Rockies Fans Keeping It In Perspective

Nice story off of MLB.com:

“It’s OK that you lost,” young Kelsie Saupe said, hoping to get a message to the team.

Like Kelsie and her family, Rockies fans were having none of the defeat in downtown Denver on Sunday night. Though the streets were relatively quiet, diehard fans lingered in the aftermath of the tantalizing taste of the World Series, watching the Red Sox celebrate in Coors Field and wishing they had a chance to salute their Rockies and give them the send-off they deserve.

“The Rockies had a good season,” said eight-year-old Austin Saupe, thinking hard about a sentiment to lift up the team’s spirits.

Austin and Kelsie held up signs to encourage their team throughout the game, charging Colorado to both “Rock” and “Wash the Sox.” The Saupes had already learned a vital lesson that fuels baseball fans to persevere with their team year after year: defeat does not dictate a taste of disappointment.

“I’m broken-hearted,” said Lindy Saupe, Kelsie and Austin’s mother. “I’m a little numb, but how cool is that they brought the World Series to our town? It’s a once in a lifetime thing. Maybe the Rox will do it next year, who knows? They did well.

“They’re good guys, and they’re right in their heart,” Lindy said of the Rockies. “They’re good players. I’m proud of them. They have heart. I’m just proud of the character that they bring to this. They are absolutely righteous men.”

Some Rockies fans are also taking some lessons from Red Sox nation:

The Rockies surely reached a turning point this season, tasting the postseason for the first time in 12 years and dominating the Phillies and Diamondbacks in the first two rounds. They may never be able to shake off the appetite for success again, and after a good look at Red Sox Nation celebrating at Coors Field, Rockies fans may never be satisfied offering anything less than whole-hearted support of the boys of Rocktober.

“I hope what happened this season builds the support across Colorado to create a fan base like the Red Sox have, because they totally deserve it,” said Sara Zoellner, Mike Jr.’s sister.

We can only hope. The Rockies sold out for hundreds of straight games, only to have attendance cut nearly in half as the club’s losing got old. If the Rockies can consistently have 3-3.5 million fans a year that would make a huge difference financially and psychologically for the club. This will also help:

While many Rockies fans interviewed after the game focused on their positive feelings for a team they have loved unconditionally and yearned for a chance to show that love, Mike Zoellner Sr. all but guaranteed fans that opportunity.

“I’m on the Downtown Business Improvement District Board, and we talked about this with the mayor’s office before the World Series,” Zoellner Sr. said. “No matter what happened, we’re going to have a parade. There will be a parade for this team, absolutely.”

Of course, with all this positivity about a team that did so much, there’s bound to be someone who is hateful about it, and surprise, surprise, it’s a liberal blog:

Not so chosen after all. Never mind belief in a supernatural entity keeping tabs on us all, it takes a particular arrogance to think that entity would care about the outcome of any given sporting event let alone backing a particular team. I don’t really care about baseball but when the Rockies made it into the World Series, I wanted Boston in 4.

Never mind that no one suggested God had anointed Colorado world champions or any such nonsense. What the Rockies are is a team of incredible character. Clint Hurdle said in last night’s post-game interview that Colorado’s success showed what could happen when a group of men worked towards a common goal and didn’t care who got the credit. That’s a less that wise men can learn and apply in any area of life. Sadly, it’s lost on some.