In the end, didn’t we all know better?
Coming back after a Rip Van Winkle coma is no small thing, and even people like me who had moved on with their lives leaving Major League Baseball in the distant rearview mirror were charmed by this year’s Kansas City Royals.
As well we should have been.
Still deep down – let’s admit it – we knew the Scribe was right when he pronounced the Royals season over after they blew the season ending series at home against Detroit and had to scrap for a wild card berth in the playoffs.
It didn’t take a fanatic follower and worshipper of all things baseball to recognize that the Royals record was merely an improvement over the last year’s, not a coming of age baseball nova.
Then just like that our little flyover world was turned upside down.
Out of the blue, the Royals began overcoming insurmountable odds and winning games that left us collectively stunned, overjoyed, even teary – yes teary – and not just resident Royals guru Brandon Leftridge.
Mellinger
And as it unfolded, the Star’s Sam Mellinger and other writers waxed so eloquently about the team’s unlikely successes that we passionately wanted to believe, then dared to believe.
And through the first three rounds of the playoffs Kansas Citians were rewarded with a succession of newly minted, hometown baseball heroes – players most of us knew little if anything about. And their back stories were so charming and compelling.
It was dizzying.
Next thing anybody knew, we were in, all in. Aboard for the joy ride of our lives…the sports joyride of our lives. But it was larger than that because somehow the prospect of winning another World Series seemed as if it somehow might jump start Kansas City and put us back on the map. You know, breath new life into our “most livable city” and “great place to raise a family” schtick and give us more tangible reasons to believe that we’re not Omaha, Wichita or Des Moines – not even St. Louis – that we truly are “Paris on the plains.”
Ah well, we knew better, didn’t we?
Was it just a dream within a dream?
Didn’t we know all long that players who were so sub par that well into their careers and the season they needed to be sent down to the minor leagues, were not the stuff of a World Championships? Didn’t we know all along that a young man who was pitching in college not six months ago was probably not the ideal choice to try and shut down one of the best teams in MLB? Didn’t we know all along that Royals manager Ned Yost was in fact a dunce, even though the Wall Street Journal only referred to him as “an accidental millionaire.”
And that in real life, Cinderella doesn’t go to the ball, she stays home and scrubs floors? Or that Dorothy, Toto and the gang, coming back from being carried away by a tornado only happens in made up stories – not in Kansas?
On the other hand, the 1985 Royals World Series champs were down three games to one against St. Louis and came back to win it all. Then again, that team was loaded with proven stars, not our wannabes of today. Still anything’s possible, and better to have loved and lost than never to have loved, right?
So at worst we can take solace in these words by author Mark Twain:
“We bid it good-bye, now–possibly for all time. How surely, in some future day, when the memory of it shall have lost its vividness, shall we half believe we have seen it in a wonderful dream, but never with waking eyes!”
Bumgardner was tits, like I said he would be the second time he pitched.
Old school baseball for cure, dude
Did you forget to mention where you went out to eat instead of watching the game?
Funny guy!
Hearne its not over yet. Yes its uphill, but who knows with their magic. You raise some good points. The city was so happy. Now they are almost worn out. It did cost the town several hundred million in revenue with businesses open at night during the one month run. Only sports bars or neighborhood joints were busy, normal places were dead by the hundreds as were shopping malls and many other evening spots. A tough one. However most KC people don’t own small biz so they don’t care. Understandable. Its the WORLD SERIES. Hey Hearne they did get there. So give them a truck load of credit.
No we have no hitting star on the team. We are still waiting. But as a team they did win. So they are AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPS at worst. Lets see how this all ends before we jump on them. Even if they lose they earned my respect.
Glazer-
Do you have a source for this “several hundred million in revenue” lost?
All these businesses losing money should have invested in Royals memorabilia….
WAE: worst article ever! From the silver spoon kid who never won anything
or had to compete for something or who never found out that life is about
ups and down. You probably never had to compete to get something…appears
you got everything you wanted. You never had the tension of wanting something
so bad that you worked your tail off for it. You just got it. You never had
to make a payroll…struggle with business…start something then work your
ass off for it because pretty much you were given everything.
This series or the series before wasn’t about us..it was about 25 kids who
came together and beat the odds. I wouldn’t expect you to understand that
because you never had to fight the odds.
