Tropicana's Where I Lost My Heart

"I'm not much for inspirational addresses. I just wanta point out that every newspaper in the country has picked us to finish last. The local press thinks we'd save everybody a lot of time and trouble if we just went out and shot ourselves. Me, I like to waste sportswriters' time so I'm for hangin' around and seein' if we can give all these guys a nice big shitburger to eat."

- Lou Brown, Manager, Cleveland Indians - Major League (1989)

For some reason I imagine the Tampa Bay Rays' 2008 season began with a similar quote. The Rays, as most know, were picked to finish if not last, barely above the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. It seemed only Baseball Prospectus thought highly of them, picking them to finish somewhere in the 83 to 88-win range. I, personally, was a little less optimistic. I hoped for 81 wins, a .500 record.

But a funny thing happened on the way to October. To say I was pleasantly surprised by the 2008 Rays is an understatement. To say every fan I talked to was surprised would also be an understatement. Every new fan, every old fan. Everyone was shocked.

While this season has definitely been one for the ages for the Rays' franchise, it has also meant a lot to me personally. Never before have I been so vested in a team. Never before was I so into every game - every pitch, every at bat, and every run. Never before have I been so involved. Maybe it was because the team seemed to want me as a fan, allowing fans to chat with both of the Rays' General Managers. Maybe it was because I had a some money this year and could afford to go to Tropicana Field quite often, nearly 20-25 times, including the postseason. However, I probably watched or listened to nearly 100 other games. Again, hanging on every pitch and cheering every one.

When I was nine, I followed every game of the '86 Mets, following as close as a 9-year old could. But it didn't feel like this. When I was in my late 20s in 2003, I had a college roommate who was a huge Marlins fan (yes, they do exist). We watched as many games of that season as we could in sports bars, cheering and drinking our way through the Marlins postseason. But that didn't feel like this either.

As many of my regular readers know, I have struggled with rooting for the Rays, penning numerous blogs disguised as love letters to my "long-distance love" a.k.a. the Mets. At first, I would say my interest in the Rays was strictly geographic. They are the local team, and I only live 30 minutes from the ballpark. I would have gone even if the team played poorly, as I did in 2007.

But after hearing Rays radio host Rich Herrera nearly choke up while closing the season broadcast, I've come to the conclusion that I am definitely a Rays fan. In his final broadcast, an emotional Herrera talked about how special the 2008 Rays were to him and thanked everyone involved with the team, from the players to the front office to the fans, both new and old, for giving us a magical 2008 baseball season.

I too would like to extend my thanks, although mine are a bit more personal.

I'd like to say thank you to the Tropicana Field ushers I often talked baseball with, and to the hardcore fans I saw in April and May (who were there probably long before that) who lead the cheers as the team got better, specifically those around my seat: the fans above home plate who chanted "left-right, left-right, sit down!" when an opponent struck out and the elderly gentleman who yelled "1 down, 26 more to go" after a Rays pitcher recorded the first out of the game.

Thanks also to the writers of Rays Index and DRays Bay for providing daily Rays-centric sports blogosphere insight, and most importantly, to the co-worker who was kind enough to let me buy some of his season tickets last December. Everyone listed, along with the aforementioned players, fans, announcers, and Rays employees, helped ignite a baseball passion in me that I hadn't felt in a long time.

This 2008 season might be the Rays' equivalent to the 1969 Mets, it may be a watershed year that creates an explosion of loyal, committed, die-hard fans. It may be the Rays' version of 1991, the year the Braves lost the World Series, but began a decade of division dominance. Or, as unlikely as it could be, the Rays could be a flash in the pan, the second coming of the 2007 Colorado Rockies. Next year, the Red Sox and Yankees could decide enough is enough, open up the coffers, and buy themselves another World Championship.

Whatever happens, however, I know that even though I have been a Mets fan for over 20 years and that will never change, I am proud to also call myself a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays.

(Yes, the title of this post is a line from Motley Crue's "Girls, Girls, Girls" [at the 3:05 mark of the video]. According to Google, no one has ever used that line in a Rays' post before.)

Did Pro Wrestlers Cause an International Incident in Panama?

Last year, Darren Rovell of CNBC.com's SportsBiz discussed his concern over a WWE storyline that featured the death of WWE CEO Vince McMahon. According to Rovell, using such serious overtones in a storyline involving someone integral to the organization could have unexpected consequences. In the McMahon case, Rovell believed that perhaps investors might take the storyline seriously and pull their money out of WWE.

