Tales of Li'l Foot

When I was a kid, there were sports that were emphasized and others just kind of weren’t.

Football? In our house it was “Go Giants!” But that was only because we were able to get tickets through someone my mom worked with. So when I figured out I didn’t “have” to like the Giants, I realized the Patriots were much more fun (and yes it was way before they were good)!

Soccer? Well, of course there’s no real  following in sports for soccer like for the most popular Pro sports, but me and my siblings all played soccer.

But that was basically it. We were not a hockey family. We were not a basketball family. We didn’t follow golf…who did until Tiger Woods came along anyway!?!? And baseball was so far off the radar in our families house, I just never followed it. The only two memories I have of baseball from my childhood are 1) when my sister was dating a guy who was a die hard Mets fan and they were babysitting me and watched either a playoff game or the world series at our house. and 2) when I was a teenager I had a ummm…I guess he was a boyfriend take me to a Yankee game, but I knew nothing about the game and was bored to tears!

But that was it. I never followed baseball. Never watched a game on tv. Didn’t care anything about it. And then I met Li’l Foot’s Daddy. And he is a DIE HARD Yankee fan. And I was subjected to watching the games or going off and doing my own thing because iether I was spending time with him watching the game or I didn’t get to see him at all because he was watching the game. And I think he thought I was good luck or something because that first year were together (eh hem…1996) the Yankees won the World Series and I guess he thought I was a keeper because here we are almost 13 years later…still together! But I kind of walked into being a Yankee fan. There wasn’t really a choice. I like choices. I don’t really like to just be told what I have be and then be that. I like options. I’m very much an options kind of girl. (But remember, I’m a Libra and I am not the most decisive person you’d want to meet, so who knows)!

So for almost 13 years I’ve done the Yankee thing. LFD and I have been to a couple games together. I’ve been to games with friends. It’s fine when I’m there in person…mostly for the fly over and the chills that cover my body after they roar overhead! But watching the games on tv, is awful! I do not enjoy watching their games on tv at all. The announcers are so boring! They talk and all I hear is “wah, wah, wah, wah, wah” like the teacher from the Peanuts comic strip! Seriously, they talk about a blade of grass out in left field like it is the most fascinating blade of grass and how it tripped up the outfielder 4 weeks ago. And they’ve mentioned that same blade of grass every game since then. Who cares? They talk about the most mundane things. I can’t listen to them.

Note: Know what I hate even more is  having LFD sit down to “watch” the game and proceeding to fall asleep so I have to listen to the game because it HAS to be on. Grrrrrrrrr…end rant!

And then there’s the 7th inning stretch which is really what this whole unheaval is all about. For the longest time the Yankees have played Kate Smith’s recorded rendition of God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch. If you’ve ever had the unfortunate pleasure it’s awful! It makes me want to take a spoon to my ears. I can’t stand her voice. I can’t stand the rendition. You can even tell everyone in the stadium, can’t stand it either because no one is into it at all. Your lucky if you see one or two players putting their hand over their hearts during it, but it’s rare.

At the end of last season, I made the deal with myself, LFD and anyone who cared, that if they built this brand new 90 gajillion dollar stadium and couldn’t afford an upgrade to the rendition of God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch, I was done! Finished being a Yankee fan. Sure I know there’s more to being a fan then just a song they play for 2 minutes during the 7th inning stretch, but come one…they really could’ve figured something else out!

The season opener was carefully counted down towards.

Note: Interrupted to say that the game is on right now and LFD just amped up the volume to blare Kate Smith on the tv!!! He’s such a brat! I married a two year old apparently!

