Heading For A Long Winter

There are some realities I can take when it comes to sports. Alex Smith will never be a competent starting quarterback. Cal football will never compete for a national championship. The Sharks will eventually lose in the playoffs. I've accepted all of that.

What I cannot except is the fact that so many teams that I cheer for are horrendous offensively. We already know about the Giants offensive ineptness. Did you also know the San Francisco 49ers are also going to be bad defensively? Did you know Cal football is also going to be offensively? Now hopefully I'm wrong about both Cal and the 49ers, but I seriously doubt it.

And that's what so dreadful. I would say I have hope with the Kings, but the NBA is going to be locked out for a while. The Sharks will always score, but I don't trust them in the playoffs. You can only take so much playoff heartbreak before doubting the team yourself.

So that brings me back to the offensive ineptness. How much can one person take? Could you take a year's long worth of bad offense from your favorite teams? It's becoming too much for me. The mere thought of the 49ers and Cal Football sucking this year on offense after watching the Giants since April is stating to make me very melancholy. Maybe I'm starting to become Hamlet?

I had a conversation with my dad before heading out to the Mos Eisley Cantina about Monday night's Giants game. The Giants, who have slumped since the end of July, had their worst game in that stretch Monday. They were two-hit by Randy Wells and Lincecum gave up a career high 3 home runs. It was a low point.


Some of the points my dad brought up I knew I had to discuss with the Colonel who was already at the Cantina when I arrived drinking an Old Fashioned and eating a burger. I wasn't hungry so I just had an Coors Light. The Giants game had just started and predictably the Giants went down in order in the first in only eight pitches. Their offense is really that bad.

"So I was just talking to my father," I say to the Colonel and the Bandit who just arrived as well. "He seems to think Lincecum gave up a couple of those home runs last night on purpose as a message to the offense. It wouldn't surprise me if this was true, what do you guys think?"

"Could have been a message by Tim," says the Colonel. "He's already lost two games since the All-Star break where he only gave up one solo home run. Timmy has probably had enough of the offense and said, "Screw you guys." I know I would be tired by this crap offense."

"I know I would be tired of this offense if I was one of the Giants pitchers," says the Bandit. "Lincecum, Cain, Vogelsong, and Bumgarner have done great this year and haven't been supported at all by the offense. If the offense isn't going to contribute, I don't know why those guys would have to either. At least that's how I would feel if I was in their shoes."

Whatever the case may be, it's not in Lincecum's nature to give up that many home runs. And I do agree with my dad, Lincecum threw meatballs. One thing all Giants fans can agree on, if one of the Giants pitchers ever threw the offense under the bus we wouldn't call that pitcher a malcontent. You can't be a malcontent with this offense protecting you.