Happy Thanksgiving

by Jim McLennan on Nov 26, 2009 12:37 PM EST in Randomness

Here's a quick list of some of the baseball-related things, for which I'm thankful today:

The game itself. Elegant in its simplicity, but endlessly fascinating.
Jerry Colangelo, for having the vision and drive to bring baseball to the desert. I'd still have moved out here if there hadn't been a team, but I can hardly imagine myself supporting the closest team, the Padres...
The 2001 World Series. There are eight teams in baseball that have never won a World Series, and three more that last did so more than fifty years ago. For the Diamondbacks to do so in my first year living here was a gift beyond compare.
Chris: she shares as much of my passion for the game as possible, and tolerates the rest with endless patience.
The community here at the 'Pit, who have shared their knowledge (not just in baseball!), humor and love of the game in a way that never ceases to amaze me and be appreciated.
Blez and the rest of the SB Nation team, for building, maintaining and continuously improving the engine-room that powers this thing.
Honey-baked ham. Oops, how did that get on here? ;-)
The Diamondbacks organization. They're not perfect - no franchise ever will be - but they respect the fans and listen to them in a way that surpasses just about every team anywhere.
The Diamondbacks' players. There are certain (un-named) players on certain teams, who make me wonder how fans of that team can look at themselves in the mirror. There's no-one like that in Arizona.
Hope. The feeling that 2010 is going to be better than 2009. That's something precious, which is not something every fan can say they feel.

I doubt there'll be much traffic on the site today, but if anyone cares to add to the list, please do so - you can also tell us what your day is going to be like. I'm currently awaiting the return of Mrs. SnakePit, who has gone to pick up her mother, and the turkey has just begun its slow-cooking process. Sorry, did I say "turkey"? I think Chris must have picked up a pterodactyl by mistake, going by the size of the beast. Anyway, various family members will be swinging by later, and we're going to have dinner out on the porch. This will be followed by the traditional groaning, complaining that we've eaten too much and falling asleep in front of the television.

Please have a happy, fun and safe Thanksgiving, and I'll see you tomorrow for the leftovers!

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Happy Thanksgiving

I’m thankful for making it to another Turkey Day and watching football. The Dbacks and their WS win in 2001. The returning core players for the 2010 season.

I’m going off to my daughter-in-laws for Turkey dinner today. She and her husband (U of A Cop) have been trying to have a baby but she has had problems. They have spent thousands with Doctors trying. Now we will know on Monday if she is going to have a little one or not. We sure hope so.

Now back to the first game which is tied at 7.

Happy Thansgiving to all friend or foe.

by jimaz62 on Nov 26, 2009 1:24 PM EST reply actions

TY Jim and others

for the opportunity to discuss, agree and disagree with you in a civil manner. Always a good thing and here’s hoping that we survive 2010 with few injuries of note and a competitive squad that plays sound fundamental baseball.

I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused....

by piratedan7 on Nov 26, 2009 4:12 PM EST reply actions

I'm thankful for Jim creating the Snakepit

Because without the Snakepit, i’d have never met Emily, the love of my life

"When fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross" - Upton Sinclair

by C. Wesley Baier on Nov 26, 2009 4:49 PM EST reply actions

D'awwwwwwww

:-)

by emilylovesthedbacks on Nov 28, 2009 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

Very nicely written Jim

I echo those sentiments!

by NASCARbernet on Nov 26, 2009 4:55 PM EST reply actions

My list

1. Free AFL season tickets to D-Backs season ticket holders-Fall league is really fun when you only have $30 in your bank account.
2. Spring training in AZ
3. MLB Season Ticket-that way I can watch the team of my youth, the Cardinals.
4. The fact that Alex Cintron wasn’t on the DBacks when I became a Dbacks fan (2005)—otherwise I wouldn’t know whether to cheer or boo since I’m still bitter about the 2001 cheating in the Cardinals series.
5.time with family at the game
6. The Cardinals’ 2006 World Championship.
7. The DBacks 2007 Division Championship and my ability to see an LCS
8. The end of the Eric Byrnes show.
9. The less shrill sound of Vanessa’s voice this year.
10.D Baxter threw me a shirt at an AFL game.

by Reynolds rapper on Nov 26, 2009 7:16 PM EST reply actions

Im thankful for

all the members of the snakepit without them i would have never made it out of the 2009 season alive.

by SaveUsY2J on Nov 26, 2009 9:48 PM EST reply actions

Hmmmm...

1) Family, friends, girlfriend, professors, school administrators, and the whole like. Lots of good people in this world, and each one necessary to make it a good place to live.
2) Thanksgiving itself. Gives you an opportunity to sit back and gain some actual perspective on life, especially since the actual crux of the holiday is still intact, unlike what is the case with Christmas.
3) Baseball. A sports that the common nerd can appreciate, and the common sports fan can love and respect. A truly unique game that combines the best of team efforts and individual domination.
4) The fact that the public health care bill is probably not going to get passed (this is a joke that is not at all intending to inspire a riot of discussion, although I am against it).
5) Triscuits (and good snacks/food in general). Eating them now. Om nom nom nom.
6) Movies. A great movie can elicit the deepest of emotional reactions in any perosn, that we otherwise may never experience in our lives. Movies aren’t given enough credit.

Most Depressing Math Question Ever courtesy of Probability class: "Clark and Anthony are two old friends. Let A be the event that Clark will attend Anthony's funeral. Let B be the event that Anthony will attend Clark's funeral. Are A and B independent? Why or why not?"

by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 26, 2009 11:32 PM EST reply actions

— Very true. One of the few holidays period which somehow seems to retain its original intent. The fact that the world of marketing completely leaps over it shows its (relative) purity.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too. " ~Greg, age 8

by njjohn on Nov 27, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions

That was supposed to say #2 (not 1).

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too. " ~Greg, age 8

by njjohn on Nov 27, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions

Thankful for

sick beats, friendly ghosts, Doritos brand chips, and haters.

Can somebody please throw away this telephone?

by soco on Nov 27, 2009 12:03 AM EST reply actions

baseball related thanks

1. History: sure, there are incongruities and incomparables, but no other sport has more historic congruity or comparables and such a rich cast of characters who have given us the sport as it is today.
2. The NL: for retaining the sport in its purest, DH-free form.
3. The Minors: no other American professional sport has the equivalent — it’s where hope breeds eternal.
4. 27 outs: the only sport without a clock, hope remains until the 27th out is recorded.
5. Quirky ballparks: the only sport that allows irregularities in fields of play, we have a hill in CF, a giant wall in LF, a bay just beyond RF, and scaffolding that comes into play.
6. Jerry Colangelo: ditto Jim’s comment.
7. Present ownership: for having a vision to build success sustainably.
8. Luis Gonzalez and Randy Johnson: who, despite having a collective one ounce of fat, led the charge to the first Championship in the desert.
9. Brandon Webb: for being our first home grown superstar.
10. Justin Upton: for embodying the hope of the future.
11. Albert Pujols: for allowing us to witness one of the greatest players of all time, and doing it right.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too. " ~Greg, age 8

by njjohn on Nov 27, 2009 10:08 AM EST reply actions