I finally got my Iphone today. I am really enjoying it. So far it's a learning experience. The signal is impressive, and I find some of the calls is quite impressive. Still new to all of this but it's starting to be a good thing. Any hints, tips, etc. is greatly appreciated.
OK, this is going to be one of the “nice Pete” entries, rather than the “angry Pete” ones I tend to do. I was listening last to Ron and Fez last night, and they were replaying a bit they did about ticket prices and how it out-priced the average family out of a ballgame. The talk alter went into the first time fathers take their sons to a game, and how that is a big part of the relationship between the two. With all the thoughts going through my head, the thought of the first time my dad took me to my first soccer game. I would tell you the first Mets game, but that was for the long and short of it a boy scout day, and he got tanked due to being in the upper deck-where his fear of heights was present-and then pissed when he found out beer sales ended before the game.
Anyway, in 1996, my dad took me to my first Metrostars game. It was their fourth game in existence, against the Tampa Bay Mutiny. This was the game the team won their first game in history-a shootout
win after a 3-3 tie. This was also the game where Giovanni Savarese carried the team to the tie. The Metros were down 3-0 at halftime, but in the second half, Savarese manned up and scored two goals in fantastic fashion after Tampa scoring an own goal.
We sat in the mezzanine section (the blue seats at Giants Stadium). We were near the back of the section where the upper deck hung over and blocked a small part of the view of the field. If I recall it was section 235, but I can't be totally sure, it was near the goal close to the player tunnel , but we were still on the side of the field. I just remember the air leaving the crowd when Tampa scored the three goals, but as the second half went on, the energy picked up and the crowd was hot and getting into the game. When Savarese scored the famous bicycle kick that tied the game, the place exploded. Even my dad was getting into the game. This was the game that cemented my love for the club, and I have to thank my dad for that.
What really stood out about this night as well, was that my dad for the most part was working with one leg. At this time, my dad did really bad damage to his knee, and was at one point out of work for a while. I remember him having a lot of trouble getting around at this time, and I even told him if he didn't want to go to the game, it's cool. But he said we are going and we did. He had a hard time with the stairs, and he was in pain, but dammit he took me because it would make me happy. Last night it hit me how big of a deal it was for him to do that. All day today I was thinking about all this things he did for me, even though he HATED it. It did a job on me today, almost to the point of crying. I almost cried because it scared me how much of a man he was to do all that for me, and all the things he did for my mom and my sister as well, and I look at myself and I can't answer the question “Can I be that much of a man?”
I always say I am better than 90% of the people in this world, and the 10% I know I am not better than are the people like my dad, who can give so much for others. My grandfather also was the same way, where he'd always being food or snacks over the house, or when we go to his house, we'd leave with bags and bags of stuff. One other thing that still makes me feel so insignificant and like nothing as a man, was something my dad did for the last months my grandfather lived in his house-he went into a nursing home...at his request so he wasn't a huge burden on the family (another act that makes me feel like I can't compete). Every Sunday, my dad would cook all day and make a weeks worth of meals for my grandfather. My sister, mom, and I would help package everything and freeze them. I forgot exactly how long this went on, but I just remember it happening, and at the time I didn't think much of it, but just the past couple days this all came up. I realize that men like these two are better than me, and I could never get close to being at their level.
And now with such an uncertain future, which I am sure things will work out fine but it's still an uncertain time, I look at my dad and grandfather's legacy and wonder if I can step up and just get close to being and great as them.
And I will leave you with the clip of the famous bicycle kick that was done by the greatest Metro/Red Bull ever, Giovanni Savarese. I DEFY you to show me one player for this mess of a team that has had a greater impact on this team and is still talked about today.
OK, this is going to be one of the “nice Pete” entries, rather than the “angry Pete” ones I tend to do. I was listening last to Ron and Fez last night, and they were replaying a bit they did about ticket prices and how it out-priced the average family out of a ballgame. The talk alter went into the first time fathers take their sons to a game, and how that is a big part of the relationship between the two. With all the thoughts going through my head, the thought of the first time my dad took me to my first soccer game. I would tell you the first Mets game, but that was for the long and short of it a boy scout day, and he got tanked due to being in the upper deck-where his fear of heights was present-and then pissed when he found out beer sales ended before the game.
Anyway, in 1996, my dad took me to my first Metrostars game. It was their fourth game in existence, against the Tampa Bay Mutiny. This was the game the team won their first game in history-a shootout
win after a 3-3 tie. This was also the game where Giovanni Savarese carried the team to the tie. The Metros were down 3-0 at halftime, but in the second half, Savarese manned up and scored two goals in fantastic fashion after Tampa scoring an own goal.
We sat in the mezzanine section (the blue seats at Giants Stadium). We were near the back of the section where the upper deck hung over and blocked a small part of the view of the field. If I recall it was section 235, but I can't be totally sure, it was near the goal close to the player tunnel , but we were still on the side of the field. I just remember the air leaving the crowd when Tampa scored the three goals, but as the second half went on, the energy picked up and the crowd was hot and getting into the game. When Savarese scored the famous bicycle kick that tied the game, the place exploded. Even my dad was getting into the game. This was the game that cemented my love for the club, and I have to thank my dad for that.
What really stood out about this night as well, was that my dad for the most part was working with one leg. At this time, my dad did really bad damage to his knee, and was at one point out of work for a while. I remember him having a lot of trouble getting around at this time, and I even told him if he didn't want to go to the game, it's cool. But he said we are going and we did. He had a hard time with the stairs, and he was in pain, but dammit he took me because it would make me happy. Last night it hit me how big of a deal it was for him to do that. All day today I was thinking about all this things he did for me, even though he HATED it. It did a job on me today, almost to the point of crying. I almost cried because it scared me how much of a man he was to do all that for me, and all the things he did for my mom and my sister as well, and I look at myself and I can't answer the question “Can I be that much of a man?”
I always say I am better than 90% of the people in this world, and the 10% I know I am not better than are the people like my dad, who can give so much for others. My grandfather also was the same way, where he'd always being food or snacks over the house, or when we go to his house, we'd leave with bags and bags of stuff. One other thing that still makes me feel so insignificant and like nothing as a man, was something my dad did for the last months my grandfather lived in his house-he went into a nursing home...at his request so he wasn't a huge burden on the family (another act that makes me feel like I can't compete). Every Sunday, my dad would cook all day and make a weeks worth of meals for my grandfather. My sister, mom, and I would help package everything and freeze them. I forgot exactly how long this went on, but I just remember it happening, and at the time I didn't think much of it, but just the past couple days this all came up. I realize that men like these two are better than me, and I could never get close to being at their level.
And now with such an uncertain future, which I am sure things will work out fine but it's still an uncertain time, I look at my dad and grandfather's legacy and wonder if I can step up and just get close to being and great as them.
And I will leave you with the clip of the famous bicycle kick that was done by the greatest Metro/Red Bull ever, Giovanni Savarese. I DEFY you to show me one player for this mess of a team that has had a greater impact on this team and is still talked about today.
posted by Pete @ 10:37 PM
1 Comments:
At 1:23 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Your dad was one of the greats. I remember when my Pop died, i held off crying at the funeral until my nephews left. Then he came over to me and held me unitl i stopped bawling. He was also one of the first to say he was proud of me when i got engaged.
Gameboy
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