Royal Disappointment

Have you heard the news? Kansas City is looking to acquire a Major League Baseball team. Because sadly, we haven't seen major league baseball in this town for some time.

One of the key reasons people enjoy living in large cities, despite all of the headaches that go along with it, is the access they get to such things as professional sports teams. So when you have a situation such as we are experiencing here in KC, it really turns peoples stomachs on several levels. And worse yet, Kansas City is anguishing like Chicago once did with a blanket of shame over all of the city's sports teams. The Jayhawks got laughed out of the NCAA tournament and have had soap opera like problems in the off season, the Tigers graduated their only excuse for serious talent to the NBA, our minor league teams in all sports are in a revolving door, the Chiefs barely have the promise of being a 500 team and regularly threaten to move the team, and the Royals are the laughing stock of Major League Baseball. Wahoo!

So if you haven't heard, the Kansas City Royals are having a record breaking year. As of today, they have the longest loosing streak in team history at 18 games. They only need to loose 3 more to tie the American League record set by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles. What is worse is that the loosing streak isn't what most people consider the most disappointing aspect of the season. That distinction gets reserved for the embarrassment given to the 20 year celebration event of the 1985 team held this year. The 1985 World Series Champion Royals are the flagship team of the sports pride of this city. They are what draws all fans, segregated with whatever logic chosen, together in one smile of joy. It could not have been any worse.

Now being a Big Ten child in Big 12 country, some of this suffering gives me a small amount of joy. But not when it comes to baseball. Baseball was the sport I played as a child and understand very well. My wife plays Softball throughout the summer. Its our game in some ways regardless of who is playing or what records are on the line. Furthermore, Baseball is one of those sports that really should be appreciated live. The experience of the park, the American past time, the aspects of the game, and Summer time fun all make baseball worth seeing at the ballpark.

But not this year, even the ball park experience isn't any fun. When you can't go to a game with the expectation that either team can win, you really have a different situation. Its kind of like the Roman Forum. No one really expected the Christians to eat the lions did they, and no one really expects the Royals to win.