Even though it gets significantly less news coverage than the process of determining the 65 best minor-league basketball teams in the nation, this year's World Baseball Classic has been very entertaining. Here is a brief summary of the happenings of the past ten days.
Pool A: Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan
Korea came back from getting humiliated 14-2 by Japan to win the pool, beating Japan in a rematch by a 1-0 score. Even with the absurdity in run differential, it matters little as both teams advanced to the second round. Taiwan was a huge disappointment, losing to both Korea (expected) and China (unexpected.) China's win over Taiwan was their highlight, making up for the two massive beatings they received from Korea (14-0 and 9-0.)
Pool B: Cuba, Mexico, Australia, South Africa
You have to hand it to Fidel Castro: he may know squat about running an economy, but he knows that bunting sucks. It's one of those cheap ironies of life that if Castro had been a murderous right-wing thug as opposed to totalitarian pinko, he would be a folk hero in America. Perhaps W. should blog about baseball too. Anyway, his team won three straight to take the pool and advance. Mexico joined them after overcoming an embarassing 17-7 mercy-rule drubbing from the Australians in their home stadium. Mexico came back by beating the hapless South Africans and returning the favor to Australia 16-1. (Please note that Mexico City is way above sea level, which explains the silly scores.) Australia played Cuba tight, losing 5-4, but ended up empty-handed, except for offensive star Chris Snelling who got a contract from the Padres for his efforts.
Pool C: Venezuela, USA, Italy, Canada
Like Korea, the Venezuelans split two games with the other qualifier, the US, but they won the second match-up (5-3) and thus won the pool. While the US did stomp Venezuela 15-6 in their first meeting they did struggle to beat Canada 6-5 earlier. Italy, a team made up of a whole bunch of Americans with Italian sounding names, knocked off the host Canadians by a 6-2 score, then were themselves eliminated by Venezuela 10-1. Had the Italians fielded a similar team in the '40s, their outfield would have been, from left to right, DiMaggio, DiMaggio, DiMaggio.
Pool D: Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, Panama
The best of the four pools was this one, played out in San Juan. The Panamanians continued their winless history in the WBC, losing their two games by a combined 16-0. In the biggest upset of the tournament, the Netherlands, led by fat Caribbean islanders like Sidney Ponson and Randall Simon beat a Dominican team full of all-stars not once, but twice: 3-2 and 2-1. At least Pedro Martinez looked good, striking out six in two three-inning stints, while only giving up one hit. Thus the stupid Dutch prevented the long-awaited DR-PR showdown, treating the locals instead to two rematches of the failed 17th century Dutch invasion of the island. Once again, the Puerto Ricans relied on strong defense, timely hitting and dysentery to dispatch the tulip-growers by scores of 3-1 and 5-0. Both teams advanced to the next round.
In the first day of the second round in Miami, Venezuela beat the Dutch, who refer to this sport as honkbal for fuck's sake, 3-1. The nightcap saw Puerto Rico and the disappointing Javier Vazquez beat the crap out of the USA and the overrated Jake Peavy 11-1. The game coming to a screeching halt in the bottom of the seventh when a two-run single by Mike Aviles invoked the mercy rule. Clearly, Dustin Pedroia would not have let this happen had he been playing. Regardless, Puerto Rico is undefeated in four games and stands one victory away from the final round. I'm as shocked as anybody.
Showing posts with label Little People. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Little People. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Lucky Doesn't Take Cabs
As you may have seen in the Globe last week, the Celtics dismissed their "mascot" Lucky the Leprechaun. The reasons for the dismissal were not revealed to the press.
Thankfully, the Sons of Sam Horn have the rest of the story. Key thought:
Thankfully, the Sons of Sam Horn have the rest of the story. Key thought:
"Also, this year he started referring to himself in the third person. And better yet, as "Lucky", instead of Damon."The lesson is clear: you can only act like this if you are a hall-of-fame-level talent.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Crap British Santa's village incites violence, closes
"One of the elves got smacked in the face and pushed in a pram."
