BRING IT!

While the boys of summer enjoy the sunshine in their respective Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues  it’s time to assert this ever saddening comment: “Complainers generally always need something to complain about.” So true. As a lifelong Red Sox fan I make no bones about who my favorite team is – hell I’m wearing my favorite Red Sox cap right now and I’m at work! My cubicle is littered with reminders of how I got to this place called Red Sox Nation – there’s a teddy bear created in 2004 with the Red Sox as Champions AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS as Super Bowl Champions. On the top of my cube sits a hat gifted by a Red Sox season ticket holder that shows a Red Sox fan urinating on a Yankee cap (thanks Bobbi).  I have a clock that was presented to me after garnering five years with my former company that shows the Boston Red Sox as the 2007 World Series champions – I still haven’t reset that clock to reflect the current daylight savings … there’s a Boston Bruins playoff rally flag in the corner, an ice cream sundae helmet representing RSN and there in the corner is a picture of my father and I taken in 1979. That picture is my reminder as to where it all began. My dad was a lifelong Yankee fan – who once told me after watching Joe Dimaggio play ball he jumped on their fan base (now known as bandwagonning Dad). My first game at Fenway was with my dad in 1968, the year after the Red Sox had staged the Impossible Dream by winning the American League pennant. I remember where we sat that night – a number of rows up from behind the plate, around Section 12 – mind you I was all of 7 years old, you remember a life changer like this … THIS IS FENWAY for crying out loud. I was in awe. Before the game had started we took the obligatory walk around the entire ball park. I stopped at the fenced in area where Red Sox pitchers parked their cars and was collecting autographs when my dad grabbed the back of my shirt and hustled me down to Yawkee Way … why? In my eyes it was nothing more than watching a bunch of grown men walk off a school bus – these grown men were of course those that would later be outfitted in pinstripes and even back then – I COULD CARE LESS. In those days both team lineups were announced and I remember when Mickey Mantle (if they have the internet in heaven I know my dad is laughing his ass off right now) was announced the crowd at Fenway took to their feet and provided the future Hall of Famer a standing ovation … all except one kid who would not get up for him – in fact he booed ‘the Mick’ … that’s right. The one and only time I got to see Mantle play in a live setting I booed him. I did this to get under my dad’s skin and in a couple corners of the universe there are those that know this story first hand that still laugh a little when it’s retold.

When my day begins without students I peruse the pages of Jerry Remy’s “Today in Sports” page and I immediately focused in on a link titled “Fan Smack Talk: Yankees vs Red Sox Rivalry” hosted by Yahoo Sports. The page, as it turns out, was nothing more than dribble written by some tool in New York boasting twenty seven this … 1918 that … and me with my Bosox hat on. So this is how the day gets started? … Alright then. I spend five days a week here in this cube of mine and even if my boss told me to remove the reminders – I’d of course still be one of the biggest Red Sox fans here in Northern California. Hell LuLu’s page even has a poll registered to see where you readers believe the SOX will finish this year – that’s dedication, is it not?

Logan, myself and LuLu had the house to ourselves for a little while last night while one of our neighbors treated Bonnie to a girl’s night out where the grape was consumed, massages provided, etc., etc. Thank you Carrie. During this short period of “free time” Logan worked on her homework and LuLu and I watched the final period of the Boston Bruins game. With three minutes left in a tied game we watched Milan Lucic bend the twine behind the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender and over my rejoice I could actually hear Logan muttering “oh god … hockey season” …

Listen – it’s true those in the Bronx have twenty seven rings and I have a special place for each and every one of them, while the Red Sox who have been in the system longer than the Yankees have only seven World Series rings to display. Though when I read the rubbish provided this morning on Jerry’s page the contributor failed to write about the greatest collapse in World Series playoff history; 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS). Now I wonder why he forgot all that?

LuLu enjoyed her Bruins game last night, and little does she know in twenty seven days there will be nothing but Boston Red Sox television on just about every afternoon and our home-cooked sausage, peppahs, and unyuns!

Dad – you tried making me a Yankee fan and failed. It turns out the NATION is one strong force of nature, one even mightier than the bond between father and son.

LGRS!

LuLu represents!

Peace,

Papa

© P.E. Cheney and Life With LuLu, 2010-2011.  All Rights Reserved.