Finally, the Pirates are Worth Remembering
On the night of October 14, an era ended for the Pirates. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Atlanta Braves had the bases loaded, down 2-1 in game seven of the NLCS. The Braves sent Francisco Cabrera to the plate, and the pinch hitter sent a line drive into left field.
A skinny, gold-glove winning Barry Bonds was charged with throwing out the game-winning run at home, represented by the incomparably slow Sid Bream churning his legs around third as if he was trying to sprint through Jell-O. Bonds fielded the ball cleanly, crow hopped, and fired a terrible excuse of a throw home. It was so horrible that Bream was able to slide the 2 feet his momentum allowed for across the plate, eliminating the Bucs and sending them into the downward spiral of losing seasons they are trying so desperately hard to escape this year in their 19th attempt. Plus the incessantly annoying tomahawk chop chant at Turner Field was firmly entrenched for the rest of time.
At least that’s what my dad said when he told me about it a few years later. I was three years old the last time the Pirates were any good, and most definitely do not remember it. For all intents and purposes, I’ve never seen the Pirates be even close to competitive. If I had to name my only (that’s right, only) Pirates memories from the past 18 years, they would be Jason Kendall obliterating his ankle off of first base, Brian Giles hitting a walk-off grand slam, and some outfielder catching a ball and breaking through the wall when he ran into it. Ok, I’ll throw in Rob Mackowiak hitting a walk-off home run on the day his son was born, but I really only remember it because it was such an awesome call by Greg Brown.
By comparison, here are my top memories from being a Steelers and Penguins fan:
-Listening to the overtime of the 1996 playoff game against the Capitals, but falling asleep before Petr Nedved scored the game winner in the fourth overtime.
-Doing the same thing, but actually hearing Darius Kasparaitus score the deciding goal in the first overtime of Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres to send the Pens to the conference semis. I then sprinted downstairs to turn on the TV to see it.
-Being at Three Rivers to see end of the 1996 AFC Championship, where the Colts threw a last-second Hail Mary that hit the turf and sent the Steelers to the Super Bowl. I also remember getting my rib cage crushed by the strange lady next to me when she hugged me in celebration.
-Breaking a Steelers noisemaker by throwing it at the wall when Neil O’Donnell threw yet another interception in Super Bowl XXX.
-Thinking that the Steelers had an easy route to the Super Bowl when Tom Brady and the Pats beat the Raiders in the famous “tuck rule” game in 2002, only to be completely disheartened when they beat us in the AFC Championship the following week at Heinz Field. I also specifically remember not participating in any of the activities at the Bar Mitzvah party I was attending that night.
-Inadvertently punching a hole in my basement ceiling when Petr Sykora called and scored his game-winning and series-extending goal in the third overtime of Game 5 in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. I leapt from the coach a little bit too forcefully I guess.
-Seeing the Stanley Cup above Sidney Crosby’s head (and not Marian Hossa’s for the second straight year) as well as the Lombardi trophy in both Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis’ hands.
I hope that isn’t too many memories, but trust me there are many more. My point, though, is that it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I remember those moments because they all carried significance. Championship significance. I know it’s probably going to be a long time before the Pirates are ever championship caliber, but they haven’t even been close in my entire life. I’ve had no reason to care about, let alone remember anything from, a Pirates game in 22 years.
But, and there’s almost always a but with me, this year has potential to change that. The Bucs are above .500 after the All-Star Break, and in first place to boot. There’s talk of them potentially being buyers at the trade deadline. Perhaps this year they will be like the two Florida Marlins teams of the past that miraculously won the World Series, only to collapse the following year.
Or maybe they will just battle their way to an above .500 record, and at least end the streak. In light of what’s happened (or not happened) in thepast nearly two decades of futility, I’ll be willing to give that significance, and thus worthy of a memory.
Just once, I’d like the Pirates to give me the chance to break a noisemaker or punch a whole in the ceiling. Either one will do, just as long as I have a memory that means something.
A skinny, gold-glove winning Barry Bonds was charged with throwing out the game-winning run at home, represented by the incomparably slow Sid Bream churning his legs around third as if he was trying to sprint through Jell-O. Bonds fielded the ball cleanly, crow hopped, and fired a terrible excuse of a throw home. It was so horrible that Bream was able to slide the 2 feet his momentum allowed for across the plate, eliminating the Bucs and sending them into the downward spiral of losing seasons they are trying so desperately hard to escape this year in their 19th attempt. Plus the incessantly annoying tomahawk chop chant at Turner Field was firmly entrenched for the rest of time.
At least that’s what my dad said when he told me about it a few years later. I was three years old the last time the Pirates were any good, and most definitely do not remember it. For all intents and purposes, I’ve never seen the Pirates be even close to competitive. If I had to name my only (that’s right, only) Pirates memories from the past 18 years, they would be Jason Kendall obliterating his ankle off of first base, Brian Giles hitting a walk-off grand slam, and some outfielder catching a ball and breaking through the wall when he ran into it. Ok, I’ll throw in Rob Mackowiak hitting a walk-off home run on the day his son was born, but I really only remember it because it was such an awesome call by Greg Brown.
By comparison, here are my top memories from being a Steelers and Penguins fan:
-Listening to the overtime of the 1996 playoff game against the Capitals, but falling asleep before Petr Nedved scored the game winner in the fourth overtime.
-Doing the same thing, but actually hearing Darius Kasparaitus score the deciding goal in the first overtime of Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres to send the Pens to the conference semis. I then sprinted downstairs to turn on the TV to see it.
-Being at Three Rivers to see end of the 1996 AFC Championship, where the Colts threw a last-second Hail Mary that hit the turf and sent the Steelers to the Super Bowl. I also remember getting my rib cage crushed by the strange lady next to me when she hugged me in celebration.
-Breaking a Steelers noisemaker by throwing it at the wall when Neil O’Donnell threw yet another interception in Super Bowl XXX.
-Thinking that the Steelers had an easy route to the Super Bowl when Tom Brady and the Pats beat the Raiders in the famous “tuck rule” game in 2002, only to be completely disheartened when they beat us in the AFC Championship the following week at Heinz Field. I also specifically remember not participating in any of the activities at the Bar Mitzvah party I was attending that night.
-Inadvertently punching a hole in my basement ceiling when Petr Sykora called and scored his game-winning and series-extending goal in the third overtime of Game 5 in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. I leapt from the coach a little bit too forcefully I guess.
-Seeing the Stanley Cup above Sidney Crosby’s head (and not Marian Hossa’s for the second straight year) as well as the Lombardi trophy in both Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis’ hands.
I hope that isn’t too many memories, but trust me there are many more. My point, though, is that it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I remember those moments because they all carried significance. Championship significance. I know it’s probably going to be a long time before the Pirates are ever championship caliber, but they haven’t even been close in my entire life. I’ve had no reason to care about, let alone remember anything from, a Pirates game in 22 years.
But, and there’s almost always a but with me, this year has potential to change that. The Bucs are above .500 after the All-Star Break, and in first place to boot. There’s talk of them potentially being buyers at the trade deadline. Perhaps this year they will be like the two Florida Marlins teams of the past that miraculously won the World Series, only to collapse the following year.
Or maybe they will just battle their way to an above .500 record, and at least end the streak. In light of what’s happened (or not happened) in thepast nearly two decades of futility, I’ll be willing to give that significance, and thus worthy of a memory.
Just once, I’d like the Pirates to give me the chance to break a noisemaker or punch a whole in the ceiling. Either one will do, just as long as I have a memory that means something.