Sports stuff

A bit of background about me.  I grew up in the Washington DC area, but when I was in high school, my family moved to Brooklyn because thats where my parents were born and raised and the majority of our family was here. However, I was a fanatical Orioles and Redskins fan growing up.  Its been absolute torture living in New York all these years, watching the hated New York Yankees and New York Giants win numerous World Series' and Super Bowls.

Until last year.

Last year was the ultimate time to be a fan of both of those teams.  After 14 long years in the wilderness, (meaning an afterthought in the AL East to the Yankees/Red Sox) the Orioles actually fielded a REAL team that won games.  There were countless years where by August, the team would mail it in - going like 5-30 or some ridiculous number that I'd be embarrassed to research and recount here, they actually played hard.  The turning point last year was when Manny Machado was called up in early August.

I recall many seasons where the Orioles would get out to a fast start - like the year Lee Mazzilli had the team in 1st place as late as early June, only to get fired 2 months later and they did a patented Orioles September fade. But we actually played better?!?!  I probably watched more Orioles games last August/September than I did in 10 years before that.  It really inspired me to be a fan again.

While it was disappointing that we went out of the playoffs against the hated Yankees, it was a hugely satisfying season.  My younger brother is a rabid Yankees fan, mainly because he moved to NY when he was 5, not when he was 18, so he didn't develop the roots I have with the Orioles.  Needless to say, he's seen quite a few World Series parades in his time in New York.

And on top of that, Robert Griffin III gave us a thrilling season as well for the Washington Redskins!  I found myself making the time to watch the Redskins play every Sunday, when thats usually our designated family time out to watch.  I really have to thank my wife Nicole for allowing me to watch those games and not demanding we go out and do family stuff.