And that is a Fan.....

Ok, yep!  I am back on my soap box again. 

Ever wondered about the whole idea of being a fan?  Question becomes are you a true fan, a fair weather fan, a sports fan, a band wagon jumper?

Seriously, ask yourself that.

Here are some of the best quotes I have heard recently and you throw them into the category they outta fit.

(1) In a conversation I had just last weekend with someone I knew attend Texas Tech football games, I posed this question:   "How will Tech do against Kansas State this weekend?"  The response I got was spot on.  "We're going to win!"  Then I asked the dumbest question to date.  "Why do you say that?" and the young lady replied, "Because I always think we are going to win!"  The conversation continued with the concept that she did not typically talk football with the other football fans in her life as all she knew is she thought her team was going to win.  Made no difference where or who or how they were playing.  They were going to win!!  Right On!! 

(2) While visiting with a fan outside Levelland's Lobo Stadium on Friday night after a 21-to-nothing loss to Lubbock Cooper, I heard this statement.  "I sure wish we would have won tonight but I am so proud of the way our boys played.  We will get the next one for sure."  No that was not a comment being uttered from a coach working directly out of the losing streak handbook.  That was a fan off record (or so they thought).  After that statement, they went on to tell me how the volleyball team would knock off a district leader on Saturday. 

(3) With baseball season nearly ended, a discussion ensued with a gentleman and after praising the play of the Texas Rangers and explaining to me how the would win the World Series, they went on to explain how much better the Astros would be next season.  What?  Really?  The Astros are going to get better?

I have been in the radio sports business for 17 years, played competitive sports since I was five and have been a fan forever so it would seem.  I have coached, officicated, played, announced and cheered. 

I wear my reality cap a lot as a writer and announcer but I wear my fan cap too. 

No sercert around here that I am a Kansas City Royals fan, a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, and a fan of all my area high school teams and as a fan I balance my reality factor and my true fan factor.

I always think the Royals will be a contender next year.  I always think the next play, the next game or the next season will be better than the last.

Point of the matter is this, what is wrong with just being a fan. 

Thinking your team is always the best.  Thinking it is always gonna get better.  Thinking that your quarterback or your pitcher is going to do it all.  Thinking your coach is just great and will do better.

NOTHING!

Look, even if you don't know the most about sports, still just be a fan.  You don't have to know the most to be a fan.  Sometimes I suffer under the burden of knowledge knowing that my Royals may not make moves to get them in the hunt for 2012.  Knowing that the Nebraska loss to Wisconsin means no chance at a National Title.

Get out your team's flag, whoever that team is and fly it proudly.  Wear your team jersey around if they are ten-and-oh or oh-and-ten.  It is those fans who are the truest fans of all.

Just more deep thoughts from a shallow mind and thanks for your time.  Be good to each other out there.

Money and Markets Win MLB!

Oh yes, we have all heard it!  Baseball has come down to just money spent and market size!!!! EVIL EVIL EVIL FEAR FEAR FEAR!!!! 

Whatever.......

Ok lets take a peak.

Top Ten Payroll Teams 2011: New York Yankees $202,689,028 Out During ALDS
Philadelphia Phillies $172,976,379 Out During NLDS
Boston Red Sox $161,762,475 Failed to Make Playoffs
Los Angeles Angels $138,543,166 Failed to Make Playoffs
Chicago White Soxs $127,789,000 Failed to Make Playoffs
Chicago Cubs $125,047,329 Failed to Make Playoffs
New York Mets $118,847,309 Failed to Make Playoffs
San Francisco Giants $118,198,333 Failed to Make Playoffs
Minnesota Twins $112,737,000 Failed to Make Playoffs
Detroit Tigers $105,700,231 IN ALCS

So in case you didn't notice three of the top ten made playoffs and two are already out.  Where do the three that are still in fall in......

St. Louis Cardinals 11th Ranked at $ 105,433,572
Texas Rangers 13th Ranked at $ 92,299,264
Milwaukee Brewers 17th Ranked at $ 85,497,333

Ok so it must be market size!  That has to be it right.