At the time, I disagreed with Rovell. It's just a storyline, I rebutted. No story can go too far. It is absolutely impossible for the fabricated world of professional wrestling to impede on reality. No one takes pro wrestling that seriously.

I may just have to change my tune.

According to a recent press release by independent wrestling promoter Shannon Rose, American Pro Wrestling tag team The Heartbreak Express (Sean and Phil Davis) caused an international incident in The Republic of Panama this past weekend. Rose's release states that the two wrestlers "took the flag of Panama and threw it on the ground and stomped on it" on "The Republic of Panama's most watched morning television show, TU MAÑANA, in front of an estimated 5 million viewers". Unfortunately, no YouTube clip exists of the incident.

Rose further claims all of the Republic of Panama is in a tiff over the actions of the Heartbreak Express. According to the report, the US Embassy has been contacted and Panamanian officials are demanding the Heartbreak Express "have their passports revoked and be banned from returning to the country". Also, the President of Panama, the Chancellor of Panama, and the leading candidate to be the next president of Panama have all promised to punish the wrestlers.

This may be a first. Not since SGT Slaughter aligned himself with Saddam Hussein in 1991 has pro wrestling potentially caused this much international turmoil.

(Note: check out this link. Apparently, Robert Remus, aka SGT Slaughter, received death threats for "allying" with the Iraqis. And he was also supposed to burn an American flag in the ring but instead settled for a Hulkamania poster.)

Now could Shannon Rose's press release be part of a marketing ploy? Could he just be drumming up promotion for an independent wrestling federation? Adam Lash of indywrestlingnews.com may think so. In a recent post on his site, Lash attempts to follow up on Rose's report only to find no additional details.

Surely, if an antic on national TV caused so much turmoil it would have to be reported somewhere, right? Especially if the president of a nation is getting involved.

The question remains, however, what part, if any, is true? Did the Heartbreak Express go to Panama? Did they disgrace a Panamanian flag? Was there a reaction? Or is the entire incident a creation of the mind of Shannon Rose?

As an outsider observer, unfortunately, I don't know what to think. From the SGT Slaughter incident, I know people are smart enough to not burn an American flag as a gimmick, but I am not too sure about a foreign flag. I would like to think they would hold that sacred as well.

That's why, if this is not true, I don't think Shannon Rose did a very good job with this storyline. As a promotional tactic, it is too ambiguous. Like the McMahon death angle, the idea that perhaps the Panamanian government could be after the wrestlers in the Heartbreak Express is too real and doesn't leave enough of an escape into fantasy.

A View From The Trop: Part 3 - The World Series

Wow. I never thought I would see the day I would be at the World Series. What began earlier this season as an investment in seeing some baseball has turned into one of the greatest rides as a fan I have ever been on. Unfortunately, it ends here, as my finances won't allow me to go to any more games. Until next spring, of course.

(Update: as Anonymous hinted at, I didn't go to the game alone - I brought my dad. Some father-son bonding at the ballpark. Hmmm, I wonder who Anonymous was?)

Not even Nostradamus could have predicted this. It's the World Series. In my backyard.

The media. Everywhere.

Bud Selig holding court.

General Petraeus talking to Fernando Perez. Last week Perez met Senator Obama. What a week for him.

James Shields dealing. Yup, I saw Shields again.

B.J. Upton driving home a run. Thoughts of booing him out of town and trading him to Pittsburgh for Jason Bay seem so distant now.

All hail King David.

One down, three more to go.

Fans of the Flyin' Hawaiian look so sad. Too bad.

Stop pandering to sports fans, or start pandering to all of them

Presidental candidate Barack Obama made waves the other day during a visit to Tampa when he said he would "show love" to the Rays during the World Series.

According to earlier reports, he also said he would root for the Phillies.

Oy.

This follows vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's pandering to the same Tampa Bay area sports fans and the Boston sports fans when she said both voting blocs "know a little something about turning an underdog into a victor."

Not to pick on Gov. Palin, but last month reports surfaced that she also claimed to be a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and then later a Seattle Seahawks fan.

Although a presidential candidate or a politician in general who doesn't like sports at all might worry me, why do candidates do this? The obvious answer is to get, in pro wrestling parlance, a "cheap pop". But honestly, the chance for embarrassment is too great when you bring sports into politics.

Unless a candidate panders to everyone.

