Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks to my small but loyal audience for reading this blog, thanks to my baseball friends who make my day every day, thanks to my family for... everything and thanks to the Rangers for the best year of my baseball life.

-- Marla Hooch

P.S. I'll be back in December (which is only few days away) with more baseball ramblings.  Meanwhile - here is one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories:

Game 5: There's No Crying In Baseball

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This has been the most incredible, wonderful, thrilling and fufilling season in my baseball life.

I will not complain.

Thank You Rangers -- Marla Hooch

Game 4: There Is Always Tomorrow

Yes, last night was disappointing, but....

It's November 1st and there is one more home game in Arlington left in this marvelous season - and I will be there.

In case you haven't seen it - Chuck Greenberg sent this message to several fan sites including Jamey Newberg's - if this doesn't get you Ranger Fan Heart Beating - nothing will:

"This season has transcended expectations and transformed the psyche and hearts of legions of Rangers fans across Texas and throughout our country and beyond. At the core of the remarkable journey we have shared together is a ballclub and a community who collectively have consigned the conventional wisdom of the past to the dust bins of history, busting myths and charting a new course previously thought to be unattainable.


Can't pitch successfully in Rangers Ballpark. Wrong.


Can't compete successfully late in the season because the heat will break you down. Wrong.


Fans will lose interest when training camp opens. Wrong.


Fans won't come to Rangers Ballpark after the All Star break because its too hot. Wrong.


Rangers can't win a playoff series. Wrong.


Rangers can't win a playoff game at home. Wrong.


Rangers can't beat the Yankees in the playoffs. Wrong.


Rangers can't get to the World Series. Wrong.


Rangers can't captivate the hearts and emotions of fans new and old deep into the fall. Wrong.


And on and on and on....


I can't even begin to count the memorable moments we have shared this year thanks to a very special group of players with hearts and smiles as big as Texas, who always pull together, stand up for one another, and who have changed the sports landscape here in the Metroplex forever.
But here is a simple reality. Monday will be the last game played in Rangers Ballpark this year. We all owe it to ourselves, our players and each other, to celebrate with passion, enthusiasm and indefatigable belief from lineup cards to the final out, loud and proud.


The defining team of my young life was the 1979, "We are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates. I have often remarked how much this Rangers club reminds me of that team, with a confident but friendly swagger and an abundance of character and personality.
Now these two teams have something else in common. Both fell behind 3-1 in the World Series. Kent Tekulve, the great closer from the '79 Pirates, texted me after tonight's game to pass along this story. Before Game 5, Willie Stargell told his teammates:


'We are playing in front of the whole world. We may not win this thing, but before we go, let's show the world how the Pirates really play baseball'.


The Pirates, playing against a team whose colors were black and orange, won Game 5. Then they returned to Baltimore and won Game 6. Then they won Game 7.


I know our players will show everyone how the Rangers play baseball tomorrow. As fans, let's do the same. We have one final opportunity this season to show the world what we have accomplished together and the passion we all hold for our players and our shared dreams.

The World Series is going back to San Francisco. And then there will be one final piece of conventional wisdom to prove wrong....
Believe.

-- Chuck"

Go Rangers! -- Marla Hooch

Game 3: Oh What A Night

Yes, I went to Game 3 in Arlington.

You want a game story?  Then read this one by TR Sullivan because it's better than anything I could ever dream about writing.

If I tried to describe everything I saw, heard and felt yesterday - this blog would be long and so incomprehensible - you'd call a pyschologist to check me out (calling Dr. Brad!)

Here are a few impressions:

Our seats were terrific, Section 33, Row 27 directly behind the Rangers dugout.  Thank you again to the Sullivans!

Seeing Pudge catch the first pitch - and according to what I've read - he asked the Rangers if he could come to the game - makes me feel that no matter what uniform he wears - he is still ours.

The next time I have to go into battle - I'm taking Colby Lewis with me - as good as Cliff Lee is - I'm of the opinion that Colby (and Nelson Cruz) have carried the Rangers on their shoulders this off-season.

Cody Ross is beginning to annoy me more than Aaron Boone ever did.

Speaking of annoyed - if there was one thing that was a bit of a downer - the famous  North Dallas "cocaine and boob job" set was out in full force for this game.  (For those who don't understand that reference - it's the see and be seen crowd of front runners from Dallas - who only show up for events because that's "the place to be at the moment - they aren't there in July watchng the Mariners/Rangers game in 100 degree heat).  Anyway, they were sitting right in front us:  they spent the entire game: drinking, taking picures of eachother, talking on the phone, the girls were shrieking (one of the saw Ian Kinsler on second and started cheering because she thought he was going to steal 2nd - I'm not kidding) they clapped and cheered when they bought popcorn.  I wondered why someone would spend that much money on tickets and not even pay attention?  I felt sorry for the really faithful Ranger fans who couldn't afford tickets or coudln't get tickets while these idiots were the ones at the game.

However, there were plenty of Ranger faithful - Eric Nadel was standing in the aisle next to our section with his family, and everyone who passed by him hugged him or shook his hand (as I did too).  After calling 30 years of (mostly) bad baseball - he's got to be one of the happiest guys in the ballpark.  I visited with Jamey and Ginger Newberg, tailgated with Devin and Marty before the game,  saw Sister Frances and Sister Maggie (who knew when I saw them in March at Spring Training that the next time we'd see eachother was in October at a playoff game!)

I did take a few pictures, they are mainly from the pre-game - I was too involved take pictures during the game.  Here's the link (or you can access them through the photo album link on the left).

Finally: I am ready for Tommy "Big Game" Hunter tonight - and yes I am going!

This is a baseball dream come true! -- Marla Hooch
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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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