My 2011 Baseball Dilemma

I'm not sure if it's been fully established my baseball ties. So let's do it now. I grew up in Philadelphia. I found it hard to like the Phillies, because in my impressionable youth, they sucked. After 1993, they were losing nearly 100 games every year. I didn't even really like baseball at the time. Between the Phillies sucking, the 1994 strike, I had zero interest.

I'm going to say that I got into baseball in the late 90s. I don't want to say it was the Home Run Chase between McGwire and Sosa, because everyone says it saved baseball. I'm not saying it didn't, but I don't like to be a part of the crowd. However, I always like Griffey and the Holy Grail of Shortstops (A-Rod, Nomar, Jeter). Naturally, you have to pick a favorite of the three. It was Nomar. I wrote about that earlier. So naturally, by picking Nomar, I picked the Red Sox. And I've been on board ever since.

The Phillies caught my attention again around 2004, when the new ballpark was opening, there was plenty of hype about the young prospects, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, etc. I liked the way the Phillies were doing things - growing their talent through the draft and prospects. Didn't buy the team like the Yankees did.

So I flip between the teams, however I've always said the Sox are on top. And I stick to that. I believe you can like more than one team, pending you justify it and they can't be clear rivals. I can't like the Sox and the Yanks. So I root for both, but the Sox come before the Phillies. My Philly friends hate me for it, but they can't understand. In 2008, we came dangerously close to having my worst nightmare ever: Sox and Phillies in the World Series. I'm really not sure what I would of done.

(That was a longer roundabout than I was anticipating)

This year, because of the huge off-seasons both teams had, I think I need to pick one that I like to be the favorite to win. And I have NO idea what I'm going to do. The Sox got two huge position players, along with shoring up their bullpen. Their only weakness is Catcher, but I've also always been a Jared Saltalamacchia fan, how can you not be a fan of that name? I think he's got a lot of potential, and under Varitek's tutelage, he can learn from the best.

The Phillies however, landed the biggest off-season prize of them all in Cliff Lee, who was suspected to go to the Yankees (helping the Sox' chances immensely) and forming what may be the BEST rotation ever assembled from a major league team. Their offense did lose Jayson Werth, although I have faith in Domonic Brown, as they've been right with most of their prospects previously.

I'm not making my decision - yet. I will try to make it before the season. I may not make it at all. This post is more for me to remind myself I need to. I can't flip flop this year.

Man, early January and I'm thinking baseball. I'm obsessed.

College

What a strange four years it's been. I came in as a young, relatively shy 18 year old, where my only real hobbies included eating cheesesteaks/cheesecakes, sports, and playing video games, and I left with those still hobbies in mind, but have developed so much more interests and abilities. I'm not sure if that is due to college, or life experiences, or just growing up, but it's great.

College is an unusual life journey. It's when you supposedly grow up and realize what you want to do. I don't think I've reached that point yet. I'm not sure you ever do. You're supposed to keep evolving, learning, and growing.

But damn, what's a fun four years I've had. From a small dorm in Rich Hall to a lovely (cough) apartment in South Campus, I've kept the same few best friends the entire journey - and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Sure, I've made a few other really good friends (including being adopted - AYO T & C), other random acquaintances, some ups and downs, and some people I'm sure I'll never want to see again.

It's funny looking at things through pictures - how we've grown, how we've stayed the same. Sure, I have the memories in my head of what we did, but not the photo evidence. It's crazy to go through them year by year. Real quick so you understand what I'm saying:
Frosh Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year (yes we were legal drinking age)
And finishing it out where it began at graduation.

It's been great. You'll notice most of the same people in the pictures - I love it. Sure, I couldn't find one that had all of my friends, but I think it captures enough of our friendship over the past four years.

Last night was my first night back home, and it was brutal (although there was an unbelievable 24 on.) It's not easy going from the freedom to the unknown. No jobs, no real idea of what the future holds, and being so far away from your friends, with no idea when you'll see them again.

I do know that college has made me into a better person. It's a great feeling when at the end of four years, you can come away with a solid group of friends (with the most supportive parents for people they've never met,) knowledge and skills to succeed in a professional level, and just the overall confidence to believe in myself.

I don't attribute that to Boston University, because as I've made clear, I think they have some dysfunctional aspects of their own to deal with, but I do believe a few professors and most importantly the people I've interacted with on a near-daily basis have really helped to shape everything about me - and I'm forever grateful. The only thing that could of made it better would be to get a job - but that will come with time.

The best four years of your life. I just hope the next couple decades can match them.

I Love That Dirty Water

If you're not in Boston, then you're missing out. We've had a massive (and unprecedented) water mane break in the city - leaving the place under a "boil order" for all water and honestly causing a sense of chaos for no real reason.

People are going to grocery stores and buying water as if they're stocking up their bomb shelters for the impending nuclear winter. I saw one woman get 10 cases of water yesterday. That's 240 bottles. I'm hoping it was not all just for her.

Boston University, in all of it's great service to it's students (and senior's final two weeks of college before we get hit with a) reality and b) them asking for "donations") can only give you water if you've got a meal plan to their dining hall. I'm serious. Me and my roommate stopped by yesterday to try and pick up one bottle of the great "Terrier Water" and were told no, I need to sign up for a meal plan. WHAT KIND OF INHUMANE PLACE IS THIS? NO WATER UNLESS YOU PAY AN EXTRA THREE GRAND. SORRY.

Sorry, I got a little carried away. It's too easy sometimes.

The other great thing about Boston right now is the weather - the place is gorgeous. Had a beautiful day out. Until I was feeling dehydrated and bought water, which I'm pretty sure they're jacking up the prices because EVERYONE's buying water. In my lovely not-well-ventilated Boston University sponsored apartment, we have poor air flow when its hot. And in my room, there's a kind of "mystery" window that conveniently pointed east which is also conveniently where the sun rises everyday at about 6:30 AM. Let's do some math --> Dehydration + Hot room + Sunlight at 6:30AM + College student who usually doesn't wake up until 9 AM on a Monday = A dry(in more ways than one,) witty, blog post at 7AM after laying in bed until 2:30 AM because of the same situation. Honestly, I wasn't even up this early for Marathon Monday.

This isn't a rant, this is more of just like a 'When I Pictured College, It Didn't Include A Scavenging For Water" situation. I just sit and laugh. Is this real life?

I also keep making this joke that I know I'm totally killing it, but it's honestly SO FUNNY right now. The Standells did a song about Boston and called it "Dirty Water" and it's one of those Boston anthems - it's played everywhere around the city. Sporting events, in the park, it's everywhere. It's like the Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping Up To Boston" of the 60s, but everyone still listens to it now. Anyway, the repeating lyric is "I love that dirty water, I love Boston." I know someone reading this is laughing right now. YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP GUYS.

OH ALSO - It's National Drink Tap Water Week. YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

I'm closing with another great line about drinking from the "Most Interesting Man In The World" campaign - Stay Thirsty My Friends.

ps I'm laughing really hard at that one too. Bye.