The 2011 Padres season, one in which the home team finished 20 games below .500, was difficult on each and every one of our faithful community. But despite the losses exceeding the wins in by a wide margin, reflection has provided me with much needed perspective.
In many ways the 2011 season was akin to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace . . .
Hindsight tells us that the Phantom Menace was a terrible movie. George Lucas' dialogue gave new meaning to the word trite and his introduction of the soul crushing character Jar Jar Binks - well, it crushed our collective souls. The film was not without intrigue, however.
To see a Jedi at his full powers and the edition of an outstanding double-lightsabre wielding villain in the form of Darth Maul, were just rewards for the nerds (me) who waited a painstaking 16 years to experience an additional episode of Star Wars.. These positive aspects of the Phantom Menace each conspire to make the aforementioned pain far more bearable.
The 2011 season for the San Diego Padres was not dissimilar. Yet it's so easy to dwell solely on the negative.
My exercise in reflection led me to 19 examples of why a 71-91 was not so bad. These 19 examples were more than enough for me to justify following a team that often played so poorly.
For Padres fans the number 19 is an ideal, our fandom's golden mean.
As we approach opening day2012, I'll discuss 19 games / moments / thoughts that were of import to me. These moments will present themselves chronologically, with occasional exception.
It is my hope that the positive nature of these posts can return me to a more desirable middle ground* as a fan of the San Diego Padres.
*Why does someone start a blog? Because they're bothered by something, naturally. Rants and raves ensue and it can create a downward spiral of negativity. I yearn to return to a middle ground of perfection . . . 19.
Insert Paul Hardcastle's "19" here.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSGvqjVHik8