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Over the last few weeks I have been trying to assess where I stand as a Marlins fan. The last two years have been a roller coaster. The 2011-12 offseason was a fantastic experience and was the first offseason I can remember where I wanted the season to restart in late November.We went into 2012 believing this team was going to enter a period of sustained success that would be a new high water mark for the franchise. When the season began and everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
I do not think I will ever have the passion that I had for this team between 2003-2012. Part of it is because of what has happened last year and another part is me just getting older and life just getting in the way. I suspect many of us are going through this phase or have already gone through it. But play-off runs can do amazing things and rekindle a lot of emotions-- so we'll see what happens in 2045.
Last week I was having a discussion in the office about why people follow teams and sports so religiously. I believe that for most people who are not on bandwagons, there is always a moment that captures you. After that you need an occasional reminder of that feeling with subsequent moments to maintain that. The Marlins and baseball have done that throughout the years and I can remember most of them. The no-hitter and Game 3 of the World Series were two moments this year.
As in everything we do for an extended period of time, the grand scheme of why you do things tends to get lost in the day-to-day. I had a chance to catch bits and pieces of Ken Burns' Baseball series over the course of the week. It is definitely something that reignites your passion for the game, especially the intros to the 1st Inning and 9th Inning. If you have not seen them do so.
I went to dinner with two friends last night that I "met" on this website in 2007. We became friends in 2010 by pure coincidence because they sat behind me at Sun Life Stadium. (As is the case with everything on this board, it came about in a hilarious fashion as some of you may remember.) I realized that 2013 went by and I saw them a total four times throughout the year. At this point our friendship is not defined by the Marlins but I realized the Marlins played a huge part in bringing us together every other weekend during the summer. The team made you open a day on the calendar to be with these people. Not many things in life do that on a routine basis.
I realized how much I missed the experience of going to all the Saturday night games, sitting out in the Fish Tank and watching a mediocre to average team because of the atmosphere that surrounded that. I was never one to wax poetic about the sport, but I have come around on that. It is really a sport that warrants it.
The current state of my fandom is complicated. I will likely amend my embargo of the team as the season approaches and go to more games next year granted StubHub has great ticket deals. But I still really dislike ownership.
I do not think I will ever have the passion that I had for this team between 2003-2012. Part of it is because of what has happened last year and another part is me just getting older and life just getting in the way. I suspect many of us are going through this phase or have already gone through it. But play-off runs can do amazing things and rekindle a lot of emotions-- so we'll see what happens in 2045.
Last week I was having a discussion in the office about why people follow teams and sports so religiously. I believe that for most people who are not on bandwagons, there is always a moment that captures you. After that you need an occasional reminder of that feeling with subsequent moments to maintain that. The Marlins and baseball have done that throughout the years and I can remember most of them. The no-hitter and Game 3 of the World Series were two moments this year.
As in everything we do for an extended period of time, the grand scheme of why you do things tends to get lost in the day-to-day. I had a chance to catch bits and pieces of Ken Burns' Baseball series over the course of the week. It is definitely something that reignites your passion for the game, especially the intros to the 1st Inning and 9th Inning. If you have not seen them do so.
I went to dinner with two friends last night that I "met" on this website in 2007. We became friends in 2010 by pure coincidence because they sat behind me at Sun Life Stadium. (As is the case with everything on this board, it came about in a hilarious fashion as some of you may remember.) I realized that 2013 went by and I saw them a total four times throughout the year. At this point our friendship is not defined by the Marlins but I realized the Marlins played a huge part in bringing us together every other weekend during the summer. The team made you open a day on the calendar to be with these people. Not many things in life do that on a routine basis.
I realized how much I missed the experience of going to all the Saturday night games, sitting out in the Fish Tank and watching a mediocre to average team because of the atmosphere that surrounded that. I was never one to wax poetic about the sport, but I have come around on that. It is really a sport that warrants it.
The current state of my fandom is complicated. I will likely amend my embargo of the team as the season approaches and go to more games next year granted StubHub has great ticket deals. But I still really dislike ownership.
STANTON
Serious fun! GET IT IN!
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