First, some funny broadcast calls from the last few days
Cal Baseball comeback vs. Baylor
Plus, this funny video of Jimmy Kimmel's sidekick, Guillermo, conducting interviews at the NBA Finals..
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This summer is going to be new to me on a variety of levels. For one, its my first taste as a "professional" broadcaster. I now have to worry about bills and rent. And I also found out I have to cross state lines to get to the nearest Apple store. One of the biggest differences will be the dynamic between the Voyagers and the most important people a part of the Voyagers family: the fans. From what I have heard, I am joining a team that has one of the most loyal fan bases in the Pioneer League and to me that is AWESOME! I love passion, loyalty, and dedication.
To me, being a fan of your hometown team is very special. It is bigger than just giving the guy next to you a high five when your team scores a goal or hits a home run. Its taking pride in that team as it represents your community. I love how, in most cases in sports, a team's road jersey features its town, city, or state on the front as it ventures into unfamiliar territory.
Now, I am what you would call a "die-hard" fan for the teams I support. It does not mean I am better than fans of teams that are not "die hard," it just means I have nothing else better to do with my life while they are out saving the world. In all seriousness, as I just mentioned, I am a very passionate person and sports is a major passion so, put 'em together, and you get a die hard fan. Simple enough.
In the fall of the 2007 I left Dallas, TX to attend the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. In my fours years at USC, I learned a lot about life, about myself, and about the Mayan Civilization between the years 250AD-900AD, or maybe I didn't learn about the Mayan's but more just how to convince (cough cough BS cough cough) a professor that I did...either way.
Dallas and Los Angeles are two proud sports cities. Texas and California are two proud states. Good writing suggests I should find a third relevant comparison but I am struggling to so, we will continue to my point...I was always a huge fan but, for a majority of my life up until that point, I had been surrounded by my fellow fans. The minute I left to go to Los Angeles I entered enemy territory as a much rarer breed. What I learned was the amount of pride that I have being a fan for the Mavericks and Stars, but also for Dallas; for the Rangers, but also for Texas. For me, there was always something special being a fan and representing your city or your state outside of that particular area. I love and respect fans and fandom, regardless of whether their rooting interests match up with mine. For me, I take pride in being from Dallas and from Texas and being a fan of my teams, Packers notwithstanding, is an extension of just that. It allows me to express my loyalty and a pride in a specific arena.
So, as I come to Great Falls and I hear about this strong fan-base and the love this town has for the Voyagers I cannot express my true excitement for that. And I hope that I get to meet just as many fans who are passionate about baseball--specifically, Voyagers baseball--as I do do fans who couldn't tell you the difference between a ground-rule double and a double switch but are simply passionate about Great Falls and the part of Great Falls that the Voyagers represent.
I believe that everyone needs a passion and everyone needs a source of pride. Beyond family, I have found this in sports. For as long as I live, I will always be a fan.
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I like to include random other things as a part of this blog, sometime it will be a "Hot Sports Opinion," a "Sports Prediction," or some kind of interactive multimedia, whether it does or does not relate to the team.
Today, I have a Hot Sports Opinion for you: I want to give a shoutout to this year's playoff darling, Dirk Nowitzki, but also to this season's villain, LeBron James for something they have in common that I really respect.
On the topic of fans..There is nothing better than sitting down at lunch with a bunch of friends and regurgitating every theory heard on the radio or on TV and adopting it as your own--it's ok...we all do it. One of the recurring discussions is that of the importance of a Championship to an individual player's legacy. Can a player go down as an all-time great--one of the game's elite--without a title? That's such a tough question to answer. Some players never get the chance. While other superstars get several great opportunities but fail to come through. It also depends on sport. Can an all-time great baseball player have the same impact as an all-time great basketball player? And position matters as well. I don't think anyone is holding it against Bruce Matthews, the Hall of Fame offensive lineman, for not winning a title, while several people are quick to point out that Dan Marino is ringless as well. Regardless of where you, as a fan, stand on this debate, I have always found it interesting how athletes respond to this debate.
Several athletes, from those I hear asked about it, balk at the idea that winning a championship completes their experience or, for the "elite" players, that it is a necessary component to validating their place among the greats of all-time. As I mentioned earlier, I think it is very difficult to judge the completeness of athlete's career based on whether or not they won a championship. However, as a fan, I want to think that all the athletes are so committed toward the team concept and winning a championship that, right or wrong, they believe that they need a championship to complete their career. And, honestly, I believe that several of them do. But, you never hear it. Why? I can't say for sure, but I feel like ego has something to do with it. If an athlete comes out and says, "Hey, there will be a hole in my career if I don't win a championship," then they are putting themselves out there with a chance of failing. So, what do Dirk and LeBron have in common, other than being phenomenal basketball players, they have each said (and they are not the only two), in public, that their career would not be complete without a championship. Be as critical of Dirk and LeBron as you wish for their perceived respective faults, specifically LeBron's arrogance, but I really respect each of them for saying that. You know that all real competitors feel that way, but they are too scared to admit it, yet these two superstars have outright said it. So say what you want about Dirk and Lebron, but all those guys want to do is win (Lebron would not have sacrificed his "legacy" by going to Miami to team up if he didn't) and they are not ashamed to admit the importance of winning, either. Call it minor, but I really respect that.
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