Comments on: Thoughts on Opening Day

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:25:30 +0000

Is OG hitting you up for wine advice? I’ll be happy to trade my CA insight for yours on AUS and NZ. My AUS faves are Barossa valley reds, particularly Two Hands and Yangarra.

By: Richard In Big D

Richard In Big D — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:43:46 +0000

Tommorw (a result of a poorly fleshed out good scheduling idea), my son and I will be heading out to our temple in Arlington, as we have done together for each of the last 13 Opening Days. This will be his 14th consecutive trip to Baseball Mecca, my 36th. It will also be our next to last together. He is a junior in high school, and after next year, he will be off playing baseball for an entity outside the DFW Metroplex for the first time. As happy as was our first time to share this magical day together, our last will be equally sad. At least for me. But for this year, for the first time in the life of the perennially hapless Rangers, I will be sitting beside my son, in seats that, when last occupied, held fans witnessing a World Series game. It didn’t turn out the way we would have liked, but it happened, right here, to our beloved Rangers. It gives us hope that it COULD actually happen again someday. Remember that Cliff Lee wasn’t on the roster on Opening Day last year, either. We will get there at noon, for a game that starts at 3, so that we don’t miss a second of the pregame atmosphere: the throngs of media on the field during BP and warmups; the retrospective video of last season (artistically compiled by the greatness of Chuck Morgan) playing on the video board; the playing of the National Anthem accompanied by a full compliment of military/police/fire personnel; the flyover of some awesome military aircraft (which somehow makes us feel safer); the introduction of everybody in the Rangers organization from batboy to trainer to coaches to bench players to the starting 10 for the day, and finally to the manager; the throwing of the first pitch; then the game. Once the game starts, my son and I will ceremoniously eat our first hot dogs of the new season, open our first bag of peanuts, and he will have a Sprite, and me a Shiner Bock. Around the end of the second inning, we will leave the ballpark, and head back to his school. He is pitching against his school’s district rival, with whom they are tied for first place in the district. We’ll listen to the game on the radio on the way to school, with the words of Eric Nadel painting almost as vivid a picture as we have just witnessed. The outcome is important, because a good start is important. Today is more about the ritual. The beginning of a new chance to go all the way to the top. We almost made it last year. Wait till next year. Oh, wait, it IS next year! Stay tuned…

By: remwi

remwi — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:59:12 +0000

As they should Mary if MLB respected tradition. From 1897 until 1989 the Reds (the first recognized major league baseball team) ALWAYS had the opening day game. They would normally open the day before all other teams, in recognition of their history and baseball tradition. This tradition ended with the 1990 season (although in that year the Cincinnati City Council changed the clocks by an hour so the game actually still was the “opening day” that year.

Go REDS!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:41:49 +0000

So…you’re picturing Craig nekkid from the waist down…? IMAGES!!!!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!!

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:01:37 +0000

Just for you, Jamie in Passaic, the Bomber DJ gives requests.

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:55:29 +0000

Order is restored. Thanks Craig, Good Luck to you and your Braves!

By: umrguy42

umrguy42 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:54:18 +0000

Ha! Thank God for Time Warner, just set up my DVR remotely (had to create the account first, and call in for my info )

By: phantomspaceman

phantomspaceman — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:50:40 +0000

Said perfectly.

By: jamie54

jamie54 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:38:49 +0000

LETS……GET IT ON!!!!!!!!

By: umrguy42

umrguy42 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:35:26 +0000

I get the whole “it’s a marathon” thing, Craig, but I like a little spectacle. I love to see the Budweiser Clydesdales going around Busch Stadium (I’m kicking myself for not setting the DVR for this afternoon, gah), and the pageantry, and having Stan the Man, Gibby, Ozzie, and the others all there.

TOMORROW we settle in for the marathon

By: redsfanmaryd

redsfanmaryd — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:23:45 +0000

Meant to say 2010 NL Central division champs. Maybe a Freudian slip : )

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:23:28 +0000

Ah, the curse of the horsemeat-and-Velveeta is already sinking in. We’ll see you guys in October when we have Liriano and King Felix.