But despite this resounding seal of approval, Lapland New Forest has closed down.
But despite this resounding seal of approval, Lapland New Forest has closed down.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The end of these Games: Liveblog
8:20 It ends as it started: not with a whimper, but with an almighty buh-bang. The Bird's Nest still stands.
8:21 What the hell is that hat? What are these people wearing??
8:22 Aaaand ... ad break. Fabulous.
8:27 Thousands of Chinese Bjorks are invading the stadium! And a man banging a giant flying wheel of Gouda! No, wait: two men!
8:30 Cirque de Soleil has gone waaay too far this time. The Bjorks, covered in bells and singing, are making giant vulva shapes, which then split apart and come back together, while drummers in bike helments go crazy.
8:32 There's a definite bike theme, which makes sense in China. But if I ever see one of these dudes on the inverted neon penny-farthings on Mass Ave, I shall punch him.
8:35 And now everyone is bouncing! On pogo stilts! That's what the hippies will be sporting in Davis Square next summer. Awesome.
8:37 Oh goody, Chevy advertises the car that doesn't exist yet! It runs on unicorn droppings and its exhaust is rainbows! In the meantime, buy our ugly unreliable cars, please.
8:41 All the athletes start running into the stadium at random, waving their flags and wearing their medals (except Puerto Rico, of course) and mingle and hang out and embrace each other. And now we get to see those 100,000 condoms in use ... no? Oh well.
8:45 Ah, the US team, who immediately start chanting "USA! USA!" like goodNazis American patriots. And Shawn Johnson is three feet tall.
8:50 I'll be so glad when we don't have to watch NBC any more and I can stop seeing those terrible John McCain ads. And the Nissan Maxima ads. And the Manningses football ad. And the milky minutes ad.
9:00 The medal ceremony for the marathon. You can tell the guys are having a really tough time climbing on the podium, what with their knees being shot and all.
9:03 Apparently, Ennio Morricone composed the Kenyan National Anthem.
9:06 The Chinese Pete Wentz presents representives of the million-plus volunteers with flowers. And a reminder that the Wal*Mart factory opens at 5:30 am sharp.
9:13 El raises an interesting question: With the exception of the French one, do all national anthems suck?
9:15 The Mayor of Beijing delivers the traditional "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" address.
9:16 Okay, the Games are officially closed. That's it. We can go to bed now.
9:21 But wait ... something else is happening. What could it be? Oh, it's a very pretty version of God Save the Queen (the non-Pistols version). How nice!
9:26 Boris Johnson is WALKING! He's evidently drunk, standing with his hands in his pockets on the podium, grinning and waving at people. Great.
9:28 El observes that middle-aged men are crap at waving flags. And that, in the movie version, Johnson will be played by whoever is Chris Farley at the time.
9:35 A BUS! A big red double-decker! And people waiting at a bus stop with brollies. And cyclists. And "Greensleeves." And a zebra crossing, with belisha beacons and a lollipop lady. Oh, wait--the people are all zombies! A little girl walks over the zombies and gets on the bus. And then the top deck of the bus unfolds over the sides while the zombies do the robot. Out of the bus rises flavor-of-the-month Leona Lewis, who perches on a tall pedestal and goes "Looo-lloooo-loooo!" which scares off the zombies. And then a white-haired old lady comes out and plays a Led Zep song. And Willie Dixon still doesn't get paid.
9:41 The old lady plays some hot guitar licks. And just how appropriate is it for the London Olympics to be introduced by a cock-rock anthem about --- OH MY GOD IT'S BECKHAM!!
9:42 The brollies become neon and the bus departs. You know, it wasn't as awesome as I'd been led to believe.
9:46 The moment approaches: athletes walk up a long staircase into the light, kinda like at the end of Close Encounters. Yao Ming is hoisted up to piss on the flame, extinguishing it for good.
