Mike O'Connell

Discussion about last night’s game between my hometown NFL team–that would be the Washington Commanders–and the Philadelphia Eagles has centered mostly on the 4th quarter “excessive celebration” penalty called against Stefon Diggs.

It was Diggs’s first game in burgundy and gold, and with about 10 minutes to play the new guy scored a touchdown to put Washington within two points of Philly. Trouble is, on the play Diggs committed the unforgivable sin of bear-hugging the goalpost, a rather bizarre “celebration” counter to the rules. The 15-yard penalty put the Commanders out of reasonable two-point-conversion range and had to settle for a PAT.

Of course the Commanders would get a more legitimate shot at a two-pointer with about a minute to play, but that one seemed of course to be destined for failure based on the earlier gaffe, no?

That’s how things go in D.C., right?

Done in by celebrating.

At least they had something to celebrate.

Two of the most noteworthy things I ever did in life occurred on back-to-back days in September of 2006. It was September 9 and September 10, as a matter of fact, and though it doesn’t seem possible, I realize now those events were 20 years ago.

On September 9, 2006, I made my first and only trip to see, well, not just football… Notre Dame football at its titular stadium in South Bend, Indiana. That day I saw the Fighting Irish come away with a convincing victory against the visitors from Penn State. (Yeah, Paterno and company.)

The following day I was back in Binghamton, hosting as I did in those days, a celebration of jazz and politics–sort of–recording a live album at the On Q Jazz Club on North Depot Street. (Don’t bother finding it now; it closed nearly two decades ago.) That night was supposed to be a campaign fundraiser for me as well, but as referenced here not long ago, it was not meant to be. As I said that night:

“Tonight you were supposed to hear about my campaign. Instead, you’ll just hear about… me.”

My favorite subject.

Twenty years later… still is.

I think I’m finally ready to talk about it. Last Sunday at Nationals Park.

As referenced Monday, it was lovely until it wasn’t.

For further details, check out today’s episode of Math and Musings.

Enjoy.

Yesterday afternoon I attended my first Major League Baseball game this season, this after seeing a mess of games at varying levels of professionalism.

“Mess” is how I’d describe the conclusion to yesterday’s game; I should have stuck to the minors.

In a contest I could only describe as “a game between two bad teams” I saw my hometown club (that would be the Washington Nationals) host the Miami Marlins.

For eight innings the game was quite enjoyable, actually, the action zipping along and the Nats holding a 2-0 lead.

They proceeded to give up six runs in the top of the ninth inning through a series of plays I could describe only as bizarre and lost the game 6-2.

You know how they say you go to a ballgame and you’ll see something you’ve never seen before?

Yeah, yesterday I saw like 14 in one inning… none of them good.

Plan on a full report Friday on the podcast…

if I can get myself to talk about it.

Last night I finished reading Michael Schur and Joe Posnanski’s Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love.

In a word? Pretty good.

More funny than anything (it’s got the Schur touch more than the Posnanski), Big Fan takes the reader far beyond the court/field/pitch to disparate worlds of music, crossword puzzles, and Buffalo Wild Wings. (Don’t worry, it all makes sense in context. Sort of.)

Schur, of course, is the writer (and producer and various other titles) behind The Office, Parks and Recreation, and many episodes of SNL. So yeah, the book is going to be funny. Posnanski’s got at least half a dozen books and hundreds of articles about baseball (and lesser sports) and has won pretty much every athletic writing award in existence. (I even give him a shoutout in From Box Scores to Test Scores.) So yeah, the book’s going to have some great sports stories.

Is it two guys resting on their laurels a bit, kind of mailing it in?

A little.

But I read every word… because I’m a fan. And that’s what fans do.

Highlights for me included a chapter on Mike’s seeing Dead & Company at (the) Sphere in Las Vegas–not really about sports but touching on another interest of mine–and Joe’s chapter entitled “A Most Improbable Love: How a Boy in England Found a Lost Ballplayer.” This one is some great storytelling. No spoilers here.

In the end it’s a story of friendship, of camaraderie, of being part of something bigger than yourself… all those cliches that really are sometimes apt. And there’s the constant reminder of why we’re fans:

1. Life is boring, and fandom provides entertainment.
2. Life is chaotic, and fandom provides order.
3. Life is lonely, and fandom provides community.

Yup.

For me it’s been a lovely ride.

Ain’t stoppin’ any time soon.