By: redsfanmaryd

redsfanmaryd — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:22:10 +0000

…and this one belongs to the 2011 National League Central division champion Cincinnati Reds. Waited so long to hear Marty B say that. Welcome back to blue skies, green grass ( soon as the snow melts ) and over-priced hot dogs, baseball fans…… PLAY BALL !!

Well written, Craig.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Damn you Len! Without even clicking your link, that song has been playing in my head for 10 minutes straight. I think I’m doomed for the day….

By: holliswatson

holliswatson — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:08:40 +0000

Fantastic post, Craig. And an “Idiot Wind” reference, to boot. Well done.

By: bklynbaseball

bklynbaseball — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:54:54 +0000

Everybody raise your hands in the air, and let’s hear it nice and loud……..

AMEN!!!!!

By: sportsdrenched

sportsdrenched — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:48:05 +0000

I can relate. I live in Wichita. And the Shockers are in the NIT Final tonight. Woo freakin’ hoo.

Thank God for the internet.

By: sportsdrenched

sportsdrenched — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:46:28 +0000

I get annoyed with the “event attenders” on Opening Day. But I also enjoy the attention baseball gets on Opening Day.

It’s a day to celebrate the return of the game….even if it is a marathon. I have stuff I have to attend to today. But I have two games set to DVR. And on Saturday the crew and I will be Observing (partying) Opening Day like we do every year.

By: guileless22

guileless22 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:42:05 +0000

I would have happily taken some baseball dilettantism in my morning paper. The Memphis paper still devoted 90% of its sports section to basketball. One little AP story about the Cardinals was at the very bottom of the front page of the sports section.

By: kiwicricket

kiwicricket — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:02:50 +0000

Thanks Gator, I will keep that in the back of my mind. Ps….Only buy 2011 from Western Australia. Margaret River has some interesting Chard and Sav Blanc this year. (I think last time we made contact I was in the Rhone?) The rest of AUS is a disaster. Avoid. (Quite a bit of rain in NZ also)

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:02:13 +0000

Great invocation Craig.
Just to prove I’m not entirely un-sentimental

http://www.johnfogerty.com/

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:57:20 +0000

well said craig!

By: frankvzappa

frankvzappa — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:43:14 +0000

Cheers.

By: bradlidgesmole

bradlidgesmole — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:34:22 +0000

It’s because we realize that it’s a marathon, not a sprint that opening day has all it’s pomp and circumstance.

Much like the start of a competetive marathon will have AC/DC’s thunderstrtuck playing as the racers line up at the start waiting for the gun to go off, we have f-16′s. The middle 10 miles has the fewest fans, fewest bands along the course, so it goes.

The beginning is something to be celebrated, I love every part of it and embrace the hyperbole. Bring it.

By: megary

megary — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:21:06 +0000

“And to be clear, we will enjoy it, because baseball-as-overwrought spectacle still beats just about anything else there is in the world.”

Amen, brother.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:21:02 +0000

Damned right. Let’s play ball.

But for today, it was fun to watch Craig fill the ecological niche left empty by the untimely departure of Mike Celizic, whose classic opening day columns ought to be collected in a single volume. Just thought I’d invoke his memory today, because somehow, opening day just doesn’t seem like the same without him. Rest easy, Mike; looks like the yearly inaugural is in good hands.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:15:57 +0000

A female who has to try to ruin your life hardly qualifies as a female. My first wife could do i effortlessly.

By: bcopus

bcopus — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:05:49 +0000

Waxing poetic today. At 4:30 AM even. As long as you didn’t get the Glenn Beck tears it’s all good.

By: RedHeadedBastard

RedHeadedBastard — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:31 +0000

Hell Yeah! Its about time Opening Day arrived! Play Ball!

By: thelucasjj

thelucasjj — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:39:45 +0000

I am going to picture you wearing blue and white face paint while riding a horse as you say this. Although I will leave out the skirt (kilt).