Misery. After last weekend, easily one of the worst in Bay Area sports history, there’s plenty of it to go around.
The Giants collapsed against a SoCal rival and failed to make the playoffs. The A’s collapsed against a SoCal rival and failed to make the playoffs.
The Raiders gave the Texans their first two-game winning steak in franchise history. The Rams gave the 49ers their first 0-4 start since the Carter administration.
Miserable yet? Around here, you’re not alone.
Thanks to your kind-hearted columnist, though, you don’t have to feel so sad anymore. Cheer up, Bay Area fans. Everyone you look, there’s signs of hope …
– The Niners still have two dates with the Arizona Cardinals, along with home games against the winless Bills and the hard-to-watch Dolphins, who might very well go down as the worst offensive team in the history of the NFL. There’s at least one win in there, right? No, seriously. Right?
– Quick, look at your watch. If it’s before 3 in the afternoon, Cal football is still undefeated.
– They’ve been in the offseason for nearly a week now and the Athletics haven’t even traded away their best player yet.
– Terrell Owens can’t really outscore the Niners for the entire year can he?
– Perk up, Giant fans. You guys still have a Dustin Hermanson suspension to look forward to in ’05.
– We all know what that means, right? The potential to watch three more action-packed outings from the one-and-only Matt Herges.
– Then again, I suppose Robb Nenn could always come back from the dead.
– And hey, one team already traded Joe Nathan for A.J. Pierzynski. Why not the Twins?
– At least the Niners are going through salary cap hell now and will have millions freed up to sign some top-notch free agents in time for the 2005 se- … Wait, what’s that, Mr. York? Oh yeah, sorry guys – in time for the 2006 season. My bad.
– But hey, just think how fun the NFL Draft will be. The Niners are already on the clock.
– Another “victim” has emerged from the annual fight over a Bonds home run ball. If that’s not exciting enough, this time the guy is from Hollister. So this time we get to make fun of him in person.
– Four games and counting without a Raider locker room mutiny …
– Hey San Jose State fan, that 70-63 win Saturday sure was exciting wasn’t it? Don’t even worry that your Spartans spent more than half of their allotted 137 points on just one game.
– The Warriors are looking … never mind. I got nothing.
– Both Bay Area baseball teams will enter the 2005 season riding a one-game winning streak. Never underestimate the power of momentum.
– Disappointing Oregon State (1-4) might have a job opening by the end of the season. Surely they still have Dennis Erickson’s number lying around.
– A’s owner Steve Schott gave Billy Beane a $100 bill and told him to go have fun in the free agent market. Progress, people. That’s what it’s all about.
So rest easy, everyone. No more sulking. No more long faces. No more doom and gloom.
Because it simply cannot be denied. Sort-of-happy days are here again.
Brett Edgerton is a columnist/therapist for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at be*******@gi************.com.
