I'VE TAKEN a lot of grief over the past week regarding my complete and utter hatred of the Los(er) Angeles Dodgers.
Most recently, I think people believed I stepped over the line by saying how hard it was for me to watch Davey Lopes (once the epitome of Dodgerdom) coach first base for the Phillies.
Now, let me say that he's done a tremendous job in his time with the Phils, and it had nothing to do with his performance on the field. However, I still believe a brief history lesson is in order.
Before Chase, Ryan and Jayson turned into "Rockie Killers" last week, before the infamous Bud Selig "rain game" and subsequent World Series win in 2008, before the heart-wrenching, second- most-famous "Shot heard 'round the world" by Joe Carter in 1993, before the Von (worst trade ever) Hayes-led 1983 World Series contenders and before Pete, Michael Jack and Tugger brought us our first world championship in 1980, there was what Bill Conlin eloquently referred to as "Black Friday, Oct. 7, 1977."
As an impressionable 8-year-old, I was a rabid Phillies fan. I would wake up almost daily and count my 13 Jay Johnstone and 11 Richie Hebner cards, wondering why I could only get my hands on one Mike Schmidt or Steve Carlton.
After a few years of Danny Ozark's mediocrity, I was starting to believe this was the year - I mean, 101 wins is nothing to sneeze at.
And when the Phils were up 5-3 in the ninth with two out to take a 2-1 series lead (five-game series back then), a World Series appearance (the first in 25-plus years) was within reach.
Then it all unraveled. The Phils went on to be on the receiving end of what they did to the Rockies in 2009 and wound up losing the series 3-1.
On to 1978. Not quite as good in the win-loss column but (Shake &) Bake McBride was starting to put his mark on right field and relegated Johnstone to more of a platoon player.
Also, Dick (best windup ever) Ruthven was back on the team with a remarkable 13-5 record and the only sub-3.0 ERA year of his career. I started to feel this was it.
Sadly, the lowly Dodgers again beat the Phils 3-1 in the five-game series. Truth be told, Steve Garvey's four playoff homers were probably much more responsible than anything Lopes did, but he was still part of that team - the team that crushed the spirits of a 9-year-old boy.
SO, BEFORE you're too quick to forget, remember the first time your heart was broken by a beloved sports team.
If Phil Simms were hired to coach the Eagles, would you feel a twinge of disdain? If Larry Bird bought a majority stake in the Sixers, would you rush out to support him? If Martin Brodeur donned Flyers orange, how would that make you feel?
All I ask is one thing - remember! Go, Phillies - Beat L.A.!
Chris Fish is a financial services manager. E-mail him at fish_d_chi@yahoo.com.
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