I’m going to let you in on a little secret: despite all appearances, soccer is not my favorite sport.
That honor belongs to baseball, and last night was a big night in baseball. A spectacular home run by catcher Cal Raleigh sent the Seattle Mariners into the postseason for the first time since 2001, ending the longest playoff drought for a franchise in the four major North American professional sports.
This was a huge, made-for-TV moment, and the Mariners and their fans have certainly earned the right to revel in it. Baseball game celebrations are always a sight to behold, and I would highly recommend stopping by Lookout Landing and reading the comments there to enjoy this moment with them.
It was a moment Buffalo Bills fans can certainly relate to. Less than five years ago now, the Bills ended their own 17-season playoff drought — and although it didn’t happen in such epic fashion, the memory is no less memorable or sweet for the team’s fans. Watching the Mariners and their fans celebrate last night, I found myself thinking mostly of Andy Dalton and Kyle Williams.
Sports are great. I’m not a Mariners fan – in fact, the two MLB teams I support, Cleveland and Toronto, will compete directly with Seattle in the postseason in very short order – but even as an insider out, this moment was quite fun, and great for the game of baseball.
Here’s hoping Bills fans can enjoy a similar moment in a few short months, with the championship drought coming to an end. Maybe the party for that one was a little more epic.