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Monday, September 15, 2008

A lost weekend

And I don't mean just because no one stopped by to talk to me after my last post (sniff, sniff. I'll get over it).

Saturday and Sunday were rarities for me, two games back-to-back where I was totally detached and didn't find out what happened until later. I'm still trying to learn my way around our fall sports scene here at VCU. Saturday night, we set a record for attendance and our men's soccer team had a great win over Virginia. That afternoon, I watched my first VCU field hockey game. Yesterday, it was our women's soccer home opener (3-2 Rams over Bucknell!).

I did, however, note two more losses for baseball team of D.C.. Oh the mood swings. The winning streak made the 12-gamer seem so long ago. Now I can barely remember the winning streak.

Yesterday's game, from the sounds of it, was one that was best left unseen. It must have been great to see the bunt hit followed by the bunt hit followed by Langerhans' home run (I want him around next year, by the way). It must have been awful to watch that eighth. I would have imploded worse than the bullpen.

So that brings me to a question that may get answered or may get ignored. Hey, I've had zero comments before! At one point is it OK for the fan base to root for victory in the Strasburg Cup?

I say now. I mean c'mon, what else is there? Chico the Writer talked about it some on Nationals Journal this a.m. and one the comments mentioned something about being a real fan and never rooting for a loss.

A valid sentiment but I'm a real fan and I wonder if, for the future, it isn't better to be in position to draft Strasburg than it is to say, win eight of the remaining games. Or whatever. Is he good enough to be The One? Is he good enough to make a significant difference?

The team can't outwardly tank, of course, and Manny would grow hair only so it could fall back out at the very thought of this. I understand that.

I guess my point is I'm not rooting for losses but they sure aren't going to break my heart over these final two weeks.

11 comments:

Brian said...

Just root for the Mariners and Padres to win the rest of their games. The only difficulty comes when SD comes to town.

MikeHarris said...

The Chase for the Strasburg Cup could be more interesting than the Chase for the Sprint Cup - or whatever NASCAR calls that thing now.

Unknown said...

I'll always cheer on the Nats to win, but in this situation I don't mind losing. I don't cheer for it, but if Strasburg falls into our laps, who am I to complain?

Anonymous said...

Take it as a positive no one left a comment. Maybe your readers left it alone to be played out in court, where it belongs. When (if) all the facts come out,they will make their comments.

MikeHarris said...

Good point - but still? No one?
I will bring it up again after the court date.
What are they wearing on their heads tonight? I'm teaching my online class and just turned around to see.

An Briosca Mor said...

They were wearing their Fourth of July/September 11 patriotic caps tonight. From my perch up in 419/420 (where I was one of six or seven people in the two sections combined) they just looked like blue caps with a white logo, but apparently there was some stars and stripes thing going on in the logo if you were close enough to see. They were out of town on 9/11, so I guess this was the makeup day for that observance tonight. They did a moment of silence before the game for the 9/11 victims too.

BTW, those caps looked a lot better with the Nats' uniforms than the Orioles' version (also blue) looked with their orange and black uniforms when they wore them on the real 9/11.

Anonymous said...

I have issues with losing games in the hope that a kid might be the answer to this teams issues. At best, he'll pitch 20% of games. At best, he never gets injured, never has a slump, never starts threatening to kil his girlfriend or trying to pick up 15 years olds. He is one kid. This whole "build a team around the kid" thing is surreal. I am not a great baseball historian, but I just looked through the number 1's between 1900 and 2005, and seriously, don't lose games over some of these guys.

MikeHarris said...

420? You were up in my turf. Friday looks like it will be my last appearance of the season.

I got home just in time for the eighth, so I missed seeing any of Lannan.

An Briosca Mor said...

My 20-game plan seats are right between 419 & 420, in that little box of seats over the entry way. Last night was not one of my plan games, but I picked it up by exchanging one of my other games and they put me back in my regular seat. Friday night is one of my plan games, so I'll be there unless the friend who's coming with me that night and I decide to do another one of our "slip the usher a ten spot and get hooked into some nice lower bowl seats" upgrades, utilizing an opportunity we unintentionally stumbled on a while back. At any rate, though, if last night is any gauge, if both you and I are in our assigned seats at Friday's game we won't be surrounded by much of a crowd. So if I see you I'll say hello.

MikeHarris said...

I'll be the grumpy bald guy.

Padres pitcher Cla Meredith went to school here. I have a signed ball from him on my desk. So I want to see at least one of the games this weekend.

An Briosca Mor said...

I'll be the grumpy bald guy.

So will I.