Why is baseball so great?

As you've probably noticed (since I'm guessing you clicked on my blog-link from Facebook) I enjoy baseball. I love my Cubs, but I flat out enjoy the game of baseball. Why Boomer? Why do you enjoy this game? Well, Boomer's narritive voice, let me tell you...

Unlike most sports, baseball has no "clock". There are no quarters, shot-clocks, time run-outs, ball spiking or periods. The game is played, and the game is played until the game is done. No ties, no shoot-outs. There have been many times I completely blew off other obligations/planned activities because a game blew past the traditional three hour mark (the average most pro-sports hold) and continued to watch a game well into the um-teen innings/5-7 hour mark. A game of baseball, could last forever...

"I enjoy going to games, and watching them at a ball park, but I just can't fatham myself sitting and watching a game start to finish. Sooooo boring". Ummm... whaaaaat?? Obviously you aren't grasping what is happening before your eyes. There's a dude on the mound, and he can bring good stuff all day. With ONE bad pitch, the game has completely changed. Yeah, there may be some throws to first, couple looks to second, maybe a few foul balls. In an instant, the magnitude of what you are seeing can sky rocket to epic (may I say... life changing?) proportions. Don't get me wrong. I've taken my fair share of naps during games, but the fact is even during extreme pitching duels, there is so much you are still seeing. Yes, home runs are cool but they are only a small aspect of the game. The event is hardly bore. Remember, one swing of that bat or one bad pitch can bring so much happiness to your world or completely rip all hope from your pathetic, sad little grasp. Look at the game as you would look at potential engergy. The possibility (potential) of an object or substance (batter/pitcher) to do work. Anything could happen, at any moment, and you have no idea what it is going to be.

"I might follow, if they brought it down to a sixteen game season" Der-da-Der!! "See, I can handle football cause it's once a week and my puney brain can handle once a week". Sorry. I, went a little far there. Is one-hundred and sixty five games a lot of games?? Yep. Does that bother someone that truly grasps the concept of baseball?? Heck no. In its entirety baseball hardly lasts much longer than a complete season of football w/ its camps and pre-season games. What you're not seeing is this. Match-ups, stats, hot-streaks, cold-streaks, and stats and more magnificent stats. As any fantasy baseball expert knows, baseball is a huge numbers game. A season is an all out war between the clubs. A season is bloody struggle and an extreme test of endurance for a ball club (and fan). Who can get hot and stay hot? Who can beat their rivals away? At home? In a dome? (stay in the zone?? hahaha... rhyming here) Who can stay healthy? Who can hit for power? Play with speed? Strik-em out? Hold arm strength? Keep their bullpen consistant? Look cooler when they spit?

I know I'm missing a lot, but there is one last thing that must be mentioned.

The no-hitter.

Hands down, single handedly, the most remarkable achievment in any professional game. Either for a mortal man to compete at such perfection as a no-no; he must bring his "A" game, have his fellow ball players play their positions with perfection and himself, recieve a great deal of luck. Now think of this. If a pitcher is in the middle of a no-no, obviously there is no offense on one side of the ball right?? In most cases there is little offense on the other side as well. So the game may seem a little "slow" to the feeble minded. However, there is nothing I would rather be doing, than be caught up watching a no-hitter un-fold between my own beautiful blue eyes.

So. If you still find yourself being a poopy pants towards all the "baseballers" talking about Opening Day or their fantasy teams or about Pujols going to the Cubs in the fall, just ask yourself this. Am I moron? Have I really taken the time to understand the game of baseball? Do I breathe with my mouth open?? If you are still troubled by this concept, I will answer these questions for you. Yes-No-Yes. Learn the game. Keep your baseball negativity to yourself. Try some breathe right strips or something because your breathe smells like a hobo's pocket and your lips are like super chapped bro.

and...

Go CUBS!

sometimes... you just gotta add a picture of He-Man to your blog post... simple because... it is what he would have wanted.

Trick love Da Kids

Woo!!! what an awesome month thus far... weather is warming up... kinda?? and I'm going to hit some golf balls tomorrow. It is absolutely amazing how things I look forward to have changed over the years....

I want anyone that reads this to know....
When I talk about something I think we should do/do better, I am not preaching, or judging person's actions/lack of actions. Any issue I talk about is definitely something I am trying to work on as well. I want to get that out there in case anyone is thinking "oh Boom... preaching on his high horse again" Unless I am talking about being more awesome, because honestly guys, you've got a lot of work to do to catch up to this bad boy...

I've been thinking a lot lately about very small things that happened to me as a kid that have shaped the way I am today. We've all got insecurities, fears, desires and needs that we feel as adults. If you truly look deep in yourself, you can trace these feelings back to a memory or memories from your childhood. Insecurities might be the biggest one out of the list of nouns I mentioned. Is that not mind blowing how easily we were molded and affected when we were younger? Maybe this is just me. Maybe I'm way off base. In that case, maybe you should get back to your Biggest Loser re-run or looking at pictures of your ex on Facebook and trying not to cry yourself to sleep because you're a pathetic lump of a man that will never be loved because you've got the self-esteem of a "yield" sign ... woa... sorry about that. I don't know what happened.

Okay. There is a method to my madness. I don't have any kids. I am to the age though, where I'm around the smaller humans all the time. Whether it be cousins, friends' kids, nieces/nephews or even your own kids, I'm sure you're around those little fire ants as well. Don't get me wrong, they're awesome! The pure innocence in their personalities is an incredibly beautiful creation even as they get into their teen years. I think that every one of us should really make it a point to review the kind of example we're setting for them. Whether it is our language, manners or actions. Family talks. If you're getting into trouble, the little squirts in your family have over heard the adults speaking of such things. But why not take this all a step further? Instead of just setting a good, or even "neutral" example, why not make a REAL effort to make an extremely positive "ripple" on their life. Let them look at their mannerisms and make-up one day as an adult, and see the positive light you brought to them.

I, personally, think it is vital in a child's life to know Christ's love at an early age. This doesn't just mean getting a kid into a church seat. These kids need love and attention, but most of the time just a friend. I don't know what you're seeing but I sure am not seeing a ton of Grade A parenting, or basic family values in the world today. Kids are lost and lost kids make for very crappy adults. I guarantee you have a friend that had a pretty tough time growing up and I guarantee they're still carrying big ole bag of demons from their childhood. We all need companionship and children are no different. We've got to make time for them and get over ourselves. The children we look at today are going to go through a world of hell someday, in some way or another. The least we can do is show them the kind of love they need to get through the dark times they have in their horizon.

There is nothing more precious that the humbleness and joy in a child. We have got to work hard to keep them feeling special. When I'm an old cranky man (older cranky man) withering away in a rest home, I'd rather my grand kids not be doped up on anti-depressants when they come see me (if they come see me).