9:48 No, wait ... no. Sad, powerful music plays while White Man Group, up on a tower, makes shapes with their naked bodies.
9:51 Aaaand ... we're done. No, wait--now the hundreds of people who had been clinging desperately to the outside of the tower for twenty minutes are flailing around. They look like bees in a hive. They're leaning off the sides and acting like they're not 60 feet up, attached only by cables made in Chi-- never mind.
9:57 That final routine was spectacular, and was basically John Emo's way of saying, "Yeah, London you go ahead and do that thing with the double decker bus and the old lady. No, it's good, really. No, I mean it." London's only real chance is that there's a global virus that gives the world's entire population amnesia, and no one remembers how much China kicks tail in the epic visual presentation department.
10:02 We all sing the pop classic "Beijing, Beijing, We All Love Beijing." I wish I was kidding. El assumes this is Chinese ABBA (or CHABBA, pronounced in the Jewish manner).
10:06 El refuses to use the name McDonald's and now refers to it as "the Scottish restaurant."
10:08 People on cables are flying around the stadium in impressive fashion, but from the musical selections it's clear the party has reached that stage at which the host starts playing real crap songs in the hope it will encourage everyone to leave. Seems the Chinese are just like us: they have horrible pop music, too.
10:16 It's Jackie Chan! Singing! He should really go seek out the Taekwondo gold medallist, roundhouse-kick him in the head and take his frickin' bauble.
10:20 The music is getting faster, the fireworks are brighter and bangier, the acrobats are freaking out, the mascots are foaming at the mouth!!! It makes the Polyphonic Spree look like a barbershop quartet.
So the torch is out, These Games have become Those Games, and Mary Weinberg is heading back to Home Depot, wondering whether she got the early lunch break and if she has to restock the lightbulbs. And after Zhang Yimou's insane display of Chinese superiority, what have we got to look forward to in 2012?
Probably a choreographed gang of ASBO hoodies twocking white vans, while thousands of closed-circuit cameras descend from the rafters, just too late to capture footage of a toddler being kidnapped by a guy in a canoe made from Amy Winehouse.
Of course, we already know what really happens: everyone in the stadium vanishes.
8:21 What the hell is that hat? What are these people wearing??
8:22 Aaaand ... ad break. Fabulous.
8:27 Thousands of Chinese Bjorks are invading the stadium! And a man banging a giant flying wheel of Gouda! No, wait: two men!
8:30 Cirque de Soleil has gone waaay too far this time. The Bjorks, covered in bells and singing, are making giant vulva shapes, which then split apart and come back together, while drummers in bike helments go crazy.
8:32 There's a definite bike theme, which makes sense in China. But if I ever see one of these dudes on the inverted neon penny-farthings on Mass Ave, I shall punch him.
8:35 And now everyone is bouncing! On pogo stilts! That's what the hippies will be sporting in Davis Square next summer. Awesome.
8:37 Oh goody, Chevy advertises the car that doesn't exist yet! It runs on unicorn droppings and its exhaust is rainbows! In the meantime, buy our ugly unreliable cars, please.
8:41 All the athletes start running into the stadium at random, waving their flags and wearing their medals (except Puerto Rico, of course) and mingle and hang out and embrace each other. And now we get to see those 100,000 condoms in use ... no? Oh well.
8:45 Ah, the US team, who immediately start chanting "USA! USA!" like good
8:50 I'll be so glad when we don't have to watch NBC any more and I can stop seeing those terrible John McCain ads. And the Nissan Maxima ads. And the Manningses football ad. And the milky minutes ad.
9:00 The medal ceremony for the marathon. You can tell the guys are having a really tough time climbing on the podium, what with their knees being shot and all.
9:03 Apparently, Ennio Morricone composed the Kenyan National Anthem.
9:06 The Chinese Pete Wentz presents representives of the million-plus volunteers with flowers. And a reminder that the Wal*Mart factory opens at 5:30 am sharp.
