It's Good To Be Back

Well, that took a while! o_O

MAJOR LEAGUE GOOFBALL ready for another year of thrills and spills this baseball season. Already the Houston Astros began their American League campaign with an 8-2 against state and AL West division rivals Texas Rangers. Rick Ankiel got into the swing of things; check this out! ^_^  

Watching the New York Mets

R.A. Dickey gets the start for the METS tonight @ Houston

After watching the sixth inning of the Mets' regular season contest against the Houston Astros down in the heart of Texas, I remembered why during city league games I yell one of my favourite baseball chants "Come out and meet the Mets!" whenever my team takes the field.

There is always one inning for the New York Metropolitans, when things go from normal to titanic disaster in as little as one pitch. Already two errors in back-to-back innings, and one runner picked off at first base for standing too far away from the base -_- This could be a long game, more so with the time zone.

Thankfully, the Mets responded in the seventh inning by tying the game on 2-run single. You can always count on Mets games being exciting, and that fact of life goes back to the glory days of 1969 and 1986 ^_^ (Somebody hand me that defibrillator?)

Mets games remind me of my upcoming foray in city ball next week o_O Unlike last year, I'm a little more optimistic about my performance. I'm not at the stage where I purchase a new set of team gear for 2012 from the MLB shop, as a new set of circumstances prevents me from going all out and buying METS gear. I don't want to jinx anybody and have wacky games...I'll go with CUBS gear ^_^ What? o_O

What is Your Legacy?

CHIPPER JONES: Awkward setting, but very heartfelt ceremony ^_^

I'm enjoying the highlights coming from Houston as the Texas faithful honour a player that never played for the Houston Astros o_O

In light of his impending retirement, Houston honoured Texas native and Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones for a sterling career and his work outside of the game; punctuating the pre-game ceremony was the presentation of a new cowboy hat to Chipper, which he immediately wore ^_^ Apparently, Chipper is doing really well at the plate and on the diamond in the Braves' series against the Astros!

Juxtapose these light hearted pictures with the ones coming out of Miami, Florida, and the five-game suspension levied on Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. Just days after opening their new stadium, months after changing their uniform and colours to reflect the proud Miami culture and heritage, the Marlins face a public relations nightmare after the controversial Guillen made offensive remarks about longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Guillen is no stranger to off-colour statements and controversy in his storied career as a baseball club manager, however his sensitive remarks about a hot-topic political figure, whose decisions had a direct impact in the lives of the Cuban community in Miami, have some in Florida calling for his resignation! I watched a documentary on famed bookmaker and gambler Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder last week, and what connects both, nay all three of the personalities here, is the legacy they leave behind.

Each are on a tightrope of public opinion and public perception in the business of sport, and one wrong word or improper gesture can negate the value of the character, and bring the person to near bankruptcy (I'm not talking about the monetary kind). When your time on this planet is complete will fans of the other team crown you the King of the Ranch, or will you spend what is left of your life trying to make up for a mistake?

For more on the Braves and Astros, who are wearing their old Colt 45s jerseys in game #2 of their series, click here! ^_^