It’s a good question really. What do crazy fans who attend almost every ballgame do when their team is on a long road trip? Right now my Oakland A’s will have been gone 10 full days when they return Friday to take on the Houston Astros. (I threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Ryan Cook at the first A’s vs. Astros game in 2013 but that is another story for another time.)
Anyway, of course there are fans and season ticket holders who follow their teams on road trips, my self included (but again that’s another story for another time). Yet no one can follow their team to every city, unless of course they are a millionaire and can travel anywhere but the average, normal person who’s a crazy fan (so semi-normal people), what do they do when their team is away?
Well, I guess the first thing people like me do are all the normal things that you let go because there was that, Wednesday double header that you just couldn’t miss. Things like laundry, dishes, errands, making up for that day of work you may (most likely) have missed. But how do these obsessed fans cope? Personally I cope in three main ways.
1. I spend quality team with my television. When the team is away there is a lot of time spent in front of the TV. At some point you have to clean out your DVR! I mean you guys like TV shows too right? I catch up on my How I Met Your Mother, Law and Order: SVU and Grey’s, of course, among other things. I also watch a little too much MLB Network. I don’t know about you but I can leave it on in the background all day, even though it repeats. By the end of the day I’m done with all my real responsibilities and am caught up on the all the latest baseball news. I mean I NEED to know that Manny Machado‘s been running the bases or that Matt Moore needs Tommy John surgery, absolutely NEED to know. We also watch all the games but that should go with out saying.
2. I try to get a lot of exercise. Actually it IS good to get in that run or weights session you missed, walk the dog, etc. More often though the exercise comes while I’m watching the games, jumping up and down, waving my arms around, screaming at the TV like a crazy person … I mean y’all do that too, right? er… never mind….
3. I socialize. I am constantly in touch with other fans. We go bowling or catch the game at a bar. Of course there is also social media. Since the invention and popularization of social Media fans are always talking – I mean ALWAYS. Even if they don’t know each other or they do, the internet is a constant place where super fans of every sport can talk about what they love or hate about every team, every player. The list, it’s never-ending. There are people there who want to debate you or troll or tell you why you are stupid, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Actually it’s pretty cool or nerdy depending on how you look at it but if you haven’t heard “nerds are back!” So technically that makes me totally awesome …***see below***
So there you have it. Those are my missing baseball (insert your favorite sport) coping activities. What are some of yours?
Hope you guys have a great week! Smile because (well my team is gonna be back in town Friday, so that’s for me and half of everybody reading this) it is really spring time now and it’s gorgeous out! xx ~ Jen
***I had this in my notes and am adding it on today, whereas this was published yesterday (4/17/14) I can’t believe I forgot because I do this quite often (I know people who go more often but I will go once or twice a month)! When a super fan/season ticket holder’s team is on a road trip many of us feel the need for live baseball. So on those occasions we will go to minor league games. Personally, I am lucky that two of the A’s affiliates are each about an hour away from my house. Oakland is kind of in the middle. I will often go see the Single-A Stockton Ports and the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats! Minor league games are a lot like spring training games, smaller and more intimate, but with that same live baseball sense of excitement! They are a great way to cope when your team is away and you find yourself inexplicably needing to see a live game! … I really can’t believe I left this out! SMH!***
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