Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 27, 2009 23:21:42 GMT -8
No better time than after a bitter one-run loss to talk about why I hate the Giants.
When I was a kid, it was the thing to do. The traditional Brooklyn-New York rivalry moved west with the teams but veered toward murder when Juan Marichal clubbed Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro in the head with his bat. After that, the Giants were out of contention for many years, so it was hard to fear Frisco -- hell, we loved to visit and eat Rice-a-Roni -- but fans there loved to hate us.
Which didn't really hurt until Joe Morgan hit the home run off of Tom Niedenfuer on the last day of the 1982 season, the same year, as I recall, that Giants fans pelted Tommy Lasorda and the team with a ton of trash when they went through the tunnel to the clubhouse after another victory. So we hated the haters.
Around the turn of the century, Dodger Stadium turned ugly. A teenage boy in orange and black attending with us (who, by the way, went on to serve in Iraq in the National Guard) got serious verbal abuse throughout a game. A Giants fan was shot and killed in the parking lot. I cringed at all the racist vitriol shouted at Barry Bonds when he was closing in on the home run record.
I like to pretend that my fixation on the Hated Ones is healthy, just a parody of animosity that helps me purge all of my prejudices by projecting them on those wussies who play in AT&T-Spies-on-You Park.
Still, I won't be truly satisfied unless the Dodgers take the next two games.
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Post by Brian on May 5, 2009 7:21:49 GMT -8
It must be noted:
11!!
The Dodgers have won their first 11 games at home to start the season, setting a National League record.
Even better, they have the best winning percentage in baseball today.
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anni
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Post by anni on May 5, 2009 19:14:42 GMT -8
That's our blue boys..... and their base balls...
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Post by anni on May 7, 2009 13:18:29 GMT -8
Just heard a snippet about Manny being on punishment, not passing some pee pee test??? Allow me to say WTF??? Brian will know more when he gets home.... this seems like something vehwey vehwey bad. (Think Elmer Fudd)
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Post by Brian on May 9, 2009 0:28:53 GMT -8
Just heard a snippet about Manny being on punishment, not passing some pee pee test??? Allow me to say WTF??? Brian will know more when he gets home.... this seems like something vehwey vehwey bad. (Think Elmer Fudd) I knew before I got to work. Heard Randy Cardune breathlessly announce it on KNX at 8:48 as I pulled into the parking garage. So I skipped the first stage of grief, denial, because when you learn shocking news first it's almost like witnessing it. Is that why I skipped over two stages straight to depression -- worrying where would the Dodgers be in the standings on July 3 without him and brooding about the physical and psychological toll his absence might take on the team -- before going back to bargaining? Maybe the great nucleus before Manny became a Dodger last July 31 -- Andre, Russell, Matt, James, Casey and Rafael, with Orlando's bat, glove and speed -- will step up to the plate while he works out how to really be a man. There's nobody to be angry at. Is that a kind of acceptance?
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Brian
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Post by Brian on May 17, 2009 15:51:32 GMT -8
I don't write in this thread every day or even every week -- although I'm clearly, shamelessly capable of it -- but the Dodgers have played 10 games, or one-fifth, of Manny's suspension and now it can be asked: What's the problem?
I wasn't impressed with or depressed about the whining from many fans as they lost the first two games. I've been lonely for three years championing the young talent of Ethier, Kemp, Russell and Loney and now they're proving themselves. Having the likes of Pierre, Blake, Hudson and Furcal in the daily line up along with Loretta and Ausmus on the bench makes me feel even more secure.
Pitching can be shaky -- the team will have to make some kind of deal in July to bolster the starters and bullpen -- but one fact remains: The Dodgers have the best record in baseball.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on May 25, 2009 0:49:54 GMT -8
The hell with the Angels. ...one fact remains: The Dodgers have the best record in baseball.
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Post by Brian on May 31, 2009 23:01:00 GMT -8
The Dodgers achieved a split of their four games at Wrigley Field -- and continued to avoid losing three in a row this season -- in an 8-2 romp televised on ESPN tonight. Saturday's 7-0 loss to Cubs, Fox's game of the week, marked the first time that the team had been shutout this year.
Nice that the rest of the country is tuning into my team, although the national commentators can't stop yammering about Manny. Man, I moved on a month ago. At least they mentioned the Dodgers' sweep of the Colorado Iraqis. And their 2009 average of five and a half runs and 11 hits per game.
After their 5-2 road trip, they come back to Chavez Ravine to play the Snake Team. Still with the best record in baseball, 18 games above .500.
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Post by anni on Jun 30, 2009 14:14:53 GMT -8
Brian found the best relief from that purgatory known as Michael Jackson. Last Saturday (06/27/09) we escaped to HBO and a historical special about the Brooklyn Dodgers (circa 1947 to 1957). In a word, fascinating. Who knew Brian could top that? Yes he took me to a thrilling Dodger game...hotdogs and all...including extra innings...four to be exact. I'm ashamed to admit we left early...those Dodgers didn't care one bit. The bottom of the 13th Andre Ethier hit it out of the park and we won, 4 to 2!!! Yes, Roberta, we beat the iRockies, again!!!
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Roberta
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Post by Roberta on Jul 1, 2009 20:04:15 GMT -8
Isn't it required for Dodger fans to leave early?!?!
I celebrated being old enough to collect social security!
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