The Beauty of sports...

Last night gave me the chills. The Astros won the series in 6. My buddy, we'll call him Ace, made $50,000 bucks on a bizarre futures bet on the Astros to make the world series. Most importantly, Bagwell and Biggio finally did it...

I was 17 years old that last time i felt that true happiness from athletic accomplishment. My oldest friend in the world hit a bases clearing double to lead my high school baseball team to the state title.

I remember running out from the dugout towards him at second base and giving him a big hug. Ben and I first played little league soccer when we were six years old. We played west side little league baseball together at age nine, for the Dolphins, forming a very stellar 3-4.

Over the years, Ben became one of the better players around while i was somewhere closer to the middle. This was ok to me. In my eyes, we were a package deal. Biggio and Bagwell.

So there we were, 11 years after we first played together and he had won us our first real championship.

That euphoria can only be reached so many times in life and more so...It only SHOULD be reached so many times in life.

Last night I watched as former Mets bum turned Astro phenom Dan Wheeler pitched the final out. The game was over and the camera's immediately went to Biggio and Bagwell.

The two future hall of famers started playing together 15 years earlier. Finally they won.

This was all that was right with sports. Biggio's smile was genuine. Bagwell hugged him appearing unsure how to truly react. They won after years and years of struggle. I was happy for them and truth is, I don't like the Astros.(goes back to my fear of the dangerous Kevin Bass)

Try and picture Biggio and Bagwell.

Now try and picture A-Rod and Randy Johnson grabbing a big hug from Gary Sheffield after the Yankees won their 27th world series, Arod's first.

Not as sweet, huh?

According to the Yankees, their media and their fans, the Yankees are supposed to win every year.

Every year they obtain the best talent possible to put a winner on the field.

Unfortunately, that is not what makes sports great.

Sports are awesome because everyone strives to win. Athlets yearn for that "one shining moment." That is why people root for the underdog. If you win everytime it takes away from the joy of winning.

Would last night have been special of Biggio and Bagwell had won the world series the last five years? How bout if the Astros added every player money could buy?

The answer to both of these questions is no.

Sure, Biggio and Bagwell are no longer the Astros' best players. But the Astros are still Bagwell and Biggio's team.

In the 90's i hated the Yankees. They were great and they were better than the Mets. However, they won and they won as a team. They were Jeter's team.

Today, i still hate the Yankees. They are still great and they are still better than the Mets. But now, even when they win, it is not as a team. They win as a collection of talent far greater than anyone else's.

In the 90's the Yankees were Jeter's team. When the Yankees won, Jeter was the hero that led his team to victory. It was almost a nice story and probably was to people who dont share my hatred.

Like watching Tom Brady lead the Pats or Matt Leinart lead USC, there is something beautiful about seeing one star lead a dynasty.

The Yankees are no longer Derek Jeter's team. The media/fans might try to claim this to still be the case. This is because these people want an excuse for why Arod and Randy Johnson under perform in the clutch.

The Yankees have become a team that MLB roots for because it makes its owners money.

No longer can they be a team that people root for for the good of the game.

They are no longer a dynasty.

They no longer even resemble a real team.

They are no longer Jeter and Bernie...They are $208 million dollars.



As long as it makes you happy


Sippy Momo