It’s not been about our city being on the map…no company will relocate to
kc because of the world series. Mostof us already know we’re the best kept
secret in the country…the best city in America…the most liveable…the friendliest…
we already knew it. so when the series showed our city and people heard our
name and they became infatuated with a team of kids who suddenly and
unexpected were the talk of the country. I had people I hadn’t heard from in
years call and email saying they
“loved the royals” ..and liked the way this team with no big hitters….no famous
pitchers and an unknown manager was defying the odds. Classic underdogs
beating the better teams.
Did we believe it. Yeah..and for those of us who weren’t given trust funds
or came from money we still do.
Maybe instead of watching the games from home you should have come
down to the power and light. You seem to hate that place. But Friday night
it was on fire…nobody there cared that people watching were seeing kc
and what we have here for the first time. For many sports fans there no one
cared about what others thought. It was electric…and the fans who traveled there
were smiling…happy…having a great time. Hugging…high fiving when we got a
hit…and we won…and no one wanted to leave.
So hearne…lets get this straight. No one thought it was over when Detroit
beat the royals. non experts using fuzzy bull sh*t stats said it was over.
It was just starting. Deep down we didn’t think the year was over…because
for many people its in our psyche that it ain’t over til its over (thanks yoigi).
Even myself said my brain said san fran but my heart said royals.
IN your world everything is pretty simple. In your world you gave up because
you never had to compete or worry.
But for the rest of us…who wouldn’t miss an out or an inning during this
still to be determined run …its been a blast.
Get out of your little world and come see what the real world is like.
Still 2 games…we’ll see both team’s best pitchers again…the numbers and
odds may now favor san fran….but for the rest of us WE BELIEVE….
FOR YOU IT’S LETS JUST GIVE UP!!!!!
LETS NOT PLAY GAME 6 AND 7….and go home.
What if mr k had the same attitude. What if steve jobs had the same attitude.
What if Neal at cerner had that attitude. What if Len Dawson had that attitude
What if the players had that attitude.
Greatest sports speech ever…Jimmy V at the espys where he said never never
give up!!!!!!!!
For you …its time to give up…
For the rest of us with a heart….its now a 2 game series…and until the
last final out…WE BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!
Harley, you are a nasty, nasty piece of work. Hearne is easy to find and my guess is that if you said those things to him in person, he would just shake his head and walk away. Hearne and I aquainted, barely. He is gentleman and a guy who carries some weight here in the city. A KC Star eminence grise from the old days. A decent guy. I don’t think much of his politics, but I am sure he doesn’t think much of mine. Whatever.
Those remarks are completely out of line. You, you are a fu*kin a$$hole.
I am no gentleman and will be glad to tell you that to your face. You know how to find me.
Chuck……he knows how to find me and has offered to buy a beer 100 times. Same trash talk as usual with absolutely NO intent of standing behind it. He’s a neutered freak who can’t function outside of throwing rocks from the shadow of annonity. You think he’s got the nerve to show his face for who he is? HARDly
you’re right…you’re no gentleman….you’re a disgusting
horrid old man.
I’ve read your racist crap on tkc…hearne won’t allow it.
Story was not meant to be mean…its just life.
Problem is that its 100% true. Its not like its
life threatening…just that for me…Inever give up.
He and southy have a silver spoon. I would have loved
to have that….but I dealt with the hand I ws dealt.
You gave up….you’re the loser dude. 64 and working
filling holes…drinvg your famous “beater” truck.
Not that its bad…but you too have given up.
Your filth and vile disgusting writings on tkcand kcc
are nothing but hate filled and the worst beliefs
anyone on these blogs has shown.
Hearne said “lets give up” …..glaze said “lets give up”
but for all those people named…not just Harley…they
never gave up and look what they built and did in their
time and what they are doing now.
I’ve met heaarne several times…nice guy….but my story
was meant to explain that those of us who started with
nothing would never give up.
he won the “birth lottery”…and doesn’t have to
worry about payrolls/paying bills…and that for people
like myself and glaze and all those named…we don’t
give up. I respect that.
But make no mistake…your using large words no one
understands does not classify you as the overseer of
the answers. You’re just the most despicable person
in this town. And you write with hate..hate..hate….
Hearnes a big boy..let him answer and we can discuss
it.
you’ll be getting your social security check soon old
man. don’t spend it in one place.
when you can write something positive about another human
being…give Harley a ring.
Now head to tkc and unload some more hate. It’s
all you are good for.
Do something insteadof shooting your mouth off!
I get emails from people asking why tony or hearne
allow such vulgarity…
hearne cuts it out…tkc loves it.
