What it Means to be a Sports Fan

            In my first year introduction to fiction class, my professor assigned the class to read Brooklyn, a novel written in 2009 by Colm Toibin about a young girl who immigrates to America from Ireland in the 1950s. In every possible way, I loved this novel, but my absolute favorite part of the novel was when the main character Eilis, was taken to a Brooklyn Dodgers game at Ebbets Field by her boyfriend Tony and his brothers. What I loved about it so much was the fact that while they were at the game, Eilis had not a clue as to what was going on around her. She had never seen anything like a baseball game before. What intrigued me so much about this sequence of the novel was that Eilis was captivated by her boyfriend’s intensity while watching the game. She explains how Tony doesn’t take his eyes off the game once, how he was almost entranced by the baseball game that was taking place in front of him.

            While reading this, I couldn’t help but think about the passion that ignites in sports fans, not just baseball, but sports in general.

            I find that passion is one of those things that tend to never really fade away. The passion in sports fans is something that you don’t see very often. Real passion is tattooing a Toronto Maple Leaf to the side of your neck out of utter support, and embracing that tattoo when they are one of the worst teams in the league. Real passion is dying your facial hair bright red in support of Toronto FC making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and keeping that red facial hair, even after they lose 3-0 in the first round. Passion is skipping class, or calling in sick to work to watch the Blue Jays play in their first playoff game in 22 years, no matter what the circumstances, true passion wouldn’t let anything get in the way of you missing that game. Passion is the tingle you get in your stomach when you see your favorite team going out onto the field, court, ice; whatever it may be.

            It’s that same passion that could drive you crazy or make you cry tears of happiness. This is the passion that fuels your life. I think this passion is what it means to be a sports fan, and I wouldn’t think there is any other way.

Keep The Hope Alive

            Lets compile a list of “things to blame for the jays losing game 1 and 2” why don’t we?

1.     Taylor Swift

2.     WE LIVE IN TORONTO

3.     The Jays were showcased on the cover of sports illustrated

Blame what you may, but there might still be a little something left in us. You see, the way I look at it is, this has been 22 years coming, there’s an immense amount of pressure. Picture this; you are the starting pitcher for a team that hasn’t been in the postseason since you were 2 years old (yes I am referring to Marcus Stroman), of course you are going to be a little bit shaky. This entire team has A NATION riding on them, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t know how to deal with that.

Ok so we lost the first two games of the series, NOT ALL HOPE IS GONE YET. People tend to tell me I’m too optimistic about my teams but WHY WOULD I BE NEGATIVE? The fact that jays made the playoffs alone is an accomplishment within itself, and by the way that they showcased themselves in the regular season, there’s not a doubt in my mind that they can’t take it all the way. I know that may be hard to picture considering the position they’ve put themselves in at the moment, but I’m going to quote my boy Bieber here and tell you to NEVER SAY NEVER.

I think that us, as Canadian baseball fans need to band together sing, “Hooked on a feeling” and maybe just maybe we can believe again. The series isn’t over until it’s over… we have some time left.

Marco Estrada is set to start for game 3 in Texas. I’ll be sitting on the couch, with my dad next to me praying for greatness. I know the jays have it in them, I just know it.

 IM HOOKED ON A FEELING, HIGH ON BELIEVING.

 GO JAYS GO.

Postseason, Pinch Me.

You can smell it in the air as you walk you through the streets of downtown Toronto. You can feel it in your classrooms and offices. The buzz of the Jays lurks into every second of your day, reminding you that this just might be our time. I may just be a sports obsessed 18 year old girl, but I know the magic of sports when I see it happening right in front of my eyes.

            It’s weird to even think that for the first time in 22 years, the Toronto Blue Jays are headed to the post-season. After countless seasons and empty promises from management, telling us suffering Canadian baseball fans that it’ll be our turn some day, it is hard to believe that it has finally come.

           

            I’ve been a baseball fan as far back as I can remember, and I have never been this excited about a single team… ever. I’ve been ridiculed for being a Blue Jays fan just about my entire life. I’ve heard things like “you should watch a real team like the Yankees” or “the Jays are in the division of death in the AL east, they’ll never be able to capture first place”. OH YA HATERS??? IS THAT SO????? THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, THE JAYS LEAD THE AL EAST THIS SEASON, ABOVE THE YANKEES.

