Riding the roller coaster to the end

The season is over for the A's. It ends after five hours of high drama in a wild card game that resembeled a roller coaster ride of highs and lows...nothing new for A's fans who watched their team own the best record in the league, then undergo a complete collapse making the playoffs by finally winning the last game of the season. There will be much analyzing of the trade that sent popular spark plug Yoenis Cespedes to Boston for two time World Series winner Jon Lester. Lester did his part leaving the game in the eight inning with the lead, but the Royals turned the game into a track meet and will continue playing in October because they didn't give up.

The full on battle went back and forth with Oakland setting the pace with two massive home runs from Brandon Moss. Yet in the end the home field advantage once again came into play. For Royals fans it's been a lifetime of waiting. Giants fans know all about that. As Jon Lester said after the game, "the bottom line is we lost, and now we're pacing our bags and going home."  The crowd was loud, and enthusiastic even when their team fell behind 7-3 scoring 5 runs in the sixth inning.  That energy propelled the Royals' comeback, one hit and stolen base at a time. I don't love spitting the statistics but seven stolen bases by 7 KC players is way too many. Wednesday it will be the Giants in a raucous Pittsburg stadium. 25 year old pitcher Madison Bumgarner will hold the hopes of his team and Bay Area fans in his left hand, but in order to win, the entire squad will have to tune out the crowd and do the things that earned them world championships in 2010 and 2012. All together, we'll also participate by cheering at the TV.

Super Sports Sunday

It's a great Sunday when the Niners win, the Giants win, AND the A's win to clinch a playoff spot! Sorry for all you Raiders fans, but even across the pond, the Silver and Black remain winless. As for me, I also lost my two sets of singles tennis at Balboa Park early this morning, but it was still a great sports day! The sun was shining, my opponent was fierce yet honest making every point a well fought battle. We played on public courts at Balboa Park, a new spot for me. As I waited for her to arrive, I was amazed to see so many people out and about enjoying the outdoors on a gorgeous San Francisco fall day.  This is truly where sports is for everyone.

You can tell by this picture, I worked hard and that's just what I thought as I relaxed on my couch and watched all our sports team give it all they had. For the A's it was do or die in so many ways, but when put to the test, the boys across the bay found their winning ways behind their young gun, 24 year old Sonny Gray.  In San Francisco, the Giants dedicated their win to the more than three million fans who cheered them on at AT &T Park all season long. I wasn't there today, but I can attest to the power of the crowd. Nowhere was that more evident than at Levi's stadium in Santa Clara where the Niners were looking for their first win in their brand new state of the art stadium. But all those millions can't buy wins and for the faithful it's been a tough start to 2014. Yes, there were moments of grandeur for the offense, but it was the much criticized defense who won this one; containing the Eagles and not allowing any points in the second half. A nice turnaround to the last three games where the Niners haven't been able to score more than 3 points after half time. Today, Frank Gore, Colin Kaepernick, Micheal Crabtree,  and new receiver Stevie Johnson made key plays and kept their cool. Hard work paying off.

Front page validation

After a roller coaster season, it seems only fitting that on the day the Giants found out they are assured a trip to the postseason, they blow a huge lead at home only to come back to and win. Yes, it's Giants torture and redemption all at once. Now is the time for those who have been waiting in the wings to jump onto the bandwagon. The boys of summer will play in October and they've made it to  the front page. If you don't know the significance of that it will soon come into light as black and orange start showing up all over town.

It hasn't been a smooth ride to say the least, but isn't that how life is? Sports in so many ways mimics the ups and downs of our every day existence. The point is never to give up. To find comfort in the good days and get through the bad  ones, an hour at a time. One of my favorite moments at AT&T park is when Journey blasts through the speakers and 40-thousand plus fans sing, or better yet, scream: "Don't stop Believing." It's easy to believe when you lead your division by 9 and half games. It's quite a different story when you're drowning in losses to team you should beat. Yes, the excuses are endless. The team sustained an avalanche of injuries to key starters, Marco Scutero, Angel Pagan, Brandon Belt, Mike Morse, Matt Cain, critical players who provided leadership and guided wins. But champions learn to adapt and make room for new faces to step in. Jake Peavy, Joe Panik, Matt Duffy, to name a few. Even when big names struggled, like Pablo Sandoval, surprise players surged like Gregor Blanco. If you don't know who these players are, not to worry, as the trip to the post season continues you'll get acquainted, just don't stop believing.

