Yeah, a lot of entries today, but I gotta post one more. Last night a verse from the Alice Cooper song, I Love America, popped into my head. I wonder why...

I love the Tigers, but I hate the Mets
I ride my Hog, but I race my Vette
I gotta job, but I'm still in debt
I love America

Go Tigers!

"A man becomes preeminent, he’s expected to have enthusiasms.
Enthusiasms...
Enthusiasms...
What are mine?
What draws my admiration?
What is that which gives me joy?
Baseball!
A man stands alone at the plate.
This is the time for what?
For individual achievement.
There he stands alone.
But in the field, what?
Part of a team. Teamwork.
Looks, throws, catches, hustles.
Part of one big team.
Bats himself the live-long day,
Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and so on.
If his team don’t field...what is he?
You follow me?
He’s no one.
Sunny day, the stands are full of fans.
What does he have to say?
I’m goin’ out there for myself.
But... I get nowhere unless the team wins."
-Robert De Niro as Al Capone in The Untouchables (1987)

And then, of course, it all turns very shockingly bloody. Even so, this is probably one of the finest movie monologues of all time, and an incredibly perceptive view of life, teamwork and (obviously) the gentleman's sport of baseball.

Anyone who would accuse me of being a fairweather fan would be mostly accurate. I watch the Red Wings during the playoffs, and maybe even some post-season Pistons games. In my own defense, I did watch quite a few Lions games last year, and that wasn't exactly a triumphant season.

At The Old Ball Game. Click for Gallery.

Now the Tigers have rekindled my enthusiasm for baseball. Before we went to the game in September, I had to work hard to name four current Tigers. My ignorance has since decreased greatly. If you asked me "Who's Your Tiger?", I'd have to say Magglio Ordóñez, if only because he was one of the bigger stars in the game I attended, and he's got a really cool name. Now, of course, he's a hero.

So is it just the fairweather effect that has me glued to the MLB post-season? Even to the point of watching the NLCS games? Yeah, that's a big part of it, but hopefully there's more to it.