Reason #1 to be Excited about the Reds in 2011

My how perfectly this countdown of all the reasons to be excited about the Reds in 2011 has been. My number one reason was going to be that Opening Day is one of the best celebrations in all of sports, and no city does Opening Day better than Cincinnati.

The number one reason to be excited about the Reds in 2011 is that TODAY IS OPENING DAY.

Throughout wars, depressions, conflicts, peace, triumph, and sadness, baseball has always been there in America. Each year the players will come back and play all 162 games, and they will return to their stadiums and their travel routines. They do it all. And they do it all for the fans.

Brandon Phillips said this morning on an ESPN advertisement that there is no greater feeling than Opening Day. “You feel like a superhero when you line up and the jets come flying over,” he said. For only one game per year is each team equal, each team filled with hope, each team has a chance. That day is Opening Day. After that, baseball starts and we begin to find out the mystery ending of each and every season as the day goes on.

For many of us, baseball and the Cincinnati Reds have become so much more than just a game or a team to root for. My love of baseball stems from the fact that I share the joy, the sadness, and the ups and downs of each season with the team that I love. From every walk-off home run to every blown save, I feel a little bit of what those ball players feel.

For so many of us, we grew up with dreams and aspirations of being a professional baseball player or a Major League Manager, but for 99.5% of us in this world, that dream goes unrealized. But each day through the successes and failures, I get a little bit closer to the game that I love. I feel just a little bit of what it means to be a major league baseball player.

As we all watch the Reds again today. As Edinson Volquez throws the first pitch of the season for the Reds, let’s all realize that this is just the first game. The season will be long and in the end, hopefully the highs will outweigh the lows. But for 162 games atleast this season, the Reds will play for their fans, and we should be there to support them back.

I can recall the first Reds game I ever went to at what was then called Cinergy Field. I remember this game, however, not because of the score or any home run, but because I spent the time with my family, and as a 6 year old kid, I felt so grown up that day as I sat with my uncles, parents, grandparents, and siblings and took in the game we all loved.

I have waited my whole life to see the Reds win a playoff game. Hopefully 2011 will be that year. Of course, the Reds did win the World Series when I was a toddler, but I, of course, was not watching the TV cheering while I was still banging my rattle.

So let’s share in the joy of this upcoming season. Game 1 of 162 occurs today. Hopefully, I will be writing for more than just 162 games though this season. Maybe 165 or 170, or maybe we’ll all share in a berth to the World Series….only time will tell.

Go Reds! Let’s play baseball.

You can follow Alex Apple on Twitter here and be sure to follow Blog Red Machine on Facebook here as well.