WBCの一番...二回

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Today was the start of MLB’s 162-game season. Yippie. Can you hear the excitement in my voice? I follow the MLB about as closely as I follow the USEF (United States Equestrian Federation). This season will pale in comparison to last year for two reasons:

1) The US dominated 日米野球 (Nichi-Bei Yakyu – Major League Baseball Japan All-Stars Series) was something like International World Series until it ended its every even year (since ’86) game after a ‘06 US win (outscoring Japan in five games 33-17).
Taking its place is what I consider the real World Series. Started in Anahiem, California in ’06 and played every three years in the month of March, the WBC should be considered the real March Madness. I was not surprised when, for the second year in a row: the United States failed to reach the finals and Team Japan won its second WBC title – this time minus the home-field, umpire controversy.

2) I loved being one of the Bad Guys at my school because as you know, Good Guys Wear Black. Working at a school on the Northside with majority of my students living on the Northside, being a White Sox fan is considered treachery. I have a few students in my corner, but for the most part we are grossly outnumbered. Our Sox pride will not shrivel in the face of fans whose team has not won a championship in 100+1 years.
In all fairness to my students though, the only reason I allowed myself to get into debates about the better Chicago baseball team last September/October was because Ken Griffey Jr. came to the Windy City. I am a Jr. fan first. I own three #24 Mariners jerseys, one #30 Reds jersey, and I am working on two #17 White Sox jerseys. The number #17 jersey with his name on the back and Sox logo on the front makes me a Sox fan by default – as well as a Mariners fan and a Reds fan.

Nope, this summer after the NBA Playoffs are over and MLB is the only thing on TV, I will catch up on ER now that it is finally over.
Last season, I was overcome with joy when I heard Griffey signed with the White Sox, ecstatic when they made the playoffs, crushed when they lost, depressed when the Sox dropped the ball not resigning a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer and nostalgic when he went back to the Mariniers. I do not plan to follow baseball like I did last season. Baseball will never be as emotional as it was last season.
I guess it was “the joy of him being ours.”

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