I Am I Said

I am not a Yankees fan. I don’t walk around with that arrogant notion that I expect my team in the post-season every year and that on field celebrations are blasé.

I am not a Mets fan, although I can sympathize with the fact that they live in the shadow of a more storied franchise that will always steal the Mets thunder no matter what.

I am not a Mariners, Royals, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Orioles or Nationals fan whose seasons were over before the end of June (although I’ve been there before).

I am not a whiny Cubs or Red Sox fan.

I am not a Phillies, Reds, Braves, Twins, or Rays fans still aching from the season that ended just a few days ago.

I am a Texas Rangers fan.

I’ve been through the dark days of Doug Rader and Lee Mazzilli and all of the 1980’s Texas teams. I’ve ridden the roller coaster of the 1990’s teams with the new stadium and the first taste of post-season. I’ve slogged through the dregs of the 2000’s team of Chan Ho, Tom Hicks, and those 3rd and 4th places finishes from 2000-2007.

I am a Texas Rangers fan, and I am not giving up now.

I never thought the Rangers would make the World Series during my lifetime.
I still can’t believe it every time I see Nelson, Michael, CJ, Josh and everyone else on the Fox broadcast – I keep wondering if I’m just watching another game of the week, until I look at the date on the calendar and realize that it’s late October.

I am not going to moan and groan about the first two WS games. I am disappointed, but then I realize there are 13 other AL teams who would gladly change places with 0-2 Rangers today.

There are two more World Series games to be played in Arlington, Texas this weekend and I plan on enjoying every minute of them.

The late Arthur Ashe said: “Success is a journey, not at destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”

As I wrote last night – there is nothing that can ruin this amazing season for me.

I am a Texas Rangers fan -- Marla Hooch

(P.S. However, it would be nice if they could win at least one game in this World Series)
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Game 2: It's Okay

The Rangers are going to lose the World Series, of this I have no doubt anymore.

But I’m not as depressed, disappointed, disillusioned (or whatever down trodden adjective you want to use) as most die hard Ranger faithful.

I have my reasons:

First of all,  the baseball gods have always had it in for the Rangers and their fans. This franchise is cursed. Much like the Greek Myth of Sisyphus, they enjoy making our team work exceptionally hard trying reach their goal and just when it’s in their grasp-well you know what happens - the curse remains - but let's hope it doesn't last as long the Cubs or the Red Sox curses.

But more importantly: there is nothing, and I mean nothing, including losing in the World Series that is going tarnish the glory of this amazing Rangers season. From the day that Khalil Green decided he couldn’t come to Spring Training until that last out of the playoffs is squeezed in some Giant’s fielder’s glove (maybe as early as Sunday night) – this season is like no other I’ve experienced in my lifetime. I’ve loved every wonderful/painful minute of it, and I will hate to see it end no matter what the outcome.

You win some, you lose some... but it's still Ranger baseball and I love it. --  Marla Hooch
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Game 1: That's The Way Baseball Go

After Uribe's long at bat - you just felt the momentum shift away from the Rangers.  Even though Juan struck out - you could feel the Giants saying to themselves: Hey! We can get to Cliff Lee! after that it all fell apart.

It's the baseball gods way of reminding us:  it's still just the Texas Rangers - don't ever buy into the optimism. -- Marla Hooch

Before We Begin....

Is anyone else's day just dragging by as slowly as mine is?

I know the Rangers are the New England Patriots.

In Boston, even though the Patriots won the Super Bowl, the local New England sports fan reaction was – well that’s nice – when does Spring Training start?

It was easy for me to figure that out judging by the local media coverage and fan reaction to a 1-5 football team yesterday while the Rangers are on verge of their first World Series game.

I can live with that.

There will never be another moment in time like this one, and I’m living in the moment. First playoff series victory, first AL Pennant, first trip to the World Series – the Rangers as the lead story on MLB Network, as well as all the online sports websites - there is no way to describe a baseball fan living the dream (especially in a football town).

I’m worried about a couple of things (Vladdy in general and in particular playing RF, Tommy Hunter starting Game 4 after his two previous playoff game starts, maybe a little bit about CJ after his start in NY) – but looking at the big picture – the outcome almost doesn’t matter: the big bad dragon has been slain (the Yankees and their “mystique”) if the Rangers win – great, if they don’t – it’s still great they finally made it to the World Series.

Fianlly: (With apologies to John Fogerty)

"Well I spent my time in old Arlington Stadium, watching it the heat
You know I took some lumps when Juan Gonzalez struck out
So say hey Buddy, tell ol 'Pudge, and Hello Win Column Mark Holtz
Don’t say “it ain’t so” – you know “It’s Time” right now

Put me in Johnny, I’m ready to play today
Put me in Ron, I’m ready to play today
Look at me I am in the World Series"

Rangers in 6 – Marla Hooch

Pass It On

There was a man named John Byczynski, he served as a member of the cavalry in El Paso, Texas during the 1920’s. John played football and baseball while in the Army in Texas; he was always a baseball fan. John had a daughter named Eleanor. Eleanor had a cousin named Antoinette. John, Eleanor and Antoinette shared their love of baseball; Antoinette said that John taught her everything she knows about baseball.


Antoinette and Eleanor were Cleveland Indians fans, they enjoyed the Tribe’s successes as young girls, but as Indians fans they both learned about the long summers of following a losing team too.

When she grew up Antoinette had a daughter she named Eleanor – who eventually became known as “the other Eleanor”. Antoinette and her sister Cathi, who was also a baseball fan, passed their love of the great game onto “the other Eleanor”

John passed away in the 1970’s, his daughter Eleanor remained a Cleveland baseball fan. Her goddaughter – “the other Eleanor” - moved to Texas in 1979 and became a Rangers fan. Antoinette moved to Texas a little later and became a Rangers fan too. Both Eleanors endured some very lean years of baseball in the 1980’s. John’s daughter did experience the Indians renaissance in the 1990’s and their trip to the World Series. “The Other Eleanor’s” Rangers had a very brief moment of glory for a short time in the late 1990’s too – but never a trip to the World Series. Last Friday night that all changed.

Every family has their traditions passed from one generation to the next – my family’s is baseball, and I am so proud of that. Wednesday night Antoinette (my Baseball Mom) and I (“the other Eleanor”) will watch our Rangers play in their first World Series game. Aunt Eleanor (my godmother) will be watching too at her home in Marblehead, Ohio – all because a cavalry soldier who loved baseball passed it on.

Thank You Uncle John.

Go Rangers -- Marla Hooch

P.S. I've read so many terrific articles this week about the Rangers. These four (links) are my favorites: they  made me smile, laugh out loud and even brought a tear to my eye



T.R. Sullivan:  10 Reason Why The Rangers Are In The World Series

Peter Gammons: Rangers Enjoy Texas Sized Moment

Randy Galloway: Rangers Prove Anything Is Now Possible

 Jim Reeves: Pennant Vanquishes Rangers Ghosts

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