No love lost

Here we go again! How much do we dislike Yasiel Puig? Not only is he arogant and a hot head,  he is NOT a team player. Yesterday my brother, Steve excused his behavior with a: "he is young", but seriously? He's like a two year old throwing a tantrum on the field! Yes, there is no debating he has talent, that throw to home to get Brandon Belt on Monday night was a big league throw, simply amazing.

He made it look effortless and poetic, but one day later he is challenging our Big Country Boy, Madison Bumgarner-not too smart. He was also hitless. What Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly must remind Puig is that he is not alone in the outfield, baseball is after all a team sport. And at the end of the season, the team with not just individual talent, but a collective mentality of all for one, and one for all will most likely take home the World Series trophy and rings.
The Giants are reeling from injuries to our Angel in the outfield, Pagan; our horse, Matt Cain, and free spirit Michael Morse. But they are playing as a joint unit with the newbies taking on a major role. Can they win it all this year? Let's get to the post-season and let the bats speak one after another. One thing for sure, there is no love lost between the north and south.

Winning before midnight

The boys of summer are back! It took a while, but the Giants found a way to finally get those much needed runs.  The win tonight at 11:35pm was critical for their survival in 2014. And boy was it torturous!  Of course the Dodgers helped with keystone cops defense, but we'll take it. How great was it to see Gregor Blanco with a lead-off Home Run, and the rookies, Joe Panik and Andrew Susac showing they're ready for the big time with key hits. 

The veterans also got it done, Peavy, Pence, Crawford, all proving that baseball is a team sport, Yasiel Puig and the rest of the Dodgers are you listening? Of course the boys in blue keep pointing to the standings, but the season is not over yet! A big shout out to the A's too who seem to rediscover their winning ways.  Nothing like having a a six run lead in the first inning. Both bay area baseball teams appear  to be channeling their earlier season winning ways, and it couldn't come at a better time. As for my first USTA combo season match, my partner and I lost and so did our team, but it's only the first match and we like baseball fans in the bay area are  true believers. Good night and let's win tomorrow...or is it today now!

Sports, life and missed opportunities

The 49ers played another excellent first half , this time against the Cardinals. They put themselves in the perfect position to win but let it all slip away--again and are now 1-2. The Raiders showed they were a much better team than their 0-2 record with an honorable fight against the mighty Patriots in New England, but yet endured another heartbreaking loss and find themselves at 0-3. The Giants controlled their own destiny but let the opportunity to close the gap with the Dodgers slip away with three straight losses against the Padres. The A's provided the only glimmer of hope in a dismal Sunday for Bay area sports fans with a walk-off two run homer in the 10th inning.  But the team that once owned the best record in baseball remains in the fight of its life  to make the playoffs. 

How does this all relate to the picture in this blog you ask? On Saturday, my husband and I were at Santa Clara University for move-in day with our freshman son Stelios.  After setting up his room, we wanted to participate in the various events on campus and meet other parents and students. But Stelios had other plans. He was eager to compete  in an invitation only sprint tournament  at the Velodrome in San Jose.  Seeing how much it meant to him we agreed to leave and watched him as he raced in various heats, winning the first two, then coming in second in the third. He wanted to race again, but we insisted it was time to return to campus for his mandatory dorm meeting. We rushed back and he showered quickly and tried to "catch-up." In life we are all presented with choices and opportunities. By leaving campus, Stelios missed out on some things, but he was okay with that. The 49ers had numerous chances to score, but couldn't capitalize and were once again plagued by costly penalties. The Raiders were also doomed by penalties. The last one when they looked like they scored the winning touchdown. The Giants who also once lead the National League can't seem to find their offense and the A's who once were the loosest, funnest team in baseball hasn't been laughing much until today. Luckily for all, there is always tomorrow. The question is will they take advantage of the opportunities before them! 

