The Tomahawk Chop Part 2

This is the continuation of this writeup.

 

June 26, 2012: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Atlanta Braves

Tomahawk Chop!

Happy birthday to me.  For some strange reason, I disliked all the opposing teams that I watched in Turner Field some time when I was a kid. That happens if the champions of the sport you watch vary ever so often and if you have watched it avidly for a very long time. In baseball, you usually hate your division rivals (in my case, the Mets, Marlins and Phillies… Washington sucked all the time so they have not yet developed that hatred). The Braves were so dominant in the 90s that I ended up disliking each team that eliminated them. That and I was still a kid then. Kids always get emotional when their sports teams get eliminated.

The D-Backs actually did not eliminate the Braves. However, I was not a fan of Randy Johnson (as for Schilling, I forgave him because he delivered a World Series title to the Red Sox). For those who do not know, the Arizona Diamondbacks were also one of the dominant teams in the late 90s. Right now, they are pretty much punching bags even if they entered the playoffs. In this game, they were punching bags from the very start. It was another typical blowout game. The Braves’ bats were just exploding. Call it a boring game, but I enjoyed it. I got to teach a friend about baseball; the Braves fans have vastly improved their cheering (they always clap on two strikes and two outs); and the Braves won during my birthday.



Every win is something to cherish no matter how weak your opponent is. When this game ended, the Braves were barely .500 at home even if they held a winning record. I suddenly felt fortunate to have watched five wins out of the six games.

Result: Atlanta – 8, Arizona – 1

I mostly got to watch the Braves wins but I can somehow analyze this team’s identity. Gone are the dominant pitching days where we have three to four premiere starting pitchers that could accumulate sixty to eighty wins a season. We do have promising pitchers like Craig Kimbrel and Brandon Beachy, but the heart of the current team is in batting and fielding. The fact that the Braves won with a lot of runs shows that they are poised to be a hitting machine. If I have the time to write a second blog, I’ll expound on this further.

We may be behind the Washington Nationals, but I am optimistic that if the Braves make the playoffs, we have a good shot of stealing the limelight from the league leaders. Most of the champion teams have strong sluggers. Just ask the Yankees. Heck, Atlanta even outhit New York in their game. If only the Braves could have capitalized… And you know what, if the Braves hit on all cylinders at the right time, you might just be looking at your next World Series champions.

I avoid jinxing my teams as much as possible, but you know what? Fuck it. I’ll make a bold prediction: The Atlanta Braves will win the World Series this year. They have the leadership (Chipper Jones), the fielding (Bourn and Prado) and very good hitters in the team (Uggla, Heyward, Freeman). There is a reason Atlanta did not break this team apart after choking in the end of the regular season last year.

I know this might end up being stupid of me if I end up jinxing my team during Chipper’s last year. Yup, especially on a very bad sports year when I witnessed my New England Patriots lose to the New York Giants in Super Bowl; Ateneo Lady Eagles get beaten by the La Salle Lady Spikers; the Duke Blue Devils get upset in the first round in the NCAA; and the Miami Heat capturing their first NBA title. It actually appears stupider by the minute because the team I have been most invested at this year is the Atlanta Braves.


July 20, 2012: Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals

Annoying Fan From the Other Team: Check. Go Braves!!!!!

This was my first baseball game watching in a ballpark that is not in Atlanta or Boston. It was in the Washington Nationals Ballpark. Why the hell is this game in this blog if I am writing about the Turner Field experience?

Because the freaking Braves are involved!!!

I did not have plans of watching this game, but because the Smithsonian Museums close after 7:30 PM, what was I supposed to do in Washington D.C. once evening strikes? I was in a brief trip in Washington D.C. this weekend and as an avid baseball fan, this was the logical thing to do. Especially if they provide free beer mugs and my Atlanta Braves were playing.

At first, watching this game seemed like a bad idea. My win-loss record in Turner Field: 5-1. My win-loss record outside Turner Field: 0-2. My win-loss record when there is a promotional item: 0-1 (I don’t count fireworks as promotional items). My win-loss record when my team is up against division leaders: 0-3. I would be stupidly passionately wearing Braves merchandise and might not get out of the stadium alive. It was like watching a horror movie hoping for all the protagonists to survive.

When I rode the Metro train to the stadium, I noticed that there were a handful of Braves fans in the sea of Washington red. I felt relieved because no one would be mocking me for wearing my Braves cap. Yup, I stubbornly wore an opposing team’s merchandise on a probable hostile environment. Here in the United States, someone is surely going to comment on it. The New York subway lady called me out for wearing a Fenway Park shirt. Upon arriving at the Nats Ball Park, I noticed the number of Atlanta Braves fans were growing. I felt proud. Remember those annoying times I see the opposing team’s fans in Turner Field? It was my turn to be that annoying fan. And in comparison to the number of opposing team’s fans in games I have attended, the Braves fans in D.C. would have easily outnumbered everyone except the Yankees’ fans (of course, they’re the Yankees).

