mariners

I'm the Outsider

There are many cultures in a city and sports is one of them. Boston is a sports city, no question about it. We love our sports! What we like even more than sports is when we win. Boston loves the parades and the trophies. Luckily, I grew up in a time where all four major sports teams (Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins) have been winning. I love teasing other teams' fans but not so much taking the tease. When you live in a city full of sports fans for your team, you do not receive much of that teasing.

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But, I do not live in Boston anymore, and let me tell you, it ain't easy being a Boston sports fan over here in Seattle. 

1. Time Difference

Let me start with practicals. Seattle is three hours behind Boston. Three hours sounds not that bad, but it is enough time to make scheduling annoying. East coast Baseball games start at 4 PM on the west coast. So by the time I am out of ballet and I am ready to watch my Sox play, the game is already done. Now I cannot even watch an inning or two of my Sox, which is ridiculous.

2. West Coast vs. East Coast on the TV

Last week, which was week one of football, the Patriots game started at 10 AM (refer to numero 1 above). Well, I decided instead of going to church at 11 AM, I would go at 9 AM and try to catch the game back at home. So I wake up super early to make church and zoom back home to watch the game... well, I found out that the Patriots are not being broadcast.

CBS is an American commercial broadcasting station. The Patriots always play on CBS. There are multiple games at one given time. CBS may be broadcasting the Patriots but only on the east coast while they broadcast the San Diego Chargers game on the west coast (RULE 19). Well, Seattle is on the west coast, so I will not be able to see the Patriots unless they are on Monday Night Football or Sunday Night Football. Do you see my struggle? 

3. Seattle Fans

As I said earlier, I do not like getting teased about my teams. Since I have lived in Seattle, I have received nothing but hate towards my teams. If you look at history, Seattle sports has never really been dominate. Their basketball team, the Seattle Supersonics, actually left the city and their football team, the Seattle Seahawks, almost left too. Historically, the Seattle Mariners (baseball team) have been a so-so team, nothing special. Ever since the Seahawks won the Superbowl last year, this city is on cloud nine. They now believe that every team in Seattle is the best thing to come to this Earth. Lots of people may say that about Boston sports fans, but I only have to say, "look at the banners." Boston has consistency but Seattle does not want to hear that. When people see my Boston hats, they laugh and talk about how they won the Superbowl last year... not a few years ago. Even at church people joke with me. It is not easy to stay strong as a Boston sports fan. 

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It is a definitely new to me to be the outsider looking in on sports, but it is a lot of fun jeering back and forth even if we get nowhere. Heckling is part of the game. I am getting used to my new city and the sports life is definitely a change of scenery. 

Do not worry Boston, I will not cave in to the Twelfth Man (RULE 20).