 27th, the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's are preparing to open the 2012 season in Japan. I don't care that the Mariners lost 95 games last year, or 101 the year before - ok, that's a lie, I do care, tremendously - but it has no bearing on THIS season, at least not yet. Before a pitch is thrown, any and all fans can dream of October baseball, and heart stopping theatrics from teams that nobody thought would even make the playoffs in August - right St. Louis fans?
It's very true that your team might be completely out of the race by mid May, and it's very true that they might deal away your star players for prospects by June. But for now, think about this. The next six months hold immense potential - for a dream season, for heart stopping heroics, for legends to be born. If that's not what you're into, then imagine it's a 75 degree Seattle night, with the sun setting over the Olympic Mountains.
From the Beer Garden in center field, you and your three best friends sit and sip on your $9 Coors Light's. There's no conversation - just a calm between you as you take in the game you grew up watching. You remember going to the Kingdome with your dad or grandpa or older brother to watch the "legends" of the past, like Rey Quinones or Pete O'Brien or Scott Bankhead. Or, you know, those other guys .
So, no disrespect to NFL Opening Weekend, or The NCAA Tournament, but nothing beats baseball. Nothing.
No comments:
Post a Comment