Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure

Always looking for more I guess.

A couple of days ago when I posted my last blog, my best friend Danny Cruff commented on Facebook that he couldn’t wait to read the blog when the Kansas City Royals win the World Series.

And then game one happened and I cringed. I cringed for many reasons, but among them was the thought that there may not be a Royals blog anytime in the near future. And then game two happened and everything was even again. But this morning I thought about it and realized that it didn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, if the Kansas City Royals win the World Series — at least, not where writing a blog comes in.

Because a blog about the 2014 Kansas City Royals is not rooted in wins, or even losses for that matter.

See my friend Danny is a rare breed. Danny is a Kansas City Royals fan.

No, not some pop up out of the woodwork Royals fan; there are enough of those lately. Fair weather and all, you know.

No, not some guy just cheering for the Royals to win because his team is out or didn’t even make the playoffs. That is my role by the way.

Danny is a life-long, as I live and breath, hardcore, until death do us part Kansas City Royals fan. He about has more different Royals hats than I have fingers and toes. He doesn’t just worship the church of George Brett; he actually remembers that Johnny Damon was once a Royal. If you play a video game against him, he is the Royals. Both of his kids played t-ball on teams named the Royals. Really, with all due respect, who bleeds Kansas City Royals? Danny Cruff does.

See we all have our days or months or years with our favorite sports teams. But we are all also spoiled. I hated when my Boston Red Sox failed to make the postseason this year, but they were also just champions a year ago. I became a Red Sox fan in 2001 after visiting the city in high school. And while 2001 was in the midst of that great curse, I sure didn’t have to wait long for them to break it during my fandom. Also, in a not-so shocking turn of events (if you ever read this blog), I am a die-hard Duke Blue Devils fan. Being a Duke fan bring an inherent sadness even if we aren’t losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to a school you have never heard of before. The point is, at Duke, letdown is not winning the whole damn thing. In 22 years as a Duke fan, we have won 3 titles, a fourth was won just the year before that. I hate when Duke loses, but I am a fan through thick and thin. But again let’s face the facts: we are all spoiled. Duke’s “thin” is a lot of teams’ “success.” That isn’t bragging, it is just highlighting what makes this World Series, this Royals team so great to me.

Yes, they are awesome to watch. Their bullpen is strong, they are crushing the ball and their outfielders have made some insane highlight reel catches.

But this Royals team is great to me, cheer worthy to be because Danny Cruff is a fan. A real fan.

I can stand up and say “yes, I would support my team no matter what,” and I truly believe that. I am sure many of you believe that too, but would you?

Who, as die-hard sports fans, can say that you would watch your team fail…and sometimes fail badly for 29 straight years? So you are a Chicago Cubs fan and you can claim not winning a World Series in nearly a century? Well at least you’ve been to the playoffs in that time. I couldn’t even fathom a world where Duke would miss the NCAA Tournament, where the Red Sox would be held out of the playoffs for 29 years.

That is Danny Cruff’s life. Or it was.

This World Series may or may not end with a Royals title. Sometimes, that glass slipper just doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot.

But there is meaning in this run that they have made. There is meaning in the fact that true, completely loyal fandom is fleeting. I have never seen someone as loyal to their team as Danny is to Kansas City. Fandom is easy amongst success. It is also easy amongst mediocrity. Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure.

If you see me on game day during any of these playoffs, really almost any day that I have a hat on my head, you will notice it is royal blue with a KC emblazoned on the front of it. That isn’t because I am a Royals fan. That isn’t because I am a fair weather fan. I wear that hat proudly because I am a Danny Cruff fan; a fan of everything he represents.

Success is fleeting. Pride and optimism in its truest form is rare.

These Kansas City Royals, because of their on field play, have been an absolute blast to watch. But what has been better is watching the joy of my friend. He, above anyone else, deserves this.

Losing Ellsbury would kill the sport's greatest trio

With their game 6 win last week, the Boston Red Sox have solidified themselves as the best organization of the past decade. Titles in 2004, 2007 and 2013 have made the once cursed boys of Beantown the crown jewel of Major League Baseball.

Outside of the Yankees of the 90’s, no team has been as dominant in this era of baseball. Case in point is one of, what I consider, the most amazing stat of importance of this series: David Ortiz is the first non-Yankee to win 3 titles with the same team since Jim Palmer did so with the Baltimore Orioles’ title in 1982.

But Ortiz isn’t alone as what I consider important consistent pieces. While the names and faces with the teams have changed from 2004 to 2007 and more so to 2013, there are three name that everyone can place with Boston’s championship aura: David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Each of these teams has had their own identity, but this trio has been the constant. Ortiz is the lone Sox player from 2004 left on the roster and Pedroia and Ellsbury, both clutch hitters and exceptional fielders, were part of the 2007 team as well. Many may argue, but there is a very high likelihood that these three are the best non-pitching trio in the modern era of championship teams.

Life won't be the same without Pedroia, Ortiz and Ellsbury all together.

It is sad to me to know that the trio's era may be over. Ellsbury is the Red Sox free agent least likely to resign according to multiple sources. And his new qualifying offer from Boston is great, but I don't see it sticking.

In their 2007 championship season, a second year player in Pedroia, a rookie Ellsbury and Ortiz combined for 388 hits. This year, their second title together in sights, the trio totaled 525 hits, helping dominate the American League. When one wasn't on, the others picked up the slack. That came up big time in the World Series, when Ellsbury was mediocre and Pedroia was below average. So Ortiz simply redefined what being Mr. October was all about, swinging for the fences and making the “ace” Cardinal pitching staff look like Little League relief pitchers.

At 37, Ortiz doesn't have many years left in the tank, even if he does drive the ball just as well today as he did during the Red Sox first World Series run. But Pedroia and Ellsbury are only 29 each and if they stay together, with Ortiz for a few years and then whoever the great Boston front office replaces him with, they could add a few more titles easily.

Boston looked so much different in 2007 than they did in 2004, with so much turnover. And honestly, the turnover was great since that 2007 title to this year too. But losing Ellsbury, breaking up the foundation of this happy family, could be the biggest nail driven into the continuing of this legacy.