Time to say goodbye and hello

"Oh, NO!" That's how I reacted to the news this morning that Former French and Australian Open  champ Li Na is retiring.   The petite 32 year old stole millions of hearts with her fierce competitive spirit and radiant smile. Known as the Chinese Tennis Rebel, she defied not only the odds but the powerful Chinese government and reached the number 2 world ranking by doing things her way.  I remember the first time I saw her play. I was immediately taken in by her razor sharp movements and unparalleled  focus and determination. She leaves behind an incredible legacy and has inspired millions of little girls in her native China and around the world to pursue the ultimate dream. Li didn't know it was her dream at first. Her father, a former badminton champion, first enrolled her in the national training center at age 8 to follow in his badminton glory.  But her shoulders were too large and she was redirected to tennis. She fought the grueling training and survived with the same sense of humor that leaped through the television cameras after her Australian Open historic victory. However after four operations, her knees finally gave up. We will miss her class on and off the court, but she promises to continue her presence in the sport she grew to love.

As for me, I start a new season of USTA tennis Monday night and I'm beyond thrilled! Of course we look nothing like the pros on TV. However, we have a great time and believe it or not, the level of competition is quite respectable. My first league team was the 7.5 combo team in the Presidio in 2007. Amazingly, 7 years later, my favorite team is still the 7.5 combo which combines a 4.0 player with a 3.5 player.  The strategy seems simple, "pick-on" the weaker player, but that is easier said than done. When all else fails, we can  remember Li Na who demonstrated with such grace,  anything is possible!  Xie-Xie Li Na!

Focusing on the positive

At a time when so much negativity is surrounding the sports world, I wanted to find something positive to talk about today. A reason for my girlfriends or anyone out there to maybe understand my passion. As it turns out, my inspiration was right in front of me in The Chronicle's Sporting Green section.  The Headline: For Kerr, reading is a fundamental. The article features Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors' new head coach participating in the "Read to Achieve" program.

The picture by Paul Chinn shows Kerr smiling while reading to students at Longfellow Elementary School in San Francisco. Unfortunately I wasn't there, but Rusty Simmons reports Kerr and assistant coach Luke Walton played off each other, joking and using booming voices to entertain the young students as they shared their love of reading. Now that is how athletes and coaches can use their influence to make a difference. If just one student sitting there was inspired to pick up a book instead of watching TV or playing video games, that new reader  can then become the role model for others around him or her to do the same. The Giants' Brandon Crawford has his step up to the plate for education foundation that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to local youth education programs. These are just two examples of what can go right with our sports heroes. I remember years ago interviewing super sports agent Leigh Steinberg who made sure the athletes he represented established charitable foundations in their community along with collecting their enormous paychecks.  My plea is that we as fans applaud the gains athletes are achieving off the field so that the rewards reach beyond the bottom line. Should leagues like the NFL and teams make community service a requirement?

Listening to the Giants game at Book club

I had an amazing day today. Played two great sets of tennis, went shopping at Andrianico's Market for this new fabolous vodka which just became available in California: Spring44; then went to my weekly book club. Now you might be wondering how we read a book a week, and the truth is we don't. We use the fancy title of the "book club" as an excuse to get together every Wednesday. Granted we do read and recommend great books, like our last selection: Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter. But we also use this time to really share what's going on in our lives. For men, this probably sounds like a truly foreign experience, but you guys do it in a different way; in your man caves while watching football or other sporting events.
At noon after talking about my new Sports blog, I confessed that I really wanted to watch the Giants game. We don't have a TV in our lovely basement space, but we do have a radio. So, for the first time, instead to turning on Andrea Bocelli or U2, we listened to John Miller on KNBR and rode the roller coaster of another must win game for our boys. Now to truly appreciate the scene you have to know that two of the women in this group NEVER watch or have ever listened to a baseball game on the radio. But they did it. And after the ninth inning where we scored the two go ahead runs and won the game, they were smiling. Not because they understood we are now only two games back of LA, but because we shared this experience together. They don't realize how pivotal the RBI by Matt Duffy, the new kid was, or the save by  Santiago Casilla, or the win for Sergio Romo who has struggled so much this year. But all of a sudden, they are fans of a team that pulls together and doesn't give up. Fans of pitcher Madison Bumgarner who maybe didn't have his best stuff today, but still pushed through and gave his team a chance to win. Now these feelings aren't quite as uplifting on the days we loose, just talk to any A's fans but even they stand behind their team and are holding on to hope that the boys from Oakland can get it together and revert back to the team that once owned the best record in baseball....maybe it's the Spring44 vodka talking but all in all it was a great day!