The turnout in the stadium was great. It felt like Turner Field on a Friday night as more than half of the stadium was filled up. There were two diehard Nats fans in our section. By diehard, I mean people who come alone to watch the games and cheer for the team. Fans who believe in jinxes. You know, fans like me. There were a bunch of Braves fans on my area as well. I could easily hear applauses when the Braves were introduced. The only difference of this from the reception of the Yankees in Turner Field was that, the Yankees were immensely booed. As for the Braves, they were respected. Even the diehard fan in our area was clapping when Chipper Jones was introduced. He is pretty much the most respected player in the league right now as he has been receiving souvenirs from other teams on his final visit/play on their stadiums. I never heard fans boo Chipper that game.

Remember the time I mentioned watching the game seemed like a bad idea? Yup, it did feel that way. The Nationals had phenom Stephen Strasburg at the mound. As early as the first inning, they already scored three runs, thanks to a two-out homer by Michael Morse. I would have felt worse but at least he was in my fantasy squad and we were halfway to free wings (yikes!). The scoring barrage went on up to nine runs. It was an awful sight. I was sitting while most of the people in my area were jumping and rejoicing. There was a point when the diehard fan that was near me raised a high five to me (remember the time someone would acknowledge my opposing team merchandise?). I did not want to be a douche so I high fived him in return. The guy seated at my right laughed at the sight and said “Come on man, be proud!” Of course, I am! That was why I was wearing a Braves cap. And that was why I was fixing it every now and then so I could reverse jinx or something (or I was countering the jinx the diehard fan was doing because he kept on fixing his cap as well).

0-9 and the Braves usually reached base. The only problem was their usual weakness – they could not capitalize when it matters. Washington, on the other hand, always scored when the opportunity rose. Even if they just have one out left to burn. I was already thanking myself that time for not publishing this write-up yet. It was because I may have jinxed the Braves by predicting them to win the World Series.

The bunch of Braves fans in our area already left. It felt like I was about to be devoured by the Nationals fans.

Then, the sixth inning came. The Braves finally scored via a homerun. I did not care if there were fewer Atlanta fans. I cheered. 2-9. I wildly dreamt of Atlanta coming back from a huge deficit before. Maybe, we could. Hey, we have a talented batting order! All-Star Dan Uggla was seventh in the batting order. I repeat, SEVENTH! Strasburg left the game and Martin Prado drove two more runs to end the inning. Awesome. 4-9. At least, I knew the Braves were not going down without a fight.

Rain poured heavily in the game (unlike the Yankee game, I was in a covered area this time). Eighth inning. Six more outs to burn. We need to score at least five more runs. I hoped. I believed. For some strange occurrence, the relief pitchers of the Nationals suddenly struggled. They walked the Braves sluggers to the point that Atlanta scored a run via a walk. The diehard fan in our area (the one that did not high five-mocked me) was starting to go nuts every time their pitcher threw the ball to the dirt. Other than that, Washington was in deep silence. Then, I heard a familiar tune. Woooo- ooooh! Woooo- WOOOOO!

Good Lord! It’s the Tomahawk Chop Music! Atlanta is invading Washington!

Braves fans were chanting and doing the hand motion. It was like we raised from the dead. Atlanta scored another four runs in the eighth. 8-9. We are just down by one. We are still down, but we have a higher shot at tying the game before the eighth inning. But if we lose this game, I would take this as a moral victory. The Braves have a fight in them. I knew they were very good.

I stopped fixing my baseball cap. Maybe, this is the lucky position. I stopped taking pictures of the game. It might be the lucky thing to do. Down with the jinxes. In with the luck.

Ninth inning. Nats fans cheered when their closer was introduced. Then, their closer walked the Atlanta sluggers. The diehard fan in our area shared to me that their closer was in funk lately. The Tomahawk Chop continued. Uggla and Janish reached the scoring positions. After which, Michael Bourn step up to the plate. Pitch was delivered. Our all-star batter swings. He hits it. It was a deep fly ball… The ball dropped before the Nationals outfielders could chase it. Run, Braves run!

Braves score! Braves score! Remember the part when I mentioned that what if the Braves start to hit on all cylinders? This was the preview to it.

I was jumping up and down in my area while the rest of the Nats fans watched in disgust. The diehard fan beside me started to wear his cap upside down. He was indeed jinxing/reverse-jinxing it like I did.

While I performed the tomahawk chop, the old lady near me shouted for me to stop doing the chop. Hey, I was told by the fan beside me to be proud! To be an Annoying Fan: Mission Accomplished.

Being an annoying fan may not have been a good idea on a beer stein giveaway night. A lot of ‘em Nats fans were already drunk and disgusted after their team blew a nine-run lead.

The Nats were able to tie the game in the bottom ninth but they eventually lost the game to the Braves off a Dan Uggla winning run. Remember the time I mentioned I dreamt of watching a huge Braves comeback? This was that epic game. Never witnessed it in TV before. It had to unfold in my very eyes as I proudly do the tomahawk chop in a hostile stadium (well, not completely. I was able to shake hands with the diehard Nats fan before I left the game).

Receiving a high five from a total stranger who is also a Braves fan? Priceless. These are the moments you feel ecstatic for being a fan. Memorable Game Number 7.

Result: Atlanta – 11, Washington – 10

Screw the jinx. I choose to go down fighting and believing for this year’s Atlanta Braves. They deserved it. And besides…

This is Braves Country, baby!

I got to fulfill my life-long dream. This is already a win for me. And this is why this year will not go down as the worst sports year for me. I will forever cherish the moments in Turner Field. The Braves winning tradition. The Tomahawk Chop. The Braves Country.