I Had Fun at Wrigley Field

[Rowand44]

I'd trade away every baseball event of my lifetime to have watched a Maddux start live, at the ballpark, in the 1990s.

[The Critic]

I'd trade away every baseball event of my lifetime to have watched a Maddux start live, at the ballpark, in the 1990s.

 

See, now you're just starting s***....

 

I'm glad you had fun at Wrigley. I go there several times a year (my wife, sister, nephews, a favorite cousin and a few of my closer friends are Cub fans) and I have fun there every time.

 

Wrigley is a nice contrast to USCF, and it actually makes me appreciate the comforts of USCF more. The tiny Wrigley seats do no favors to my fat ass, and the slightly larger USCF seats are more accommodating to my ample lower torso.

I enjoy National League baseball, and I particularly like to see the Pirates, Cardinals, Brewers and Diamondbacks when they come to town.

The Wrigley stereotypes (yakking on cellphones, bleacher fratboys/trixies, no attention being paid to the game) are everywhere these days, not just at Wrigley. I see a LOT of the same behaviors at USCF nowadays. There are concourse fratboy and trixie types who barely watch the game, and EVERYONE and their god-damned brother are on their f***ing cellphones constantly.

Last time I was at USCF, I heard someone in a Sox jersey ask her friend why Frank Thomas doesn't play any more.

 

The whole Cub-bashing thing is tired to me. It's just a baseball game, it's not meant to be a cause of stress.

[Gregory Pratt]

I'd trade away every baseball memory of my lifetime to have been able to watch Walter Johnson live, Babe Ruth, Juan Marichal, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige -- no, I'm not denigrating the White Sox or the World Series victory. I'm not denigrating the Braves World Series, or anybody else's. I'm just at a point in my life where "my team" winning is far less important than the history of the game and the game itself. It's a strange statement to most but looked at properly, there is nothing wrong with it. Most of the time these days I find myself rooting for the White Sox at the ballpark but enjoying the experience win or lose because it's nice to watch the best in the game. I'm not a homer.

 

The Wrigley stereotypes (yakking on cellphones, bleacher fratboys/trixies, no attention being paid to the game) are everywhere these days, not just at Wrigley. I see a LOT of the same behaviors at USCF nowadays. There are concourse fratboy and trixie types who barely watch the game, and EVERYONE and their god-damned brother are on their f***ing cellphones constantly.

Last time I was at USCF, I heard someone in a Sox jersey ask her friend why Frank Thomas doesn't play any more.

 

The whole Cub-bashing thing is tired to me. It's just a baseball game, it's not meant to be a cause of stress.

 

Definitely.

[Soxbadger]

I guess Id rather have watched Frank Thomas live.

 

I luckily got to see both in my life time, but Id rather watch guys like Buehrle, Thomas, McDowell, etc.

 

At the end of the day, its my team first, everything else second. Ive seen guys like Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, etc etc, but I got to see them all watching my favorite team as well.

[Rowand44]

I'd trade away every baseball memory of my lifetime to have been able to watch Walter Johnson live, Babe Ruth, Juan Marichal, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige -- no, I'm not denigrating the White Sox or the World Series victory. I'm not denigrating the Braves World Series, or anybody else's. I'm just at a point in my life where "my team" winning is far less important than the history of the game and the game itself. It's a strange statement to most but looked at properly, there is nothing wrong with it. Most of the time these days I find myself rooting for the White Sox at the ballpark but enjoying the experience win or lose because it's nice to watch the best in the game. I'm not a homer.

Definitely.

You are an odd White Sox fan.

 

BTW, rooting for your team at a game has nothing to do with being a homer, it's called being a fan.

Edited September 18, 2007 by Rowand44

[RockRaines]

You are an odd White Sox fan.

I guess being at a "point in his life" in college shouldnt be considered what his views will be on life 5-10-15 years from now anyway.

[thedoctor]

I'd trade away every baseball memory of my lifetime to have been able to watch Walter Johnson live, Babe Ruth, Juan Marichal, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige -- no, I'm not denigrating the White Sox or the World Series victory. I'm not denigrating the Braves World Series, or anybody else's. I'm just at a point in my life where "my team" winning is far less important than the history of the game and the game itself. It's a strange statement to most but looked at properly, there is nothing wrong with it. Most of the time these days I find myself rooting for the White Sox at the ballpark but enjoying the experience win or lose because it's nice to watch the best in the game. I'm not a homer.

Definitely.

 

while i can appreciate the nostalgia, i'm just going to root for the sox to win instead of pining away for some tihs that's never going to happen. call me crazy.

[CWSGuy406]

I'm not denigrating the Braves World Series, or anybody else's. I'm just at a point in my life where "my team" winning is far less important than the history of the game and the game itself.

 

This comment makes it seem like you're making the two (being a "fan" of your team and a fan of baseball) mutually exclusive when you don't have to. Maybe you aren't doing that but that's how I'm reading it. I can root like hell for the White Sox while, at the same time, appreciate the awesomeness of Joel Zumaya's arm, Grady Sizemore's bat, or Curtis Granderson's extra basehit record. I don't view the two as a balancing scale where, if my interest in my team goes up my interest in 'the game' (ie something bigger than an individual team or player) itself goes down.