9:13 El raises an interesting question: With the exception of the French one, do all national anthems suck?
9:15 The Mayor of Beijing delivers the traditional "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" address.
9:16 Okay, the Games are officially closed. That's it. We can go to bed now.
9:21 But wait ... something else is happening. What could it be? Oh, it's a very pretty version of God Save the Queen (the non-Pistols version). How nice!
9:26 Boris Johnson is WALKING! He's evidently drunk, standing with his hands in his pockets on the podium, grinning and waving at people. Great.
9:28 El observes that middle-aged men are crap at waving flags. And that, in the movie version, Johnson will be played by whoever is Chris Farley at the time.
9:35 A BUS! A big red double-decker! And people waiting at a bus stop with brollies. And cyclists. And "Greensleeves." And a zebra crossing, with belisha beacons and a lollipop lady. Oh, wait--the people are all zombies! A little girl walks over the zombies and gets on the bus. And then the top deck of the bus unfolds over the sides while the zombies do the robot. Out of the bus rises flavor-of-the-month Leona Lewis, who perches on a tall pedestal and goes "Looo-lloooo-loooo!" which scares off the zombies. And then a white-haired old lady comes out and plays a Led Zep song. And Willie Dixon still doesn't get paid.
9:41 The old lady plays some hot guitar licks. And just how appropriate is it for the London Olympics to be introduced by a cock-rock anthem about --- OH MY GOD IT'S BECKHAM!!
9:42 The brollies become neon and the bus departs. You know, it wasn't as awesome as I'd been led to believe.
9:46 The moment approaches: athletes walk up a long staircase into the light, kinda like at the end of Close Encounters. Yao Ming is hoisted up to piss on the flame, extinguishing it for good.
9:48 No, wait ... no. Sad, powerful music plays while White Man Group, up on a tower, makes shapes with their naked bodies.
9:51 Aaaand ... we're done. No, wait--now the hundreds of people who had been clinging desperately to the outside of the tower for twenty minutes are flailing around. They look like bees in a hive. They're leaning off the sides and acting like they're not 60 feet up, attached only by cables made in Chi-- never mind.
9:57 That final routine was spectacular, and was basically John Emo's way of saying, "Yeah, London you go ahead and do that thing with the double decker bus and the old lady. No, it's good, really. No, I mean it." London's only real chance is that there's a global virus that gives the world's entire population amnesia, and no one remembers how much China kicks tail in the epic visual presentation department.
10:02 We all sing the pop classic "Beijing, Beijing, We All Love Beijing." I wish I was kidding. El assumes this is Chinese ABBA (or CHABBA, pronounced in the Jewish manner).
10:06 El refuses to use the name McDonald's and now refers to it as "the Scottish restaurant."
10:08 People on cables are flying around the stadium in impressive fashion, but from the musical selections it's clear the party has reached that stage at which the host starts playing real crap songs in the hope it will encourage everyone to leave. Seems the Chinese are just like us: they have horrible pop music, too.
10:16 It's Jackie Chan! Singing! He should really go seek out the Taekwondo gold medallist, roundhouse-kick him in the head and take his frickin' bauble.
10:20 The music is getting faster, the fireworks are brighter and bangier, the acrobats are freaking out, the mascots are foaming at the mouth!!! It makes the Polyphonic Spree look like a barbershop quartet.
So the torch is out, These Games have become Those Games, and Mary Weinberg is heading back to Home Depot, wondering whether she got the early lunch break and if she has to restock the lightbulbs. And after Zhang Yimou's insane display of Chinese superiority, what have we got to look forward to in 2012?
Probably a choreographed gang of ASBO hoodies twocking white vans, while thousands of closed-circuit cameras descend from the rafters, just too late to capture footage of a toddler being kidnapped by a guy in a canoe made from Amy Winehouse.
Of course, we already know what really happens: everyone in the stadium vanishes.
