Mothers Day 2011 looks like it is going to be an intense day of sports. Now how can everything fall into place and make me feel like it was a perfect sports day?
Here's what needs to happen:
THE RED SOX NEED TO BEAT THE TWINS... Edge closer to .500
THE RANGERS NEED TO BEAT THE YANKEES... Have the Red Sox inch closer to first place. THE INDIANS TO WIN IN EXTRA INNINGS... The Indians continuing their surprising run will help keep the upcoming Sully Baseball video relevant, but I like seeing my pre season Cy Young pick Dan Haren do well. THE GIANTS NEED TO WIN IN WALK OFF STYLE It seems to be the only way they know how to. THE PIRATES NEED TO BEAT THE ASTROS But I can't disclose why or I will jinx it THE CARDINALS NEED TO LOSE Again, I can't spill the beans why. No Pirate fan will let me say it out loud. MARK BUEHRLE NEEDS TO THROW HIS THIRD NO HITTER He's due.
MY SAN JOSE SHARKS NEED TO WIN AND ADVANCE TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS I want a Bruins - Sharks Cup final! THE HAWKS NEED TO TIE THE SERIES WITH A WIN When I care about neither team, I wat 7 games. THE LAKERS NEED TO LOSE AND GET SWEPT And maybe that will end the Kobe/Michael comparisons.
Matt Cain is on the mound for the Giants. The Blue Jays and Yankees are going at it.
The Indians are looking to continue their winning ways into May.
The Red Sox game is starting as they try to avoid a sweep by Seattle.
Phillies play the Mets later tonight.
Meanwhile my San Jose Sharks are looking to go up 2-0 in their series against the Red Wings.
And the playoff series people have been drooling for, the Heat versus my Celtics, starts today. (And that's after Oklahoma City and Memphis square off THEIR Game 1.)
So which one am I watching?
None.
I am off to the beach with my family. It's called priorities. It's a beautiful Sunday in California.
(But if the Celtics make it back to the NBA Finals and the Sharks play for the Stanley Cup, my butt is parked on the couch.)
Look, I like the Sharks. They are my hockey team. And yes, I realize that this is a NHL wide promotion.
But seeing that I have clicked on a few Sharks websites, this gem landed in my mail box.
The PRIDE of Ireland?
As a man who has some Irish blood in him, I don't recall hearing stories of my ancestors coming over on the boat, being conscripted into the Civil War, building the railways and working their way up the New England working class singing songs about the old country and Joe Thornton.
Seriously... The Celtics? The Notre Dame Fighting Irish? I'll listen.
The Sharks? Their color isn't even green!
It is teal, which is bluish green.
That being said, this Irish American says Go Sharks (but not for any ethnic pride.)
My San Jose Sharks took care of the Avalanche (who won two games because one puck bounced off of a Sharks' skate and another game because Dan Boyle basically scored on his own net.)
Look, I am not going to pretend that I am a hockey expert nor that a San Jose Stanley Cup would be worth 1/3 of a Red Sox World Series to me.
But I HAVE been rooting for the Sharks since they were formed... and the Bay Area could use a title.
My readers, your friend Sully is going to announce officially that I am applying for reinstatement to be a New England Patriots Fan.
Now some of you might be confused. "Sully" you say "aren't you already a Patriots fan?"
Well technically no. I've been a New York Giants fan in Football since I moved to New York in 1990. And along the way I saw them win two Super Bowls, including the last one against the New England Patriots.
But now I must leave Giant fandom and embrace the Pats.
And seeing this is Sully Baseball, I must list the reasons.
1. EVERYONE ALREADY THINKS OF ME AS A PATRIOTS FAN.
I bet YOU thought I was a Pats fan, didn't you? Even if you read my Championship Grand Slam post I bet your forgot I considered myself a New York Giants fan.
And nobody else seems to remember it either. While working on the shortlived Sports Unfiltered with Dennis Miller my colleague Kevin Hench and I celebrated the Red Sox World Series win last year... and then he tried to root for the Pats with me only to have me remind him EVERY WEEK that I was a Giants fan.
My Red Sox friends would see if I was watching the game. Not only was I not, but I was following another team.
And New York fans, knowing my Red Sox allegiance, seemed weary to have me cheer along side them. Like I was a spy. And I guess with Belichick's video scandal, sending Sully in to get the inside dope doesn't sound so outlandish.
And then when the Giants beat the Patriots... I could celebrate with exactly nobody!
I couldn't taunt my Patriot friends who I celebrated with in October and later celebrated with when the Celtics won it.
And when I tried to high five other Giants fans, they looked at me like I was crazy. I tried to crow with my friend Chris DeLuca, a lifelong Giants and Yankee fans and he literally said "What are you talking about? WE BEAT YOU!"
The last straw was this weekend when I was at a birthday party with my kids, I introduced myself to the birthday boy's father. He told me he was from New York. I told him I was a native New Englander.
He said "Sorry... I'm a Giants fan."
And I was about to explain to him "No, I am too!" but I think I gave up at that moment.
2. THE GIANTS ARE BETTER THAN THE PATRIOTS THIS YEAR... By jumping ship when the Giants have as good a chance of making the Super Bowl as anyone and the Patriots are going to have to scramble just to make the playoffs... doesn't that make me the REVERSE of a fair weather fan?
I would have been a Patriots fan EXCEPT for the times they won all of those Super Bowls!
3. I ROOTED FOR THE PATRIOTS AS A KID
Truth be told, I didn't really care about the NFL as a kid. But I did watch Patriot games and I cheered for them when Raymond Berry put together a playoff team.
I remember Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar and his crazy wife with the knife. I remember Steve Nelson, Fred Marion, Craig James and Andre Tippett.
So I can blend right back in. I felt Grogan was a better choice than Eason. I know what Squish The Fish refers to.
The Stadium was called Sullivan Stadium back then! Do you know who I used to watch Patriots games with? Dave Kraft! The son of Bob Kraft, the current owner of the Patriots!
Heck, I can sing along with New England, The Patriots And Me!
4. IN THE END... IT'S JUST EASIER
I'm not a big football fan. Obviously I don't wear my emotions on my sleeve for my football team because nobody knows I root for them!
The Giants beat the Patriots in possibly the biggest Super Bowl upset in history and I would have traded it in a heart beat for a J. D. Drew double off of David Price in the 8th inning of game 7 of the ALCS.
So if being a Patriots fan makes it less confusing, then so be it.
If my fellow Red Sox fans and Celtic fans will have me back... Let me say "Bring Back Pat Patriot on the helmet!"
Go Patriots.
Go Celtics.
Go Red Sox.
And go SAN JOSE SHARKS!
That's right... I'm sticking with the Sharks. And if it turns into a Sharks/Bruins finals... I WILL BE VOCAL!
