Fans making statement to sports leagues

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Barry Bonds, Conor Jackson, Derek Jeter, ESPN - New York, Mark McGwire, New York Yankees, Oakland A's

Conor Jackson hit the first grand slam of his career last night as the A’s defeated the Los Angeles Angels, 9-1 in Oakland. After the game, reports say all it took for him to get the meaningful memento back was an autographed bat and ball for the local fan who retrieved it.

Yankees fan Christian Lopez after recovering the Jeter 3,000 ball.

This comes a week after Christian Lopez, a 23-year-old Yankees fan, stumbled into 15 minutes of fame as New York’s Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit, a home run, rolled to him beyond the outfield in Yankee Stadium.

Many expected Lopez to see the dollar signs of a capitalist, holding the Yankees and Jeter over the fire for a hefty ransom. Why not? It happened during the home run surge a few years ago with Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and the fans who caught their respective moneyballs.

But Lopez, much like that fan last night, decided to see the stars of a young fan, appreciating the game, the athlete and the special experience.

From ESPN New York’s coverage of the event: “Mr. Jeter deserved it. I’m not gonna take it away from him,” Christian Lopez said. “Money’s cool and all, but I’m 23 years old, I’ve got a lot of time to make that. It was never about the money, it was about the milestone.”

Lopez did receive gifts from the Yankees, but that even brought out more angst from one sports writer who believes the team exploited the generosity of the fan.

As sports fans, maybe it is up to us to show the leagues, bickering over how best to split the millions of dollars they make because of the fans, what it is to be a good person who respects the game and its lifeblood, the fans.

I’ll never ask for his autograph or a picture with him, but I am a fan of Christian Lopez and the A’s fan that looked out for Jackson last night in Oakland.

Celebrate the game. Enjoy the community. Live the experience.

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Why not (the Baltimore Orioles)?

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Baltimore Ravens, Brian Roberts, Buck Showalter, Derek Jeter, Jay O'Brien, John Harbaugh, Theo Epstein

Written by : Jay O’Brien

I was in the crowd on a beautiful, unseasonably warm day when Baltimore fans celebrated a home opening win behind the fearlessness of young talent, leadership of experienced veterans, and charisma of a new coach. That team, the 2008 Ravens, advanced to within a touchdown drive of the Super Bowl. The 2011 Orioles, now 4-0 after their home opening win over the Tigers, have that same pedigree.

Manager Buck Showalter has energized Baltimore’s fan base with the bold swagger that John Harbaugh exhibited with Muhammad Ali’s “What’s Our Name” rallying cry during his first season. Buck’s shots at Derek Jeter and Theo Epstein (Men’s Journal article) showed O’s fans, and more importantly his players, that the days of being AL East doormats were over.

Then there’s the veteran leadership of Brian Roberts.  The longest-tenured Oriole, he has delivered two key three-run homers in the O’s first four games (Watch the video ) after an injury-plagued 2010 season. He is the spark that ignites the Orioles offense. Need proof? Between ‘04 and ‘09, the two-time All Star batted .290 and averaged 101 runs, 46 doubles, 35 stolen bases and 62 RBI. Without Roberts for most of 2010, the offense was anemic – 2^nd to last in the AL in runs and last in steals.

Of course, a team is only as good as its next day’s starting pitcher, and the Orioles can go seven arms strong. Orioles’ starters have given up only 2 runs in 26 innings pitched this season, led on opening night by vet Jeremy Guthrie and followed by some of the best young pitchers in the game. No one expects the young arms of Baltimore – Arrieta, Tillman, Matusz, Britton, and Bergeson – to lead the O’s to the playoffs in ’11, and that’s to be expected. No one expected Joe Flacco to lead the Ravens to the postseason in his rookie season either.

Why can’t this be the year? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself since watching the most exciting O’s Opening Day since I moved to Baltimore in 2001. While many Baltimore scribes are warning fans to temper their expectations, I challenge all Orioles fans to do the exact opposite.

Dream Big. Dream like the Tampa Bay Rays and their dozens of fans dreamed in 2008, when they went from worst record in the league to the World Series. Dream like the Butler Bulldogs dreamed (twice). Dream that Orioles’ lifer B-Rob will be rewarded for his loyalty. Dream that the young guns will achieve greatness. Dream that Buck will get a ring to wave in Jeter’s face.

Why Not?