Friday, August 8, 2008
2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony Live Blog
7:30 Welcome to the quadrennial orgy of nationalism known as the Olympics. This time around, we meet our future overlords: the Chinese. Live (on tape) on NBC.
7:31 After watching ten minutes of Access Hollywood Olympic Edition we can state for the record that Billy Bush is a complete waste of resources. Like oxygen.
7:34 Can we start a new drinking game? Do a shot every time someone says "these Olympic Games." We'll all be toasted. Swear.
7:43 Tom Brokaw sums up Chinese history: first the earth cooled, then they played ping-pong against American hippies, then Nixon came, then they got the Olympics and built a whole bunch of crap.
7:44 And also, don't take your eyes off them. They're sneaky.
7:48 Okayherewego!!
7:49 Costas is really short, in't he? He must be really psyched to feel tall for once.
7:52 Local boob Bob Neumeier interviews Kobe and LeBron. Unless Big Brown is in the Olympics, that was a waste of plane ticket.
7:54 It was really nice of China to leave space for ad breaks throughout the ceremony. Is the whole night going to be like this? 'Cuz I'm not sure how many times I can take that Bank of America cheering promo.
7:57 Shit, it's the Chinese Keith Lockhart!
7:59 Bush is walking in; pretty much everyone is ignoring him. God, I wish that were true here. Wait, I think he's trying to sit in someone else's seat. They're comparing tickets ...
8:00 Fuck, these drummers are amazing. Plus, all their heads are bleeding.
8:02 They're doing LED banners. In drums. And then they blew up the stadium.
8:04 They use fireworks like they invented them or something.
8:07 I'm glad they got those Philipine prisoners a gig at the Olympics.
8:13 Apparently the ceremony will touch on Confuscianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Can you imagine if the Atlanta Games' ceremony was themed around Mormonism, Scientology and Snake-Handlingism?
8:16 Parade of the Chubby, Spoiled Only Children.
8:17 Screw you kids, we have guns, we're taking the flag. The Chinese army takes the flag away from the little chubbos.
8:18 Chinese national anthem.
8:21 I assume the British Olympic committee is watching this and thinking, "How the hell are we going to follow this?"
8:23 Two words: Guy Ritchie.
8:24 It's official: the Chinese have invented the world's biggest telly. It's a 500+-foot LED screen.
8:26 It's okay, London can trot out Amy Winehouse for entertainment. Presuming she's alive.
8:30 A whole bunch of dudes wearing paper dresses are doing a full-voiced Chinese version of what I assume is "Lllllet's get ready to rrrrrummmbllllle!"
8:32 If the Chinese are rubbing it in this much about inventing paper and printing, I'm afraid of how they'll cover inventing gunpowder.
8:39 The director of the opening ceremony is apparently named Jon Emo.
8:40 Uh-oh. We're about to see the world's largest frat initiation ceremony.
8:44 I believe the political effect of the ceremony is to make everyone in the world think "I, for one, welcome our new ant overlords."
8:48 Oh my God, they are erecting columns in the field. Heh-heh, erecting.
8:51 Now it's Chinese Little Richard sitting with a Mini-Me at the piano and surrounded by green-neon-clad Oompa Loompas.
8:55 The neon Oompa Loompas just built a replica of the stadium by sitting on each other's shoulders. This is completely insane.
8:57 This really is redonk. Just when you think they can't possibly do anything more technologically or choreographically or cinematographically advanced, they go one. Step. Further. It's almost as though they're saying, "Screw you, so-called advanced West. We only don't kick your ass now because we're waiting until we can buy you outright."
9:00 I call bullshit. It's been a full hour and nobody has flown twenty feet in the air to deliver a roundhouse kick to the head.
9:05 I hope Sting now feels assured that the Chinese do love their children too.
9:10 Holy crap. they've conquered gravity. One can only assume time travel is next. No, wait, even better: they're unveiling the Death Star. With people doing somersaults around it.
9:12 Here comes Sarah Brightman to ruin an otherwise perfect evening.
