Win One for C.C.

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The 27-Time World Champion Greatest Franchise in the History of Organized American Sports - The Yankees play a single-elimination game this evening for a chance to play the Royals.

Make no mistake about it...

...I want them to win.

But in some respects it has been an unusual season. I didn't expect them to even qualify for the playoffs. I believed they were transitioning from veterans to young guys and that usually doesn't go all that well.

But they are, after all, The 27-Time World Champion Greatest Franchise in the History of Organized American Sports!

My excitement for the game has been tempered by a couple of things:

1). Joe Girardi, who is a decent manager from April to the end of August is an absolute nightmare in September when the rosters expand. Clueless Joe as a lot of his haters call him seems to want to play all the rookies at his disposal and he constantly talks about giving 29-year-old professional athletes a 'rest day'.

Drives me nuts!

I haven't rested since the mid-80's!!

2). On Monday afternoon the news broke that C.C. Sabathia, a guy who is always willing to take the ball, even when he's hurt or on short rest, or just getting hammered...

...broke down and told the world that he needed help to get on top of his problem with alcohol.

Immediately, social media erupted.

"Drunken pig!"

"He couldn't wait until next week?"

My heart went out to the big guy.

Now...make no mistake...I am unforgiving of a lot of sins committed by professional athletes.

If C.C. had got blasted and smashed his car into a Chinese Restaurant I would've ripped him a new one...

...but stepping forward and taking responsibility and trying to sort out his life...

...leaves me extremely sympathetic to him.

Yeah, he let the team down.

I'm sure he has let his family down as well.

That's more important.

He is just a young man.

Rich beyond our comprehension.

Famous as all get-out.

But that doesn't solve the problem.

I quit drinking about 5 years ago.

I didn't do it because I couldn't handle it, but I did so after scratching my neck one day and watching my young son mimic my movement.

"He's watching me," I thought.

And there had been profound sadness in my life.

Boozing it up wasn't making it better.

It was making it worse.

So I just stopped.

Now, that certainly isn't the same thing. C.C. doesn't feel he can stop without professional help.

That happens to a lot of good people.

The drink you drown your trouble in is the trouble you're in now.

Let's go, Yankees!

Win one for the big guy.

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