The Beard Has Been Feared

THE SPORTS BOTTOM - November 2, 2010

Finally the real curse is over. The curse? Maybe not. The Torture? Definitely. 

Call it what you want but 52 years is a long time. And the San Francisco Giants are World Champions of Baseball (well, North America anyways)!

Yes, our beloved Giants did the impossible and the improbable and won the World Series four games to one against the Texas Rangers, igniting minor rioting but mostly major reveling and merriment in the streets of San Francisco (hey, that would be great name for a TV show!). It was the first championship for the Giants since the big move west in 1958. It also, somewhat, exorcised the demons of the near misses in 1989 and 2002.

The Giants’ pitching in the Series (the entire postseason, for that matter) was simply unbelievable. Timmy Lincecum pitched eight innings of one-run ball and Brian “Fear the Beard” Wilson closed out the Ninth. Matty Cain didn’t give up an earned run throughout the ENTIRE POSTSEASON! And Mad Dog Bumgarner pitched eight shutout innings in Game Four to pretty much seal the victory for the Orange and Black.

What a band of misfits, as the team was being called by national and local media types. Aubrey Huff Daddy and his magic red thong. FEAR THE THONG!

Cody Ross. The bald, bearded wonder. Got the Giants off and running this postseason with some huge home runs against Atlanta and Philadelphia. He was also stealing the hearts of men and women in San Francisco with his adorable smile. Hence his nickname: Smiles. (ahhh!)

Buster Freakin’ Posey! Soon to be named Rookie of the Year for the National League for 2010. Wow. Has a player ever emerged from the minors and stolen a team’s and a city’s collective hearts quite like Posey did this year? Buster looks like he’s 15 years old but he plays like a grizzly veteran. He handles the pitchers brilliantly and how many clutch hits and homers did he have this post season?

And who can forget Edgar Renteria? World Series Most Valuable Player! Wow. When he hit the three run homer in Game Five I thought the roof of the bar was gonna fly off. That’s how loud the crowd was inside. Just amazing.

After the final out and the champagne was being toasted me and my buddies drifted outside to see what was happening in the streets. Even in Bernal Heights cars were honking and people highfiving out their windows, waving Rally Rags. People were hugging in the streets, dancing in the streets. Fireworks were being shot off (probably illegally). Good times abounded.

There was minor violence. Six arrests at last count. A couple of windows broken. City busses stopped by crowds in the streets. Nothing too major.

Finally the 2010 baseball season is over. It’s been a long ride. And who knew that our beloved Giants would be the last team standing.Thank god it’s over, though. I seriously can’t afford to be going out every night and my liver hurts. So well done, Boys!

Next up is tomorrow’s parade and civic celebration. I’ve never been to a championship celebration parade. In the St. Louis Cardinals World Series’ in the 1980s I was too young and 100 miles away in 1982. In 1985 we were robbed by Don Denkinger. And in 1987 we were robbed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. And the St. Louie Rams won the Super Bowl the year AFTER I moved to California. Just my luck.

So tomorrow is finally the day. Almost 41 years on this planet and finally this avid sports fan gets to go to a championship celebration parade. Should be quite memorable. 

As memorable as the 2010 Giants? Who knows. This team of misfits will be hard to top. But it should be a wonderful culmination to an unbelievably wonderful season.

Go Giants! 2010 World Series Champions! Enjoy the parade tomorrow, San Francisco. I’ll be packed into Civic Center myself. Back to normal life on Thursday.