Why we loved Shane Victorino

There are three types of players who really bring joy to fans.
The first is the Ken Griffey Jr.-type star who makes the game look so easy they inspire awe from the masses.
These players are very rare. You might have four or five in a generation.
Fans know they do not have the talent of these players - the Albert Pujols, Joe DiMaggios and Mickey Mantles of the world. The grace and beauty of their game separates them from the not just the fans, but other players as well.
The other type of player that really connects with fans are the ones who look like they understand how blessed they are to be in the big leagues.
Maybe it's a player who runs out every ground ball and plays with unparalleled intensity. Think of Pete Rose or Chase Utley.
These players help build up the deception that any man can play this game. Their gritty determination overshadows the ridiculous skills they possess. Rose had uncanny hand-eye coordination, the balance of an Olympic gymnast and the sheer strength of an NFL line-backer. Utley, meanwhile, entered the Major Leagues with the speed of a Division 1 point guard, the arm strength of an NFL quarterback, and a lot of power.
The third player is the guy who plays the game with so much passion and joy that fans can't help but think, that's how I would play.
That's Shane Victorino. When Shane Victorino confronted Hiroki Kiroda during the 2008 NLCS, demonstrating wildly that it wasn't right for Kuroda to throw at his head, every blue-collar fan in Philadelphia said, "That's right, Shane. You tell him."
When Victorino laughed at some strange event on the ballfield, every kid in Philly thought, "Yeah, that's how I'd react."
When Victorino cried after Harry Kalas died, he found a permanent place in the heart of every fan. We all thought, "He gets it. He gets us."
Would Philadelphia fans have loved Victorino, had he not developed into an All-Star talent? Yes, Phillies fans have a history of adopting players like Victorino. Think of Tug McGraw, Garry Maddox and John Kruk.

Why my son is already a Nittany Lion - Class of 2024, here we come

I don't know what the future has in store for my son, but I imagine the August of his 18th year will include going to orientation at Penn State.
Maybe he'll start out at University Park like his cousins Sarah and Shannon. Maybe he'll start out at one of the satellite campuses like his father and many other family members did.
Either way, we'll be starting his collegiate career at a university that is not defined by a monster and the misdeeds of a few but by the excellence of the many.
He'll be going to a university that counts among its former students: the screenwriter behind "Casablanca," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and award-winning authors; the scientists who helped discover the vaccine that protects against cervical cancer; the doctors who developed the heart pump; the inventor of the Slinky; the CEOs of Nike, Fisher-Price, Goldman Sachs and U.S. Steel; actors, writers and directors who were parts of Oscar-winning films; Nobel-Prize winning scientists and the man behind  the Mac.
And that doesn't include the recent crops of graduates. They now have a chip on their shoulder. They're looking at the world saying, "Doubt us? Go ahead. Watch what we're about to accomplish."

Michael has finally picked his favorite player

Mike and the Phanatics

A thank you to those who've made our country what it is

My three favorite days of the year are Christmas, Opening Day and the Fourth of July. So today - celebrating Michael's first Fourth - is pretty special.

The fourth is the perfect holiday. You can spend time with family and friends outside. You can eat great food, watch and play baseball all day and tuck into bed after a night of fireworks.
But I also want Michael to understand the sacrifices people have made for him.

Should Penn State shut down the football program?

One of the first things I did with my son was sing Penn State songs to him. The Fight Song. The Alma Mater.

I surprised myself when this happened. He was born just a month after Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz had been arrested. At that point, I was still pretty angry with myself.
But I shouldn't have been surprised.
As angry as I was with Penn State because of its entanglement in the child sex scandal, The Pennsylvania State University is still a huge part of who I am.
Looking back, I was even wearing a Penn State sweatshirt when I held Michael for the first time.
But I am - and always will be - still proud to call myself a Penn State fan.
Part of that is because football, and yes, Joe Paterno himself, are far down the list of things that make me proud to be Penn Stater.
I tell you this in case this is the first time you've ever stumbled upon this blog because the next sentence is going to be a doozy.