Fan Fest 2008!

Unless a fan of the Winter X Games or the NHL during it's All-Star weekend, this week in the calendar year is one where fans of the pigskin begin to do their droopy mopey get depressy as the the fact becomes clear there is but one game left in the season. That will commence next Sunday. People will watch for the game itself. Others will watch for the commercials and the exorbitant prices advertisers will pay for the chance to do something edgy, something funny, or something different.

This week between football is usually the weekend where a yearly event comes to light in Arlington. Known simply as Fan fest and the year it happens, the sport in question is baseball and the team in question is the Texas Rangers. That loveable team that no one really talks about until the Yankees or Red Sox make their annual pilgrimage to North Texas.

If you ever watched the movie, "Pride of the Yankees", there is a line spoken by Theresa Wright (Eleanor Gehrig) during a snowy January day. 'Baseball...It's a sport that you play for six months, prep for another, then spend the next five arguing about it!' You won't find a truer quote than that! Tis true. Then again you may be an autograph//photo hound like me. That alone is incentive for this old man...

Entering year number six as a season ticket holder, this would mark my first visit to Fan fest. There were options galore, from autograph signings to chalk talks to merchandise you could buy on site. A great time to meet up with people you haven't seen in four months and get to chatting up the new season to be. Hope always springs eternal in January. Quite a few new faces in the fray for 2008.

There was a time constraint due to work, yet the two autographs/pics I wanted was with Ron Washington and Michael Young. Other Rangers from Kevin Millwood on down were available on the hour by the hour...

The line for Michael Young went forever, so I settled for a pic. The line for Ron Washington was equally as long, yet succeeded in an autograph and a picture! I also made his day when stating,' Coach, as much I love baseball, be aware that your birthday-April 29th-was the same b-day as Dale Earnhardt! You sir. are right where you need to be!' A big smile appeared on his face as he shook my hand. That made my day! Maybe the Rangers dont do squat, yet I am infected with Wash's enthusiasm...

Ran into quite a few familiar faces, including my ticket reps Chip and Chad. Always a long chat when we start to talk ball. Tis a long way from April 8th. Yes the sport I love is under alot of scrutiny from bad press, but baseball has proven again and again that it can and will overcome. The game is and will always be the thing. For one cold January day I was able to dream my thing...

Speaking of that big game, twice on this day 11 years apart did an NFC Central put the wood to an AFC Eastern team in 1986 and 1997. The Bears and Packers becoming Super Bowl champs in numbers XX and XXXI by scores of 46-10 and 35-21. It's also a birthday for my friend Gail. Get well kiddo!

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will