ah, kids are so cute

Over at the well-respected Dodger blog, MSTI, one of his recent posts caught my eye due to the link to the story of how he became a Dodger fan. I love reading stories like that, probably cause it reflects how kids can be swayed by the smallest thing. And probably cause it reflects just how easily I became an Angels fan.

I can't even recall when exactly I chose the Angels. But I can tell you it was partially because I wanted to be different, partially because the Dodgers were too good to be my favorite team. (Ironically, this criteria didn't apply when chosing between the Lakers-Clippers, but then the Lakers were bad enough for me to root for them) It's interesting for me to try to decipher why I chose the Angels - I had no role model in my fandom, no one that influenced my decision. Heck, I didn't even have a real reason why the Angels appealed to me. But like MSTI, just the thought that chance may have directed my fandom in a different direction is something unfathomable, something horrific.

Imagine if I was worldly/smart enough to know that the California Angels played in Orange County, not Los Angeles County, and despite their name, didn't really represent the whole state (how could it, when there were four other teams?). There would be no wide-eyed watching of Chuck Finley and Mark Langston. No wondering how Jim Abbott could switch his glove so fast, no bewilderment about what was so exciting about signing Mo Vaughn. I wouldn't have learned to love saying DiSarcina and Fabregas. I wouldn't have had a running joke with my dad about the flatness of Eckstein's cap bill (that always annoyed me to no end), nor would I have experienced the exasperation with Hud always making some bad Kingfish joke or line.

There were many years I was just a casual fan. Then there were years I was practically not a fan, while I was preoccupied with sports and school. But interestingly enough, my life would've been decidedly different if I had been just a little bit better at geography (or the Angels happen to be better than the Dodgers). I'd like to think I would've still had those afternoons watching the game on TV with my parents, where my mom would pronounce a runner "dead" whenever an out occurred. But there would have been no elation and glory of 2002, no feeling of David vs. Goliath when they beat the Yankees, no disappointment of 1995 (the lasting memory of GA waving at a pitch from Randy Johnson), no inspiration from a little team that was once an underdog that become an AL West powerhouse (yet is seemingly the perpetual underdog).

Heck, I could be a Dodger fan now, lamenting the ineptitude of Frank and Jamie.

:::shudders::

Thank God I was stupid.

origins

Why the Angels?
I loved the underdog, so I became an Angels fan in grade school. I was clueless that the "California Angels" played in somewhat distant Orange County. So despite the relative proximity of LA, I shunned the local Dodgers for the scrappier "other southern California team." And it happened that it was a perfect fit.
Sure, I was a definite casual fan (hey, a kid has other things going on like school and sports and... girl scouts!) and I did watch the 2002 World Series, but as I've grown up, I've learned to appreciate the philosophy and class that defines the organization. They may not have the storied history or a fan base that stretches a region of states, but there's no doubt in my mind that the Angels are one of the best organizations in baseball. And that history and fanbase is exactly what they're building today.

Why a blog?
I summed it up pretty well in my personal blog:

"its been a long time since I've written here. and there's a reason for it. this summer, I became reaquainted with a game I love. angels baseball.

the 2009 season having just ended, oh, a few hours ago, I can safely say it was a transformative one for me. To echo Torii Hunter, "I love this team. Sick talent."

[The time between undergrad and grad school was] very trying for me... [and] I (re)found the angels. Stuck in a rut, this team inspired me and reminded me why I loved the team, the organization, and the game. They work hard. They play smart. They battle through the tough times. And they Win.

And so I was no longer a casual fan. And I was no longer stuck in a rut.

Right now, the end of the season hurts. but I'm looking forward to next season and I know I won't be a casual fan again."

A blog will hold all my angels-related thoughts, especially since most of my friends are uninterested in baseball, but most of all it will be an outlet for my fan-dom and love for the team. Go Halos!

about angels&aimee

This blog is my (hopefully) witty commentary on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and my own fandom. It is a fan's perspective dashed in with common sense, reason, and passion. I'm no fangirl, but I'm not afraid to say that I love the team and the players.

This blog is not about stats or fantasy leagues. I've read Moneyball, but I have no intention to be a sabrematrician. First of all, I deal with enough numbers in my non-baseball pursuits, and secondly, I understand that statistics don't always tell the true story. So don't be surprised if I cite stats like ERA, Wins, and AVG. I get that SABR puh-puh those stats - but I'm not one of you.

What I am is a fan and that's what I intend this blog to be about.