Flashback - Tiger Baseball '07
In sports, there is generally a winner and a loser. It's a tough lesson to learn sometimes (even more so for the parents). This particular season, the Tigers had HIGHS & LOWS to the extreme.
Looking back, its hard to understand. We had it all together, great talent, a bit of experience, incredible parents and supportive coaches.
This never helped us pull out a 'W'.
We lost EVERY.SINGLE.GAME all season long:
It was only AA, Luke was just 7 at the time. The boys were all learning still. But, coming in 'second place' every game just sucked. It got to the point where another loss was expected - 'we play the Tigers yay, easy win!'.
Once the season wrapped we had all of zero wins. It was time to start the League tournament between the six teams (double elimination).
Something clicked:
We won all 4 games of the tournament.
We got shiny first place tournament medals to go along with our last place trophies.
They looked so cute...
So we entered the District tournament. It is made up of 32 teams from surrounding cities and single elimination. We won those games too.
We played our way, night after night to the Final Championship game for our District.
Then we lost.
After that wild run, coming in second place that night didn't feel so bad then.
But try telling them that...
(they were crushed)
So many people say 'we got lucky' and still talk about 'the Tigers' with a chuckle-grin and an eye-roll. We knew half the people showed up to our tournament games to watch us 'finally loose'.
What a shame to dismiss all the hard work and effort it took to get them there. It really was a roller-coaster of a season that's for sure.
* * * * *
This week we had one of the teams from our league playing in the Final Championship District game. Lots of families and friends were there to root on their team...
Both teams played great defense. It went late and into extra innings. It was bottom of the 8th, 2 outs in a tied 1-1 ball game. With a runner on, the home team takes a big swing...
I clicked away, knowing I would capture the big winning walk-off run or an incredible tag out at home to put them into the 9th.
Runners are going...
And just like that-
the game was over.
Our league lost and it was devastating.
(Maybe more so since they were expected to win.)
But especially when they celebrate in your face....