If a candidate is going to preach "going across the aisle" or "bringing people together", why not root for every team? Why not make a mockery of the idea that sports endorsement equals votes, or that the inability to pick a favorite team would automatically disqualify a candidate? Why not poke fun at anyone who thinks flip-flopping in the stands is the same as flip-flopping in the Oval Office? Why not go to Chicago and root for the Cubs and the next day go to St. Louis and root for the Cardinals? Or better yet, root for Ohio State and Michigan.

I would also be all for a candidate who admitted being a fan of a particular player, no matter where that player went. If a candidate was a Johnny Damon fan, for example, then it would be great to see him or her in a Yankee cap and a Red Sox cap. Or an A's hat. Or a Royals hat.

What about the candidate who had his or her favorite team move? It is entirely possible that John McCain could have been a huge Brooklyn Dodger fan who stopped rooting for any particular team after 1958. How would he win the "sports vote" if he claimed he liked all the players? What about being "a fan of the sport"?

And what happens when we get our first candidate raised on the X Games? One who has no opinion on the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup, or the NBA Championship? What if we have a president who doesn't know how to throw a ball? How would he or she throw out a first pitch? What about the president who doesn't care to have major sports teams visit him (or her) in the White House? If a president stopped that tradition, would anyone really care?

I'm not saying politicians shouldn't have favorite teams. They are human, just like you and me (although I doubt many of them have ever sat in the nose bleed seats). I'm just saying please stop pandering to fans. Aren't there more important issues to discuss?

Sports meets Anthropology meets International Politics

Continuing the Sports/Politics theme ...

Thanks to Global Voices Online, I recently found a very interesting blog. Özgür Dirim Özkan, an anthropologist living in Sarajevo, has been writing a blog entitled Bosnian Football Culture. A football (soccer) fan, Özkan has decided to combined his sports interest with his academic field in a nation still recovering from last decade's disastrous civil war. For anyone interested in sports, politics, anthropology, or conflict resolution, Özkan's blog makes for a really good read.

In his most recent post, "Bosnian Surprise for Turkey", Özkan discusses the problems facing the Bosnian National Football Team in their 2010 FIFA match-up against neighboring Turkey. Among these problems is a lack of integration among the many Bosnian nationalities. Bosnian Serbs, Croats, and Muslims all play on different teams and have since the war. This of course, divides the fan base and hinders fan loyalty to the national brand.

Özkan also discusses the coach who yearns to bring the nation together on the field, the players chosen, and the fans who are being told to put their occasional loyalty to Turkey aside and pour their hearts into their Bosnian team.

Go check it out: Bosnian Surprise For Turkey.

What type of victory would you rather have?

We are only about two and a half hours from Game 7 of the ALCS. As the world prepares to cheer on the Rays, I have an interesting question for everyone.

What would you rather have: your favorite sports team win their championship for four straight years or your pick for president win the election?

(Note: I can't stand the idea that politics is a sport. It's not. It's based on compromise. Sports is black and white. Politics in a democracy should be the sharing of power by members determined by the people. Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. Politics has become the ultimate nation-wide sport - "we're winning this state" - "he is up by five points" - "we won". It's all rather depressing. End rant.)

Although having a presidential candidate win might prove that your opinion of the future direction of the country is the majority, the efforts of your presidential pick could easily be thwarted post-election by a stubborn Congress. Hence, your victory becomes more of a frustration.

Having your favorite sports team dominate for four years, however, means they are the champions. No one can dispute it, block it, filibuster it, disrupt it, or otherwise ruin your reign.

So what will it be? Your favorite sports team winning four straight championships or your presidential pick being voted into office?

And would you sacrifice the chances of one for the chances of the other?

The only debate and election that matters

Unfortunate Update: Due to a federal investigation, the Pimp of the Year vote has been taken offline. Whether or not this will be temporary remains to be seen. Rumors are abound as to the cause of the collapse.

Initial reports have claimed the Bourbon Street Mafia threatened to break the kneecaps of anyone who did not support them. Other reports claimed the Rated R Afro Star gave candy cigarettes to kids so they would vote for him. Yet a third report claimed the mysterious Gargoyle, who was in the lead, was affiliated with a group called People Overruling Polls Conquering Old-fashioned Regular Norms (POPCORN). POPCORN supposedly found Bigfoot and the Yeti and had them vote for the Gargoyle against their will.

As I hear more I will be sure to let my readers know. In the meantime, swing by the Afro-Squad website. Maybe they'll have it fixed. Maybe once it's fixed I can win fair and square.

What about a pro co-ed league?

