Tag Archives: san francisco giants

January 21, 2015 · 12:55 pm

Inside the Clubhouse: Dynasty

SFG Productions presents Inside the Clubhouse: Dynasty, a documentary about the 2014 San Francisco Giants postseason. It’s a 45-minute recap of the team’s victories and greatest plays on their way to their third World Series title in five years. It’s awesome if you’re a Giants fan, not so much if you’re a Pirates fan/Nationals fan/Cardinals fan/Royals fan. It seemed like each Giants player had a moment to shine during the playoffs (although Mad Bum stole the spotlight). This program lets you relive all the torture, tension, and glorious relief as the Giants ultimately take a dramatic Game 7. The documentary raises the question about whether or not the Giants are a dynasty. The answer is yes. Yes, they are. The film is currently available online but I don’t know for how long, so you should watch it now. Like right now. Here’s the link below. You’re welcome. http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/fan_forum/gen/index.jsp

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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October 30, 2014 · 9:36 pm

Dynasty

The San Francisco Giants won the 2014 World Series. They also won the 2012 World Series. And before that they won the 2010 World Series. That’s three World Series in five years in case you’re not paying attention. That’s a dynasty. Only a lot of people disagree with that. Those people are mostly on the East Coast and they are extremely biased. They would have no problem calling it a dynasty if the New York Yankees did it. The Giants did it with the same core group of guys in an era when rosters change dramatically from season to season. Bruce Bochy, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Tim Lincecum, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez, and Sergio Romo (and Matt Cain sort of) all have three rings with this team. A bunch of others now have two. A handful of them got their first ones. In 2016 they will get another if the trend keeps up.

The Giants are often overlooked and underrated. The Dodgers and Yankees get all the attention and publicity because of their marquee players and enormous payroll. But it takes a team to win the World Series and the Giants play as a team in every sense of the word. They pick each other up, they support each other, and they play for each other. It seems like there’s a different hero every game. They play for the name of the front of the jersey, not the name on the back and every single player on that roster will tell you that. They believe that there’s something special happening in San Francisco. And three World Series in five years proves that there is. Let’s call it what it is. It’s a dynasty.

Critically Rated at 17/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 20, 2014 · 11:42 am

Sports Parade

A parade is a when a town or city shuts down a few blocks so that important people can wave to non-important people. A sports parade is when a team wins the championship game and all the fans can come out and cheer for their team one more time before the next season starts. A sports parade is a way of giving back to the fans. Professional sports don’t work without fans. The winning team gets a trophy. All the players, coaches, owners, and various staff members get a ring. The fans just get a parade. It’s kind of bullshit. But it’s still fun. It’s one last chance to revel in the ultimate victory. I’ve been to two sports parades in my life, both for the San Francisco Giants. I went in 2010 and in 2012, and I’m planning to go again in 2014. Normal parades are for kids and families. They aren’t fun and they aren’t exciting once you reach a certain age. But sports parades are fun for all ages, so long as you’re invested in the team that it’s for. Sports bring together people from all walks of life. And sports parades cram all those people together on a few city streets so you can see how much impact a team has on the region. There’s a sense of community, of camaraderie that only sports can provide.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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August 24, 2013 · 9:22 am

Wait Til Next Year

The Chicago Cubs have a motto and it’s “wait til next year.” That’s because they haven’t won a World Series title since 1908. That’s a pretty big drought, the longest of any North American sports team. As each season crumbles away and they see their World Series chances dissolving, all the fans can do is wait till next year. I never really understood their grief. I’m a Giants fan, and we won two World Series in three years. But then the 2013 season began, and the Giants started playing like a Little League team. We still have the same core team that won it all in 2012, but this season we are last in our division, well below .500, and are about 20 games behind the Dodgers. We have no choice but to wait til next year. We can still gloat about being the defending champions, but we can’t ignore the fact that we suck right now. Only one team can win the World Series, everyone else has to wait til next year.

Critically Rated at 6/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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June 26, 2013 · 9:57 am

Watching a Game with a Rival Fan

I went to AT&T Park a few weeks ago to watch the San Francisco Giants take on the San Diego Padres. I went to the game with a friend from work. He wore his Padres cap, while I rocked my Giants sweatshirt. We grabbed a few drinks before the game and raised our glasses to a good game. Then we went into the stadium and found our seats. We were talking and joking and having a good time. But then the game started and the atmosphere changed. Suddenly we became rivals. We were still making small talk, but most of our conversations involved shit-talking and subtle insults about the other team. Watching a game with a rival fan is an interesting experience. You’re watching the exact same game, but you’re seeing two different things. My heroes are his villains and vice versa. I’m cheering while he’s silent. He’s clapping while I’m shaking my head in disbelief. But you can also find out more about the other team. He knows more about his team then you do. And you can also tell him facts about your team. You get a look at the bigger picture. The major problem with watching a game with a rival fan is that somebody is going to lose and that can make for an awkward car ride home. So if your team wins, be a good sport and try not to gloat. And if your team loses, be a good sport and try not to mope.