Ok how about the top five markets in the MLB:
(1) New York Yankees   OUT IN ALDS

(2) New York Mets         Failed to make playoffs

(3) Boston Red Soxs       Failed to make Playoffs
(4) Chicago Cubs            Failed to make Playoffs
(5) Detroit Tigers            IN ALCS

The market system works like this:
Huge Markets ---  The only team is the New York Yankees.....wow.....yeah their own catagory!
Large Markets ---  

New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.   Two of seven made the playoffs and only one remains.

In case you wanted to know, the St. Louis Cardinals qualify as Above Average Market while the Rangers and the Brewers as just average market.

Well it must be those over paid cry baby bonus babies Right!!!!

Ok how about the top 20 paid players in the MLB:

This table refers to the salary for 2011 alone, not the overall average value of the contract. Salaries listed are according to the USA Today salary database.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, $32,000,000
Vernon Wells, Los Angeles Angels, $26,187,500
CC Sabathia, New York Yankees, $24,285,714
Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, $23,125,000
Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins, $23,000,000
Johan Santana, New York Mets, $21,644,707
Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies, $20,275,000
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, $20,000,000
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies, $20,000,000
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies, $20,000,000
Carlos Beltran, San Francisco Giants, $19,325,436
Carlos Lee, Houston Astros, $19,000,000
Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs, $19,000,000
Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs, $18,875,000
Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels, $18,500,000
Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants, $18,500,000
Jason Bay, New York Mets, $18,125,000
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, $18,000,000
Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox, $17,000,000
A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees, $16,500,000

Ok, of that list of 20, just one, Miguel Cabrera of Detroit is still playing baseball.  Yes all other 19 are sitting on the couch at home cashing checks.

So now wait, is this pointing that good solid players playing as a team, with good coaching and solid owners win games?

What has Become of the Old Ball Game????

Sing along.....

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game.

Ah yes. The immortal words of song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of baseball. In 1908 those words were written by vaudeville star Jack Norworth, who while riding a subway train, was inspired by a sign that said "Baseball Today — Polo Grounds". Ok, yes there are more words than that but those are the words that every baseball fan has grown up to sing. As one of the most recognized songs in the history of the United States, it is a tune that in the right circles is as popular as “Happy Birthday to You.” But ask yourself this, is it time for a remake. Be realistic. Every big song has to have a remake right. “American Woman” in 1970 by Guess Who, taken back to the top by Lenny Kravitz in 1998. “Break on Through (to the other side)” was a smash for the Doors in 1967 and came back with the Stone Temple Pilots in 2000. I can go on and on but the point is these songs all were big and behind some tweaking and revamping to fit the age, came back to like. That takes me back to Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Time for a revamping?

How about this.......

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me a hot dog and sunflower seeds

Eight bucks for a soda, seems right to me

We'll boo the umps and heckle the other team

Cause it just feels right

For no matter what the final score may be

We just are in a bad mood tonight.

Yeah easy true blue baseball fans easy, I am just joshin'. I love the game of baseball period. I love the smell of the grass, the sound of the bat, and the feel of the sun. I love the PA guy making the announcements, the organ music, the bark of the umpire and the taste of the seven-dollar flat beer. I love mustard on my shirt, sweat on my brow, and the feeling I get when the left fielder makes that sliding catch. I love the roar of the homerun, the groan of the double play and the joy and disappointment that it fuels. I love the fact that baseball, like any other entertainment industry, can give us as Americans so much joy over a weekend, spur so much discussion in the coffee shop on Monday and leave us breathless and wanting more. I LOVE THIS GAME!!

I hate where it is going.

I have been to a lot of baseball games. More than the average person? Not real sure but I know I have seen 10 different Major League teams live and in color. I have seen several college games in several venues. I have seen minor leagues, independents, high schools, legion squads, and about everything in between. I have seen some of the best games in great parks and I have seen ugly games in below average venues. Sometimes I have had a horse in the race and real wanted one team to win. Sometimes I find myself just sitting in the bleachers in some backwater town in the middle of the middle west not knowing anything about either team but just knowing four bucks for one in the bleachers is worth the fun in the sun on a Saturday.

The one thing that continues to ring true for me is this. I love a well turned double play. I love to hear a homer as it leaves the bat, I love to see the dust fly on the close play at second and I just plain love good baseball.

