A Giants Appreciation Thread

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

There’s an Angels Appreciation Thread, so I figured, why not?

Just in case you’ve never met me, read my LiveJournal, chatted with me in #straightdope, or read my profile, I am the world’s biggest Giants fan. When I was a little kid, long before I understood the rules of the game, I loved it when my dad took me for an afternoon game at the 'Stick. Bright sunshine, green grass, cheering crowds, junk food. What fun! I hadn’t the faintest idea what was happening, so you can imagine how much I liked baseball once I did figure out the rules.

I was nine years old and in third grade. That was the first year I played softball. The games suddenly began to make sense, and nothing was better than riding in the car with the Hank Greenwald on the radio, describing the Giants win another game. The Giants won a lot that year - it was 1987 and they were the NL West champions, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Cardinals. Oh, was my heart broken.

Two years later, the Giants went to the World Series and were swept in one of the least interesting postseason series ever. No one remembers that World Series for the baseball anyway, though. I was eleven that year.

I cried when the Giants were sold to investors in Tampa Bay, and whooped when the Major League nixed the deal. I couldn’t believe it when the new owners brought in Barry Bonds, and promised to build a new park.

I cried on the last day of the season in 1993.

I suffered through a thousand mediocre games, and not a few mediocre seasons.

I earned a Croix de Candlestick. I SHOULD have earned a Croix de PacBell for a Candlestick-ish night game last spring.

My boyfriend talked about getting me jewelry for my birthday this year (completely absurd!) but ended up getting me the present he knew I’d love best: tickets to a Giants game at PNC Park. Sure, we had to drive hundreds of miles to get to Pittsburgh, but I saw Barry hit homer #598! And the Pirates fans that had been booring five seconds before suddenly burst into cheers.

I could go on, but I won’t. Suffice to say: the emotion I feel for the Giants is probably not healthy for any person to feel for a sports team. I am so so sosososo so excited to see them in a World Series!

GO GIANTS!

2

Welcome to the fold, sister! I have been a SF Giants fan for almost 30 years. How fondly I remember the early days, Bobby Bonds and Chris Speier. The different slogans each year - “You gotta like these kids”, “Hmmmmmbaby”, I even drove to Arizona several times to see them in spring training. I met Will Clark, and saw Kevin Mitchell in the parking lot slipping away from a game early because he had to go to the orthodontist (?!!). Jeffrey Leonard, one flap down. Matt Williams. I even love Atlee Hammaker, gosh darn it.

I think we need a mascot, and I have come up with the perfect idea - the Rally LLama. Rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?

My ex got custody of the season tickets to Pac Bell Park, but he’s gonna get me a load of World Series booty at the games next week. MMmmmmmmm, if only I could make those garlic fries at home!

GO GIANTS!!!

3

The first major league game I ever attended was at Candlestick way back when some guy named Willie Mays played centerfield for the Giants.

I grew up in the East bay, and when the A’s arrived 1968, I became an A’s fan for life.

But I still liked the Giants, and since I’ve lived in San Francisco the past 20 years, I think it’s OK for me to jump back on the bandwagon.

This is a very cool team, and they have a hella good chance to win it all.

If they win, I hope Magowan gives Dusty Baker his due.

4

Rally monkey, huh? That’s nice…
[pats Anaheim on the head]

HUMM BABY!

5

Ya know, when I saw this link I thought you guys were going to be discussing “They Might Be Giants”, or maybe “Giants: Citizen Kabuto”.

Nope, baseball was the farthest thing from my mind.

Muad’Dib’s Father (a long time Giants fan) silently weeps in corner

6

I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. .I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants. I hate the Giants.
This is gonna be a fun series.:smiley: :smiley:

7

It’s sad that yet again, it’s big market teams in the World Series.

San Francisco is the center of the fifth largest metro area (7 million).

Anaheim can be considered part of #2 (LA at 16 million). Even if we used only Orange County, that’s 2.8 million, still larger than Minneapolis and St Louis.

Some things never change. :frowning:

8

uh, Hub?

Anaheim has never been to the Big Dance. S.F. hasn’t been in 13 years( and haven’t won the WS since moving from New York). Some things DO change. Minnisota won the WS in 1991.

How is that sad?

9

The Angels aren’t even worthy of my hatred. It’s like…the Angels? Who cares? I mean…the ANGELS! Just like the rest of Orange County (aka, Hell on Earth), the Angels are dull and plastic.

Hey, you know what my favorite Giants motto was? “You’re gonna like these kids!” It was totally stupid, but it cracked me up.

The ones this year were SO TERRIBLE. Those “Say Hey!” ads looks like someone who’d never seen a before made them. Ugh.

10

When the Giants come to town, it’s bye bye, baby!!!

Yeah!!!

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What a lovely thread Kyla, thanks for starting it :slight_smile:

I’ve only been a Giants fan for ten years or so, but I am so excited.

The radio show I am listening to is giving away tickets to the person that will do the most for them. So far, the guy I think will win is going to shave his head, mix the hair (about four inches) with mayo/salsa and eat it in taco. I love my Giants as much as anyone, but I think I would become physically ill…maybe that makes good radio?

VIVA GIGANTES!

(Frink voice) “That monkey’s going to pay!” (Frink voice)

12

Erm, that should be “never seen a camera” before. Ooops.

13

(http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/10/18/MN96151.DTL)

Lotsa good stuff in today’s Chronicle.

Bring on the monkey!