Now go back to your pitiful little life~
Make me.
God, Hearne. You act like the team already lost. Even though I’m a pessimist, I still believe there is still an ounce of hope left. Yogi said it best.
I know, Steely…
Kinda couldn’t help it, sorry.
I think you’ll like Craig’s column though.
Surprise, surprise, he didn’t flip-flop!
Anything that brings a positive vibe to your city can’t be all bad. I think the only other person I could find with such a poor opinion of whats going on in our town would be Alonzo Washington and his endless talent to make everything racist.
“Three blacks killed this week and all the white folk be watchin baseball…..”
Even if we lose, we were IN IT.
And I thought you were an atheist when it came to sportzballz.
But pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgement
For I’ve no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In this life of hardship and of earthly toil
We have need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure and I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the Royals
Orphan, I’m a total sports agnostic, but I appreciate my town and any positive thing that happens in it, for it. Even if it takes ballz.
wislun is the only guy talking bout Alonzo. Everyone with any brains or
any of the real power people in this town who can and are doing
things have moved past him. 99% of people don’t even know whothe guy is.
No one cares about Alonzo except wislun.
But give the guy credit. He trying to do something about the problem.
He’s just going the wrong way.
yeah, what they said. this post is a few days early, hearne. we still have a chance of pulling this thing out.
I’m crossing my fingers, mike.
But the blood flow is killing me!
so quit taking the Viagra.
“the Royals record was merely an improvement over the last year’s, not a coming of age baseball nova.”
– Royals could be on the verge of becoming a consistent contender, which of course will entail keeping their core and developing even more. GIANTS won the ‘World Series’ in 2010, faltered, won it again 2012, faltered, now appear headed another Championship 2014. Build it (‘team’) and they (‘Championships’) will come, object lesson.
There have been teams caught lightning in a bottle: one-year wonders/flukes. Unless you be vintage New York Yankees, Boston Celtics & Montreal Canadians, repeating is hard do any sport, the 1908 Cubs, ’68 Jets/’69 Chiefs and ’85 Royals as others attest.
There are no ‘great’ teams MLB as the NFL same, thanks to the watered-down parity loving ($pelled) tack; be few today that even merit the designation ‘team’. Reason why Kerouac believes it’s more enjoyable watching a couple of ‘teams’ SF/KC rather than a couple of corporation$ do battle, nod Lo$t Angele$, Yankee$ and the Red $ox their ilk. May be a bit hypocritical to say because in fact it is a battle 30 multi-millionaires their toys of ownership, but the stark contrast $250 million dollar payroll Dodger$ & under $50 mill Houston Astros is a fact (SF’s $154 mill & KC’s $92 mill same start the 2014 season placing them at # 7 and # 19 the rich man’s game.)
The KC A(thletic)’s never won a place in history, but did a permanent place Kerouac’s heart, a long time ago. One man’s dead winter being another’s new day, hope springs eternal and as such is reborn each & every season. Win or lose Tuesday/Wednesday, the KC Royals have a competitive baseball ‘team’, one has made this point on ‘merits’ and not via anything given them. Suspect it will not be nigh on another three decades before they return the World Series and turn a dream into reality.
“better to have loved and lost than never to have loved, right?”
– not sure… subjective & very personal. Ditto to have once won, and never again. If one could spend a moment in time the object their passion, only find said gone & you alone and without aft and forevermore, would it have been worth it? KC fans have in a sense experienced said, 1969 Chiefs and 1985 Royals the objects.
What price to pay for a slice of Heaven, so to speak?
Former GB Packer Max McGee related that before a big game – “Vince Lombardi told us that if anybody was caught sneaking out before the game it would cost him $5,000. And he looked at me & said – ‘McGee, let me tell you something – if you find somebody worth $5,000, let me me know – I want to go with you.’
Shall be done…thought it was me for a second
HC, feel free to remove one of the duplicate posts…
The Royals were down 3 games to 1 against the Cards in 1985.
Ya know what Brett said?
“We gott’em right where we want ’em.”
Royals in 7.
It’ll be a heckuva ride if you’re right, Chuck
Like trying to pass a bowling ball… be a GIANT impediment
🙂
Here is the thing Kero, while your Yoda Jedi analogies are spot on with the stats and time line, there are still games to play. Today on ESPN, some talking heads all nodded in agreement, that Bumgardner would be the MVP. Again, Bum is done pitching in 2014. The Giants always knew they had two in the bag and hoped Bum could wrap it up in the shhitty by the bay. They didn’t do it. It’s a big deal in my opinion.