The day after...making a real change

Why is it that once one disturbing situation comes up featuring domestic violence, we are then bombarded by countless others? It's like a reoccurring nightmare. On the heels of the Ray Rice fiasco, the NFL is now dealing with Viking's running back Adrian Peterson--again, and Carolina's Greg Hardy and who knows how many others. Including our very own, 49er Ray McDonald who's domestic violence case is still under investigation. While I am thrilled to hear that Commissioner Roger Goodell is hiring three women as "senior advisers" to engineer new policies for the NFL on domestic violence and sexual assault, I wonder if it's just a knee-jerk reaction to save his job.  Many are calling for Goodell's head on a platter.

 Even players are saying they are ashamed of the league and Goodell's behavior or lack of action. Yesterday I shared a couple of my girlfriend's reactions to the NFL scandal stating that they will never watch a football game again.  But last night I wondered if we are using the NFL as the vehicle to finally say: "enough is enough!" Isn't it time to change our society's perceptions as well. The message should be clear and universal, hitting women and children is not acceptable. Maybe this is where professional athletes and those in powerful positions in sports and entertainment  can use their substantial influence to really make a change and let the day after, be the first day in a world where violence against women and children is eliminated.   

Zero Tolerance

While men gather to talk sports at bars or barbershops, women congregate at grocery stores and our version of the barbershop, the beauty salon. This weekend, I stepped into my friend Dawn Hahn's beautiful new Blow Dry Bar, Bloom in West Portal. That's where another friend, Jessica came up to me to talk about my new blog and flat out state that she is: "done with the NFL!" Jessica is not alone. Most women I know, and I've been waiting a few days to make sure we weren't "over-reacting," share the same passionate opinion.  Zero tolerance should mean exactly that: Zero tolerance. And our beloved 49ers are also guilty of hiding behind "technicalities." Trust me, I was a pre-law student and I more than anyone believe in due process.  However, where is the due process when a league turns a blind eye on unquestionably graphic evidence to protect their financial investments? As parents, the most important lesson we teach our children is that their actions have consequences.  In sports it seems, those in positions of power, and it's not just the league commissioners, but the owners and coaches, feel quite comfortable with ignoring the domestic violence crisis in hopes it will simply go away. Now I'm not saying that every case is a Ray Rice case and that all professional athletes behave as if they don't have to follow society's rules.

In my 20's I dated a 49er. He was a true gentleman and was even shier than I was. We went out several times, once double dated with another very recognizable player and it was amazing how women literally threw themselves at them. I wasn't comfortable with that scene, but others are. It isn't easy for the object of so much female adoration either. But hitting a woman is never allowed, no matter what!  I've repeated that to my son. It's time for our society to stand up and spell it out. You hit a woman you will pay a very hefty price. Some men argue that a first offense should be treated lightly.  A good friend suggested we, "Give them a break, let them enroll in programs to rehabilitate." I do believe that if someone wants to change they should be given that chance, but the message has to be firm: You hit a woman and you will face serious punishments.  We as a society have a duty to demand that change, and this involves more than professional athletes. Let the conversations begin and yes, please let's invite women in.

Sunday Confessions: Sports and Life Interrupted

One of the loudest complaints among my girlfriends is how much time their husbands or boyfriends spend watching sports on TV, or playing golf! In my household, I am the guilty party of always having a game or match on and I play tennis on two teams about six times a week! But I do make sacrifices and concessions in keeping with my Catholic upbringing in Madrid, Spain.  Last night, in the midst of that massacre by the Dodgers at AT&T Park, My husband, Brent and I went on a date night to a wonderful show in the Mission (Don Reed at the Marsh) with tapas afterwards at Esperpento. 

Today, my dilemma resembles the Giants' battle against the dreaded Clayton Kershaw. Right now, I am home, watching and listening to Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow as Yusmeiro Petit matches Kershaw pitch for pitch after a slight hiccup in the second inning.  But I'm also plotting how I'll get a glimpse of the Niners first regular season game in Santa Clara while attending a special event at Sts Peter and Paul Salesian Church. Tonight's mass and dinner honors the priests who do so much in our community.  Yet several of our neighbors will not be there because they will be home watching the game. A few lucky parishioners actually have tickets and will be at Levi's Stadium for the historic event.  To miss or not to miss, that is the question when sports and life collide and one often interrupts the other. I realize there are greater problems in the world, but for the true sports addict it's hard to look beyond the present and the needs our teams. We as avid fans feel we must be home watching or there cheering to do our part.  Luckily, I'll have my posse of Niner fans who will text me scores and later I'll watch highlights and recaps of all the games. It's the beauty of life ,  if you seek, you can have a little bit of everything. Now, let's go GIANTS and NINERS!!!! I have to get ready and walk Roxy before we leave. 