Several times during the past few weeks, Henry Abbott of ESPN's TrueHoop has been discussing the WNBA and its pros and cons in the mind of basketball fans. The WNBA game has been called too slow, too boring, and a general waste of money.

On Monday, Henry posted two letters he received on the topic. In the first, one commenter suggested that the existence of a women's professional basketball league is hurting the NBA's developmental league by siphoning funds that could be better used in retaining male talent and helping to develop these men into potential NBA players. In the second, a reader writes in that the WNBA is a violation of the Civil Rights Amendment in that they don't let men play in the league.

As ridiculous as the second letter writer was on the surface, perhaps he had merit. Perhaps a solution to the lack of interest in the WNBA is that they should play men.

Currently, the NBA and its holdings (the WNBA and the Developmental League) hold the majority of basketball interest in the US. There are, however, several minor league promotions across the country. Rather than trying to compete with the NBA, these leagues or independent teams usually try to stick to a niche or a location not near NBA action. How soon until one of these promotions goes co-ed?

In my basketball playing days, I’ve played in several leagues that featured roster spots for women. These women usually were pretty good as compared to the guys. Although most played either point guard or shooting guard, a few were strong enough to bang with the boys for rebounds.

Perhaps an independent league could bridge the gap between non-NBA ready talent and the women’s leagues. I think, for one, that recent WNBA MVP Candace Parker could definitely play among men. She might not be able to guard Kobe Bryant or shoot over Dwight Howard, but she and other women could definitely make a statement for their game by competing with lesser talented men. Of course, certain rules may have to apply, such as a 6’6 height limit similar to that imposed in the Philippines, but after the playing field is leveled, I think the women can more than hold their own.

A response to Rany Jazayerli's recent post on Osama Bin Laden and the 2008 US Presidential Election

Like many, I have been reading Nate Silver’s political blog, Five Thirty Eight.com. Although I'll admit I’ve only been reading for a few weeks, I have enjoyed most of Nate’s political/statistical analysis. Last week, however, there was one article that to me not only did not have a place on a statistical analysis site, but also brought down my opinion of the site.

Last Friday, one of Nate Silver’s colleagues from Baseball Prospectus, Rany Jazayerli, wrote an essay on the idea that Osama Bin Laden could eventually play a role in the 2008 US Presidential Election. Jazayerli’s thesis was that a Bin Laden speech or video would give John McCain a boost in the polls and might possible sway enough currently undecided voters to give McCain the presidency in November.

Although it was not a bad article, I was sadly disappointed. First and foremost, Mr. Jazayerli focused the article only Osama Bin Laden, and discussed Al Qaeda like it was a side issue to be dealt with at a later date. Outside of a Bin Laden quote, Mr. Jazayerli only mentions Al Qaeda twice. There is absolutely no question the actions of Al Qaeda as an organization, be they ordered from its base in Pakistan or instigated by a “franchise” organization, would have a much larger impact on an election than a video by Osama Bin Laden.

My second problem with Mr. Jazayerli’s essay is that it missed so many other points. First and foremost, there was no mention of the Madrid bombings. I don’t understand how Mr. Jazayerli attempted to talk about terrorism influencing an election without discussing the 2004 Madrid bombings. For those who don’t remember, prior to the 2004 Spanish presidential election, a group possibly associated with al Qaeda exploded four bombs in the Spanish commuter train system, killing 191 and injuring 1,755. This attack possibly influenced Spanish voters enough to elect presidential candidate Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who campaigned to reduce Spanish military involvement in the Middle East. Perhaps Mr. Jazayerli doesn’t think Al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden had anything to do with this incident.

Mr. Jazayerli also does not mention of the potential of Americans to acquiesce to Bin Laden's demands in the wake of a new video. Right or wrong, I think many Americans are tired of the “War on Terror” and are ready to live life how we did on and before September 10, 2001. Mr. Jazayerli does not even ask the question of whether or not the US could be another Spain.

Now I don't claim to know Jazayerli's geopolitical background or his knowledge in International Relations (of which I happen to have an MA in), but his claim that as a Muslim he thinks has "a handle on bin Laden’s twisted view of Islamic eschatology" is ridiculous at best, insulting at worst. I would argue that Mr. Jazayerli doesn't really understand Bin Laden at all.