The Bum is gone, the best player on the Giants roster can, in no way help the Giants here in KC. Hector is fu*kin dead. The Giants are in deep water, knowing there ace is done for the year. Mentally, they are adrift, worried, running scared knowing that they have 6 innings and only 6 innings to win this baby. If the Royals have the lead in the 6th tonight, the fat lady sings in the minds of every Giants player on that team.
It was as good a plan as the Giants could muster, I would have done the same thing. But, you know what Mike Tyson says about plans?
“Everyone has a plan, until they get hit in the fuc*kin mouth.”
chuck…bum said he’s pitching if theres a 7th game…don’t
know if manager will let him….but its been done before…
he could start…goa few innings…if he’s hot he stays..if not
san fran brings in another starter in rgular rotation.
eventually you hit this guy….if royals keep giants under
2 runs while bum is out there…he’s 0-9 in those games…
so hopefully he slips in the jc Nichols fountain and can’t pitch.
WE BELIEVE!!!!!
Chuck:
Craig swears that if it goes to Game 7, Bumgardner will pitch
FYI
He will get shelled.
chuck… I thought that too for game 5, or that at least he would be hittable. wrong-o. so, if he does come out for game 7, which I believe bochy will call, i think he’ll be nails again for at least 4 or 5 innings. the guy is a monster.
He will fail.
bum could do it….but the manager is pretty conservative.
If he follows my action he really can get hurt too bad.
put bum infor a few innings. If he’s hot keep him in.
have regular rotation starter ready to come if bum goes
bad.
Hearne, you have the wrong girl.
This is the chick going to the ball.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/11/article-2060004-0EC21C0400000578-979_634x418.jpg
They will leave their hearts in San Francisco and their souls in K.C.
Hope you’re right, Cindy
Nod ‘The Graduate’ 1967 ~ ” One word . . . ‘Koufax’ ”
1965, Game 7 the ‘World Series’, on the road in MIN, Sandy pitched on ‘2’ days rest for Los Angeles – he was almost 30 years old, an arthritic elbow that would end his career one season hence.
His line: 9 innings, 3 hits, 3 walks and 10 strikeouts in a complete game Championship clinching 2-0 masterpiece for the Dodgers.
Madison Bumgarner is 25, 6’5 235 and wants the ball (he wanted it Game 4 in fact, and would have taken it Games 1-4 if he could have, in which case the GIANTS would have swept though Mad Bum’s arm would have fallen off, price to pay for immortality. Don’t say it could not be so, though will not be necessary a Game 7, Kerouac’s belief.
“If the Royals have the lead in the 6th tonight, the fat lady sings in the minds of every Giants player on that team.”
– “if”, as ‘only’, yeah but’ & ‘woulda couda shoulda’ the rallying cry the soon defeated…
“you know what Mike Tyson says about plans?”
– whatever he says, only he understands what he is saying…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NB_CB1p5Q4
“Beef”- check that, “children… it’s what’s for dinner”?
🙂
(PS) The fat lady will be singing to an audience of one – herself – if so… SF/KC game isn’t until Tuesday night
😉
Too, if one wants to believe Bumgarner has thrown a lot (as in too many) pitches, note that the Royals bullpen got used (over?) last night for naught, Herrera and Davis both spending a number of their bullets… will they be as good to go any more so an starter, who is used to high pitch counts more so than relievers? We shall see…
The Royals are going to win game 6 and anything goes game 7. I just wish our fat third baseman was as good as their fat third baseman. Drives me insane Moose hits into the shift every single time but won’t put a bunt down the third base line to move the runner over.
Well, he did that one time, remember?
It is definitely a “no watch” for those with bad hearts. We, however, will not give up on the Royals until the fat lady sings. What disturbs most of us is that the level of play seems to have decreased. The hustle appears to be gone. After Baum pitched the first time, the Royals took two. They have to do it again.
Gonna be a nail biter tonight, to be sure for Game 7, Cowboy…
Especially if it’s close and/or the Royals are behind and they put in that pitcher dude from Sunday night. In the words of Craig, yikes!
Was talking to a dude in Lawrence today who I asked if he’d watched last night’s game.
He told me that he didn’t because it was too tough on his nerves – so he listens to it on 620 Sports instead because Denny Matthews has a calming effect.
Go figure