Round 2 - Bring it on!

Well, my bag is packed (note singular). I can't believe I will be traveling to Ireland tomorrow. It is a whole different feeling than a year ago. I know where I am going and what is ahead of me (kind of) and it is a very comforting feeling.

I do have one issue with flying to Ireland tomorrow. It is game 3 of the World Series. A year ago, I WENT to game 3. I taught a graduate class in the AM, drove across the state seven hours (detour on the turnpike), in the rain, arrived right at 8pm, had a two hour rain delay, game started at 10pm, ended at 2am, saw my sister in the parking lot, drove six hours home, in plenty of time for my friend Karyn to get to the Steelers game. Yes, game 3 was definitely memorable.  Did I fail to mention that hometown (mine) hero Jamie Moyer pitched a gem and the good guys won in the bottom of the 9th? I never felt such energy and pure excitement. It was an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Anyone that knows me is aware of my devotion to the Phillies. The word fan is short for fanatical and that word does apply to me and my Phillies.  I'm not the biggest fan ever, but I rank up there. I am not a frontrunner as J-Roll described some Phillies fans a year ago. I am a home grown product who grew up loving a team that lost more than it won (prepared me nicely for living in western PA and watching the Pirates). I got my first glove when I was 5. Played Little League baseball when I was 10, the first year girls were permitted in my town, and played organized baseball until I was 18. Yes, that is my sport. My first love. I would walk around the house holding a transister radio to my ear listening to Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn call the games. If you were to say a name I could tell you their number, even to this day. Numbers, to me, represent members of those teams of the 70's and 80's. Number 32 - Steve Carlton, 45 - Tug McGraw, 10- Larry Bowa, 31- Garry Maddox, 25 - Del Unser (my personal favorite). The list goes on... I was in 10th grade when they won their first (and only until last season) World Championship. We had a party in geometry class and watched the parade in World Cultures class. I LOVE the Phillies. I have a Phillies toothbrush, mousepad, steering wheel cover, house key, crocs, work gloves.....need I go on? I have 23 short sleeve Phillies t-shirts, and I only know that because I cleaned out my closet this summer and scaled down - to 23. Need I go on? (Wait, update: my sister just sent me a 2009 NL Championship t-shirt yesterday. The number is now 24.) I have XM radio in my car so I can listen to the games. I pay for MLB.com so I can watch the games on my laptop. I bought an ITouch and paid for the MLB app so I can watch the games on my ITouch. I pay MLB to listen to the games on my Blackberry. Yeah, I'm a fan. So..... as others are enjoying the inflight movie while munching on peanuts and pretzles, I will be going stir crazy wondering if Cole Hamels can sit down A-rod and Jeter, and if my boys can get to Pettite and the weakened bullpen. Is it too much to pray for a rain out?

Well, my ride will be here in 8 hours, so I better get some sleep. Tomorrow will be an incredibly long day. Until then... GO PHILLIES!!!