3.11.2009

How Do You Tell That It Is Spring?

Some people wait until our temperatures start hitting the 50s to decide it is Spring. For some it isn't spring until the first flowers begin to peak their heads out or the trees begin to bud. Some argue that March is a spring month and therefore spring begins March 1st. Some wait for a groundhog or other similar animal to tell them when it is Spring. And some perhaps look for birds to start flying north. I, however, know that Spring has arrived when baseball starts to get underway (technically, though, this could be said about me, baseball, and any season. When does spring begin?: Baseball's Spring training. When is it summer?: baseball. Fall?: baseball. Winter?: no baseball.)

This year I am doubly blessed. Not only do I have Spring training but I have the World Baseball Classic. This is where theoretically the US beats up on every other baseball team in the world while generally promoting the sport to populations less familiar with it. This is only theoretically true because two years ago (during the inaugural WBC) the US was the one that was thoroughly beat up on. This was doubly embarrassing for me as I was at the time living in Northern Ireland and everyone I knew liked to rub it in to me that we had lost to teams like Mexico and Canada (of course they did this without understanding that many MLB players are Mexican, Canadian, Venezuelan, etc. but there was no explaining this to them and it was still really embarrassing). I blame the egos that were brought to the ballpark by our supposedly top baseball players (I believe fans of the NBA will commiserate with me here: Olympics). This year the US has consciously put together a team with fewer egos and so far they are doing pretty good. And while I do want them to win, in the end win or lose it doesn't really matter because Spring is here.

2 comments:

Science Teacher Mommy said...

In answer to your question--the crocus blossoming. And then getting snowed on, but keeping their pretty little heads up just the same.

Unknown said...

LOVE the fiddler guy.
I feel the urge to plant seeds. In my house. Even though I know the cats will try to dig in the dirt and track it all over my carpet. It's a pull I cannot resist. So it's Spring here. And the seeds are in.
:)