            Ok, maybe I’m getting a little carried away, but realistically how could you not? Right here is where I would list off all of the superstars the jays have on their team, but then I realized I would literally have to write everyone on the roster. Collectively, over the course of this 2015 MLB season, I have watched the Blue Jays grow as an organization, and bring happiness to Canadian baseball fans everywhere.

            Someone pinch me, the jays are in the postseason, and we all know that they aren’t going down without a fight.

            Who knows, maybe in a month’s time we could be talking about the World Series Champions, but for now let’s sit back and watch October baseball. It’s been a long time coming, enjoy it while you can sports fans.

2015 U.S Open

            And there we have it folks. Another epic moment in the history of sports. Sunday June 21^st 2015 is a day that will be talked about for years to come. People will remember that on Sunday at the U.S Open, at Chambers Bay, Jordan Spieth did it again. At only 21 years of age, Spieth is half way through his career grand slam. With a win at Augusta just a couple of months ago, and on Sunday at Chambers Bay, Jordan is now the talk of golf. (I’d like to invest in a share of under armor please).

            Sunday turned out to be one of the most gut wrenching and heart stopping rounds of golf I have watched in a very long time. Not only was everyone buzzing about Spieths win, but the buzz was also around poor Dustin Johnson. Man, you got to really feel it for DJ right now.

            It’s funny how you can get so close, and only end up being so far away. Spieth had a 3 shot lead, and suddenly, it was gone. Everyone knew that with a performance like the one he put on at Augusta National this year, Spieth was able to come clutch in a pressure filled situation. He double bogeyed on the 17^th hole and his chance to win was slowly slipping away, but like I said, we are talking about Jordan Spieth.

            DJ had the chance to take it all away from young Spieth, but with his bad luck on the tour, it just couldn’t happen. Maybe it was the nerves, or maybe it was the pressure, but he just didn’t have it in him. As I watched DJ take that 3-foot putt, my heart welled to see the ball slide past the hole. But hey, I must say, both Spieth and DJ showed the class of true gentlemen on that course, and that is something that will be remembered forever in the hearts of true golf lovers.

            So, here we are. Another tournament over just like that, and another story to be engraved in our minds for the rest of time. Chambers Bay brought the suspense to golf, the blues to DJ, and the greatness to Jordan. Thank you golf Gods.

            Remember everyone, there’s a lot to come in golf with a man like Spieth on tour, and who knows, maybe in July Jordan can make it 3 quarters of a way to his #SpiethSlam.

New Year, New Leafs...

I’ve never been a fan of the idea of “tanking”. I find that it’s degrading to do, as an organization and that there are better ways of reconstructing a team. But sometimes, in the most desperate of times… it feels like the only option.

To my fellow, broken hearted leaf fans, I am sad to say that once again… it was not our year. Yes I am aware that the season is not done but I’m trying to be a realist here. We are amid another disappointing season courtesy of our Toronto Maple Leafs. Really, are you surprised? I hate to be a cynic, but I can’t help to only generate negative thoughts while I think about the Leafs in this moment.

I hate being negative, so let’s discuss some positives:

The reconstruction of the entire team is healthy. Many people will argue and dislike trades that are going to be made because they believe some of our guys have potential. Hey, guys, remember someone named Wayne Gretzky… “The Great One”, yeah… he was traded. It’s all apart of the realm of sports. It’s all just a game and players are just along for the ride, where they end up is where they end up. Either they excel or they fall down the ranks and that is that. A lot of people look at this and read it for what it is. Dig a little deeper people; to evolve we need to shake things up a little bit. Yes, Kessel has been our guy for a long while in Toronto, but has he taken us anywhere? A man can only do so much. Look at Phaneuf, sure he did some good things for us but maybe switching up the leadership in the locker room is what this team needs. Think of all the possibilities that can come from moving guys like Kessel and Phaneuf. This gives us more cap space to work with and potentially we can have something that will change us. If you love a team, you have to be willing to let go of some things to make for a brighter future.

Here’s another positive. I presume that once this disastrous season is over, management is going to find a guy that can change the stigma around the Leafs. A guy like Babcock comes to mind instantly. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but a girl can only hope.

I sincerely feel like a broken record, and maybe sometime soon I can write something about the Leafs flourishing as an organization but as of right now, I think that’s a long shot.

So leaf fans, I leave you with a nice little cliché; There’s always next year.