Fields of Solace
Attendance, Fans do silly things, Feed your mind, FML, Gettin Lucky, It Gets Better, It was the devil all along, Karma is a bitch, Movie metaphors, Out of our comfort zone 15 Comments »
Our correspondent Jordi Scrubbings is back with his latest take on all things Rays…
This year has been one of the toughest I have ever faced. I’ve been laid off twice, gotten in a car accident, had several emotional disputes (you can call them fights) with a member of the opposite sex, and was even in the hospital for a few days. 2011 has not been easy.
But baseball, the Rays, and Tropicana Field have been there for me through it all.
I know that sounds very James Earl Jones-ish of me. Remember his classic scene in Field of Dreams where he says that the one constant through the annuals of America has been baseball? While that might not be 100% true for America – I doubt baseball was there for Washington, Franklin, and Adams – it is definitely true for me. When I walk into Tropicana Field, I forget everything going on in my life. The only thing happening is baseball. From the first pitch to the last.
Baseball is the perfect remedy for a disrupted mind.
By it’s very nature baseball has a calming effect. It has a way of slowly swallowing you into the story of the game. It builds at a leisurely pace, as rarely is a game decided in the first inning. As the game progress, every move, every at-bat, and every pitch becomes increasingly more important and as the game spins its tale, the outside world increasingly loses relevance.
And with the Rays penchant for close, low scoring games, every game carries an intensity that envelops those who want to be swept away.
At worst, the Rays lose and I walk out of Tropicana Field in the same malaise as when I walked in. No baseball loss can compare to real life losses. Even the worst blown save pales in comparison to human tragedy. At least I was out of the house and my mind was occupied on something else, however briefly.
But if they win, if the Rays pull magic out of their hat, win in dramatic fashion, or if I see a piece of baseball history, then I can walk out of Tropicana Field with a smile, awash with the temporary euphoria of victory. Baseball has saved me once again from the drama of reality. It has provided me happiness without the headache of a hangover or the consequences of other chemicals.
It doesn’t matter whether or not I go Read the rest of this entry »