Home, sweet HOME

Day two of my new life as a blogger! So far, so good. Except the Giants are getting killed tonight! Thanks to all who posted on my Facebook and evite with witty and supportive comments! Sorry about the name, Kroner, but this one doesn't actually use the name Kroner, so you can all off the lawyers! Today I'm sharing my thoughts on the idea that there is no place like home when it comes to sports. It seems totally appropriate after the Giants dominated the Dodgers last night at AT&T Park, 9-0.  But I do know what the haters are saying, "it wasn't that long ago that we had one of the worst home records and even today, we do have  more wins on the road. However, what I'm talking about is the emotion you feel while attending a home game. And even when things don't look good on the scoreboard, you can feel the love all around. It's the fans in stands, the views of the bay, the fog settling in and even the seagulls lurking. But it doesn't just happen in the ballpark, the stadium or the arena. It also happens at our house.

 One of my favorite ways to watch the game is in bed with Roxy beside me, my sunflower seeds and a drink nearby! This drink is NOT strong enough right now as it's now 9-0 Dodgers.  I did mention we won 9-0 last night. But this blog is not about wins and losses. It's about watching our favorite teams either at their venues or at ours. While I'm watching I'm also texting with Mary Ann, or Nina, or even my old colleague roommate Mumu who came from Burma at age 12 and didn't know anything about sports until she moved in with me at UCDavis. It's contagious this support of our teams.
As the 49ers get ready to play their first "official" game at the new Levi's Stadium, I recall being on the field at Candlestick during the good old days of Montana and Rice, Wayne Walker and Joe Fonzi at Channel 5. I was one of the lucky ones, but even when I watch football games from my house I have the shared memories and feeling of being there. How about you? Feel free to post a comment, and yes, I still believe in our Giants and GO NINERS!!!!

Going back in time

How many times have you wished you could turn back the clock...go back in time? Today, I am doing just that. Going back to high school where I was the sports photographer and editor for the Hub and wrote about our Davis High School Blue Devils. My hope with this blog is that you'll join in the conversation as true sports fans; sharing your own thoughts on games, players, teams and of course coaches.
I'll start it all with Thursday's day game at AT&T park between the Giants and Diamondbacks. As I walked in with my tennis buddy and avid Giants fan Mary Ann Mills, the first thing that struck me were the banners remembering 9/11 outside the yard. As we braved the masses, we stopped. Took a moment to really look at this seemingly simple memorial and take a picture. I glanced around and saw countless others doing exactly the same thing. Isn't that the true beauty of sports? The way we all share in our devotion, our joy, our sorrow, our experiences? "It's just a game," say those who don't understand our passion. We of course know it's so much more.  I'm in a bit of a transition in life. After 34 years in television news the door swung and this time it hit me on my way out.  I've witnessed dozens of colleagues leaving the television news business due to cutbacks, technology, age or a change of management. As it finally happened to me, I started thinking about what would come next. And here I am. Sitting in front of my brand new Mac Book plunging in to what I really want to do with my life. Writing about Sports and what moves us, the true sports fans to turn on that dial, read the sports pages, log onto Yahoo Sports, or ESPN to follow our favorite teams and share our highs and lows with those we meet in life who feel the same way.
It's interesting how the NFL and MLB and even NHL are trying to attract more women viewers. Here's the thing about women. We actually do like sports. But we watch and experience them differently than men. While most of us might not be able to recite every statistic or obscure facts about our favorite players, we absolutely know who we like and we are loyal to a fault. In this day of trades and sports as a business we form an emotional connection to "our guys" and and our teams.
 As we sat in our upper level view seats, armed with our drinks for the last weekday home game of the season we rooted for our Giants and cheered our boys to victory. We joyfully offered high fives to those around us and felt that unconditional satisfaction of knowing we the fans were there together and doing our part. Was it worth it? Absolutely, Even when they loose we find comfort knowing we are ALL in it together. A feeling that transcends the sexes.
Thanks to Mary for helping me set up this first blog and please do feel free to comment. And if you're wondering what comes next, just remember what brought you joy and satisfaction and do it again!