Opening Day: A Blogger's 2nd Christmas

Opening Day at Shea.

It used to be a better meal. Now, its a better life.

I think back to 1996. A gritty, half pubescant 13 year-old Sip got the ok from Mama and Senior to ditch school and head out to Shea with his buddy and his older brother and crew.

There was a certain buzz around New York that hadn't been felt since the late 1980's. A SS, who was going to change the way baseball was viewed in the Big Applem was about to suit up for his first season. A career of celebrity, all star games and championships were all that we could expect.

His name was Rey Ordonez.




...............


Here we are some 12 years later and a lot has changed.

Rey Rey didn't pan out. Another equally regarded SS from the other side of the tracks unfortunately did.

But so be it. We have a lot to smile about.

No longer is opening day about Bobby Jones or Derek Bell ding dongs.

No longer can you walk out to Shea Stadium at 12:45 and pick up tickets.

Opening Day is now about two things. The start of spring time and the start of what we all believe can be a championship season at Shea.

I spent so many years with Zero expectations that it is in someways hard for me to make the adjustment. With sports I am a pessimist. It's just the way it is.

Today is my favorite day of the year. Shea has always been a second home to me, a place where I go with my buddies and just zone out. I like to not think. I do it a lot.

That today is the last time I will walk into Shea Stadium for Opening Day may even bring a tear to a newly sensitive Sip.

Win or lose, at least we're not from Canada.

Go get 'em guys.

New Keanu cop movie coming out on Friday. Whose coming with me?

Vaya,
Sip

(Pics courtesy of Allposters.com)