I’m a little conflicted to be honest with you. I spent today downtown watching the dozens of Orioles fans who blew off the NFL Ticket to spend one last day “at The Yard” before they close up shop for another winter. And I do mean “close up.” My guess is that we won’t hear a peep outta The Warehouse for weeks. That could be MANY weeks.
Like November at the earliest…
I think they want us all to forget that they played this season and that it didn’t end back around Memorial Day.
From now until then – and I’m guessing the next formal gathering will be the one when they don’t sign Mark Teixiera — the few of us who actually remember real Orioles baseball and are ashamed of what this sham has become over the past 11 years will watch something that is a faded memory: the MLB postseason.
Remember rushing around and setting your schedule to watch baseball in October? Crisp fall afternoon doubleheaders, with one game at 3 in the shadows and the other waiting after dinner. From Yankee Stadium to Chavez Ravine, from Royals Stadium to Riverfront Stadium.
And sometimes, once in a while, we got a taste of that on 33rd Street.
I do remember.
8I want that back and this is the time of the year when I get the MOST pissed.
This is when I really feel cheated outta the juice of being a fan: a chance to win! At least as I board the purple bus in a few hours to go to Pittsburgh with 52 other crazy Ravens maniacs, I know the Ravens have a chance. And in the NFL, that’s a REAL chance. Hell, they might even win and Joe Flacco might throw three touchdowns! What a bus ride that’ll be if the Ravens win on Monday Night!
But back to the other birds…I digress.
The Brewers made the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Do you remember 1982?
I do.
I remember the “lost weekend” and the final Sunday, and Palmer vs. Sutton and Weaver’s (almost) last ride and the feeling and outpouring of community that now sadly doesn’t exist for the Baltimore Orioles.
I’m sure Harvey’s Wallbangers are a distant memory for many, but I have a feeling ESPN and TBS will be buzzing all week with images of Pete Vuckovich, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Ben Oglivie. And Harvey Kuenn, of course. And there will be images of that day at Memorial Stadium, and fuzzy 1980’s porn-style video of County Stadium and skinny, pre-roid guys running around the bases in pinstripes.
8Surely, Gorman Thomas and Rollie Fingers and Don Money will be involved.
But I don’t need to “look it up.” I know what happened. I lived it.
I really love baseball and have loved it all of my life.
And I’ve honestly disliked the Brewers for much of my adulthood just based on that autumn weekend in 1982 when they broke my 13-year old heart.
So as I turn 40 years old in two weeks, it’s amazing that it’s been THIS long since the Brewers have had a taste of what Bernie Brewer ultimately slid into: the deep suds.
So, tonight, I salute the city of Milwaukee!
To the Fonz and Laverne and Shirley and everyone at the Shotz brewery and the Pizza Bowl…
8To Mr. C and the whole gang at Arnold’s…
To former Brewers P.R. man Jon Greenberg, who was always a super guy…
To the best downtown summer festival in the world, Summerfest…
To the fun I’ve had at Miller Park and at the old County Stadium…
And to the memories of my childhood and rooting FOR Sixto Lezcano prior to 1982, I salute the Brewers, their fans, the city of Milwaukee and anyone who thinks the blue and gold “mb glove” logo is now “cool” after hating after that fateful 14th year of my life.
God bless ya, Milwaukee!
Go get drunk on anything brewed in the state of Wisconsin. And chase it down with some cheese curds!
8You’re in the playoffs!
Welcome to October. As Colorado and many other have proven, YOU HAVE A CHANCE!
One day we hope to feel that feeling you’re feeling tonight.
But I’m not holding out hope anymore.
I don’t know if there’s a big frosted mug of Natty Boh we’re going to be sliding into anytime soon.
But I’m sure the Orioles will be mentioning Tampa Bay and Milwaukee a whole lot in whatever lame campaign they put together for Mister Angelos and Sons Network next spring.
Come to think of it, maybe baseball deserves a Tampa Bay-Milwaukee World Series?
Back to the 4th quarter of Sunday’s NFL action…
Go Ravens!
