Saturday, October 22, 2005
Here's to the Good Guys
Houston is in a baseball frenzy right now, since our lovable losers, the Astros, have made it to the World Series for the first time in their 44 year history. We have come heart-breakingly close so many times before. And while I toast their achievement, and will root for them with all my might, I believe they have already accomplished the ultimate: they are a team to look up to.
Basketball is overrun with gangstas, football with thugs, hockey with hotheads. I don't follow other baseball teams, so I don't know if this is endemic to baseball itself, or just to the Astros, but these are all-American heroes. Most of them are married to their high school sweetheart. They go to church. They bury their egos to do what is necessary for the team.
Roger Clemens came out of his (very brief) retirement to play for less money in front of his hometown. He played again this year because he wanted to give the Astros, especially Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, a shot at the World Series. When he first signed with the Astros, he had a request -- that he would not have to travel with the team when he was not scheduled to pitch. A few calls to the other players quickly established that they would not whine about unfairness. All of them said, sure, Roger can stay home when he's not pitching, and can we wash his car for him, too?
Andy Pettite followed Roger to Houston, also taking less money so he could play for the hometown folks. He lives in Deer Park, which is a refinery town -- definitely not Beverly Hills -- because that's where he and his wife grew up, and that's where they want to raise their kids.
Jeff Bagwell had shoulder surgery and has hardly played all year. At the beginning of the season he asked if he could travel with the team, and said he would pay his own way, if necessary. He knew he could help the younger guys on the team if he was with them.
Last year we had an outstanding player named Carlos Beltran. Actually, he wasn't doing that well until he signed with the Astros, but he was so fantastic in the playoffs that he was the hottest commodity out there. He made several comments about how people would come up to him and tell him how much they enjoyed his playing, and how much they hoped he would stay. Carlos said it wasn't about the money, it was about playing for a team and a city that really wanted him, and for a team that had a good shot at the Series. Then he signed with the Mets -- the Mets!!!! -- and didn't have a very good season with them. You may notice some signs in the stands which in effect say, eat your heart out, Beltran! What he did to Houston was make us feel like a very good wife with some stretch marks and a wrinkle or two who suddenly gets dumped for a bleached, siliconed trophy. If you listen, you can hear the woman scorned syndrome. But it turns out that was for the best. I think if the Astros still had Beltran to rely on, they might not have played so much as a team, and they would not be where are today. Beltran turned out to be all about the money.
So here's to the Good Guys, with their old-fashioned virtues, their determination, their work ethic, and their team spirit. Isn't it nice to know that every now and then, nice guys finish first.
GO ASTROS!
Basketball is overrun with gangstas, football with thugs, hockey with hotheads. I don't follow other baseball teams, so I don't know if this is endemic to baseball itself, or just to the Astros, but these are all-American heroes. Most of them are married to their high school sweetheart. They go to church. They bury their egos to do what is necessary for the team.
Roger Clemens came out of his (very brief) retirement to play for less money in front of his hometown. He played again this year because he wanted to give the Astros, especially Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, a shot at the World Series. When he first signed with the Astros, he had a request -- that he would not have to travel with the team when he was not scheduled to pitch. A few calls to the other players quickly established that they would not whine about unfairness. All of them said, sure, Roger can stay home when he's not pitching, and can we wash his car for him, too?
Andy Pettite followed Roger to Houston, also taking less money so he could play for the hometown folks. He lives in Deer Park, which is a refinery town -- definitely not Beverly Hills -- because that's where he and his wife grew up, and that's where they want to raise their kids.
Jeff Bagwell had shoulder surgery and has hardly played all year. At the beginning of the season he asked if he could travel with the team, and said he would pay his own way, if necessary. He knew he could help the younger guys on the team if he was with them.
Last year we had an outstanding player named Carlos Beltran. Actually, he wasn't doing that well until he signed with the Astros, but he was so fantastic in the playoffs that he was the hottest commodity out there. He made several comments about how people would come up to him and tell him how much they enjoyed his playing, and how much they hoped he would stay. Carlos said it wasn't about the money, it was about playing for a team and a city that really wanted him, and for a team that had a good shot at the Series. Then he signed with the Mets -- the Mets!!!! -- and didn't have a very good season with them. You may notice some signs in the stands which in effect say, eat your heart out, Beltran! What he did to Houston was make us feel like a very good wife with some stretch marks and a wrinkle or two who suddenly gets dumped for a bleached, siliconed trophy. If you listen, you can hear the woman scorned syndrome. But it turns out that was for the best. I think if the Astros still had Beltran to rely on, they might not have played so much as a team, and they would not be where are today. Beltran turned out to be all about the money.
So here's to the Good Guys, with their old-fashioned virtues, their determination, their work ethic, and their team spirit. Isn't it nice to know that every now and then, nice guys finish first.
GO ASTROS!
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