SANTA IS COMING! 2 DAYS!

I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!  I get it.  He's kind of scary.  He breaks into your house, eats your cookies, drinks your milk, calls everyone a ho and then leaves footprints on the floor.  That's kiiiind of rude right?  But listen - HE LEAVES YOU PRESENTS.

As I already did a piece on Christmas and what it means to me, I'm utilizing this blog as a bit of a challenge to my readers (Seriously, are any of you still following my blog or is it just my family?  Thank God I have a large family...). 

Christmas is for magic and kindness and miracles and so my challenge to you is to take time this week to believe in the impossible.  Let go of your stresses and insecurities, commit to believing you can achieve anything and that the thing you think can't happen - WILL. 

Set aside your work, put down your gadgets and be present.  Listen to the people around you, smile at strangers, engage in meaningful relationships.  Reset your mind and your spiritual space and just be in the moment

I challenge you to gain perspective, to consider things from another point of view, to commit a random act of kindness.  Be 5 again, believe in magic, pretend the world hasn't made you hard, and take in the enchantment that is the Holiday season. 

If you allow yourself to utilize these days for a larger purpose - I promise you will come out happier, healthier, and ready to rock 2017. 

#SparkleOn

Even Year Magic

Fair warning: if you're not a San Francisco Giants fan, you may not like this post.  But if you're into sports and believing in the impossible, this is the blog for you.

A little history.  I'm a born and bred Giants fan.  Since I was born my parents had been part of a group of friends who bought season tickets.  I grew up at Candlestick and graduated to AT&T Park (then Pac Bell Park) when it opened in 2000.  I associate the Giants with my childhood, my family and a huge part of my passion for sports.  The organization is synonymous with class, winning, and fun.  And that's what sports are at their core.  I truly believe the San Francisco Giants are the best business in sports and AT&T Park is the most beautiful ballpark in the game. 

Even year magic.  To me, its the magic that leads a team everyone counted out - to win three rings in 5 years.  A team who hadn't won a championship since 1954, who hadn't even made the playoffs in 7 years - to win its first even year ring in 5 games.  It's an unexplainable passion, drive, and will to win.  It's what makes sports great.  Even year magic is what we mean in sports when we say on any given day anyone can win.  And although our even year magic came to a halt in 2016 - I still believe in it.  I still believe 2018 will feel special.  I still believe in the organization that taught us to believe in the impossible.

I'm nostalgic.  I'll talk about 2010, 2012, and 2014 on my death bed.  My great grandkids are going to talk about how senile and repetitive I am and they wont be wrong.  In case you're not a fan - I'm going to walk you through even year magic.  And if you are a fan - enjoy, I know you feel the same excitement I do every time someone brings up our Giants and even year baseball.

2010

Recap: It all started in 2010.  It was our 53rd year in San Francisco and it was the first time we made the playoffs since 2003.  We started the season strong - and then came August.  August was rough.  We ended August 13-15 and thus began what would be known as bay area torture that continues to consume us today.  September rolled around and we staged a hard fought comeback - finishing 18-26 and a playoff berth.  The first game of the NLDS Tim Lincecum set a postseason franchise strikeout record at 14 and we won 1-0, finishing the series in victory on October 11th.  Next up - the Phillies for the NLCS.  The Phillies were heavily favored and were seeking their third pennant in a row. And then game 1 and Cody Ross happened.  Two home runs and some insane pitching by Timmy and we stole game 1 by one run.  Philly answered strong with a huge win for game 2 and the Giants took game 3.  After a back and forth battle - the Giants took the pennant in Game 6.  Now onto the World Series.  The Texas Rangers had just won their first pennant but the Giants were on a high.  Game 1 saw an 11-7 Giants easy win.  Games 2-5 were pure pitching duels - thankfully with a San Francisco Giants 3-1 win in Texas. 

Favorite players from 2010: Cody Ross became one of my all time favorites this year.  I met him at an event in 2015 and was completely star struck.  Giants fans you'll be happy to know he's a genuinely cool guy who loves the Giants organization.  Tim Linceum was a pitching animal.  He's now not part of the organization and has had his struggles but he will forever be a Giants great.  Brian Wilson.  We fell in love - that is all.  #FearTheBeard

Favorite Moment from 2010: NLCS. Cody Ross. 2 home runs.  I'm certain this needs no further explanation.