9:15 Perhaps the environmental situation in Beijing wouldn't be so bad if they didn't shoot off a crapload of fireworks every ten minutes.
9:17 Parade of nations is next, says the pompous little person on NBC. We're opening up a new entry.
7:31 After watching ten minutes of Access Hollywood Olympic Edition we can state for the record that Billy Bush is a complete waste of resources. Like oxygen.
7:34 Can we start a new drinking game? Do a shot every time someone says "these Olympic Games." We'll all be toasted. Swear.
7:43 Tom Brokaw sums up Chinese history: first the earth cooled, then they played ping-pong against American hippies, then Nixon came, then they got the Olympics and built a whole bunch of crap.
7:44 And also, don't take your eyes off them. They're sneaky.
7:48 Okayherewego!!
7:49 Costas is really short, in't he? He must be really psyched to feel tall for once.
7:52 Local boob Bob Neumeier interviews Kobe and LeBron. Unless Big Brown is in the Olympics, that was a waste of plane ticket.
7:54 It was really nice of China to leave space for ad breaks throughout the ceremony. Is the whole night going to be like this? 'Cuz I'm not sure how many times I can take that Bank of America cheering promo.
7:57 Shit, it's the Chinese Keith Lockhart!
7:59 Bush is walking in; pretty much everyone is ignoring him. God, I wish that were true here. Wait, I think he's trying to sit in someone else's seat. They're comparing tickets ...
8:00 Fuck, these drummers are amazing. Plus, all their heads are bleeding.
8:02 They're doing LED banners. In drums. And then they blew up the stadium.
8:04 They use fireworks like they invented them or something.
8:07 I'm glad they got those Philipine prisoners a gig at the Olympics.
8:13 Apparently the ceremony will touch on Confuscianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Can you imagine if the Atlanta Games' ceremony was themed around Mormonism, Scientology and Snake-Handlingism?
8:16 Parade of the Chubby, Spoiled Only Children.
8:17 Screw you kids, we have guns, we're taking the flag. The Chinese army takes the flag away from the little chubbos.
8:18 Chinese national anthem.
8:21 I assume the British Olympic committee is watching this and thinking, "How the hell are we going to follow this?"
8:23 Two words: Guy Ritchie.
8:24 It's official: the Chinese have invented the world's biggest telly. It's a 500+-foot LED screen.
8:26 It's okay, London can trot out Amy Winehouse for entertainment. Presuming she's alive.
8:30 A whole bunch of dudes wearing paper dresses are doing a full-voiced Chinese version of what I assume is "Lllllet's get ready to rrrrrummmbllllle!"
8:32 If the Chinese are rubbing it in this much about inventing paper and printing, I'm afraid of how they'll cover inventing gunpowder.
8:39 The director of the opening ceremony is apparently named Jon Emo.
8:40 Uh-oh. We're about to see the world's largest frat initiation ceremony.
8:44 I believe the political effect of the ceremony is to make everyone in the world think "I, for one, welcome our new ant overlords."
8:48 Oh my God, they are erecting columns in the field. Heh-heh, erecting.
8:51 Now it's Chinese Little Richard sitting with a Mini-Me at the piano and surrounded by green-neon-clad Oompa Loompas.
8:55 The neon Oompa Loompas just built a replica of the stadium by sitting on each other's shoulders. This is completely insane.
8:57 This really is redonk. Just when you think they can't possibly do anything more technologically or choreographically or cinematographically advanced, they go one. Step. Further. It's almost as though they're saying, "Screw you, so-called advanced West. We only don't kick your ass now because we're waiting until we can buy you outright."
9:00 I call bullshit. It's been a full hour and nobody has flown twenty feet in the air to deliver a roundhouse kick to the head.
9:05 I hope Sting now feels assured that the Chinese do love their children too.
9:10 Holy crap. they've conquered gravity. One can only assume time travel is next. No, wait, even better: they're unveiling the Death Star. With people doing somersaults around it.
