Never give up

Crazy. Life and sports are crazy. The highs and lows and the unpredictable nature keep all of us on the edge of our seats. That is, all of us who care.

What do I mean by this one? Well, yesterday, the third and final game of the conference series was coming to an end. As always, pitching did not hold up. When I turned the game on, the score was 5-5 at the top of the tenth inning. The LW was on the mound and could NOT find the plate. In other words, he proceeded to load the bases, then he walked two potentially winning runs in. Disgusted and a fair weather fan, I turned off the game to watch the end of the Phillies which was no better. At least the Flyers played competitively.

Back to the game.....after an hour, I checked online to see what the final score was and to my surprise the home team came back for a win. That's right. With two outs, the Stud on the opposing team, from last year, was on the mound and throwing mid-90's. He got the first two batters out. Now, he has two outs and a two run lead. It looks like he is going to earn a save. NOT! He walked the next two batters then threw a lollipop down the middle and the batter swung as hard as he could and hit the ball over the fence. Home team wins...dog pile on home plate. Yeah team!

What does that scenario teach us? Well, it taught me a number of things, like don't turn the game off until the players are in the locker room. But it also spoke of the team never giving up and working toward a win. Even with two outs, the guys continued to play hard. I am happy for them and give them kudos from BP mom. This is what it is all about...the competition, tension, dedication, and preparation for this type of situation. This series spoke to the reason why guys thrive on a sport like this...the highs and thrills of playing in a game like this. It is something that they will never forget and will probably define the rest of their lives.

Am I going overboard on this one? Nope. Here is my rationale. They work hard year round. They never have a day off. They give up a great deal of college life to travel, practice, and play baseball. The players are under constant stress to perform or they lose their jobs on the field. The tension, work outs, and lack of free time can take a toll on any person especially a kid in college. In this case, they rose to the occasion and overcame potential defeat. This can teach a person that even if the odds are stacked in someone else's favor, you keep pressing on and on and on. No one can predict the future, so never stop moving forward.

OK, enough pontification...time for me to move on and get some work done. By the way, Buttercup is still pregnant and I lost the pool. My guess was that the baby would be born yesterday. Once again, I lose when I bet on anything, including a baby pool. When will I learn to keep my money in my pocket? I might as well dig a hole out back and bury it every time I bet on something. Needless to say, I stay away from casinos and horse racing.

Have a great day!