12/18/24
June 22, 2006
First In War, First In Peace…: Washington is no longer last in the American League. Not that you would notice.
A column by sportsfilter's own BullpenPro.
It sure would be hard for them to be last in the American League, seeing as how they're in the National League. (Unless I'm really just missing something.) Good column, though.
posted by holden at 05:22 PM on June 22, 2006
Excellent column, BPP.
posted by wingnut4life at 05:25 PM on June 22, 2006
unless i'm really just missing something You obviously are not old enough to remember the original Washington Senators, now the Minnesota Twins, who were the perennial cellar-dwellers of the American league. An old jingle said that George Washington was first in war and first in peace. Old Washington Senator fans revised it to say that "Washington is first in war, first in peace, and last in the American league."
posted by billinnagoya at 06:56 PM on June 22, 2006
your passion came through in the writing Briefly, to give due context, I am a Yankee fan in Connecticut, but I used to be one of the expatriated fans I wrote about. I lived in DC for five years, desperately hoping the city would get its own team. Now that it does, many of my old friends have caught the fever -- the passion comes partly from their various outrages, and partly from my own interest as a baseball fan to see this team prevail.* *From a business standpoint, mainly -- I mean, it still broke my heart when I went all the way down there to see my Yanks take a beating! p.s. Thanks for posting this, justgary. I know I exceeded the stated word limit -- I was working on an edited version, but 700 words is tough. I appreciate your letting this one slide -- I'll be better in the future.
posted by BullpenPro at 10:48 PM on June 22, 2006
billinnagoya An old jingle said that George Washington was first in war and first in peace. The Father of our country was eulogized by Light Horse Harry Lee, a Congressman and Revolutionary War comrade, as being "a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Excellent column, BullpenPro.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:50 PM on June 22, 2006
Good column. It made me almost feel for DC. No, no. I still hope the team fails miserably and ends up moved to Topeka. But you made a good point about the media.
posted by ?! at 11:32 PM on June 22, 2006
Good column BPP. I certainly hope MLB succeeds in D.C.--and winning 2/3 from the Yanks with all 3 games being exciting can't hurt. Hey--maybe the Nats can finish in 3rd ahead of the Marlins and the Braves! (I'll dare to dream.) *remembers '94 strike costing the Expos a likely WS title* *stabs Bud Selig and Donald Fehr voodoo dolls* P.S.--F**k Peter Angelos too.
posted by curtangle at 01:02 AM on June 23, 2006
Great stuff. Thanks, BullpenPro! Why not submit it to the WaPost or Times to see if they'll run it?
posted by redsnare at 10:42 AM on June 23, 2006
A "likely" WS title? A "possible" WS title is closer to the truth. I had a discussion in a post regarding Alfonso Soriano's abilities back in spring training with yerfatma, and he (Alfonso) has done me proud. There is some good young talent on the Nat team,(notably Mike O'Connor) and Frank has always been pretty good at developing youngsters. I think Washington will support a good product, and, finishing higher than the Braves does not look out of the question this year, ha ha!
posted by mjkredliner at 10:43 AM on June 23, 2006
Peter Angelos is running the O's into the ground...so he's taking the chance he needs to screw things up for this young Washington team...recently moved from a city that obviously didn't want them. But you know what...I hope the Nationals get the pieces to be a competitive ball club...they're demise last year coincided with Houston's rise to the World Series (so I feel for them a bit)...hope they can put together a strong push for the second half.
posted by chemwizBsquared at 05:44 PM on June 23, 2006
A "likely" WS title? A "possible" WS title is closer to the truth. Fair enough..I'm still mad though that the best Expos team I've ever seen lost any shot at winning the WS because of the strike. Then to add insult to injury the 'Spos lost so many good/great players and haven't seriously contended since. I have high hopes for the Nats now though and I'm VERY pleased with Soriano's play thus far after the infield/outfield controversy.
posted by curtangle at 12:32 AM on June 26, 2006
Thanks for posting this, justgary. I know I exceeded the stated word limit Ahh, quality over rules anytime. Wonderful article. My brother and mother were actually at the second game (as was a spofite who will remain nameless). My brother had gotten into backing the nationals, and I'd like to see them do well. The sox swept the nationals after the yankee series, and although the sox needed it, I wish it had been against a different team. (and this would go great in the washington post)
posted by justgary at 12:55 AM on June 26, 2006
chemwizBsquared: Good point about Angelos, but I hope you realize that "recently moved from a city that obviously didn't want them" is simply not true.
posted by ?! at 09:21 PM on June 26, 2006
Hey, BullpenPro, really liked the column. I can't say I'm a Nationals fan or anything, but your passion came through in the writing. Good luck with the local media!