What it means to be a Padres fan

What does it mean to be a baseball fan, or a Padres fan in today’s media charged world? Baseball will always have tradition on its side, and the historical title of America’s Pastime. But of the big three of American sports, Football, Basketball, Baseball, in terms of media CPMs and sales and marketing, baseball maybe slipping into the little sibling role.

But baseball is the darling in my eyes, and the sport that requires skill and dedication as well physical talent. It’s not enough to just be born talented, you actually need to try at it. Seems a bit more fair, and like they say, there’s no crying in baseball. So I say baseball is the coolest, and it’s the most intriguing of the bunch and for that I give you five reasons on why its great to be a Padres baseball fan –

Aug 18, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Fans attempt to catch a three run home run off the bat of San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley (not pictured) during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

1) Wearing a baseball cap. It’s called a baseball cap for a reason. Aptly named after the sport that invented it, with everyone else only copying the design. And it’s used to block the sun as you sit underneath it having a cold brewski. Yeah.

2) The seventh inning stretch. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks, I don’t care if I never go back. Especially under the bellows of a full stadium in a playoff crowd. Oh yeah.

3) Catching a foul ball.  I’ve never done this before, and it’s definitely on my bucket list. How ridiculously cool is it, that every baseball game generates real souvenirs worth keeping? Catching a foul ball and hearing the crowd applaud for you, as your cat-like reflexes saved both the elder lady, and the young child next to you, all while holding a cold brewski in your other hand. Priceless.

4) Chants. Padres vs Giants are my favorite rivalry games, because the crowds are clean and respectful, and loud. Here are some of the common basic chants. You say it, and you can either clap it, or bang the empty seat in front of you. (Yes there have been a lot of empty seats) Let’s go Padres – clap (1-2, 1-2-3). Here we go Padres, here we go – clap (1-2). Go home Giants – same as Let’s go Padres.

5) Booing the umps. There’s no more of a unalienable natural right in this universe, than the free privilege of the home crowd booing the ump over a close call. Let him have it, assault his senses. Ump are people too, and everyone hates being booed. The survey is out on whether not it effects them, but I’m sure it does. The customer is always right, and the umps do give way to the home crowd, especially to big and loud home crowds, who are having a cold brewski in the stands.