Opening day was when?

Most people that know me best know that I love the Athletics of Oakland very much. Even through these past couple of seasons that have not been so great I have followed the team with some level of closeness. The time for that is over.....

I know you're burning to know why that is, right? Well although time has become an issue it is more than just a lack of time. To me, the fact that the A's are currently looking for another home is more than just a little distressing. Major League Baseball (MLB) stood up a commission to determine if the A's had any viable options for a new home in Oakland, which I see as just a formality that is being paraded before Oakland and its fans so that they can at least say that they tried.

Consider the fact that MLB commissioner Bud Selig and A's owner Lew Wolff are old fraternity brothers, or the fact that Wolff has had a hard on for the south bay since day one. Wolff is the man behind the San Jose earthquakes and has some real estate investments in the area (hotels), and beyond that, he just unsuccessfully tried to land the A's a stadium in Fremont - about as close as you can get to San Jose without infringing on the San Francisco Giants' territorial rights to San Jose.

The commission has probably already met with Selig and provided it's recommendations to him suggesting that the A's move to San Jose - regardless of the fact that the city of Oakland has 3 prospective stadium locations and more political will than we've ever seen on the matter. It doesn't matter though, the A's are moving to San Jose because they want the San Jose dollars that comes with such a move. Fremont would have given them access to some of that San Jose money - Oakland does not. Just like with everything else, do you think money is not the driving force on this matter? Do you think the commission matters? Do you think the fans of Oakland matter? Selig has already met with the Giants to discuss territorial matters:

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-03-21/sports/18842232_1_oakland-alameda-county-coliseum-san-jose-new-stadium

To the nice man that emails and calls me to buy season tickets again:

Look, you're a nice guy, but with no commitment to Oakland and its fans you somehow are supposed to illicit a commitment from me? Seriously?

To Lew Wolff:

We were here pulling for the A's long before you were lining your pockets with our money Mr. Wolff - but that doesn't matter either, does it? Do me a solid and go fuck yourself.

Greed makes me sad.

Empty Nest

As I approach the tender age of thirty I've been reflecting on the years that made up my twenties. The ups and downs have been numerous, and yet I find myself feeling more stable than I ever have in many ways.

The greatest moment of my life to date was the birth of Grace. The greatest accomplishment of my life has been becoming the father that I am today. The greatest challenge of my life will be becoming the father that I hope to be. The greatest fear of my life is failing to reach this goal, which I am determined not to allow to happen.

The past year without Gracie has been especially rough for me. I have never known the emptiness that I have felt without my baby here. I have gone out to visit her for a long weekend here and there and they have done an OK job to help with the "Gracie fix," but nothing could ever replace having her here with me.

Consider visiting your child, if you are lucky enough to have one, and they ask you multiple times if they are coming back home with you. Or almost begging you to take them with you...do you know how helpless that makes me feel? My daughter wants only to be with me, her father, and I can't even meet that basic request. I feel so sad, so angry, and so hurt for her and the circumstances that I find us in. She just wants to be with me and I just feel helpless.

I'm too young to have an empty nest, come back home my little birdie...