Normally at this time, Greg and I would probably be taking a walk around the neighborhood. Currently it is 20 degrees outside and feels like 9 degrees. Summer seems a far time off, let alone spring. But I'm excited. I know it's not long now until one of the best times of the year - spring training.Greg and I differ about this. Every year I start counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report (this Thursday!), but he doesn't care. Tell me when it's October, he says, that's when the real season starts. Statements like that make me wonder if he has become what he has always disliked, an apologist for the front-runner team that is despised by many. [I might be more excited if I could see or hear my team beyond a crackly Connecticut radio station. October's the only time I can see the Sox regularly.]
I'm the opposite. I can't wait for the first televised game (March 1 against the Yankees). I love the games on the radio when it gets to the late innings and Harry Kalas has no clue who's batting (well, all I can tell you is that his name is Smith, he wears No. 79 and he's a righty). I read everything I can about what's happening in Florida, wishing I could be there. Maybe I'll be able to convince Greg someday that we need to take a trip to Clearwater and Fort Myers.
When spring training begins, it means the long, cold winter is almost over. The days start getting a little longer, and it usually starts to warm a little bit. And even though I'm typically a sarcastic realist, I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to the Phillies. At times it may not seem that way, but every single year, I have no doubt that the Phillies will be in the playoffs come the fall. Last year it happened for the first time in a very long time. There is no reason why it shouldn't happen again this year.
I have never been so excited for a season to get under way. For the first time, we have a season ticket plan. We'll be spending beautiful Sunday afternoons and warm summer evenings at the ballpark. Opening Day is still seven weeks away, but with camp beginning this week, the days will start to feel a little less cold.
6 comments:
Excellent post.
I'm the same way with the Phillies. And last year is enough to convince me to never give up until we're officially eliminated.
So, from reading the blog, I've come to one conclusion: There's scant difference between the Yankees and the Red Sox--and their fans--though Greg may like to think there is.
I agree. I don't see a difference anymore. I know Greg will chime in here, but his arguments do not hold water.
The Yankees spend more money than us, the Yankees expect to win every year but the Red Sox don't, Red Sox fans aren't as bad as Yankees fans, it's all the fault of Red Sox Nation and the pink hat crowd, eveyone else is jealous.
I've heard them all, but I'm not convinced. Just accept it and admit it.
I am not a typical Sox fan. Being so geographically removed from Boston, it's hard to tell whether old-school fans have been overtaken by the obnoxious new breed.
But there are distinctions, generally speaking, between the Empire and Sox fans.
1) Sox fans want to win every year but don't think they're the only deserving team. Empire fans think they're the only ones who deserve a winner and see nothing inherently wrong with only about a quarter of the sport's championships.
2) Money is a misnomer. Payroll will be under $140 million this year. Less than the Mets and less than the Yankees' $200 million. Payroll peaked last year and expect more downturns as the new blood takes over the team.
3) If you want to turn this into Phillies fans for Sox fans already, I can point out how no one paid the Phillies any attention whatsoever until they swept the Mets. (I know you two are die hards, but that represents the exception.)
Oh well, back to reading about Dice and Buchholz.
OK, so maybe you're not a typical fan. But my original point still stands - nothing but excuses and denials.
And fine, if you want to make this about the fans. Where were the Red Sox fans in 1998, 2000 and 2001 when we had no problems buying seats at Fenway despite the small capacity? Who has the rudest bandwagon fans in baseball who disrespectfully infiltrate other ballparks in every city, proudly waving their membership cards to Red Sox Nation?
Who has played a huge part in turning the Red Sox into the Yankees? The fans. Deal with it.
On second thought, Red Sox fans aren't worth writing about anymore. Right now we should be reading fluff about Brad Lidge and how Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick and J.D. Durbin are already working out. That's spring training.
A few more points (and I didn't want to get into this because it's such a fine point to argue and because I'm not that type):
1. If you're not a typical fan, then the opposite is true, right? That is, most Sox fans are now same as Yankees fans insofar as thinking they're the only deserving fans and teams. Perhaps this is just only a counterbalance to the Yankee view, but the point stands--scant difference between Sox/Yankees and their fans to fans of other teams.
2. Money is NOT a misnomer. Ok, maybe they spend differently than do the Yankees, and not quite so much, but bottom line is that they'll throw money out there to field a winner and always be in on the big names--even if only as a counterbalance again. Maybe it's Evil Empire vs. U.S., part II, but how do you think the Russians viewed us? Probably as an evil empire, I'd posit. (And don't look now, but both empires are skewing younger, so I'm sure the prices'll be inflated soon enough!)
I'm not sure how to respond to point three.
Ultimately, and I've discussed this with colleagues, the Phillies and their fans are now the Red Sox and their "Nation", but we don't get the ink. We've had a far sorrier history of losing, but perhaps we don't have the eloquent writers to go out and wax poetic on our plight and make it some quaint piece of Americana.
It takes character to be a Phillies fan; it's easy to be a fan of the Sox or Yankees. Also perhaps tainting my view is that I CANNOT like any other team; maybe I'm not a good baseball fan for that.
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