Tuesday

Cowbell Finger

The Tampa Bay Rays are a team after my own heart. They need more cowbell.

I mean, who doesn't?

I must admit I'm a Mets fan born and bred. Yes, I danced around in my living room with my dad in 1986 when the Mets won the World Series. I emulated Gary Carter and his curly receding hairline, while I, too, was a catcher. I heart Darryl Strawberry despite his addiction(s)? and "husband-wife" issues. Doc Gooden too. I loved watching the Mets when I lived in New York and I loved being a baseball fan in New York. It was magical.

But if I can't have the Mets, if I have some baseball, oh, I guess I can settle for the major leaguers in my own town. They're making it pretty easy these days, after all.

Friday night we went to the playoff game against the White Sox. I wore my "I need more cowbell" necklace (on sale at my Etsy shop, I'm just sayin...) Apparently they're all about the cowbell and really, who isn't? I love me more cowbell. I never heard the cowbell in songs until that SNL sketch and now I get it. The cowbell is living out its dream of fame and glory all because of Will Ferrell. I bet if the cowbell could talk, it would say "Thank You. Really." And then they would hug.

So I wore my necklace but I didn't bring cowbells to the stadium with me though, and when I got there and saw that everyone else had a cowbell, I wanted one! You just can't ring a necklace the same way. So during a snack trip, I found two and bought them on "playoff special" for a buck each. Yay me! I have cowbells!!! And I ran, sprinted went back to my seat to start my support right away.

And I waved my cowbell furiously. Inning after inning. I still wasn't sure why the cowbell was a big deal to the Rays, but I just went with it. More cowbell is always good.

By the third inning, I developed cowbell finger.

Where the feverish ringing of the cowbell rubbed my finger raw. And yep, it is still that way. Oh yes, one might suggest using a different grasp to ring the cowbell. I tried that. I tried every other finger and my other hand, but it just wouldn't ring right. So despite all the rubbing, I rang away. Strike after strike. Out after out. Ringing and ringing. Rubbing and rubbing. Such problems, I know.

But you might say I took one for the team.

So it's a good thing they won.

After they won, my husband took a picture of me ringing away with my phone. And you can see the fury in which I ran the cowbell all night because the whole picture is still -- except for the blur of the cowbell.

Exhibit A: Evidence of injury.

Anyway, if you were wondering why the Rays do the whole cowbell thing, I Wiki-ed it, and it is from the SNL skit, and you can read about it here or you can take my word for it. (You can get a good look at a t-bone by sticking your head up a bull's...wait, no, it's gotta be your bull....)

Anyway, sorry, Mets! I'm moonlighting here and I hope you'll forgive me at the end of this season after we find out how far our Rays will go. (Go Rays!) More cowbell please!
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6 comments:

  1. Don't hate me...but when the ALCS starts this weekend I'll be drowning out your cow bell with my GO RED SOX cheers! ;)

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  2. Cow bell finger? Well THAT is a new one to me. As Packer's fans, I suppose we just get neck and back problems from the Cheeseheads. (And NO, I don't have one!) :)

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  3. haha my husband is constantly saying things "need more cowbell!"

    cute post! Our first date was to a mets game..we try to go back every year...it will be so different in the new stadium though i think.

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  4. how cute are you!?

    and you KNOW I have the MORE COWBELL tee...

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  5. My beloved Cubbies messed it all up, so now I'm rooting for the Rays since we had such a great time at their home game when we were there on vacation in July.

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