Giants Fan in LA

I've been to three Dodgers-Giants games at Chavez Ravine since I moved down to LA. That also makes for the three times in my lifetime I've ventured into enemy territory. The Giants lost all three in three different heartbreaking ways, the most recent on an eighth inning pinch hit home run by Manny Ramirez an a day where the Dodgers lineup looked hopeless against Zito for most of the afternoon. All I could think as it was happening around me was, "Can't all you cheering Dodger fans recognize this sadness?" And right there is where the toughest part of living in your arch rivals' city is.

What makes you cry makes them cheer. What makes you cheer makes them hate you. You're in kind of a bizarro world where everything is upside down - bright blue dodgers logos shoot at my face out of the TV screen; some video graphic designer thinks that for some reason these disturbing images will make me happy. Small children and babies are dressed in little Dodgers shirts and onesies and aren't crying or kicking their parents in the shins. Why, I wonder?

This week my beloved Giants open up a big series vs. the Bums. The Giants looked pretty bad against Boston this weekend - nobody likes seeing Lincecum leave in the third - meanwhile it looks like the Dodgers are out of their slumping ways with a strong showing hosting the Yankees. The sense of impending doom that is programmed in to every Giants fan makes me feel a mixture of excitment and nausea as the Dodgers come to San Francisco. The difference between the fans that live in the By Area and those of us that live in LA is that I'm probably going to have to sit next to people who get excited about seeing Jonathan Broxton run out from the bullpen to Black Sabbath with a one run lead while I deal with that sense of doom.