Monday, September 08, 2008

16 Years and Counting...

It's been sixteen years since the Pittsburgh Pirates last had a winning season. They now share the record in American Professional Sports with the Philadelphia Phillies from many years ago. Sixteen years. I was 14 years when the Pirates last had a winning season. It was teams of Bonds, Bonilla, Drabek, Smiley, etc. I have this lasting image of Sid Bream sliding into home ahead of a Barry Bonds throw to steal the Game 7 and a chance to go to the World Series away from the Pirates. Then all of a sudden- the Pirates are the laughing stock of the league.



I have had some good Pirate memories since 1992. I was present in Three Rivers Stadium when Francisco Cordove and Ricardo Rincon combined for a 10 inning no-hitter that Mark Smith won with a walk-off homerun. I also believe that the Pirates have won the 3 out of the last 4 games I have seen. It's great to see the Pirates and Phillies play one another with my in-laws when the Pirates win!



Why do I cheer for the Pirates? It's partially out of habit. It's partially out of loyalty. I really don't know. But I am not sure I want my daughter (or subsequent children) to be Pirate fans as they may never see winning baseball.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We are pretty much in the same boat.

Turning future generations into Pirates fans is nearly impossible. Can you imagine that there are people driving now that were not old enough to remember the 1992 NLCS!?

Once you hooked, however, you're hooked.

Unknown said...

I would...out of loyalty to "my" team. They may think I'm crazy but it'll also be because PNC tickets are so cheap! Maybe by the time our kids REALLY care about baseball...the Pirates owner and managers will get their acts together and PAY them money to keep the good players....like the few that just left...*sigh* someday....again...

Anonymous said...

As a Cubs fan, I root for the little bears first and foremost. I hate the Cardinals and want them to be in last place every year but I really would love to see the Pirates become more competitive again.

What makes me ill is this belief that baseball is really only about four markets - New York, Boston, Chicago and LA - and that every other team has to dwell in the basement for the good of the game. How is giving fans of teams not named the Red Sox or Yankees hope of competing not good for baseball?

Steve and Andrea LaMotte said...

Matt, I think you're right. Watching ESPN or the Fox Game of the week, it is a prerequisite to have at least the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, or Dodgers on. Maybe the Mets.

Baseball needs some economic restructuring...but it will never happen because the players would have to agree to caps.

The Pirates have like 18 games left and I wonder if they could even win 2 of them.