Critically Rated at 11/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 4, 2013 · 9:56 am

The Seagulls at AT&T Park

AT&T is the home of the San Francisco Giants and about a thousand fucking seagulls. The seagulls seem to have some sort of ESP because they always know when the game is almost over. It doesn’t matter if it’s a day game or a night game, or the first or last game of a home stand, they’ll always show up around the 7th or 8th inning. You’ll see one, than a few, than it’s suddenly like a Hitchcock movie and the sky is filled with the motherfuckers. They start flying around looking for food and shitting on people. It’s pretty nerve-wracking (not to mention distracting) and it makes you want to bring an umbrella for protection from aerial bombardments. The seagulls can even sense extra innings somehow. It’s kind of amazing how aware they can be. I love everything about AT&T Park, it’s one of the best stadiums in the world but the seagulls are definitely a nuisance. You can’t enjoy the game if you’re worried about being shat on. Maybe they can have a BB gun giveaway and solve the problem once and for all.

Critically Rated at 7/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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April 6, 2013 · 8:29 am

The San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are the best team in baseball. The Yankees might have won more World Series, but the Giants have won more games. I know that sounds unbelievable, but it’s a fact. Look it up. They have more wins than any North American sports team. That includes football, basketball, soccer, and hockey. The most winning team in the USA ever. And we won two out of the last three championships. That makes us a dynasty.

Right now we have some of the best players out there. We have Buster Posey, former Rookie of the Year and reigning National League MVP, and we have him for 9 more years. People don’t give enough respect to Pablo Sandoval. Yeah, he’s a fatty but he also hit three homeruns in a World Series Game, can hit from both sides of the plate, and makes spectacular plays at third base. We have quite possibly the best pitching rotation in the majors. Our worst starting pitcher has 2 Cy Young Awards. Our best pitcher has achieved perfection. We have three of the best announcers in baseball. Jon Miller is in the Hall of Fame. And Kruk and Kuip are two broadcasters that are as beloved as anyone on the field. Dave Flemming is growing on me. Very slowly, but he’s still growing on me.

We have two of the best players of all time. Barry Bonds is controversial because he was roided out in an era when everyone was roided out. Most people choose to ignore that he was a 40-40 player before he started using, and was perhaps the most dominate player of any generation. Some people might say that Babe Ruth is the Greatest Of All Time because he was the best hitter and a brilliant pitcher. Whatever, he never played against black people or Latinos and white people suck at sports. We also had Willie Mays. He is the leading candidate for being the best player ever. He’s certainly the most rounded. He was the ultimate team player with all five tools: he could hit with power, he could hit for average, great defense, a great arm, and a great base runner. Plus he was smart with great instincts. He was born to play baseball.

The Giants are the best team because they are my team. I love them no matter what. I love them when they win, and I love them when they lose. I anguish in each defeat, I revel in each victory. Baseball allows you to connect with the past. You can always compare a player from today with a player from yesterday. It’s why it’s the national pastime. It doesn’t matter who you root for. Your team is your team. But my team just so happens to be the best.

Critically Rated at 16/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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January 26, 2013 · 8:45 am

Orange October (documentary)

Orange October is an Internet miniseries about the miraculous and memorable 2012 San Francisco Giants postseason. There are twelve episodes, each one about 5-7 minutes in length. You have to watch this if you’re a Giants fan. You get to relive all the best moments of the postseason and remember how we won all of those elimination games with clutch hitting, great defense, and bizarre Angels in the Outfield-type moments. This documentary chronicles each game and the key plays and contributors as the Giants defeated the Reds, Cardinals, and finally the Detroit Tigers on their way to winning their second World Series title in three years. The 2012 SF Giants were destined to win and no one can deny that they earned it. So check out SFG Productions Presents ITC: 12 Days of Orange October while you wave your rally towel and rock your panda hat. And fuck the Dodgers.

Critically Rated at 15/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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October 12, 2012 · 10:12 am

The Fan (film)

Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes star in Tony Scott’s adaptation of the book by Peter Abrahams that you never read. You probably didn’t see the movie either. It’s not that good. It’s not that bad either. It’s just not that memorable.

            Robert De Niro plays a San Francisco Giants fan with an unhealthy man-crush on star player Bobby Rayburn. Gil is a shitty knife salesman with a failed family life. His wife has divorced him and he alienates his son with his obsession with the Giants. When Gil loses his job, he loses his mind and becomes dependent on Bobby Rayburn to distract him from reality.

Rayburn is a Barry Bonds caliber player but he gets injured and starts struggling on the field. Gil takes it upon himself to get Rayburn back to star status. And when Rayburn refuses to acknowledge the fans, Gil takes it personally and tries to kill Rayburn and kidnaps his son. It’s safe to say that he’s slightly unhinged.

            Benicio del Toro and John Leguizamo play supporting roles, and you see John Kruk lumbering in the background as one of the Giants players. As usual Robert De Niro does a good job as his flawed character descends further and further into insanity. But Bobby Rayburn is the more interesting character. He has more of a character arc because Gil was always kind of crazy. Rayburn has his own demons to battle, like his batting slump, competition from his teammates, having to hit homeruns for sick kids, and dealing with a psychotic fan.

            This movie is all right if you’re a baseball fan. It’s even better if you’re a Giants fan. But I wouldn’t recommend this movie. It just is what it is. If anyone tells you that this is their favorite movie, they are either lying or an idiot.

Critically Rated at 8/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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