On Friday night at the A's game, more than just a lesson on how to pick up girls was learned by anyone who picked up on it. As much of a sports maniac as I am, I'm probably the only one who connected the dots in such a way. I recall a lesson, strategy, or whatever you want to call it from the ball boy. For those of you who missed it, as foul balls gradually rolled to the ball boy Kevin Fennell, he nonchalantly walked over to the stands and gracefully gave the baseballs to the women sitting a few rows back, Jackie Lynch. Four balls were fouled off near Fennell and all four went not to the countless children sitting near by, but to Lynch. By the end of the night, Fennell did indeed receive her number and plans to go on a date tonight to Lynch's favorite restaurant. Clearly a successfully planned scheme by Fennell. What can i say, the kids got balls.
Back to the whole connection to sports thing. If Fennell hadn't taken the risk in the first place there would be no success. Sure, if there was no attempt there would be no failure, but without risk there can be no success. Risk is to me what makes sports, sports. If every team and every athlete out there played it safe, there would be no draw to the games that we love as fans. The sole factor to "interesting" games is the ability of both athletes and mangers to take risks during the game.
There comes a point in every game when a manager/athlete must make a game altering decision, to dive for the ball or let it one hop to you, to sub this player for that player or leave him in. Sports are built around a persons ability to change the game itself. Although we find that some risks hinder the team's shot at winning, the mistake helps the opponent to gain an advantage for the time being. In this case, we see a huge risk has paid off and from an unsuspected "player", if he qualifies as such. Hats off to Kevin.
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