Here's my professional sports disclaimer: There's only one sport that I'm a true hardcore fan of (GO COWBOYS!), so all the others have a performance-based existence for me. The better you play, the more I'll tune in.
It's not that I'm a "fair weather fan" and that I only care if a team is doing well but rather that I feel that it's idiocracy to watch mediocrity. Most professional athletes are paid millions to perform so why would should I tune in to watch a sub .500 performance.
Having said that . . .
Let me congratulate the Texas Rangers for actually holding my attention throughout the summer from the end of the Dallas Maverick's season (don't get me started on that one!) to the beginning of Cowboy Training Camp!
And for those of you who may accuse me of "jumping on the band wagon", let me dust off fan club membership card (Member since 1982) and review my credentials of why I've always been a Ranger fan at heart.
1. One of my favorite gifts growing up was my Oddibe McDowell Rookie Card.
2. My sister worked for the Texas Rangers when I was in 5th Grade. She always took me to the games with her. I had a front row seat every night - that is, until the ticket holder or usher ran me off.
(My sister was hired for program sales but was quickly relegated to "dugout duties" which including running water out to the officials during the 7th Inning Stretch. Mitch Williams once asked her out not realizing that she was only 17)
3. I booed Steve Buechele every time he was up to bat.
4. For some strange reason, I can still name the 1989 Opening Day Starters: Buddy Bell, Steve Buechele, Cecil Epsy, Charlie Hough, Ruben Sierra, Scott Flectcher, Geno Petralli, Julio Franco and Pete Incaviglia.
(This is the only year I know!)
5. In the summer of 1993 I saw Juan Gonzales hit two grand slams.
6. The only part of Nolan Ryan's career that I feel is of any consequence is during his time as a Texas Ranger.
So congrats to the Ranger for actually keeping me entertained throughout the summer. At the rate they're playing, I won't notice the Cowboys for at least another 6-8 weeks!
It's not that I'm a "fair weather fan" and that I only care if a team is doing well but rather that I feel that it's idiocracy to watch mediocrity. Most professional athletes are paid millions to perform so why would should I tune in to watch a sub .500 performance.
Having said that . . .
Let me congratulate the Texas Rangers for actually holding my attention throughout the summer from the end of the Dallas Maverick's season (don't get me started on that one!) to the beginning of Cowboy Training Camp!
And for those of you who may accuse me of "jumping on the band wagon", let me dust off fan club membership card (Member since 1982) and review my credentials of why I've always been a Ranger fan at heart.
1. One of my favorite gifts growing up was my Oddibe McDowell Rookie Card.
2. My sister worked for the Texas Rangers when I was in 5th Grade. She always took me to the games with her. I had a front row seat every night - that is, until the ticket holder or usher ran me off.
(My sister was hired for program sales but was quickly relegated to "dugout duties" which including running water out to the officials during the 7th Inning Stretch. Mitch Williams once asked her out not realizing that she was only 17)
3. I booed Steve Buechele every time he was up to bat.
4. For some strange reason, I can still name the 1989 Opening Day Starters: Buddy Bell, Steve Buechele, Cecil Epsy, Charlie Hough, Ruben Sierra, Scott Flectcher, Geno Petralli, Julio Franco and Pete Incaviglia.
(This is the only year I know!)
5. In the summer of 1993 I saw Juan Gonzales hit two grand slams.
6. The only part of Nolan Ryan's career that I feel is of any consequence is during his time as a Texas Ranger.
So congrats to the Ranger for actually keeping me entertained throughout the summer. At the rate they're playing, I won't notice the Cowboys for at least another 6-8 weeks!
By the way, Derek Holland is a stud!
2 comments:
Glad to hear it, Wade. As a person who lives and breathes the Rangers (and there are a lot of us out here) welcome. (By the way, Rangers fans last year were named by Forbes to be the most loyal fans in baseball.) It is a good time to get in. This year is just the beginning. Our club is being put together the right way and we should be competitive for the next decade. The Rangers have historically tried to take shortcuts to win quickly. This time they are building the right way (of course, if they go out and trade for Halladay tomorrow, this could be out the window). I have long said that the Rangers will be the next DFW pro team to win a championship and I am sticking with that, though it won't be this year (and I really wish the Cowboys would make this not true). Get comfortable, though, my friend because this team is going places. Get your boy interested too. And do like I do with Maddie. Teach him that the Yankees are mean and evil.
I too have been enjoying the Rangers. By now I've usually switched and started following the Cowboys, but hey right now the Rangers are still exciting me.
I hope the keep it up.
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