Now, where was I…oh right…season home opener. New stadium. Count down. It was a long winter. A really really long winter. I kind of wanted to call the stadium and just ask them if they demolished the Kate Smith recording along with the stadium. So the home opener came with all the pomp and circumstance, etc. etc. etc. And then the 7th inning stretch. And it was Ronin Tynan singing. Of course it was. Why would such a special occasion as the first home game in the new stadium be anything but The Irish Tenor himself. So I’d have to wait. The next day I missed the game but was “told” they played Kate Smith. Although it was from a reliable source I really had to hear with my own ears. Games came and went and they were televised by FOX and FOX doesn’t show the 7th inning stretch routine (probably because they know how awful Kate Smith is and don’t want to give their viewers a reason to stop watching…plus how manyt imes can you watch the grounds crew dance to the YMCA song while pulling their little dirt rakes. It gets old! It really does.

So yesterday I watched and waited with bated breathe for the 7th inning stretch as we flipped back and forth from the Biggest Loser (Oh thank all that is holy that Kristen was kicked off…thank heaven for small favors)! And when the routine was about to start LFD flipped the channel so I couldn’t watch. I nearly attacked him for control of the remote! He flipped back in time to hear Kate Smith…and I nearly died! LFD flipped the channel as fast as he could. But it was too late. The damage was done.

After about 10 minutes of silence, I rolled over to LFD and said, “I’m sorry it had to go down this way.” To which he mumbled something about “no sex”…to which I snickered and thought… HA…it should be that easy! We’ll see how long that lasts! I was also warned that Li’l Foot was off limits to anything Red Sox…pfffft! It’s very tempting to dress her in something and have him pick her up at school in the afternoon and see her wearing Red Sox garb!

And so with the dawning of this day…I wake up a new…decidedly on my own accord, Red Sox fan. It will no longer be my fault that my poor mom’s CBS radio has to be disrupted for Yankee games. I could’ve chosen any team I wanted but I “chose” the Red Sox. It feels good to choose! It’s a nice way to be independent! I may have to figure out how to deal with a husband scorned, but I do have a lot of support from other Red Sox fans who are welcoming me with open arms and taking me under their wing.

I went out for a little while this afternoon (more about that later), and when I returned I had an inbox at full capacity with this treasure, SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!! (you’ll need to read that…it’s an awesome Cliff Notes for all things Red Sox!) that will no doubt be referenced for weeks, months, years to come! I will have questions…no doubt.

On my to-do list:

I’ve updated my google reader.

I’ve added twitterers she recommended.

I’ve bookmarked some favorites.

Still on my to-do list:

I’ll need to find a Red Sox shirt.

I’ll also need to pack up my Yankee attire and find a new home for it all…including the 1918 Curse Lives t-shirt!!! Pffft…that was so over in 2004 so it’s not like it could ever be worn again. (heehee…look at me strutting my Red Sox history already…that’s probably about all I know at this point, but whatever!)

I’m ready for change. I’m embracing change throughout my life right now. Lord knows 2009 has brought change whether I liked it or not. I’m ready to turn 2009 around and make it MINE! Here’s proof:

I got my hair DID! I wanted something drastically different than I’d ever had before and I got it. I haven’t had my hair that short since elementary school probably! I am so excited! I finally have a hair style! Perfect way to adventure into a new journey, don’t ya think? Get a new look!!! Hopefully I can make it look like this! I had it cut yesterday and hi-lited today…and then touched up a bit in the cutting department again. The waitress we have had for Li’l Foot’s birthday parties told me she is a hairdresser and she’s been doing it in her home. She’s highly educated, she told me what elite group of hairdressers she is, but I forget. I think she made me look like somebody! My hairs not just a floppy mess of dangly hair anymore! It actually looks like something!

So, I’d like to thank LFD for teaching me about the game by forcibly making me watch the games every. chance. he. got. Now I’m well informed about the sport. But now I know where my…eh hem…proverbial “baseball home” is!

More thoughts on being a Red Sox fan to come! It’s all so new and shocking. I think this may take some time for Li’l Foot’s Daddy to warm up to this idea! If nothing else this gives me even more incentive to get our house in shape to sell so we can make the move to Connecticut and get NESN…otherwise I won’t be able to watch a single game…Oh, except for when they play the Yankees which is THIS WEEKEND…ZOMG…sparks are going to be flying around our house I’m sure! Watch for the fireworks in the northern skies!