My good news is, the pads are on, and we are go for football season. I am drinking all the Kool-aid I can while the annual preseason hope for a great year is strong.
I had a very meaningful weekend. A friend that I had for 55 years passed away a year and a half ago from liver cancer. He was such a great guy, and I miss him very much.
He had two children. His youngest is now 23 and plays for the AA Tiger minor league team. (Erie Seawolves) This is his first year in the minors because Covid screwed everyone last year. He was supposed to start in the Florida league but was put in AA because someone had an injury. It was only supposed to be temporary, but he's played well enough to stick with the club.
Last Friday, another friend and I flew to Harrisburg, PA, to catch a couple of his games against the Nationals' farm team, the Senators.
The Friday night game was a close 7-6 loss, with the final batter making an out with men in scoring position. We stayed at the team hotel, and after the game, we got to spend time with Kerry. I was unprepared and surprised at how emotional this trip was for me. Maybe it's because Kerry looks so much like his dad. Perhaps it was because a part of me was heartbroken his dad wasn't there to share this time with his son. I do know that I realized I had not finished mourning for my friends' death.
On Saturday, we had lunch with Kerry and hung out for a couple of hours. The second game was great. We had seats down the left field-line behind the dugout. Kerry bats cleanup, and on the first pitch of his third at-bat, he went yard. It was an unbelievably joyous moment, and we went crazy. The Seawolves won, and when we got back to the hotel, we had about an hour to hang, laugh, and say our goodbyes. It was a fantastic weekend, and I will be doing it again soon. If you're a Tiger fan, follow this kid. His name is Kerry Carpenter. He's an outstanding human, and he has a chance to get to the major league club.
One thing he said that told me he has stuff in the proper order. My buddy Jimmy said to him, "does it put more pressure on you when people from home come to visit?" He said, "No, I'm pretty good at focusing on the task at hand, but even if it did, and even if I played worse, I would still want my friends and family to come."
What's your good news?
Go Blue
I had a very meaningful weekend. A friend that I had for 55 years passed away a year and a half ago from liver cancer. He was such a great guy, and I miss him very much.
He had two children. His youngest is now 23 and plays for the AA Tiger minor league team. (Erie Seawolves) This is his first year in the minors because Covid screwed everyone last year. He was supposed to start in the Florida league but was put in AA because someone had an injury. It was only supposed to be temporary, but he's played well enough to stick with the club.
Last Friday, another friend and I flew to Harrisburg, PA, to catch a couple of his games against the Nationals' farm team, the Senators.
The Friday night game was a close 7-6 loss, with the final batter making an out with men in scoring position. We stayed at the team hotel, and after the game, we got to spend time with Kerry. I was unprepared and surprised at how emotional this trip was for me. Maybe it's because Kerry looks so much like his dad. Perhaps it was because a part of me was heartbroken his dad wasn't there to share this time with his son. I do know that I realized I had not finished mourning for my friends' death.
On Saturday, we had lunch with Kerry and hung out for a couple of hours. The second game was great. We had seats down the left field-line behind the dugout. Kerry bats cleanup, and on the first pitch of his third at-bat, he went yard. It was an unbelievably joyous moment, and we went crazy. The Seawolves won, and when we got back to the hotel, we had about an hour to hang, laugh, and say our goodbyes. It was a fantastic weekend, and I will be doing it again soon. If you're a Tiger fan, follow this kid. His name is Kerry Carpenter. He's an outstanding human, and he has a chance to get to the major league club.
One thing he said that told me he has stuff in the proper order. My buddy Jimmy said to him, "does it put more pressure on you when people from home come to visit?" He said, "No, I'm pretty good at focusing on the task at hand, but even if it did, and even if I played worse, I would still want my friends and family to come."
What's your good news?
Go Blue
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