The Dog Days of Winter?

So this post undoubtedly makes no sense to the pattern inclined, (considering the one month anniversary of my last post is tomorrow) but who knows what tomorrow will bring. A lot has happened since the last entry but in an effort to spare you the bland details, I'll just give you the Reader's Digest version.

I have begun a new chapter in my life with the San Jose Giants. That's correct, the San Jose Giants, not San Francisco. For those of you not familiar with the South Bay's only professional baseball club, the San Jose Giants are the Minor League Class A Affiliate of San Francisco. San Jose has been home to Minor League ball since 1942. We play at Municipal Stadium and have been affiliated with San Francisco since 1988. Anyway, enough of the history lesson.

I am the Marketing and Public Affairs Intern with the Giants and that encompasses a lot of different tasks, as I am learning everyday. From helping to create an Interactive Media department/program, to organizing the closet, I am experiencing a wide array of responsibilities. Currently, I am working on helping create our first media guide as well as some interactive ways to reach out to fans on the Internet. I am enjoying my time in San Jose and trying to learn as much as I can with every passing day.

As far as the rest of my life goes, I'm playing the waiting game. Waiting to see how the baseball season takes shape. Waiting to see what the Panthers/49ers do with their off seasons. Waiting for the hockey season to transition from the dog days to the home stretch. And who can forget, Valentine's Day and Spring Break. All of this lays in wait in the coming weeks.

Tonight, a statement was made in the NHL. The Sharks have been one of the top teams in hockey this season, but as of late they have struggled and been "dethroned" by much of the media. They took on the Boston Bruins in a battle of the League's top two teams Tuesday night in Boston. When the dust settled, the Sharks showed the East Coast how hockey is played in San Jose. Despite the media bias against Western Conference teams, the Sharks put down the Bean Town Cubbies 5-2.

Boston came out with their trademarked speed and took a 2-1 lead early. The Sharks were outplayed in the first frame and it showed on the scoreboard as well as the shot clock where the Bruins held a 13-6 advantage. The second period was scoreless but foreshadowed things to come. The Sharks finally used their size and hammered Boston's fore checkers and defensemen, finishing their checks every available opportunity. With the second period in the books, San Jose had out shot Boston 13-10 and you could sense the momentum shifting.

The Sharkies came out strong and continued to pound Boston every chance they got. You could sense that the physical play was hurting Boston's offense and San Jose put the pedal to the floor midway through. A four goal out spurt in the final frame gave San Jose a come-from-behind 5-2 win on enemy ice and handed Boston their first regulation loss when leading after two. It's this mix of physical play with skill and patience that I believe can be a lethal force come playoff time. As I said before, only time will tell.

And so I wait. Wait for the end of the NHL's regular season. Wait for pitchers and catchers to report to camp. Wait for the NFL free agency period. Wait for days to come.

Thus ends this incredibly unorganized rant. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this post, or any of my other posts for that matter. All I know is that I cannot wait for this weekend to come. Spending quality time with my girlfriend, watching some hockey, and hopefully learning more about the futures of my other teams. Until then, take care and enjoy the shortest month of the year...


BRG