Complete this sentence

You know you're in a pennant race when __________

The Rays are on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. How is that intruding in your life?

Back in my elementary-school days, when my favorite team often played afternoon games, my mates and I dodged nuns and risked corporal punishment by bringing a transistor radio to class.

It's so much easier now.

So, here's how I fill in the blank.

At a dinner party Tuesday night, I discreetly (or so I thought) went to my Blackberry to check the Red Sox-Rays score.

1-1 in the 9th inning?!? Oh, man. I set the auto refresh for every 15 seconds.

Rays pitcher J.P. Howell got the first two outs, then the next two Sox reached base.

I wonder what my facial contortions looked like at this point. And when new pitcher Dan Wheeler got two strikes on Jed Lowrie, I became a bad ventriloquist, not-so-silently mouthing "Get 'im. Get 'im."

An agonizing number of auto-refreshes later, Wheeler got his man.

The Rays loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th while we were in the elevator. As I opened the lobby door to the street for my wife and two friends, the Blackberry said Rays 2, Red Sox 1.

I reached for my wife's hand as we walked to the car and wondered, "How are my Phillies doing?"

So, what's your story?

You know you're in a pennant race when __________

September baseball: Game-winning hits, Mohawk haircuts and shaving-cream pies. [James Borchuck | Times]

 

Comments

[ganderson]

You know you're in a pennant race when
your husband texts you to say "I'm In" when he goes to get tickets.
When you DVR a Rays game.
When you are on the phone with your friend for an hour watching and discussing play by play instead of gossiping

[Joey]

All I can say is this has been an amazing year. My family is a "sports" family, but NEVER have we been so captivated by the Rays. This is like what our house used to be like come football season. Family time - we all look forward to the game. But now it's the Rays, even my 19 month old daughter squeals "bees-ball" and my 5-yr old son cheers "COME ON RAYS!". And best of all, my husband would rather be home watching it with us than sitting at the bar. THANK YOU RAYS FOR BRINGING MY FAMILY TOGETHER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT!

[Fascinated]

On a more serious note:

Went to the game last night and made an interested observation. Has anyone else noticed how ugly Red Sox Fans are?

What is going on here??

There are fat slobs everywhere, but I'm talking about basic facial structure.

Nasty.
Hideous.
Disgusting.

Just to complete the nightmare, throw in that lovely accent...

Go RAYS!!!

[Laura]

You wake up at 3 AM to watch the RAYS on AFN and you're still watching at 6 AM because the game is in extra innings. You pray the Rays will hurry up and win so you can get to work on time!!!

[Joe]

When, after being a born and raised native son of Tampa, and a "football" guy my whole life, I have had to learn the intricacies of the game of baseball as this season has gone on. I never bothered before b/c hey, the rays were not good. I started a little last year but this season has been AWESOME and I will be a diehard fan for the rest of my life. Who knew that baseball was this fun to watch when you know what the hell is going on? Apparently, everyone but me!! GO RAYS!!

[sueann]

...when you find yourself sleeping better when the Rays win.

[Phil J.]

...When I take my 6 year old son who is being raised a RAYS fan to his first baseball game and the home team wins and makes the playoffs for the first time in team history.

GO RAYS!!!

[Jason]

....the biggest deciding factor in your choice of restaurant is who has a TV that has mlb extra innings. I travel a lot for my job and the first thing I do when I hit the ground is start calling sportsbars to find out who can show the game. I spent Monday night in Minnesota with my Rays jersey and hat on watching the game at Joe Senser's and having Twins fans tell me what a bum Delmon Young is for them. I spent Tuesday night in Racine, WI watching the game at Charcoal Rotisserie Bar and Grill after telling the manager there was a good tip waiting for him if that channel was not changed. I had a 5:15 flight home tonight from Wisconsin but I paid $50 to confirm standby on an earlier flight so I can get home to Orlando and be in my La-Z-Boy recliner in time for first pitch.

Jimmy Fallon and Fever Pitch has nothing on me!

[Scott G]

When you're depressed when the Rays have an off day.

When my 2 1/2 year old boy loves to wear his Rays hat and says that he and Carlos Pena are buddies.

[Jamie]

^Marc that post is genius!

[Quagmire]

it's back... never mind....

[Albert]

You can say what you want about Red Sox fans but we have this in common: We love to see the Rays beat the *@!! Yankees. It didn't happen often enough but the Rays are 10 games ahead of the Yankees.

[Quagmire]

you removed my "Rays Special" post ????

so not nice ... giggity giggity

[Quagmire]

when the "escort" on craigslist advertises her "Rays Special" and she arrives wearing a catchers mask and shin guards ... giggity giggity !!!

[Albert]

When you are watching the 12th inning and the 13th inning through eyeslits and you refuse to go to sleep, and you wake up your wife at the top and again at the bottom of the 14th inning to give her a status report (Rays ahead! Rays won!!) and she's actually happy to hear the news. When you watch on Monday night and wonder who are those hapless clones wearing Rays uniforms, and you watch Tuesday night and see the Rays we've been watching all summer pull it out in the bottom of the 9th, for the 11th or 12th walk-off win this season.

[Scott]

Your looking forward to a mid-September series against the Twins more than the UF - Tenn. football game.

[cindy]

You are an attorney and you check the score during day games on cell phone.

[Fascinated]

On a more serious note:

Went to the game last night and made an interested observation. Has anyone else noticed how ugly Red Sox Fans are?

What is going on here??

There are fat slobs everywhere, I'm talking about basic facial structure.
Nasty.
Hideous.
Disgusting.

Just to complete the nightmare, throw in that lovely accent...

Go RAYS!!!

[Lindsay]

When your parents, die hard Cardinals fans, call from Indiana every day to see "if the Rays won."

