Friday, April 08, 2011

Go Giants!

I love the San Francisco Giants. Always have. I spent a lot of time at Candlestick Park, freezing my ass off. And now I love going to AT&T Park, the most beautiful ballpark in the country. Nothing like sitting there on a sunny day, with the Bay Bridge in the background and the sun sparkling on McCovey Cove. It truly is spectacular.

When the Giants won the World Series I was too sick to really enjoy it. Husband went to the victory parade and said he'll never forget it. I wish I could have been there. But today I'm watching the home opener (and wishing I could be there) and loving every minute. The pre-game ceremony was typically Giants, the old guard and the new. Willie Mays was there. One of the reasons why I love the Giants is that they take care of their old players. Willie Mays and Willie McCovey were both part of the victory parade.

I've never cheered for a team that won a championship before. I suppose I was a Niners fan in the 80s when they dominated the Super Bowl during the glorious Montana-Rice years. But this was different. This was a team that I've cheered for since I was a kid. And for them to finally win the championship was, even in my sick haze, a total thrill. Today I got that thrill again, watching the championship flag being passed from Willie Mays through the lineup to crazy Brian Wilson and his amazing beard who ran across the field. Of course it had to go to him, our favorite wild man. Running through the stands and up to the top of AT&T to hoist the flag over the park. Running past the iconic cable car (where the bell rings every time we hit a home run) and running up the flag while We Are the Champions blasted over the PA. It was one truly glorious moment that I'll never forget. I actually cried.

Thank you to the 2010 Giants for an unforgettable season. For taking a bunch of misfits and becoming a team. For seeming to know how much it meant to The City. For being our team in our town. For being so wonderfully weird with your beards and your rally thongs, your 21-year old enthusiasm and your "I thought I was a has-been" fire. It was a total goosebump season and today's ceremony just capped it off.

I love you guys. Always will. Go Giants!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This weekend has been chock-full of moments that remind me of how special this team is, how tightly bound to its community and history. Brian Wilson carrying the banner through the stands on Friday, the team giving World Series rings to McCovey, Cepeda, Perry and Mays on Saturday (plus Lon Simmons!!!), and the way the guys celebrated their comeback victory on Saturday like it was the WS all over again, even though it was only the 8th game of the season.

These guys fit their city like a glove: quirky, unconventional, but full of tradition and fiercely loyal. They love us and we love them. Go Giants!

Kittie Howard said...

Wish my hub could join in the fun. He's a major, big time baseball fan. Can't resist a stadium hot dog and beer. Can recite statistics faster than a computer. Yesterday we watched LSU and Arkansas play. LSU lost but it was a fun game.

Happy you're up and about...did a double take about church on a previous post, but happy to see you didn't bump your head.

Kittie Howard said...

Just in case you have time-delay, I'm only saying that hub's watching more Dancing with the Stars than the Red Sox game.