I’m a die-hard Tigers fan, so I’m pretty accustomed to hating the Jankees. I respect that they win which has to be fun for their fans, but they still stink and I hate ’em. It’s just so hard to hate Derek Jeter. Trust me, I’ve tried. I’ve tirelessly attempted to make a mockery of his patent fist pump, I’ve tried to start nasty rumors, and I’ve put flaming bags of pooh on his doorstep — I’ve tried everything. I’m sorry, I just can’t hate him. In fact, I think I love him?
First of all, he’s from Michigan and we all know great things come from Michigan. I’m from Michigan, and look at me, I’m kick ass. Jeter became the player he is today from years and years of hard work on the diamonds in Kalamazoo, Michigan. That’s probably what seals the deal for me.
Jeter embodies the ideal baseball player — he’s gritty, does all the little things (such as backing his teammates up, being in the right spot at the right time), he runs out every ground ball, he’s a team leader, he’s a winner, and he’s everything a kid growing up playing the game should idolize, all without the PED’s, the distracting narcissistic behavior, the unecessary drama or flash. He does everything and he does it all with the utmost class.
It definitely helps that he’s a flat out, damn good, baseball player. Tonight he broke Lou Gehrig’s all-time hits record for the Yankees illustrious organization in the 3rd inning and every hit he gets here on out sets a new Yankees record. When it’s all said and done, he’ll be amongst the Top 20 hit leaders all-time and a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Yet, some people still want his head in a hand basket and would rather have a debilitating disease than admit that they like Jeter, a Yankee, ew. That’s fine, but I just can’t feel that way. I just can’t.
(Oh by the way, he also dates (he’s engaged to?) Minka Kelly. She’s a top tier [looking] woman in the world. If you don’t know who she is, hit yourself in the face with a four-by-four really hard and then stab yourself with a broken beer bottle. She’s on one of the best freaking shows on TV, Friday Night Lights (thanks, Chip) and dates Riggs in the show, who is pretty cool himself.)
So, yeah, when Jeter broke the Yankmes’ hit record tonight, it was a goosebump inducing moment for any baseball fan. I watched just like any other Jeter fan, soaked it in, and when Nick Swisher stepped into the box and the moment was over, I switched back to watch my beloved Tigers maintain first place despite losing their fourth in a row.
Jeter is good and so is baseball. Congratulations to Derek Jeter.
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