I have been a Kansas City Royals fan since I was seven. I have seen my share of terrible seasons. I have a great respect for Nolan Ryan and the Rangers. I have great respect for the power house teams in St. Louis. I even, though am not a fan of, have a quiet respect for the Yankees. I grew up watching the Nebraska Cornhuskers play. Yes I am a Huskers fan! I have great respect for what Augie Garrido has been able to do at Texas and the quality of baseball at Cal-State Fullerton, Arizona State, Miami, Rice and others. I wish all the best to all the teams in the Big 12 including Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Kansas and Missouri. Why? Why the love and respect for these other college teams and major league teams? Cause it makes for great baseball.

I will go anywhere and watch any team within my means and I drag my kids to any game I can. Why? For great baseball and the ability to learn and respect the game that has provided me so much fun, excitement, and passion over the last 30 years.

Recently I have the privilege to attend a game and watch a team I had never seen play in a park I had never been to. Me and the boys loaded up the car and made was an easy drive to the ball park. We got our sodas and our popcorn and settled in right behind home plate and got ready to see some awesome baseball. Guess what? It was awesome baseball! Three-to-nothing game with rips off the wall, bang-bang plays, pitchers throwing the nasty hammer and the whole nine yards! GREAT BASEBALL!

I enjoyed nearly every minute. Nearly every minute.

Seven pitches in, and out came the boo birds. Not a run on the board and not one hitter goes by and out comes the hecklers. “Hey ump, how much are they paying you,” and “you need to dump that water on your head and wake up,” and “get some glasses, you are missing a great game.” I don't even want to touch on the heckling.

Why? What is the point?

Let me point something out a few things that seem to get missed.

The average major league baseball team will throw over 24,000 pitches in the course of a season. Does it seem logical that an umpire may miss one or two? Find me a lawyer who tries 24,000 cases and wins everyone, or a doctor who sees 24,000 patients and cures everyone.

Two, do you think they hear you? Really? With all the noise, shouting, players talking and shouting and being fifty feet away do you really think they hear you?

Three. Have you ever seen an umpire change a call after a fan points out his mistake? Really?

I get the privilege to see a lot of sports and get the unreal opportunity to talk about what I see. Have I ever questioned an official? You bet your boots I have! I prefer this statement. “Well I thought that pitched looked outside, must have not been the case.” Or “I am not sure what that official saw, but it is not what I saw.” Is that perfect? No. Should I question them? May not. But accusing an official of being on the take, insulting his health or intelligence? NEVER!

I have been that guy in the stripes with the whistle and that guy with the mask and counter. Been there done that. Try it. I dare you! Get certified and go out and give it a shot. Good luck!

I am more concerned with this than the health and well being of our officials because let me tell you this, they don't really care what you think.

I am more concerned with the message we send our youth. We preach ethics and sportsmanship and how to win with pride and honor to our kids as they compete in youth leagues and high school. Then we take them to a college game to yell at umpires and heckle other players. Good thinking!

I hope to see you at the ballpark soon and yes I will be going back to the ballpark and taking the kids as much as I can. Come sit with us. Enjoy the game. Let's talk baseball. Lets celebrate the great plays and use them as well as the mistakes we see to teach our kids. Let's you and I sit in the bleachers and enjoy that over priced hot dog and soda (or beer if you are a hops and barley guy like me) and when our team wins, let's cheer. If our teams loses, lets me down for a moment but recognize that there is always the next game or the next season, and how well that other team had to play to beat our guys cause we ARE AWESOME! Let's have fun as we......

Let me root, root, root for game as a whole

and just enjoy the old ball game.

It's Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind. Thanks for your time!

How Cold is It

(10) It is so cold Shania Twain  had to cover her midriff.  Record sales plummeted.
(9) It is so cold when I turned on the shower I got hail.
(8) It is so cold, Starbucks is serving coffee on a stick.
(7) It is so cold, politicians have their hands in their own pockets.
(6) It is so cold, flashers are running up to people and describing themselves.
(5) It is so cold, the penguins have begun to migrate.
(4) It is so cold Richard Simmons was caught wearing pants.
(3) It is so cold hitchhikers are holding up pictures of thumbs.
(2) It is so cold Al Gore is burning tires to stay warm.
(1) and It is so cold Pamela Anderson has been downgraded from hot to tepid.