We’ve taken up residence in the Military District of Washington/National Capital Region for the better part of six years now.
The first few were spent in Northern Virginia, where I worked at Fort Belvoir. The last four and some change have been here, where I’ve been a card-carrying member of Team Meade.
During my stretch in the MDW, I’ve picked up a few things about the region. For example, we eat crab cakes, not crab legs. The Ravens are good but have Steelers envy. Redskin fans are as obnoxious and dim-witted about football matters as their owner, Daniel Snyder, who somehow found a way to put even more pressure on a rookie QB drafted to save a franchise by drafting another touted rookie QB, Kirk Cousins, in the fourth round of the NFL draft.
And last, the major league teams in the region – Washington Nationals and our hometown Baltimore Orioles – stunk. I mean they were monumentally bad.
Baltimore was a combined 199-287 for the three previous seasons, while the Nationals were only slightly better, going 208-278 since 2009.
However, take one look at the standings and you will see that MLB in the MDW is pretty good right now as both teams are sitting in first place after the first month of the season. Listening to local radio, I can tell that the fans, especially in B-more, are having a hard time figuring out what to do with the success.
Everybody wants to get excited, but years of defeat have left them waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not a bad tactic and is certainly logical. The team hasn’t had anything to cheer about since Ripken Jr., and nothing is more heartbreaking than buying into something you know can’t last.
But for you long-suffering O’s fans, I’d like to suggest a different course of action — enjoy the ride while it lasts. It’s been a while since you all have even had a reason to care about baseball. For nearly a decade, the dog days of summer began in April because your season was over before it even began.
The same was supposed to be true this season, but that’s obviously not the case. You just took two of three from the Yankees and followed up by sweeping the Red Sox in Fenway. Sure Josh Hamilton is beating you like a drum, but you’re on pace for a 100-win season.
So I ask: What’s the point of all those years of complaining and making a beeline for the bottom of the standings every time you want to see your team’s record if you’re not going to take even a minute to celebrate your time at the top?
For years, all I’ve ever heard from you O’s fans is nay-saying and whining about how visiting teams take over your park. And the only reason that happens is because the squad hasn’t been good enough to watch. I think our location has something to do with that as well, but poor performance is legit.
Anyway, that’s not the case now. Buck and his boys have put a quality product on the field, and now it is your turn to do the “2″ and get all in on the O’s, or get off the proverbial pot and stop complaining.
As an aside, don’t forget all the ways the Orioles are helping Team Meade get out to the Yard (http://go.usa.gov/VVo).
Also, mark May 27 on your calendar so you can get out to Military Appreciation Day at Camden Yards, which will feature some of the best Fort Meade has to offer.
If you have comments on this or anything to do with sports, contact me at chad.t.jones.civ@mail.mil.
