5 Things the San Francisco Giants Have Taught Me. And Then Some.
I still remember vividly a night like this four years ago...and just like the Giants, I think I've come a long way. The team that I, in all honesty, despised for most of my life has taught me so much about this crazy game called life:
1. Some people will always bet against you, no matter how many times you've proved them wrong. It's okay, you just keep playing hard and winning titles.
2. Money can't buy you anything, or everything, or the things you really want...that stuff has to be earned-with hard work, lots of failure, and infinitely determined perseverance.
3. You're never too far behind for a comeback; those stories are far more exciting to live and always epic to retell anyways -- sometimes I re-watch this video simply for this reason alone:
4. You won't accomplish anything that means anything by yourself; there will be times you have to let the rookie take swing at it and still others where you have to believe that the veteran still has some juice left...either way, you've got to have a team you trust.
5. Surround yourself with people who will stand by you no matter how awesome or terrible you play; they are your greatest fans.
As I mentioned before, I haven't always been a fan of the Giants; I grew with one though. My dad has been a San Francisco Giants fan for the entirety of his 54 years of life...and I have spent most of mine taking every opportunity to hate on them; this was practically the only forum in which I could trash talk my dad and get away with it. But, as life would have it, Northern California changed that for me.
Never, ever, had I as a Southern California native seen such dedicated and proud fans. People don't leave the stadium before the game is done; they don't destroy things to celebrate when they win; and they will never hesitate to tell the world that they support the San Francisco Giants, even long before they were the World Champions...in 2010, 2012, or now (my dad NEVER gave up hope; even after they lost the World Series in 2002, he wore all his Giants stuff the next day just to make a statement).
I still remember my first game at AT&T Park; they were playing the Dodgers. The energy was infectious. It would be almost a year before I went back to another game...and slowly but surely, I simply couldn't help but cheer on the boys in black and orange. Like so many other Nor-Cal things that I vowed to never say or do, supporting the Giants became one of them. I even earned the title of "the biggest non-Giants Giants fan."
Even today, I don't consider myself a true Giants fan (yet), but the last decade has slowly morphed me into a 'giant' supporter. Mainly because I am so thankful for the incredible memories that they have given me over the last decade, and the amazing friends who have shared them with me. I am so excited for all of them, the fans who were there when it was still 50+ years of torture and everyone else said there's no way that scrappy bunch of low-budget misfits can win a World Series...but now five years later, they've got three -- you guys (the truest and realest fans) are the special ones. I'm thankful for all that Giants nation (team, fans, and otherwise) have taught me...
Hope you guys are tearing it up tonight!
1. Some people will always bet against you, no matter how many times you've proved them wrong. It's okay, you just keep playing hard and winning titles.
2. Money can't buy you anything, or everything, or the things you really want...that stuff has to be earned-with hard work, lots of failure, and infinitely determined perseverance.
3. You're never too far behind for a comeback; those stories are far more exciting to live and always epic to retell anyways -- sometimes I re-watch this video simply for this reason alone:
4. You won't accomplish anything that means anything by yourself; there will be times you have to let the rookie take swing at it and still others where you have to believe that the veteran still has some juice left...either way, you've got to have a team you trust.
5. Surround yourself with people who will stand by you no matter how awesome or terrible you play; they are your greatest fans.
As I mentioned before, I haven't always been a fan of the Giants; I grew with one though. My dad has been a San Francisco Giants fan for the entirety of his 54 years of life...and I have spent most of mine taking every opportunity to hate on them; this was practically the only forum in which I could trash talk my dad and get away with it. But, as life would have it, Northern California changed that for me.
Never, ever, had I as a Southern California native seen such dedicated and proud fans. People don't leave the stadium before the game is done; they don't destroy things to celebrate when they win; and they will never hesitate to tell the world that they support the San Francisco Giants, even long before they were the World Champions...in 2010, 2012, or now (my dad NEVER gave up hope; even after they lost the World Series in 2002, he wore all his Giants stuff the next day just to make a statement).
I still remember my first game at AT&T Park; they were playing the Dodgers. The energy was infectious. It would be almost a year before I went back to another game...and slowly but surely, I simply couldn't help but cheer on the boys in black and orange. Like so many other Nor-Cal things that I vowed to never say or do, supporting the Giants became one of them. I even earned the title of "the biggest non-Giants Giants fan."
Even today, I don't consider myself a true Giants fan (yet), but the last decade has slowly morphed me into a 'giant' supporter. Mainly because I am so thankful for the incredible memories that they have given me over the last decade, and the amazing friends who have shared them with me. I am so excited for all of them, the fans who were there when it was still 50+ years of torture and everyone else said there's no way that scrappy bunch of low-budget misfits can win a World Series...but now five years later, they've got three -- you guys (the truest and realest fans) are the special ones. I'm thankful for all that Giants nation (team, fans, and otherwise) have taught me...
Hope you guys are tearing it up tonight!
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