T -9 hours and Counting - A Fan's Perspective

This T stands for Tip-Off! Today is game day...and the butterflies begin to dance as soon as you open your eyes. Thinking about that, I wonder how many emotions the poor girls who are actually playing the game must run through during those long hours before the game.The pep rally is over, the Fire Trucks have escorted the bus out of town, the Ladies are safely in Des Moines, probably eating breakfast after a good night's sleep.On the Fan side, for a little while you can put aside that anxiousness because you have to focus on making sure everything is done for the day. You arranged time off, you arranged transportation, be it the pep bus, or a car, you make sure that if anyone is staying home, they have what they need. Oh...check to see if you have extra batteries for the camera, make sure you have your tickets, enough cash for that concession stand food and a souvenir program....(Seriously people, buy the program. It's not clutter, it's HISTORY. I still have one from that afore mentioned 1975 game, and it was worth every penny!...which is why I saved the tickets & program from last year's game too...because at least one of my kids will appreciate seeing them 30 years from now.)....and finally, but most importantly, dress head to toe (Come on...you've seen the SHS Mafia, you know the drill) in

ORANGE & BLACK.For me, it's black pants, black long sleeves, the flashy orange "State 09" tee shirt over it, orange and white shoes, furry orange hat, orange scarf, and black leather jacket., with black camera bag and orange purse to accessorize. Yep...I'm good to go....and baby I'm GOIN! My dad, my son and I will head out of town at about 1:00...a little before the pep bus. The earlier time will give us a more leisurely ride, and FAR less bouncing on our not so youthful behinds. I'm sad that this year there is no giant snowbank for me to spray paint a giant

"GO ORIOLES" in...especially since it's so flippin cold...but I'm NOT sad that we won't be biting our nails and feeling like we are driving on a glacier this year.Once we get there, dad will find the funnel cakes...and we will find seats where I can get decent pictures (ahahahaha) and we can see Our Orioles up close and personal when they take down Martensdale. After we win, will probably even stay for the Tipton/IKM match-up, (because hey, my dad likes to get his money's worth out of his ticket, AND we really really enjoy good basketball.) Yep...it's time to start trash talkin...or at least it's time to start acting like we know this title is ours...Of course the reality is...it's one game at a time, just like regular season, only with a bigger prize...and the best thing about our team is they know that it's one game at a time. They never lose that particular focus. They play the game thats in front of them, and only that game...and maybe that's one reason they win so many.With luck, a prayer (or several hundred) and mostly the mad skills of our awesome team of Orioles, this night will bring one more game that goes in the win column, and another one to worry about Wednesday.

GO ORIOLES!