Matthew Osborne
The voice in my head was clear about writing a column this week.
No one cares about the Phillies making the World Series. Everyone here loves the Braves and a lot of them hate the Phillies. They don’t want to hear about it.
The voice is right, but I’m doing this anyway. I wanted everyone to know, though, that there was at least an internal conversation to discuss the elephant in the room.
I get it. I am from somewhere else, but I love this community and I want to be here until I die.
But I am not going to change my sports allegiances, nor should anyone else here. Everyone here who grew up in Georgia should love their Bulldogs and Braves, and that’s all there is to it.
I quietly rooted for the Braves to win the World Series last year for all my friends here who deserve to have that experience, especially if they share that joy through a familial connection.
I certainly do through my dad, who honestly does not know how many of these Phillies World Series appearances he has left to see.
He is not taking anything for granted and neither am I.
When the Phillies were about to win the World Series in 2008, I was in the newsroom (story of my life) when I called home. I had only two sons at the time who were 4 years old and 18 months, and I asked my wife if they were watching the end of the game. (Note: Since Game 5 of the 2008 was rain delayed, it started in the bottom of the 6th on the second night, so it was ending early enough for children to be awake. What a novel concept, but I digress.)
She said they were watching, and when it ended, the boys piled up on each other like the guys they saw on TV.
I told Sam I wanted them to see this even if they wouldn’t remember, because it may never come again.
This time around, I did not call down my now 15-year-old son or my 8-year-old who wasn’t around the first time. For whatever reason, they just are not into it, so I wasn’t going to force them to pretend they were for my benefit.
But what my dad and I have shared through a 40-year Phillies experience is incalculable. We both watch at least part of every game during the year, and this year that became more than 170 games.
We went to many Spring Training games when I was a kid, hoping for moments like these.
“Think the Phillies have it this here?” the older folks at the ball games would ask me when I was a kid.
“Absolutely!” I would always say, knowing somewhere in my head, not my heart, that I was probably wrong.
The Phillies have actually been to six World Series in my lifetime, four of which I can actually truly remember. But there was a 15-year gap between the first two, and a 13-year gap this time.
We watch sports for these very payoff moments, and whenever they come, they cannot be taken lightly or assumed to be annual.
So enjoy the World Series, or don’t. It’s OK if you don’t. You will still have Georgia beating up Florida to enjoy.
Matthew Osborne is the editor of The Northeast Georgian. Reach him at 706-778-4215 or editor@TheNortheastGeorgian.com.