Back to the past

The Indians are officially in last place. I know the basic train of thought is it is time to pull the plug on the season. Wave the white flag and count the days til Browns training camps opens.

But I had sort of a epihany last night. I didn't expect to go to the game. I didn't expect to sit really close to the field. And I had the best time. Sure the alcohol helped but I had not had that much fun at an Indians game in quite some time. I forgot to be upset at the product on the field and just had fun. Chanting slogans like "Mustard is brown and not yellow" and applauding nice catches in the crowd. It brought me back to my youth when I never expected the Tribe to win. I just slammed wooden chairs to the beat and cheered every play.

During the last few weeks, I have still watched every game. If a function didn't allow it, I still sneaked peeks at my phone for the score. And the whole thing has been heart breaking. The Indians have taken the fun of out reading the paper and even watching highlights.

But last night's fun combined with the comfort of last place has given me a catharsis (and I hope that word means what I think it means) and I am so looking forward to tonight's game. Baseball used to be about fun and relaxation. Winning had nothing to do with it when I was young. The promise of winning has taken the fun away. I never looked at the standings or the stats. I just wanted to see a good catch, head first triple or slickly turned double play. I hoped the Indians would win but I never needed them to win. The game was enough. And with the Indians in last place with the playoffs looking to be impossible. Maybe I can shed my adult induced expectations and return to the game I grew up loving with the eyes of my youth.

I know idealism can last only so long but that is why God gave us alcohol.

Go Tribe!