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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

A Family Situation

It's on. Nats vs. Braves. So you know what that means. This becomes a house divided. This year, we have a new twist in there and we come to an, uh, ah, unbiased audience for help.

Some background. I call my son My Son The Braves Fan because he is a Braves fan. No issues there. He comes by it honestly. There was no team in D.C. when he was growing up. We live in Richmond, for years the home of the Braves' AAA team. He should be a Braves fan and, to his credit, he's very loyal. His fandom is not a sign of bad parenting. There are other signs of that. This is not one of them.

My son is also a Hokie, a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. So we have this little bet when we go to Braves-Nats games. If U.Va. product Ryan Zimmerman hits a home run when we're there, my son has to stand up in his Braves gear and sing the U.Va. fight song. It has happened a few times and all rank among the highlights of my life. One of these days, I'll get one on YouTube.

Anyway, now the little weasel is trying to weasel. The other side of the bet is I had to do the Tomahawk Chop when Jeff Francouer hit a home run.

Francouer, the weasel noted, is no longer a Brave. Bet is off.

No way, I noted. I didn't trade Francouer. If I had, I would have traded him to the Nats (think they would have taken Dukes for him?). His issue is with Frank Wren, not me. We had no out clauses for trades in the original deal. When (not if) Zimmerman hits one out, he sings and dances. Plain and simple.

He's holding firm but agreed to listen to reason. I know no more reasonable group than the totally unbiased audience of this blog.

What say you?

9 comments:

FHB said...

Not a Nats fan. Not a Braves fan. But he has to sing. Perhaps you can find a new Bravo you have to chop for when he jacks one off the mediocore Nats pitching (Livo excepted!). But he still has to sing. That part still stands.

Anonymous said...

Francoeur is still playing, so he can still homer. You can still chop whenever he does. You'll just look even more ridiculous chopping at a Mets game, or at some incongrous moment in a Braves game when he homers in some other game far away. Most normal sons would be all over anything that can make their dad look even more ridiculous.

cass said...

I would say that the bet should end, but be renewed with a new player. I'd recommend Jason Heyward, but that'd be really unfair to you. But really, having to go through Zimm vs Fancouer for however long the bet went on should have been punishment enough for him. I wouldn't be cruel by continuing it.

For what it's worth, my brother is a Braves fan, and we have made two bets this year. The big one is based on the first meeting of Heyward and Strasburg. If Heyward gets a hit, he wins, if Strasburg stikes Heyward out, I win. The bet continues until one of these two events happens when they face each other. Whoever wins has to buy tickets next time we go to a game together.

The other one, alas, I've probably already lost. Between Adam Dunn and Jason Heyward, whoever's player hits the longest homerun this year gets to have a "Home Run Champion" shirt made by the loser. Alas, Heyward probably won it on his first at bat, which is still tops in the majors this year at 476 feet.

Sec 204 Row H Seat 7 said...

His side of the bet should stay. I agree your side of the bet should be switchd to Heyward.

It is a long season Cass, the Dunnster could uncork a long one yet.

Obi-Run Kenobi said...

I would say you should push for a replacement to Franceour, as that makes the most sense. Plus, you get the chance to renegotiate the bet more in your favor. For instance, how about replacing Franceour with slugger Brooks Conrad (2 home runs, .193 BA in three seasons). That would seriously limit the downside to the bet. And increase the entertainment potential.

MikeHarris said...

I fear Brooks Conrad. I saw him hit one last year and I still get the shakes.
I could sub in Church for Francouer since that's who they got in trade *** oh, wait.
My son LOVES being reminded of that deal.

Ryan said...

Yeah. You definitely have to sub a guy in for Franky. And you have a silly Blackberry. You'd better video the next time he sings and definitely post it HERE, not on YouTube. Or both, actually. But definitely here.

Unknown said...

I agree with keeping the bet going with a replacement Brave

Sec 204 Row H Seat 7 said...

Probably will repost this on next thread but it definitely is on topic here. Hope your son is geared for two more disappointments, Mike.

@cass

I thought of you when Dunn unloaded last night. It looked pretty long but the commentators did not estimate distance.