Win or Lose

Last night I was blessed to be able to take a few of my teens to see a D-Backs game. I have some good friends who will give me their tickets if they are out of town. So we end up arriving early and because these tickets are from a business we actually have great parking that actually hooks up with the ballpark. So we end up parking on the 5^th level and actually walk on a bridge that connects us with the fancy area where the suites are located.

I love baseball and being able to sit and watch both the game and the crowd. The jumbotron helps bring the game and the crowd right to you. I knew that we would have about an hour to wait for the game. We were still waiting for the rest of our group to arrive. So my guys went for a walk around the park while I stayed at our section to get a polish dog and something to drink. I know that a few of my guys that love sport would consider baseball to be rather boring. I also knew that having the NBA Finals at the same time might make it tough to watch the game.

I know that as a kid growing up I had a mom that loved sports and was willing to take me anywhere any time to participate. So I did baseball from the age of 4 to 15. I understand in today’s setting that sports for some means a traveling time, lots of expense and then a commitment to take your son/daughter to practice a few times a week. I did soccer with my Jon for 5 years and then we also were part of swim team for 4 years. My only rub with sports is that it at times gives a false sense of financial hope for some. It can become all consuming with parents just as much with kids. I will always remember that it was the parents who fought at our soccer games and had to be reprimanded for screaming obscenities and not the youth.

I was surprised or shocked to discover that a couple of my guys had never been to Chase Field or to a baseball game. So I was hoping that this would be an unusual game that would keep their attention. As the game got underway our section started to fill up with both old timers, that were keeping score and with 20 somethings who have rich parents. I had to remind my guys about innings, strikes, balls, walks and other baseball terminology. I know it was incomprehensible that these older folks were actually keeping track of who hit, scored and how the play happened.

The game was tied 0-0 until the 4^th inning and then the opposing team scored 2 runs because of poor pitching. Finally the pitcher gets out of his little mess and settles into a good routine. The D-Backs made a few double plays. As the game started to stretch into 7 innings the bats of the D-Backs had been silent. Finally someone gets a base hit and is on first. Next, someone else, who isn’t a homerun guy, hits a homerun and the game is tied at 2-2. All of a sudden my heart races and I’m back into the game thinking the D-Backs have a chance, oops, I forgot they are still in first place and YES they have an excellent chance to win.

I spend a lot of time trying to persuade my group that winning isn’t everything. Yeah, I will be the first to admit that as a kid and then teen losing sucked and made you feel like a low life, yet, my mom would always tell me that losing is much more a part of life then winning. It is relatively easy to win she would say but learning to be a gracious loser is even more important. I do have memories of being in the little league play offs in our area in Montana. I can remember hitting 3 home runs in one game. Yes, we did win that game but lost the playoff series to keep going to the finals.

The game was going with the score tied and the news in the background was that the Spurs were leading the Heat by a few points. Both games were coming to a close or at least into overtime. The D-Backs slowly sent the Marlins down in order in the top of the 9^th inning. So now it came back to the D-Backs to do something in the bottom of the 9^th inning. What is the likelihood of having a walk off homerun? Now I hear that the NBA game is tied between the Spurs and the Heat.

The D-Backs had struggled all day to get any hits save the lone home run that produced 2 runs and a tied game. Now we have the first baseman come up to the plate. He has become the slugger of the team who has won a few games on his own. It was hard to fathom that ‘Goldy’ might be able to come through with another homerun. So on the 2^nd pitch the balls flies towards the batter who swings for the heavens only to see his ball go into right field. I couldn’t believe it but the D-Backs win on a walk off homer by Paul who now has become the team hero.

The crowd goes wild as the various lights and sirens go off. Yes, the D-Backs win with an incredible hit by their slugger – Goldy. Now it is ok to walk off and find our other guys who are watching the Basketball game. We wind around the corner to discover various screens with the playoff game going. The game was now in OT and it seemed to go back and forth between the teams. I know the likelihood of having both my teams win probably wouldn’t happen. The score went back and forth between being tied to being just a few points across the board. The Heat do some last minute maneuvering and end up with scoring a few extra points and win.

We walk across the bridge to the garage to find the truck and wait the 30-minute backup to get out. Yes, it was awesome to win in the last inning of the game but it wasn’t so great to lose in overtime either. Life is a series of both last minute wins and last minute let downs. The question is whether you are going to let how the game finishes determine what you do or don’t do tomorrow. The great thing for us because of the homerun our section was chosen, 212 to receive free Jumbo Jacks.