When you, the diehard Cards fan, find yourself wearing more Rays stuff that Birds.

When you dream that Percival is again a Card, and wake up worried about it.

When you're rooting for one of your favorite players ever (Scott Rolen) to K because you just don't want Kaz to give up any hits.

[skippy]

you are not a baseball fan but you find yourself checking the scores and cheering for the home team. Go Rays!!

[Marc]

Hilarious Anti-Rays post from earlier in the season:

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/messages/chrono/10217374

a must read!

[John]

... when you're at work and you're not working because you're watching the game.

[MammaRays]

You know you're in a pennant race when a Red Sox fan is overheard declaring "I hate those f___ing cowbells!"

Go Rays!!!!!

[King Gator II]

you've taken down the Gator flag on your house and replaced with a Rays flag during football season! Go Rays!

[King Gator]

..your 4 year old son asks you to Tivo the Rays game when he has to go to bed.

..you've taught the same 4 year old boy to tell his relatives and neighbors "We don't like the (Yankees or Red Sox) they stink! Me and my dad are Rays fans!"

[CHRIS]

When you tell your sick girlfriend to go in the other room so you can watch the game on the hd tv.

Also, when we can have almost 20 posts and only one fool who still thinks stalled stadium talk is important during the final homestand of the season.

[Barbera]

you know your in a pennant race when you havent had problems with anxiety for years and you renew your perscription to xanxax.

[raoul]

You actually watch a boring baseball game.

[Doug]

When Saturday afternoon games are watched and college football scores are checked.

[october engagement]

when you have psych class, and you wear a single earphone under a hoodie your brought even though its 90 degrees outside. You have your laptop open and watch the live stream. eventually as the class goes on suddenly there are more people every leaning in on your desk at the once barren back of the classroom.

[Amanda]

Hey, ITM. Good to hear from ya!
Marc, I'm with you about productivity. I don't get much done after 7:00...
I have another hilarious "you know you're in a pennant race" example, but this is a family-friendly message board.

[Tim]

You know you're in a pennant race when ... we are talking serious baseball in September and the Bucs aren't the only game in town .. In fact , they are a distant thought right now ...

GO RAYS !!!!!!!!!!!

[Bill]

When your job performance diminishes because of the lack of sleep you are getting staying up to watch great baseball!

[Don]

...when you put off going on vacation, again and again, because going out-of-town would mean you would miss the Rays game.

[Joe]

When you are in class for grad school and you have the live feed from ESPN.com up with the Rays game on, caring less about what the professor has to say.

[chris]

GO RAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[insidethemonster]

Red Sox fan here....and I must say, what a game. As much as a rivalry as this is becoming I like the Rays. It'll be great having two AL East teams in the playoffs with neither of them being the Yankees. 200 million + payroll that gets you 4th place...sweet.

Anways, I'm always open to hear more Rays fan opinon's on my blog, check it out at:

http://www.insidethesox.blogspot.com

[Craig]

When sox fans routinely deface your local paper's blog with all their hand-wringing and impotent attendance slams. HA HAAAAAAAA

have some chowdah and shaddap awready

[Finally]

It's about time, great thread. You know you're in the pennant race when...you agree at every post here!! GO RAYS

[Mike]

oh wait, I wouldn't be driving for playoff games if we're still in a pennant race. Oops. Point still stands.

[Mike]

when you drive 2 hours from Orlando for every playoff game just because.

[Uncle Cliffy]

You know you're in a pennent race when...

- Garcia/Griese, who cares?

- Actually get upset when Sportscenter talks NFL

- Frantically scanning all the dials of your radio and your satellite radio looking for anyone talking baseball

-Downloading baseball podcasts from Boston to hear them moan about the pesky Rays

-Surfing the Boston newspapers to see what they're saying about the Rays

-Spending more time at the trop than you are with your family

-Hanging up your "lucky" jersy every night so it'll be ready for the next night of baseball

-You find yourself making up your own nicknames for the players

-You buy your young daughters Rays shirts, hoping they'll jump on the bandwagon with you

-You download "Feel the Heat" Rays song as your ringtone

- Go over your text message allotment with Rays talk and score updates

-You spend 10 minutes writing out a stupid list on the Heater blog

[Don]

when you pay a lot of money for NFL Sunday Ticket, and then don't even watch it because the Rays are on!

[webdoyenne]

...when you call your grown son or he calls you so you can watch the ninth inning "together"...for every game.

[Michael]

You know your in the middle of a penant race when your mother who hates baseball, and would walk out whenever you were watching the Rays in previous seasons actually says on nights they are off, "Boy, its too bad the Rays arnt playing, I love watching them!"

[MammaRays]

Tom, I'm just sorry your wife wasn't watching the game with you. I'm as hooked as my husband.

[Tony]

Hey Kim, this thread has nothing to do with building a stadium for the Rays. Go troll somewhere else.

[Tom]

You know you're in a pennant race when...

Your wife gives you that certain look, asks when you're coming to bed, and you reply, "um, it's tied 1-1 at Fenway, and man, it's like the Rays are so close every inning". Then when Pena hits a 3-run dinger in the 14th and Hammel shuts them down after swearing at Percival for loading them up with no out in the bottom of the inning, you fairly race to the bedroom, wake up your wife to tell her and remind her of 'that certain look', she says, "oh that's nice. I'm sleepy".

And you're still happy because the Rays won.

[Josh]

you know you're in a pennant race when you drink every night.

[MammaRays]

You know you're in a pennant race when, 1. in September, you are actually keeping an eye on the other game scores....

2. you know the Red Sox and the Yankees are playing a series coming up and you find yourself really rooting for the Yankees.

3. there's football going on?????