General Sports

[lt]

Well tiki, I hope you went to the job interview. (I was working during last night's Brewers game and I'm happy I missed it.)

[tikigirl]

Yeah, I went to the interview. Otherwise I would be sinking into a depressing baseball pit...oh well. Such is life!

[lt]

Well. Sorry to Tiki and Oops (and me). But, good run for our teams. As for your team, I really did want to see Griffey in the postseason (I have SUCH a soft spot for him--but then I also wanted Torii in the postseason so I'm unhappy there but I'm very happy that Jason Bay is there so I guess I'm okay). I'd say at least I have my Giants but I'd jinx it if I did.

[tikigirl]

Thanks, lt. I didn't expect much out of the White Sox this year, so it wasn't a bad run. And they've made three postseasons, including one World Series win, since 2000, so that seems about right. I wouldn't mind if they won next year, though!

[tikigirl]

(Hey look, I'm taking over the Sports thread too!)

So, lt, here we go with the Giants and Eagles. I can still hardly believe the Eagles made the playoffs (thanks, Oakland Raiders!) although I think they're better than their record indicates. Some days, anyway. Hopefully it'll just be a really good game. I dislike most of the other teams left, though I'm happy that the fucking Patriots didn't make it.

As for baseball, I'm still in withdrawal. I also found out that White Sox spring training has moved to Phoenix, about six hours' drive from my house; previously, they were in Tucson, which is a little less than four hours' drive and thus very convenient for weekend trips. I'm sad about that, though I can still catch some of their away games in Tucson. God, look at me, worrying about baseball at the beginning of January!

ETA, hi, oops!

[lt]

Ahh, tiki, we meet again: As much as I dislike the Eagles, I was still really happy when they beat the Cowboys--I just dislike so many people on that team from the owner on down--but I was rooting for the Vikings yesterday. However, to give the Eagles all the credit they deserve--I was also rooting for the Vikings because I think the Giants would have a much easier time of it against the Cardinals than they will against the Eagles next week. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement. And McNabb when he is a happy camper? Adorable. I wish the Colts had made it in, I like Peyton (I might be the only person who giggles every time he "takes a hike" in San Diego with the leg movements), I like the coach, I like Freeney and I love my Rutgers grad Eric Foster and I really (really) dislike the Chargers. I'm surprised Philip Rivers can move with that chip on his shoulder. So happy he isn't a Giant (although he might be a happier guy if that fiasco hadn't happened). As much as I used to dislike the Ravens is how much I like them now. I think Coach Harbaugh meant it in the offseason when he decided a character team would be better than Raider east (my phraseology) and even Ray Lewis has appeared to mature a bit (or at least they are keeping whatever exploits out of the main press) so I'm okay with their win. Besides, Ray Rice. As much as I like Chad Pennington I decided I could not root against Ray Rice--and then he didn't even play yesterday. Love the Steelers so if they can destroy San Diego I'll be happy. Cardinals/Panthers? I don't have a horse in that race. I'll decide when the game starts.

Meanwhile, another unpopular opinion: I wish the NFL had gotten their Manning brothers/50-year "Greatest Game" anniversary Superbowl. I know how slammed the NFL is right now (150 layoffs) and all those advertisers pulling out of the Superbowl is devastating to them. They would have filled every spot in that last week if that game had happened. Oh well.

As for baseball--I wish I didn't have to worry about baseball in the beginning of January but I'm afraid that season has begun in earnest. Sorry about the White Sox moving further but, hey, gas prices are down again! And the WBC is just two months away so there you go.

[falafaclese]

Jan 5, 2009 20:44:56 GMT tikigirl said:

So, lt, here we go with the Giants and Eagles. I can still hardly believe the Eagles made the playoffs (thanks, Oakland Raiders!)

Jesus H. Christ, the Eagles made the playoffs after all??!? My interest in the NFL has, over the past several years, been passing at best, and usually what happens is it pops into my consciousness near the end of the season when the Eagles (I grew up near Philly) are (as seems to be the case every year) announced to be on the bubble for making the playoffs, and there's always some crazy frigging new math permutation that has to occur. When they managed to lose the game against Washington I immediately stopped paying attention. God forbid they go all the way. With the Phillies winning the World Series, Philly would be more insufferable than it usually is (I love Philadelphia, but I have to call a spade a spade). On the positive side, I would be able to enjoy a phone call from my dad talking about how everyone around him won't shut the hell up about the Eagles.

[tikigirl]

there's always some crazy frigging new math permutation that has to occur.

Nothing could be crazier than having to hope the Oakland Raiders beat anyone.

Also, too true about the Philadelphia fanbase, f'clese. They are horrible. I like the Eagles despite them. But I'm an Eagles fan for the dumbest of reasons -- my best friend got into football about seven years ago, so to be companionable, I decided I'd watch too, but I needed to pick a team. I grew up in New England, but I hate the Patriots. So I saw a Chunky Soup commercial with Donovan McNabb, and I said, "Hey, he seems like a nice guy. I'll be an Eagles fan." You have to admit, it was a good pick!

[lt]

A co-worker was friends with McNabb at Syracuse and said he was a good guy so as much as I HATE the Eagles, I really do like McNabb (and of course I tease that same co-worker about how much Syracuse football sucks since McNabb has been gone, so it is all good).

[francienolan]

As a Falcons fan my NFL season is over but this is the first time in along time that we actually have a lot of tangible reasons to look forward to next season.

I normally root for the Giants b/c my baby brother is such fan. But he dogged my team so hard over Christmas that I'm firmly in McNabb's camp!

