Thursday, November 9, 2017

Sports Journal November 1, 2017

11-1-17
I feel like I’m about to summarize WWII by starting with a short discussion of the Spanish Civil War.  The tyranny of linear time, however, forces my hand.  You’ll see what I mean.  Days like today, I really question the format of this blog.  I started my evening at work with an unexpected upgrade (at least on my part), so my important viewing plans were disrupted badly in the early evening, which accounts for some spotty coverage. 

Aggie Soccer finished their season with a .500 record overall and in conference after they’d lost their last game on Saturday.  Their first game in the WAC Tournament was a rematch with Seattle U, whom they’d beaten in Seattle earlier in the month.  I was able to watch via the WAC Digital network, but other obligations kept me from watching most of it.  That was okay, as it turned out to be a 3-0 revenge-fest for the Redhawks.  I saw their last goal.  Aggie goalie Dmitri Fong was on the ground, getting kicked, while still trying to recover the ball in the box.  She made a really heroic effort.  Audrey Chavez was back and playing on what was described as an “80% hamstring.”  These girls are tough.  The hosts highlighted Aileen Galicia in the pre-game show and singled her out during the match for her good play. 

That’s all for Aggie Soccer this season.  I think the program has really improved, and I enjoyed watching them (a major admission for a non-soccer fan).  The girls are very easy to root for, especially after meeting some of them.  I’m looking forward to seeing them again next year (hopefully).  [Late update: Coach Freddy Delgado’s contract was not renewed after the season.  This is shocking given the team’s good showing this year and beating their rivals, the UNM Lobos (who were a good team) and the UTEP Miners for the first time.  Maybe he asked for a larger raise than the school could afford.  I hope the girls aren’t too upset and that a good, new coach can be found.  Good luck to Coach Delgado, unless he goes to one of our rivals.]   

 At the same time this was going on, the raison d'etat of my existence, Game 7 of the World Series between the Astros and the Dodgers, was being unwatched by myself because of work-related obligations.  The hardware upgrade was disrupting my schedule, but at least I got pizza out of it.  I got in bits and pieces at the beginning of the game.  The Astros started off well, as George Springer doubled in the first at bat of the game.  An error drove him in.  Jose Altuve drove in Alex Bregman on a fielder’s choice.  2-0 Astros.  I missed all of that. 

I did see Yuli Guriel’s at bat against Yu Darvish, the Dodgers’ starting pitcher.  Guriel’s mockery of Darvish hadn’t endeared him to the LA fans.  You could tell every time he was coming to bat just by the boo’s.  In the last game, the camera men were zooming in on angry Asian fans in the crowd.  Congrats to the MLB for not affecting World Series play with a PC suspension.  Darvish, you’re a class act.  Yuli, buy an atlas.  Japan isn’t in China.  For his part, Guriel tipped his helmet to Darvish before the at bat by way of an apology and a “thank you” for not asking for an immediate suspension.  What could have tainted this World Series, instead reinforced sportsmanship.  A 13-pitch battle ensued, which ended in a fly out.  Clayton Kershaw was already warming up in the Dodger bullpen. 

Darvish didn’t settle in after that in the second inning.  A walk, a double, and a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Astros’ pitcher, Lance McCullers, added another run, but a two-run homer in Springer’s second at bat chased Darvish from the game.  5-0 Astros.  Given what had happened in the previous six games, nobody took this as a comfortable lead.  Kershaw came out to start the third.  Some ESPN Radio hosts insisted before the game that he needed to be used tonight to “save his legacy.”  Obviously this was media code for “not make us look so bad for hyping him up before the series.” 

It wasn’t exactly a great starting pitching performance on the other side.  After McCullers had hit his fourth batter of the game, he had to come out, leaving two on.  Later, he said was completely spent and was pitching with nothing working.  Brad Peacock came in and closed the inning.  The Dodgers were getting their chances, but weren’t cashing them in.  Kershaw would go four scoreless innings, thus deflecting criticism away from Darvish and on to manager Dave Roberts.  The sports media could now second guess who the Dodger starter should have been and make themselves look good for backing Kershaw all along. 

Andre Ethier came off the bench for a pinch hit single to score a run in the sixth, but that was all the damage, 5-1.  Strangely, Kenley Jansen started the seventh.  I think the rationale for bringing in the Dodger closer so early was to face the heart of the Astros’ order.  Charlie Morton came in for the Astros in the sixth.  He did a good enough job that when his spot came up in the ninth, he batted for himself.  The bottom of the ninth featured three listless at bats by the Dodgers.  No more heroics for this series.  The Dodgers were spent.  The Astros won the game 5-1 and the series 3-2

And . . . exhale. 

I had actually been on pins and needles since the end of last night’s game, wondering what was going to happen tonight.  After winning two of the best of World Series games ever, it would have been a shame if the Astros hadn’t won the series.  It would have been like that “Shot heard ‘round the world” footnote that the “Giants win the pennant!” but didn’t win the series.  After Game 5, I don’t know if me or anyone else could have taken another heart-stopper.  Being a fan is stressful.  It could certainly be worse.  I heard that a lot of money was bet on the Dodgers winning Game 7, including somebody making a $14 million bet.  Part of me hopes that didn’t really happen, that it was just a gag story.  Speaking of stress, my co-worker Mike somehow got blamed and yelled at by his girlfriend for the Dodger loss.  He wasn’t even watching.

There were remote shots of 17,000 people in Houston at Minute Maid Park for a viewing party, cheering their heads off.  Charlie Morton got awarded the win for the game.  He was choked up and emotional afterward.  With five home runs in the Series, George Springer was the MVP.  Carlos Beltran finally got a ring, along with fellow veterans Justin Verlander, Brian McCann, and Evan Gattis.  They can retire happy now whenever they decide they’re done.  The future still looks bright for the youngsters on the Astros.      

Then the crowning moment.  I was watching a serious Carlos Correa being interviewed on the field by Ken Rosenthal, still marveling how bad his beard looks.  Carlos said, “I want to take the next big step in my life,” and suddenly he turned to his shocked girlfriend and went down on one knee to propose.  Look at the women in the background.  That was me.  It was so romantic.  Ahhh.  The perfect ending to this World Series.


(Yeah, this is why baseball is great.  NFL players just go down on one knee on camera to protest America, and they only propose to girlfriends who can take getting slapped around.)

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