
I can honestly say that my favorite day of the year lies in April.
More so than the birthdays of my beloved family members, wonderful friends, and even my very own date of birth. This day is more special to me than any holiday we celebrate, ranging from Valentines Day (sorry ladies), Easter, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and even Christmas. Every year this day is more fun to me than any Halloween or New Years Eve party I have ever or will ever attend.
Fathers play hooky from work to take their sons with them to a day at the ballpark (at least mine did), which neither will never forget.
And college kids skip classes to barbeque and drink beers (and although I don’t condone this behavior, I must admit guilt in participating in such actions).
It’s a day when no matter what mother nature gives us for weather, the day is still glorious. The beauty of a well kept infield diamond and the smell of freshly cut grass is quite a sight to behold after enduring several months of a long dreary winter.
The aroma of food is tantalizing as it fills the air. Nothing beats an ice cold Pepsi (substitute a beer here if your 21) in one hand, and a giant hotdog with everything on it in the other. Kids clamor for cotton candy, cracker jacks and cheesy nachos. You throw around your money buying t-shirts, hats, programs and giant foam fingers (I swear I never purchased one) without a second though of the price just because it’s just fun to be in such an electric atmosphere.
The camaraderie is next to none when your sitting in your seat. A grade school kid can easily engage in conversation with the elder businessman about the teams chances and prospects for the season. Anyone and everyone is your friend on Opening Day because every team playing is in first place and you truly believe your team has a shot at winning it all.
The upcoming 2009 baseball season guarantees to be better than last year. The huge cloud that is steroids continues to linger of the heads of many players in the wake of the Alex Rodriguez admission. Are the Phillies really good enough to repeat? New faces in new places, which provide excitement in cities throughout.
As a die-hard Cubs fan this season is especially important to me. I’m still heartbroken over the White Sox winning it all a few years ago (although I do give credit where credit is due). It’s a season that brings more question than ever before on the North Side? How will the Cubs rebound from having the best regular season record only to get humiliated and swept in the first round? Will the old ace Carlos Zambrano show up of the guy who got shelled most of the second half? Can Rich Harden stay healthy are realize his full potential. Will Alfonso Soriano ever stay healty and be worth his mega $136 million dollar contract? How long before Lou Pinella goes totally ape?
Despite all the questions surrounding the team, I have full faith in my Cubs. This is the year for us, I am convinced of it! The Chicago Cubs will win the World Series in 2009. You heard it here first.
And if it doesn‘t happen, we always have Opening Day to look forward to next year!
Tags: aura, baseball, Cubs, favorite day, Opening Day, worldgaming