View from the Couch

BY BILL SCREAMIN' LEEMAN

It is late Sunday afternoon as I type this and out of the corner of my eye I'm watching Tim Lincecum pitch against the Braves on TV.

I am not enjoying it one bit! 

As a matter of fact, you might say I'm a tad miffed.  Ticked off.  Peeved.  

Why?

Because I had tickets to this game.   I still have them.   I was at the game.   Where we waited from a few minutes after noon until 3:30 in the pouring rain for them to play, or call the game.   It was windy, blowing like crazy, and absolutely POURING when we left at 3:30.  So of course we knew there was no way they'd play the game.

After all, how long are we supposed to wait for something to happen?

Just how long do the powers that be think is long enough to make the fans wait?  Two hours?  Three?  Four?   It was FOUR HOURS and NINE minutes of rain delay.   They started the game at about 5:14.   It was originally scheduled for 1:05. 

Real nice.  

So, if we got to the park at noon, which we did, and they started the game at 5:14, which they did, that means that we would have been there for over FIVE HOURS before the game even started! 

Is this acceptable??  Absolutely NOT!

You know, I realize that we are just the lowly fans, that all we are good for is PAYING, with our hard-earned cash, the player's salaries, the upkeep of the stadium, the outrageous prices for food and drink, and everything else that has anything to do with the ball team. 

So what do we get for our financial support?  

A slap in the face.  

This is VERY disrespectful to us fans.   As a matter of fact, it is insulting.   And I'm ANGRY!   Let's quit sugar-coating it.  

Wouldn't it be nice to get a rain check?   Wouldn't it be nice to be offered something?   We get no 'Rain-Check'.   And why not?  

Because they played the game.  

Never mind that we were soaking wet, freezing cold, and running very short on patience after three and a half hours.   Never mind that we spent over a hundred dollars for two tickets, another twenty for parking and thirty more for doggies and cokes.   Never mind that we have other things to do with our lives than sit out in the freezing cold rain and wind for five hours waiting for something to happen???   Is this a frickin' joke?   I guess so, and the joke's on us.  

I don't know who is responsible, if it's the Giants, the Braves, Major League Baseball, or all three, but it would be real nice to give us a damn rain check, at the very least.

This is no way to do business.   Any decent organization that wants return business and will treat its customers right.   If something unseemly happens, they'll fix it.   

But not Major League Baseball, oh, no!  As fans, we're just S.O.L. now, aren't we?

* * * *

Now, just a minute:  Sandoval just hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Giants a three run lead.  I'm a little calmer.  

Oh, Molina knocks in Huff to put us up by four going to the ninth.  How 'bout that?  

Giants win, six to three, off to a five and one start.   Uh huh!  Our boys are lookin' good!

* * * *

I'd still like a rain check.