Smells Like Team Spirit

A funny thing happened to me during the years of 1999 up until early 2001 - I worked for the San Francisco Giants. I was determined to work for the team, but was too late to apply for an internship in 1998, so I called up a year later and was hired in the Promotions department. A season later, Community Relations.

Those years were truly magical and the team was great on and off the field. I loved working with Dusty and made some lasting friends in the front office. (Side note, the people that work for the Giants organization work extremely HARD. I don’t think people realize what a grind it is every season to work for a professional sports team. I know they do it because they love it, but give them some props. They’re not sitting around just watching games for shits and giggles, it’s a full-time job with the team being at home as well as away and in the off season. It never stops.) Ok, off my soap box and back to biznass…..

During my two seasons with the G-Men, I was around everyone’s favorite player, Barry Bonds. Yep, #25 graced my presence as we rushed around the dugout prior to games. Did he say hi? Nope. Did you look him in the eye? Hell no, he may crush you. Did his teammates respect him?In my opinion, nadda. Did the media respect him? Hmmmmmmmmm….jury’s still out. I was one of it felt like -1000 that disliked the whole Barry Bonds era. He was arrogant, self-absorbed and definitely someone that was not at all a team player. His “area” in the clubhouse had a leather recliner. He also had a television set-up complete with a play station from what I can remember. He pretty much had a whole row of lockers to himself, whereas the other guys were fine with the standard ONE locker. On top of the whole Barry trance that somehow grabbed a certain amount of people that just wanted to believe in something, Barry was chasing a record with some obvious help. ** That fact **was the icing on the cake for Barry who clearly lived a life not grounded in any kind of reality. It was nothing but the Barry show which lasted for years and it was pretty disheartening. It really had nothing to do with the team, it was all about Barry and home runs. I truly feel that era dampened the spirits of true Giants fans and the Giants.

Since his departure, the team has gone through changes and it seems like the 2010 season has had the right mojo. You’ve got a band of brothers who don’t quit. It’s not about one guy on the team and what he’s going to do the next time he’s at bat. It’s about supporting your pitching staff and your fellow team members. Check out Pablo Sandoval the next time you’re watching the game. That guy is the biggest cheerleader the Giants have down in the dugout. Or watch the way Aubrey Huff and Pat Burrell talk to each other before at bats. They are clearly in a bromance that I’ve loved watching over the past few months. Buster Posey, please, that guy plays catcher and first base and if Bochy asked him to, would probably pitch and be a great shortstop if we needed him. Andres Torres money. Freddy Sanchez who clearly has a case of A.D.D., runs the hardest after each hit no matter the outcome.

What I’m saying here is that we finally have a TEAM, not just a number to watch. We have guys that love this game and show it every time they play. Guys that don’t take advantage of the fact that they’re making millions because they’re out there 162 regular season games hungry to win. It’s a team that I’m finally proud of because this is what baseball and even what life is all about. It’s not about the hero, it’s about the little guys rallying together for a greater cause.

This has been a season of hard work. Every game has seemed to be a fight to win and to support the pitching staff. It's an exciting time for Giants fans because this is a team that only comes around once in a blue or rather orange moon. So wherever you are Barry, I hope you’re taking notes on how a real team works.