As for baseball I'm a Mets fan so the less said of that the better.

But I can't say enough about The Atlanta Hawks. We have a big game tonight against the Magic. We match up well against them so we could gain some good ground if we win!

[lt]

As a Falcons fan my NFL season is over but this is the first time in along time that we actually have a lot of tangible reasons to look forward to next season.

Francie, I have such a question for you since you are a Falcons fan (this question could also go to Ravens fans): did you appreciate when Mike Smith came in and said he wanted character players on his team (and see ya bye to the likes of Vick) and went through the combine and draft really looking at guys who scored high on their character assessments? Or did you prefer the old, bad guy image the Falcons (and, once again, Ravens) were trying to project to the league? Matt Ryan really seems like a team player (like Flacco for the Ravens) and I found the Falcons really rootable this season--something I NEVER thought I would say. Heck, I was pulling for them over the Cardinals in the Wild Card and I have nothing against the Cardinals at all. Are Falcon fans happy with this, let's be honest, more mature team attitude or do they prefer the former star-filled, look-at-me attitude?

Falafaclese, I know you aren't a big NFL fan but, living in that DC/Baltimore area, how has the fan base reacted to those same decisions by the Ravens? Once again, I never thought I would root for the Ravens and was heartsick when Ray Rice was drafted by them but, dang it, they were also really rootable this year--a nice solid team.

eta: Francie, I don't know your opinions of Vick but, if you get the chance and haven't already, try to catch the Dogtown episode, "Saving the Michael Vick dogs" on NatGeo. It was heartbreaking, and then heartwarming. Really well done. Everyone who does, and does not, have an opinion on dog fighting in general and Vick in particular should watch it.

[oopssorry]

Keep calling those spades, 'clese. I'm Philly on the inside and while I love my home people deeply, as fans -- egads. I don't go anywhere near them.....

I always forget about this space, and so missed the whole WSox group mourning.... Here's my belated contribution: and #%@&*!!

I have to admit that I'm not really a football fan, but it sure is nice and cozy to have a game on this time of year!

And as always, I'm so grateful to learn from my tennis friends about nuances in other sports - helps me see them more clearly.

[lt]

while I love my home people deeply, as fans -- egads. I don't go anywhere near them.....

oops, there is a story my dad loves to tell (and I might have already told it here) where he and my mom (both die-hard Giants fans) went to see an Eagles/Giants game in Philly (we lived in South Jersey--and this is in the 70s when Eagles games were always blacked out in the area because they couldn't sell out the stadium) and sat down next to, shall we say, crooked nose types. They told my dad he couldn't root for the Giants but puh-leese, not my dad. By the end of the game they told him he was okay and it was alright that he was a Giants fan.

Remember, first jail in a football stadium? Philadelphia. Throwing snowballs at Santa? Philadelphia. (Actually, there is an interesting aside to that story: Eagles fans will swear that while they booed Santa, they didn't throw snowballs at him. I saw an interview with the guy playing Santa [just a fan in a Santa suit who filled in when the hired Santa didn't show up] and he said they did, indeed throw snowballs at him. The reason it was never caught on film was because it was when he was walking back to the other side of the stadium behind the players benches, not when he was on the field.)

One more Eagles story: where I grew up had a lot of Eagles players since it was a suburb of Philadelphia. My sister came home one day from 3rd grade and told my dad that he was scheduled for a fight that Thursday against the father of another little girl in her class. Needless to say, my dad wasn't going to fight the guy anyway but the guy? Offensive lineman for the Eagles. Oy.

[oopssorry]

Ha. Oy, indeed. That is a hilarious story.

I think it was because of Eagles fans that I was never really into football. Even my immediate family doesn't like the Eagles. But my peeps from the region that we grew up with are really big fans. Needless to say, I just play dumb and talk tennis instead. Much calmer.

[Aside: Do you know Media, also a suburb of Philly? We were that direction. Lima, down Baltimore Pike....]

PS: As I just made that emoticon, I recalled once again tiki's great Connors posting from a while back and chuckled loudly here in the library....!

[francienolan]

LT Off the bat my Falcon crazy family appreciated Mike Smith's seeming dedication and respect for our players and to the organization, something that we sorely lacked under the asshole aka Bobby Petrino. Our team was based around Michael Vick plain and simple so his absence was going to mandate stripping the house to the studs. Smith and Dimitroff have done a wonderful job but athe the end of the day they have to field a winning product. If character assessment was the major factor in the assemblage then they wouldn't have kept Michael Boley.

That being said I never felt as if the Falcons projected a Raider-esque image. Hind sight is 20/20 and there were a series of small incidents that foretold Vick was a dumb mother fucker but none of them garnered much national attention and spreading herpes is a far cry from dog fighting. The timing being what it was, he never played under a whiff of suspicion. DeAngelo Hall is a prime example of faux superstar malcontent but other than that I just felt as if we were a team in complete free fall with little arrogance. But I'm not on the outside looking in...

As for the general public's take on the team, it goes without saying that winning heals a lot of wounds. At the height of Michael Vick's fame and popularity in Georgia there was a tension whose roots had a racial component that my inter racial family was keenly conscious of. But I'm from NYC and my husband is from Conn (though he's now lived here 16 years to my 8) and know all too well the South doesn't have a monopoly on racists.

I have seen the National Geographic special but I grew up in a neighborhood in where dog and cock fights were not common but not unheard of either so it wasn't a shock to me. I grew up a doglover and have always had dogs, so Vick's involvement in it was heartbreaking and maddening.