That is the true genius of Phillies fans, a faith -- a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can bring our children to the ballgame and know that the Phanatic won't hurt them; that we can yell what we think, blog what we think, without getting kicked out of the park; that we can scream for the Phillies at twelve of the other thirteen National League parks without fear of retribution, and that our all-star votes will be counted -- at least most of the time.
In the end, that’s what this season is about. Do we participate in a Phillies fandom of cynicism or do we participate in a fandom of hope?
Chase Utley calls on us to hope. Ryan Howard calls on us to hope.
I’m not talking about blind optimism here -- the almost willful ignorance that thinks we don't need a right-handed bat at DH in this series, or that Jamie Moyer's falling apart of late will solve itself if we just ignore it. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of kids in the Italian Market sitting around a fire singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"; the hope of suburbanites setting out for Citizens Bank Park; the hope of a young Shane Victorino bravely patrolling the centerfield; the hope of James Rollins' son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a big kid at first base with the same name as a character on The Office who believes that the World Series has a place for him, too.
Hope -- Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!
In the end, that is baseball's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.
I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs (and a short porch at Citizen's Bank Park) and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, Charlie Manuel can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.
Philadelphia! Today, if you feel the same energy that I do, if you feel the same urgency that I do, if you feel the same passion that I do, if you feel the same hopefulness that I do -- if we do what we must do, then I have no doubt that all across the region, from Bensalem to Wilmington, from Lancaster to Atlantic City, from Scranton to Fishtown, the Phillies will rise up in late October, and Jamie Moyer will receive his ring, and Cole Hamels will receive his ring, and this region will reclaim its promise, and out of this long sports darkness a brighter day will come.
Opening pitch is at around 8:35 or so tonight.
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