Jazayerli's main point is that Bin Laden wants a war with the West, particularly the US. That is not exactly true, and is actually a lazy understanding of the Al Qaeda philosophy. Bin Laden first and foremost wants Western philosophical ideas and Western military forces out of Islamic lands, also known as Dar al Islam – the Land of Islam. Simple as that. Right or wrong, Bin Laden wants to reinstate Islamic law and control in areas Muslims had control of at some point in their history. The insertion and actions of American troops into Afghanistan and Iraq only helped to convince other undecided Muslims of Bin Laden’s opinions on the US.

Jazayerli's article unfortunately follows simplistic "Clash of Civilization" ideas. Jazayerli leans most of his thesis on the writing of Samuel Huntington and not Sayyid Qutb, who directly inspired Bin Laden and his deputy Aymaan Zawahiri. Political Islam, for lack of a better term, is far more complex. Bin Laden is not Abu Zarqawi. Zarqawi was a militant thug. Bin Laden is a highly intelligent millionaire, and philosophical head of a multi-national network operation. As a matter of fact, the notion that our financial structure is collapsing before our very eyes is probably more pleasing to Bin Laden than any terrorist attack he could come up with.

I also have a problem with Jazayerli’s statement that Bin Laden "welcomes" death. Bin Laden's strain of Islam is NOT a suicide cult. If that was the case, wouldn't they all have gone down in a blaze of glory years ago? Wouldn’t they have sacrificed themselves against the evil Soviet Union back in the 1980s? And if Bin Laden only wanted war against America as Jazayerli claims, why even fight the Russians in the 1980s? Why not join the Soviet army and become a warrior for communism against the West? The reason why is that Bin Laden's philosophy is based on Islamic empowerment, not American hatred. America is only the target of this hatred as it is the predominant world power and has the most influence over governments in the Muslim world.

Perhaps a Bin Laden statement would cause an uptick in the McCain polls. Perhaps undecided voters would lean more towards a conservative candidate with a strong military background who will continue to stay the course against international terrorism. I have no problem at all with this idea, and it probably is fact. However, the way Mr. Jazayerli got to this idea is incorrect, as is his idea that Osama Bin Laden ultimately wants John McCain to be president.

A View From The Trop: Part 2 - The ALCS

Some more pics from the Rays' amazing playoff journey:

We're talkin' Rays vs. Sawx!

Introducing the starting lineups.

Star-spangled banner performed by B.K. Jackson. Regular readers might remember he opened for B.B. King way back in May.

I thought this was cool.

Shields delivering.

The negative view.

Dice-K dealing, the 1930's view.

To be continued ...

Deep Thoughts about the Dee Bait

First, am I the only person who thinks watching presidential debates is like the intellectual version of watching ultimate fighting? Sometimes I don't know why I watch, and I really don't think either are very interesting, but I am still captivated, even if a knock-out doesn't happen. If only some debates pulled a Kimbo and ended in 14 seconds.

Second, why is there the thought that "the government" and "the people" are two different things? We always hear "the government doesn't care about the people" or "power to the people" or some such. I understand those claims from a representative standpoint, but isn't everyone in government, from the president to the city hall parking attendant, a person?

I don't think I have ever voted for a robot or an alien. Maybe I have.

Third, if I may slip into something serious (this is after all The Serious Tip), the candidates were asked if health care is a government right or a government responsibility. Honestly, it is neither. Good health is not a fundamental right given by the Creator (we do die eventually), nor is it in the Bill of Rights. Health care is also not a responsibility of government, whose primary task is security, be it military or financial or whatever - anything that keeps the inhabitants of the country safe. Health care is not a security issue, unless we are talking about the bubonic plague or Avian bird flu or something like that.

What health care is is a responsibility of the citizenship. We should care enough in our communities about our common man or woman to extend a caring hand and provide for the common health. I guess if you believe the government is an extention of the people, and not just a bunch of robots as I said earlier, then the next logical step would believe that the government, through the people, has a responibility for the well-being of its folks.

Fourth, I think I figured out why the smartest people don't run for public office. Smart people are able to answer questions in clear and concise answers. Remember that kid in class who knew one page worth of information but bullshitted his way through a five page essay? He probably became a politician.

Fifth, if Barack Obama is elected, a year from now it will easier to determine who named their newborn after the president. I don't think people name their kids after presidents anymore. The problem with John McCain is a newborn could be named after John Travolta. You never know. With Barack Obama, you know.

Sixth, with both candidates being left-handed, I am confident my interests as a left-handed-American will be considered. We need more left-handed scissors and elementary school desks. And we need to invent markers that don't smear all over a lefty's hand when they write.

After eight years of being unrepresented in the White House, it will soon be time to once again raise the left fist.

