It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. And one thing I am most thankful for are the 2010 SF Giants. They brought me one of my best moments in life thus far. I don't know what that says about my priorities or my life, but there you go. If I had to rank where the moment lies, it'd probably be after I lost my virginity but before I graduated college. Somewhere in that spectrum. Granted, I am not married nor have kids so I can't say it was more exciting than those two things at this juncture. We'll see when those two things happen where this championship run lies.
But seriously, how great was this season. Brian Sabean took us on this ridiculous journey:
OPENING DAY LINE-UP 2010:
Rowand CF
Renteria SS
Sandoval 3B
Huff 1B
DeRosa LF
Molina C
Bowker RF
Uribe 2B
Lincecum P
vs
WORLD SERIES GAME 5 LINE-UP 2010:
Torres CF
Sanchez 2B
Posey C
Ross LF
Uribe 3B
Huff 1B
Burrell DH
Renteria SS
Rowand CF
Lincecum P
There were so many great moments this season, it's hard to remember them all. Right now, the only thing that replays in my mind over and over is Brian Wilson striking out Nelson Cruz and madness ensuing. I watched the game at Monaghans. And it was the most amazing experience ever. Beer showers non-stop. People acting like children. Group love. It'll never be like that again. The Giants have now won a World Series Championship. There will never be another "first time" for that. They have done it. I was there. You were there. And it was awesome.
I was telling some friends that it happened to me at the perfect time in my life. I'm 30, single, and living in SF. In 1989 I was 9. I was rooting for the Giants. But I wouldn't have been able to celebrate or grasp what a win would mean to the city had the Giants actually beat the A's. In 2002 I was 22 and living in Arizona going to college. I was a diehard by then. That defeat left me wounded right up until Nov. 1st, 2010. However, again, I wasn't in the city. It would have been a much different celebration. A solo celebration. It would have been sweet. But it wouldn't have been the sweetest. No, it was THIS year. At THIS time. Living in San Francisco. Able to go to bars with not only my fellow Giants fans, but my best friends. And we got to celebrate this first ever SF World Series Championship together. United. And free to act as crazy as we wanted.
Non-Giants fans keep asking me what it was like. And I can't accurately put it into words. The whole season, just amazing. The torture, the comebacks, the 1 run losses, the 1 run wins. Timmy struggling then dominating. Cain coming into his own. Brian Wilson morphing into Robb Nen. Posey channeling Will Clark but in a much more subdued manner. Huff and his rally thong (welcome back Aubrey, by the way). Uribe and his jazz hands. Cody Ross and his ownage of October. Pat the Bat and his clutch home runs, seemingly always to tie or put us ahead in the late innings. Freddy Sanchez experiencing winning baseball for the first time ever and taking full advantage. Torres rising from the depths of obscurity to become the leadoff hitter of a World Series team. Bumgarner showing ice in his 21 year old veins. The Ashkon video. Steve Perry.
I mean, every World Series team is going to have fantastic memories of the entire season and the playoffs. But this was our team. And our season. And for that, my SF Giants, I am super thankful. Thankful for you. Thankful to be a Giants fan. It doesn't get any better than it did on November 1st, 2010. A memory that will be treasured, cherished, and shared for generations not just by me, but literally by millions.
Thank you.
But seriously, how great was this season. Brian Sabean took us on this ridiculous journey:
OPENING DAY LINE-UP 2010:
Rowand CF
Renteria SS
Sandoval 3B
Huff 1B
DeRosa LF
Molina C
Bowker RF
Uribe 2B
Lincecum P
vs
WORLD SERIES GAME 5 LINE-UP 2010:
Torres CF
Sanchez 2B
Posey C
Ross LF
Uribe 3B
Huff 1B
Burrell DH
Renteria SS
Rowand CF
Lincecum P
There were so many great moments this season, it's hard to remember them all. Right now, the only thing that replays in my mind over and over is Brian Wilson striking out Nelson Cruz and madness ensuing. I watched the game at Monaghans. And it was the most amazing experience ever. Beer showers non-stop. People acting like children. Group love. It'll never be like that again. The Giants have now won a World Series Championship. There will never be another "first time" for that. They have done it. I was there. You were there. And it was awesome.
I was telling some friends that it happened to me at the perfect time in my life. I'm 30, single, and living in SF. In 1989 I was 9. I was rooting for the Giants. But I wouldn't have been able to celebrate or grasp what a win would mean to the city had the Giants actually beat the A's. In 2002 I was 22 and living in Arizona going to college. I was a diehard by then. That defeat left me wounded right up until Nov. 1st, 2010. However, again, I wasn't in the city. It would have been a much different celebration. A solo celebration. It would have been sweet. But it wouldn't have been the sweetest. No, it was THIS year. At THIS time. Living in San Francisco. Able to go to bars with not only my fellow Giants fans, but my best friends. And we got to celebrate this first ever SF World Series Championship together. United. And free to act as crazy as we wanted.
Non-Giants fans keep asking me what it was like. And I can't accurately put it into words. The whole season, just amazing. The torture, the comebacks, the 1 run losses, the 1 run wins. Timmy struggling then dominating. Cain coming into his own. Brian Wilson morphing into Robb Nen. Posey channeling Will Clark but in a much more subdued manner. Huff and his rally thong (welcome back Aubrey, by the way). Uribe and his jazz hands. Cody Ross and his ownage of October. Pat the Bat and his clutch home runs, seemingly always to tie or put us ahead in the late innings. Freddy Sanchez experiencing winning baseball for the first time ever and taking full advantage. Torres rising from the depths of obscurity to become the leadoff hitter of a World Series team. Bumgarner showing ice in his 21 year old veins. The Ashkon video. Steve Perry.
I mean, every World Series team is going to have fantastic memories of the entire season and the playoffs. But this was our team. And our season. And for that, my SF Giants, I am super thankful. Thankful for you. Thankful to be a Giants fan. It doesn't get any better than it did on November 1st, 2010. A memory that will be treasured, cherished, and shared for generations not just by me, but literally by millions.
Thank you.
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