Perhaps as a blogger I became too attached to the Houston Astros. Perhaps. But I think that when it comes to fandom, any fandom, change is hard. It broke my heart when Rob Lowe left The West Wing. I didn’t like it when the Twilight Series replaced the actress who played Victoria. And when Jerome Bettis retired from the Pittsburgh Steelers, I felt as if it was a foreign team. Change, it seems, is hard to swallow when you’re a fan.
I guess then it shouldn’t have been too surprising when, at the end of the 2012 season, I’d had enough. I was watching the Houston Astros make change after change after change and I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to step away, get a little perspective and find a way to love my favorite baseball team again.
I haven’t written anything about the Astros really since the World Series. I took my own off season of sorts. I didn’t stop paying attention. I know about the coaching changes, the trades, the signings, the firings, the logo, the Spring Training schedule and everything else. I just didn’t talk about it.
Those of you who follow me on twitter have seen a comment or two, some of them sarcastic and bitter, some of them just happy for the things that are starting to take shape. I’m not back here talking to you about the Astros because the Astros did something to make me happy. I’m back here because I’m finally over it.
I am a Houston Astros fan.
I’m not a fan of one particular person in the organization or one particular player. I’m not a fan of a GM or a Manager or an owner. I’m a fan of a team. I cheer for the Houston Astros because I grew up watching them play and somewhere around age 11 they found a way to become a part of my life, like family, but in uniforms. And like family, I don’t always agree with their choices or how they treated me or talked to me, or that they didn’t ask my opinion before committing to something. But like family, when push comes to shove, I have their back.
So here we are, just a few short weeks away from the first players reporting to Spring Training. It’s the first time in 51 years that the Astros will field a team in the American League. They’ll do it under a logo that is new and yet familiar. They’ll take the field with a crop of players that likely won’t make the Hall of Fame someday and likely won’t be All-Star selections. But they’ll take the field knowing that the decisions of 2012 and 2013 were and will be necessary in order to make me smile in 2014 and beyond.
2013 will be a historic season in more ways than one for the team from Houston. Not every way they make history this year will make us cheer, but I’ll be there, in orange and blue, cheering, because that’s what you do when your family is going through a hard time. Yep, change is hard.
Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the tortured Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her ridiculous ramblings on sports, vodka and the weeone on twitter @agirlinthesouth.
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I don’t think fans of any team should get upset by well thought objective analysis by those who know the sport. Because writer “A” says a club won’t be very good should not be upsetting. The games will still be played and the players will do the best they can. Odds may be against them winning much, but fans can still cheer for and follow them. There is a place for “my team right or wrong, win or lose” fans. But there is also a place for the more objective observers. An argument may be made against the sarcastic “put down artists” that also disguise themselves as writers. But objectivity is not a negative.
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Greg,
I agree with you that well though objective analysis isn’t upsetting – it’s fact-based opinion and that can and should be respected. For me, this was about accepting changes that felt personal despite the fact that I’m not a part of the Astros organization. I needed to step back and be a fan first again to get myself ready for this next iteration of Houston baseball. The reason I stepped away was to avoid being a “put down artist.” If I give an opinion, I want it to have merit. I want my thoughts to be couched in fact-based reality and not the temper tantrum of a disappointed 12 year old girl.
Thanks for your comments – Terri
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It just makes me so dang sad, that EVERY sports
writer says some really low blows about the Astros. I’ve got to get thicker skinned, about
this or it’s gonna make me crazy. I’m here, always
have been. I’m a retired Delta flight attendant
and I used to charter the Astros in the late 60′s
and early 70′s. Been a fan since 1969. Becky:)
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Every writer is entitled to write what they’d like, I suppose. But we are also entitle to read it or not. I’ve chosen to step away from the haters who write drivel that is simply ranting and not based in any rational thought or analysis. It’ll keep us all sane to read the writings of those who have a clue!
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I’m not going anywhere.
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Thank heavens…I need someone to make me laugh all season!
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I’ve always been there. I will ALWAYS be there!! Go Astros!!
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But can you possibly beat your record of home games attended in 1 season? I’ll be watching…and counting. Is there a Sabermetrics stat for that? NGGA – Number of Games Greis Attends
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Excellent post!!! I couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Thank you, my friend.
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