Play Ball!
For some reason, baseball is on the brain lately. I'm really just an average fan, but I'm just itchin' for the season this year. It's been making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I don't know why.
Take this week here in Milwaukee. The Cleveland Indians came to use Miller Park as their home turf for a series against the LA Dodgers, since Jacobs Field has been covered with snow. Aww..... how warm and fuzzy is that? I think it's cool that we got to share our Park! It's especially cool that it was with Cleveland, which was almost home for me during the 1st two years of ministry. I may not have liked some things about living in Ohio, but there were many things I did enjoy. I liked the Lake Erie shore and Put-in-Bay on its serene island. I liked the festivals that made Toledo seem like a mini-Milwaukee. And I liked Cleveland Indians baseball and the fans in Ohio. My only regret about leaving Ohio is that I didn't get a chance to go to a game at the brand new Jacobs Field before I moved.
It really is saying a lot to praise those Ohio fans though - because not every place has good fans. My three years in Minnesota during seminary made me lose whatever respect I did have for the fans of Vikings Football, and to some extent Twins baseball too (although baseball fans in general are much more loyal souls than football fans who tend to turn on a dime.) But basically, the Minnesota media machines just turned me off and gave me extremely poor tastes of Minnesota fan-ship. (Is that a word?) And those FIBS in Chicago? Don't get me started on them.
But Ohio fans are solid. They're loyal. They're real stand-by-your-man kinds of people. The Iowa sports fans I met on internship were the same way. There's something to be said for that kind of allegiance and love that is harbored for their teams no matter what. It really speaks to the character of the people. So it did my heart good to see us open our stadium to the many Ohio folks who drove all this way to follow their team.
Here in Wisconsin, I think we fall somewhere in between. I do believe that most fans of the Brewers and Packers are faithful and true no matter what. They will live & die by their teams. But sadly, there has been some slight influence of the Minnesota & Illinois brand of fans on a grumbling few here. They are the "bandwagon" fans who will be loud in their support as long as the team is winning. But then they are just as loud in their disgust when the bottom drops out. Thankfully, they are still the minority of the fans.... but we best beware (and I include myself in this,) or we may become Minnesota Junior.
Take this week here in Milwaukee. The Cleveland Indians came to use Miller Park as their home turf for a series against the LA Dodgers, since Jacobs Field has been covered with snow. Aww..... how warm and fuzzy is that? I think it's cool that we got to share our Park! It's especially cool that it was with Cleveland, which was almost home for me during the 1st two years of ministry. I may not have liked some things about living in Ohio, but there were many things I did enjoy. I liked the Lake Erie shore and Put-in-Bay on its serene island. I liked the festivals that made Toledo seem like a mini-Milwaukee. And I liked Cleveland Indians baseball and the fans in Ohio. My only regret about leaving Ohio is that I didn't get a chance to go to a game at the brand new Jacobs Field before I moved.
It really is saying a lot to praise those Ohio fans though - because not every place has good fans. My three years in Minnesota during seminary made me lose whatever respect I did have for the fans of Vikings Football, and to some extent Twins baseball too (although baseball fans in general are much more loyal souls than football fans who tend to turn on a dime.) But basically, the Minnesota media machines just turned me off and gave me extremely poor tastes of Minnesota fan-ship. (Is that a word?) And those FIBS in Chicago? Don't get me started on them.
But Ohio fans are solid. They're loyal. They're real stand-by-your-man kinds of people. The Iowa sports fans I met on internship were the same way. There's something to be said for that kind of allegiance and love that is harbored for their teams no matter what. It really speaks to the character of the people. So it did my heart good to see us open our stadium to the many Ohio folks who drove all this way to follow their team.
Here in Wisconsin, I think we fall somewhere in between. I do believe that most fans of the Brewers and Packers are faithful and true no matter what. They will live & die by their teams. But sadly, there has been some slight influence of the Minnesota & Illinois brand of fans on a grumbling few here. They are the "bandwagon" fans who will be loud in their support as long as the team is winning. But then they are just as loud in their disgust when the bottom drops out. Thankfully, they are still the minority of the fans.... but we best beware (and I include myself in this,) or we may become Minnesota Junior.
posted by Kris at 4/13/2007 11:33:00 AM
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