Sports gal

I wouldn't say I'm a hard core sports gal. I interact with enough (straight) men for my job that I need to have some passing knowledge of the local professional teams. Well baseball, football and basketball. Just so you know our baseball team is playing in the World Series tonight and our football team is undefeated this season. I have a soft spot for basketball so I'm every hopeful that our green team will pull it off.

But I also have two boys who, as Flower Child once put it, "have enough energy to power a small African village." She couldn't be more right. It isn't a behavioral issue or something about disrespect. They have a ton of energy. To their credit they do stay focused in school. They stay on task, help other kids and are clearly enjoy learning.

So sports have been a saving grace for us. I actually don't mind the two sports season, spring time, leading to two nights of baseball and one night of soccer plus a soccer game on Saturdays. This means they are running, being active and collapsing into bed at night. Physical activity is something they need to do.

But it also has gotten me to better understand sports. Sure there is the obscene amount of money involved in professional sports. Money that could be used to better our society. There is the elevation of athleticism over other skills and past times. Our suburb is a pretty tough place for families whose kids aren't interested in sports. And this is intellectual New England. I can't imagine the rural south or southwest.

It is a balancing act to make sure that my kids appreciate the hard work and camaraderie that goes with sports but don't succumb to the I'm-better-than-you attitude that comes from being a jock.

Except with the Red Sox. Because we are better than you - any of you.

And I think this is particularly true since ace Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is calling out to my friend, Jose Melendez of Keys to the Game, to write blog posts that will help the Sox win post season games. How many professional baseball players are out there engaging the blogosphere?

For instance on the Sons of Sam Horn site - the site for Red Sox fans - Curt Schilling (writing under the name Gehrig38) opened a thread with the following:

It's as on as it can possibly be. Jose, you need to do whatever it is rabid psycho Sox fans do to remain calm, post your keys and go P&G like with the Mojo. Go Japanese on someone dude, it's there for the taking.

This was written on October 13th. "Your keys" refers to Jose's site and he always writes three "keys". And this was how Jose went "Japanese".

Start singing The Vapors "Turning Japanese":

I've got a pitcher his name is Dice,
We eat potatoes; he’s fueled by rice
I saw him staring at his locker—Here’s advice.

Oh mix your pitches,
don’t just throw speed.
Don’t over nibble. Here’s what we need.
Five innings and a one run lead

I've got a pitcher, I've got a pitcher
He’s worth a hundred million out on the mound
I want a catcher to call for curveballs
So all the batters will hit balls on the ground.

We’ve got him pitching high and pitching low
and pitching fast and pitching a slow and

Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so

I've got a pitcher, I’ve got a pitcher
He threw a million pitches once in a game
I want Francona to use that pitcher, so he can get himself some U.S. acclaim.

You've got him throwing fastballs throwing curves
And throwing splitters, throwing slurves and

Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so

No hits, no walks, no runs, no bases
No balks, no bags no you, keep it inside the park
Everyone at bat is Mario Mendoza
Then we get to Papelbon the Closah
Everyone.

And
DiceK’s Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so
Pitching Japanese
DiceK is pitching Japanese
I really think so

(This is the third Key from Sunday, October 21, 2007 - when the Red Sox beat Cleveland for the American League Championship).

Think that is good? Go read Tuesday, October 16, 2007 in which he writes a 200+ line epic poem.

Go Sox! And feel bad for Colorado. It is hard to lose.