9:12 Here comes Sarah Brightman to ruin an otherwise perfect evening.
9:15 Perhaps the environmental situation in Beijing wouldn't be so bad if they didn't shoot off a crapload of fireworks every ten minutes.
9:17 Parade of nations is next, says the pompous little person on NBC. We're opening up a new entry.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Bandwagon Jumping 101
This past Thursday was the NBA Draft. Like last year's, I saw it happening on TV at a bar, since the event seems to coincide with my annual participation in the Corporate Sellout Race Around Back Bay. That means it was about a year ago when the Celtics traded for Ray Allen, which seemed really dumb at the time. However, after the addition of the obviously insane Kevin Garnett it turned out to be the first step in turning the horrific game-tanking 24-win squad of the previous year into a legitimate championship contender this year.
The Celtics' run culminated last week at whatever the Boston arena is called these days against the Lakers, when they won their 17th championship. As you can see from the highlights, the Lakers barely bothered to play defense in the deciding game.
Being a half-assed NBA fan, I held off on fully jumping on the Celtics bandwagon until it was too late: my parents were in town for the finals and we were in Montreal for Game 6. That didn't stop me from repeatedly telling LimeyG about how MY TEAM was finally playing for THE CHAMPIONSHIP and I had waited SO MANY YEARS until WE WON. This started in the first round of the playoffs, so the hilarity level built as the weeks passed.
Anyway, upon returning from Canada I did get a chance to show off my fair-weather fandom during the Celtics celebration before last Friday's Red Sox-Cards game at Fenway. The celebration was planned to preceed the start of the game, just after the playing of the Anthem. Unfortunately at the very moment the three green duck boats carrying players and staff came out from centerfield a rainstorm began. As we were sitting unprotected in the bleachers, we ran for cover down to the concourse.
We did come back out after the rain let up a bit and the duck boats passed in front of our area. So I got to yell "WOOO, PAUL PIERCE!" like everybody else and I really did feel like I got the perfect fair-weather fan experience: I got to cheer when it was convenient for me to do so.
The Celtics' run culminated last week at whatever the Boston arena is called these days against the Lakers, when they won their 17th championship. As you can see from the highlights, the Lakers barely bothered to play defense in the deciding game.
Being a half-assed NBA fan, I held off on fully jumping on the Celtics bandwagon until it was too late: my parents were in town for the finals and we were in Montreal for Game 6. That didn't stop me from repeatedly telling LimeyG about how MY TEAM was finally playing for THE CHAMPIONSHIP and I had waited SO MANY YEARS until WE WON. This started in the first round of the playoffs, so the hilarity level built as the weeks passed.
Anyway, upon returning from Canada I did get a chance to show off my fair-weather fandom during the Celtics celebration before last Friday's Red Sox-Cards game at Fenway. The celebration was planned to preceed the start of the game, just after the playing of the Anthem. Unfortunately at the very moment the three green duck boats carrying players and staff came out from centerfield a rainstorm began. As we were sitting unprotected in the bleachers, we ran for cover down to the concourse.
We did come back out after the rain let up a bit and the duck boats passed in front of our area. So I got to yell "WOOO, PAUL PIERCE!" like everybody else and I really did feel like I got the perfect fair-weather fan experience: I got to cheer when it was convenient for me to do so.
(By the way, I should note that the Celtics Leprechaun mascot is not really a small person like LimeyG first thought, but rather a normal-sized person standing next to the likes of Big Baby Davis. He's actually taller than Dustin Pedroia. I know that doesn't say much.)
I am currently taking the same approach to the Euro 2008 tournament. Thanks to England's shameful elimination in the preliminaries I felt free to support whichever team struck my fancy. I settled on Spain because I speak the language, I like their food and they've made it to the finals. If they beat the Germans on Sunday I expect to parade in front of Dalí yelling "¡Que viva España!" because that is the type of soccer fan I am.
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