2010 Fun Facts:

• First championships since moving the team to San Francisco
• First world series championship for the city and county of San Francisco

2012

Recap: So 2012 was a good year for us.  We ended the season 97-68 and 1st in the NL West.  But don't let that fool you because the post season was full of torture.  The division series saw us overcome a 2-0 deficit and then the NLCS gave us real magic with overcoming the St. Louis Cardinals who were at a 3-0 series advantage.  To be clear - that means we overcame SIX elimination games to get to the World Series.  Yes, SIX.  Only one other team has done that in baseball and not since 1985. Fear not though because we swept the Detroit Tigers in the World Series to make up for all of the early postseason torture.  Now a sweep is also misleading.  The Detroit Tigers were heavily favored over our boys in orange.  And we couldn't have done it without Pablo Sandoval (I hate that fat Panda - not so good now are ya jerk?) and his three game 1 homers.  Not to mention the continuous talent of our bullpen.  They only allowed 6 runs in 4 games - the lowest total for a world series since 1966.  2012 yet again taught us that when you push the Giants to the impossible - they not only meet your challenge, they exceed it.

Favorite Players from 2012: I hate saying this because his true colors have shown he's not a true Giant - but Pablo was a 2012 great.  He was my favorite 2012 Giant and I hate that.  Marco Scutaro and that late 10th inning hit that would cause the game 4 winning run of the NLCS.  He earned that NLCS MVP Award and truly gave us the momentum that is even year magic.

Favorite Moment of 2010: Hunter Pence and that speech.  Read it, remember it.  We were facing elimination from the Reds and Pence changed the game:

"Get in here, everyone get in here... look into each other eyes... now! Look into each others eyes, I want one more day with you, it's the most fun, the best team I have ever been on, and no matter what happens we must not give in, we owe it to each other, play for each other. I need one more day with you guys, I need to see what [Ryan] Theriot will wear tomorrow, I want to play defense behind Vogelsong because he's never been to the playoffs... play for each other not yourself, win each moment, win each inning, it's all we have left."

2012 Fun Facts:

• Scutaro tied an LCS record with 14 hits in the NLCS
• In Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, Pablo Sandoval tied a World Series record by hitting three home runs in one game, two of them against starting pitcher, Justin Verlander the reigning 2011 winner of the AL Cy Young, the AL Pitching Triple Crown, and the AL MVP

2014

Recap: 2014 was more eventful.  We finished in second place in the NL West and had to defeat the Pirates for a chance at the playoffs (which spoiler alert, we did).  Onto the NLDS where in game 1 Jake Peavy didn't allow a hit until the bottom of the 5th inning.  Game 2 lasted 18 inning before the Giants secured its 10th consecutive post season win.  The Nationals took game 3, the Giants game 4 and advanced to the NLCS.  The NLCS saw the Giants victorious in 5 and Travis Ishikawa was the star of the series as the first NLCS player in history to send his team to the World Series on a walk off homerun.  And now - the 2014 World Series.  Truly bay area torture at its finest this series went 7 games.  All seemed like we may have a repeat of 2012 with a game one 7-1 Giants victory.  But game 2 saw a Royals 7-2 victory and proved they came to play.  the rest o the series was a back and forth high scoring battle leading up to game 7 which ended in a Giants 3-2 victory.  Stars of the series?  Madison Bumgarner and the Giants pitching crew.  2014 is truly where we saw the continuous magic that is Madison Bumgarner.

Favorite Players from2014: Madison Bumgarner.  There is truly no even year magic without this man.  He's ben the WS MVP, NLCS MVP, 2x Silver Slugger, Willie Mac Award winner, Babe Ruth Award winner, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, and he's got 3 rings with the Giants. 

Favorite Moment from 2014: Timmy's no hitter, the 16th no hitter in organization history.  I love Timmy, he was a huge part of this era of Giants baseball.  It was his second of his career and against the Padres, which I loved to see.

2014 Fun Facts:

• Bumgarner himself extended his postseason scoreless streak on the road to a new MLB record 32  2⁄3 innings, and took over the Giants record for postseason wins with 6. (WS Game 1)
• Incredibly only three days after making 117 pitches in shutting out the Royals in Game 5, Bumgarner pitched 5 innings of scoreless relief making 68 pitches and not walking a batter. He broke the record set by Curt Schiling for the most innings pitched in a single postseason

Now I couldn't be a true even year believer without thanking Bruce Bochy.  Bochy is the best in the game.  We would not have won 3 in 5 without his leadership.  His decision making, his leadership style, the fact that he commands respect from the best in the game - make him a legend.  And I never want to lose him. Ever.

  Lastly, even year magic is the 2010, 2012, and 2014 teams because I've never seen a dugout have more fun than watching the Giants those seasons.  Seeing the team joke around, smile laugh and truly enjoy baseball is what I love.  It reminds me of being a little kid and feeling invincible.  It reminds me of what sports mean to me in my soul.  It reminds me that at the end of the day - when you believe in magic - you can do anything.  Including three world series in five years.  And although we didn't continue in 2016 - I am so grateful for this team for teaching me to believe in magic.