 

If anything, this season has provided for a nice change-of-pace. Instead of being tied to the White Sox, I've been able to do things like watch Jake Peavy pitch more often, see more Vlad Guerrero and, moving my scope outwards a bit, watch more left-coast games.

 

That being said -- nothing will ever beat the emotions tied with the 2005 season. Not just winning the Series, but everything leading up to it; the scrutinized winter moves of 2005; the cautious optimism in the Spring; the near collapse in September -- even little things like the Timo bashing and eternal Willie Harris love will remain with me.

 

And -- in my opinion -- there is no aspect of being a fan of 'the game', a fan of the game's history, that can even come close to touching the sensations tied with being a true fan of a team.

Edited September 18, 2007 by CWSGuy406

[knightni]

You haven't lived until you've see Kirk McCaskill in person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[witesoxfan]

This comment makes it seem like you're making the two (being a "fan" of your team and a fan of baseball) mutually exclusive when you don't have to. Maybe you aren't doing that but that's how I'm reading it. I can root like hell for the White Sox while, at the same time, appreciate the awesomeness of Joel Zumaya's arm, Grady Sizemore's bat, or Curtis Granderson's extra basehit record. I don't view the two as a balancing scale where, if my interest in my team goes up my interest in 'the game' (ie something bigger than an individual team or player) itself goes down.

 

If anything, this season has provided for a nice change-of-pace. Instead of being tied to the White Sox, I've been able to do things like watch Jake Peavy pitch more often, see more Vlad Guerrero and, moving my scope outwards a bit, watch more left-coast games.

 

That being said -- nothing will ever beat the emotions tied with the 2005 season. Not just winning the Series, but everything leading up to it; the scrutinized winter moves of 2005; the cautious optimism in the Spring; the near collapse in September -- even little things like the Timo bashing and eternal Willie Harris love will remain with me.

 

And -- in my opinion -- there is no aspect of being a fan of 'the game', a fan of the game's history, that can even come close to touching the sensations tied with being a true fan of a team.

 

Wonderful

[Gregory Pratt]

I guess Id rather have watched Frank Thomas live.

 

I luckily got to see both in my life time, but Id rather watch guys like Buehrle, Thomas, McDowell, etc.

 

At the end of the day, its my team first, everything else second. Ive seen guys like Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, etc etc, but I got to see them all watching my favorite team as well.

 

Yeah, Black Jack was great. A fantastic character and a good pitcher. Thomas is one of the all-time great hitters. Buehrle? He's very, very good, and definitely a great person.

 

I should clarify: I'm not, you know, pining away for Maddux. I know I said, "I'd trade away all of these memories to have been able to watch him live in the 1990s," but I don't mean that to denigrate anything.

 

As for being a "true fan" of the White Sox -- I come here, don't I? I'm definitely a "true fan" and I don't care what anyone says about my criticisms making me less than a true fan, or my respect for the history and traditions of the game. I just like baseball, and the White Sox are my team. Which one comes first? I think baseball. I don't know.

[CWSGuy406]

As for being a "true fan" of the White Sox -- I come here, don't I? I'm definitely a "true fan" and I don't care what anyone says about my criticisms making me less than a true fan, or my respect for the history and traditions of the game. I just like baseball, and the White Sox are my team. Which one comes first? I think baseball. I don't know.

 

Who in this thread questioned your "fanhood", or said that you weren't a true fan (maybe I missed it)? I don't understand why you're taking such a defensive stance on this particular point...

[Gregory Pratt]

Who in this thread questioned your "fanhood", or said that you weren't a true fan (maybe I missed it)? I don't understand why you're taking such a defensive stance on this particular point...

 

When I talk about Wrigley Field as one of the best ballparks in baseball, when I talk about how I care more for the tradition and beauty and history of the game than my team, when I say that I feel embarrassed when I think of Jerry Reinsdorf and Charles Comiskey and the Black Sox and the White Flag Trade and the generally inept history, I usually get criticism as less than a true fan. I got some s*** earlier in the thread for calling Wrigley a beautiful place. I guess I felt that the implication was there about me not being a good fan because the White Sox don't come first and foremost for me. They're above all other teams, as far as team loyalty, but I much prefer the game. I don't mean to come off as defensive, although I am a little. It's just something that comes out from expressing an opinion that's bound to be unpopular. I just wanted to make clear that I definitely consider myself a "true fan," but nobody alleged I wasn't. It's been said before, though, and implied, most recently by people alleging that I only care about teams outside the city (Atlanta, NE Patriots) but that's not true. I just like their management more. They're good at what they do. I get s*** from fellow Democrats for thinking Paul O'Neill is the best man government's seen in fifteen years. My loyalty is to the game in baseball and truth/goodness in the rest of life, which means that I do what I feel is right and say what I think is right and praise people who I think are good and right.

Edited September 19, 2007 by Gregory Pratt

[Middle Buffalo]

You haven't lived until you've see Kirk McCaskill in person.

I'd like to watch Frank Thomas towel off after a game sometime. Not gay, just a big fan of towels.