AJC > Blog > Archives > 2006 > May > 17
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
We got loud
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We got loud in the late innings of Tuesday’s game. And not just because the BravesVision (tm) mega-teleprompter told us to “MAKE SOME NOISE.” (It’s a sad commentary on our times, I think, that baseball fans need digital cue cards reminding them to get in the game but that’s a whole ‘nother blog.)
We got loud because when the posers who arrived late to the game started streaming out of the stands early - like, after the last out of the eighth inning (the EIGHTH!) - those of us who have the guts and grit to stick it out to the bitter end were left to cheer on the Tomahawks. We know who we are; we stay until the last out is in the books. We report to work the next day wiped out and hoarse from doing The Chant. We live and die with the Braves. We aren’t going to let the insipid fear of fighting ATL traffic dissuade us from keeping our seats, Chopping and rooting on even those guys who should have This Week’s Goat embroidered on their jerseys after making - or not making - plays that would be no-brainers to your Little Leaguer.
We got loud because we’d seen two great young pitchers - our boy Huddy and their D-Train - battle it out all night. If pitching duels are your thing, Tuesday’s matchup was as good as advertised. And Willis’ losing record has to result from lack of offense keeping it in “W” reach; he was in fine form, far as I saw. Add him to our rotation and the wins just keep on comin’. (If only… sigh)
We got loud when Matt Diaz popped a fifth-inning homer to make it 2-1. We got loud when Frenchy calmly sent the game into extra innings with yet another of those dramatic ninth-inning feats of fabulousness he’s been pulling out of his magic bag of tricks since his Parkview H.S. days. We got loud when the Fish scored the go-ahead run top of the 11th, thanks to some infield action that was eerily reminiscent of those early “Bad News Bears” montages showing just how bad Tanner Boyle and the gang really were before Kelly Leak rode his Harley onto the scene. (OK, it wasn’t that awful but still… )
We got loud when Andruw’s double again tied things and we got REALLY loud when Chipper booked it from first to home, never entertaining the idea of stopping as he rounded third. Make ‘em throw you out, Chip, and that’s the breaks if they do. We got loud, watching Chipper hustle. We got loud when Diaz smacked the game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th and Andruw bounced to home, the team jumping for joy as they greeted him. We got loud when Diaz pumped his fist in the air. It was weird but when the young fourth outfielder strode to the plate… well… we just KNEW he was going to get it done. We knew we were going to win.
We got loud when the “Braves Win!” fireworks lit up the sky and we stayed loud as the dogged lot of us reluctantly left the Ted, the scene of such drama, such sheer joy. Braves 4, Marlins 3 (11). What a score. We got loud when we, perfect strangers united only perhaps by our shared love of Braves baseball, high-fived each other in the stands. We’ll likely never see each other again but for one moment, we had to take a page from the ‘79 World Champion Pirates and ex-Braves coach/MLB great Willie Stargell. When the boys rally to win and we, the diehards, stick it out to witness such an emotional comeback then yes - We Are Family.
We got loud because we needed this win. The Cards didn’t help us against the Mets and we know because all night we kept checking the NL scoreboard. We got loud because we WANTED this win, because we wanted the Tomahawks to prove to the doubters that they’ve still got that intangible “it” when it counts. (You listening, ESPN?)
We got loud because this is why we’re baseball fans; we live for games like this. The Braves didn’t quit Tuesday night and neither did we.
We got loud because we were there.
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