Saturday, October 28, 2006

Why I Like Baseball More Than Football

Dad was a huge Falcons fan…he actually had season tickets for years, until I started playing HS ball in the 70’s, so I went to bunches of Falcons games, just a few Tech games. We went to several Braves games a year as well, but I didn’t go to many when I was at Tech…though I wish I had. I started liking baseball more thanks to Bart Giamatti.

What made me not like football as much had a little to do with all the losing years of GT and the Falcons. I liked Montana’s 49ers and teams that would beat the teams they were supposed to…that’s what frustrates me so about football…on any given Sunday… In baseball the last place team may beat the Yankees every now and then, but not half the time. Took me years, but now I understand that in the postseason that most often the hottest team at the moment wins. One day I'll explain it more clearly.

I fell behind on my SI’s…I used to read them pretty much cover to cover, except for hockey, horse racing, and motor sports. Lately I’ve been catching up, finishing 2 or 3 a week, so the stack is getting smaller. But I don’t read as much of it as I used to. I heard Rick Reilly on the Dan Patrick show this week.

I’d just as soon Sheffield stay with the Yanks than go to the Mets…not that the Mets would get him. Will Zito go to the Mets?

Thursday night Ceil was watching Clemson, and I was having so much fun watching them lose that I didn’t turn it to baseball until the game was over. Tim Robbins was on Letterman, he took his sons to the Mets game 7 loss. His boys were bummed afterwards and weren’t talking. One of them changed his ring tone to REM’s “Everybody Cries”.

Clemson had it tough, coming off the big win at home, having a short week and tough place to travel to, and a hostile crowd on the road. VT did a good job stuffing the run. Someone said Clemson bussed to Charlotte to take a plane (but maybe it was Greenville), flew to Washington, and bussed to the game. Seems like it would be shorter to bus the entire route. I may Mapquest it. My FBI friend, a Clemson grad living in Fredericksburg, may have taken his son to the game.

Tech very well could’ve lost to Miami…this showed us what kind of team they have….a little. They needed to kick Miami while they are down, even though Miami wanted revenge for last year. With all this rain, the field will be a factor. With the RBs they have, GT should run the ball better. The more they run, the easier it will be to pass. One day I’ll write contrasting how emotional football is compared to baseball…why so many love football, but why I like baseball better.

SI says Jarrett Jack will be the starting PG in Portland, that the team voted after last season, and the players liked Jack better than Telfair and the other guy, so Portland traded Telfair to Boston. Houston should be even better by adding Shane Battier…he’ll make Yao Ming and Tracey McGrady even better, and they have Juan Howard as well. Too bad Marvin broke his finger. The Hawks will be wearing those Dominique-era unis for several games throughout the year. The Hawks and Thrashers are giving away those mini-statues this year, like the Braves did. Must be the rage.

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