Mark Cuban to change team name if McCain becomes President

Dallas, TX -

With another election creeping closer and a new president due to be elected, it is almost time for the usual eccentrics and social outsiders to start pondering their responses to either new president. Typically, the most fringe of these reactions include right-wing militants rounding up their ammo or liberal Hollywood stars preparing to move to Canada. Rarely, however, do paranoid knee-jerk reactions come from successful billionaire NBA owners.

Of course, Mark Cuban is not the average billionaire.

Already rumored to be upset over John McCain's use of the name "maverick", The Serious Tip has learned the Dallas Mavericks owner is considering changing the team's name if the Republican candidate is elected president. According to an insider familiar with Cuban, the owner does not want the team mistaken for a political slogan or movement.

"Despite the fact that McCain 'Mavericks' jerseys might sell well, the Mavs become an unwilling advertisement. No president ever associated himself with the name 'Warriors', 'Hawks', 'Wizards', or 'Heat'."

The notion of changing a team name for political reasons is not unprecedented. During the Great Communist Scare of the 1950s, the Cincinnati Reds changed their team name to the Cincinnati Redlegs to differentiate themselves from communist association. The team reverted back the "Reds" name in 1959.

Although our source states Cuban does not like admitting the conflict is bothering him, the source states that Cuban stays up late at night worrying about the potential identity crises that might occur.

"All Texans wear 10-gallon hats. Mr. Cuban likes to keep things under his. Like cheeseburgers. But he gets all riled up at the thought of some old president guy thinking he is Dirk McGermanName."

The thought of a potential White House visit is also irking Cuban, according to our source.

"What if Mr. Cuban's Mavericks win a championship during a McCain administration? Do they even go to the White House? Let me guess, 'Mavericks meet maverick'? That's as easy as toilet humor."

Seeking the truth, The Serious Tip attempted to contact the Dallas Maverick's administrative offices. Our calls were not answered, although we did leave a few messages.

As we find out more, we will be sure to write about it here at The Serious Tip.

A View From The Trop

I know these are a day late, but here are some of my pictures from Friday night's Game 2 of the ALDS between the Rays and the White Sox.

We are talkin' about the playoffs!

I think the blur is Scott Kazmir.

Probably the best pic I took all night.

Apparently, John Cena is a Rays fan. So is Rob Schneider and Erin Andrews, who I am pretty sure claimed the Rays make her "hot". (She is definitely at the point of saying anything to get attention.)

Yes, Virginia, there are Rays fans. (Many of whom couldn't find the stadium before September, but we won't split hairs.)

More pics on The Serious Tip's myspace page.

Eulogies for the Eliminated and other goodness from Thunder Matt's Saloon

As I mentioned a while back, I've been working with the fine upstanding gentlemen over at Thunder Matt's Saloon during the last few weeks. After a massive re-shuffling, I've been given the Friday afternoon "Happy Hour" shift.

Here is some of my latest from the Saloon:

Looking for a place to put your money during these down economic times? Try hiding your cash with former Cub Mickey Morandini.

We say good-bye to all the teams who have been eliminated this baseball season:

Eulogies for the Eliminated: Part 1 - teams over 20 games out of first place

Eulogies for the Eliminated: Part 2 - teams over 10 games out of first place

Eulogies for the Eliminated: Part 3 - teams less than 10 games out of first place

Thanks for reading. Much more to come.

My long distance love is forcing me away

I've needed the last few days for myself. I hope you understand. The last 48 hours have been extremely hard. My long distance love, after working so hard to be better, slipped back into what has now become a habit.

I thought this year was going to be different.

Last year, she broke my heart just before we were supposed to spend the fall together. When life got hard, she cowered from adversity and let all of her accomplishments go to waste.

My long distance love said this year would be better.

And she tried. She propped herself back up. She was the top of her class. She outperformed all her peers. Yeah, she struggled at times, but don't we all? But yet we preservered. She promised she would be there with this fall. She even told me that it would be great to christen her new home with the memories of a great fall.

But now, I sit here, almost too sad to type. She gave up on me. I don't honestly feel like that is true, but that's how I feel. She flat out did not want to be with me this fall. After months and months of trust and emotion, my long distance love abandoned me.

So now once again, I am without her going into the dark, cold fall.

I wonder how things will be from here on out. Can I trust my long distance love anymore? Can I ever put my faith in her? This is two years in a row I've been left heartbroken and disappointed.

Thank goodness for my local interest.