Note: the following is a reproduction of my fan post that was featured on Purple Row.
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Why am I a Rockies fan? Lately, I have honestly been asking myself that question.
This should be a post about all the good Rockies memories I have.
This should be a post about when I attended the first Rockies game in Denver, when EY hit that leadoff home run.
This should be a post about when I attended the first game at Coors Field, when Bichette hit that walkoff home run.
This should be a post about when I attended the All Star festivities in 1998.
This should be a post about how I was in the Rockies Rookies Fan Club. Or about how I have previously been a season ticket holder. Or about how my family has a brick at Coors Field. Or about the autographed photographs I have in my office: myself with Todd Helton, myself with Matt Holliday, and myself with Ubaldo Jimenez. Or about the many Spring Training trips I've made. Or about how much fun the Rowbot BBQ was. Or about Or about how I attended the NLDS in 1995. Or about how I attended the NLDS in 2009. Or about how attending the play-in game on October 1, 2007 was the greatest sporting event I have ever been to, eclipsing even the NLDS, NLCS and Game 4 of the World Series that I went to later that month.
But this post is about none of those things.
Because, even though I still consider myself a Rockies fan, I am very angry at the Rockies. Don't get me wrong, this is not some tired Denver-Post-comment-worthy #HOTTAKE about how "MonFART and O'DUD suxx." No, this isn't about how awful the team on the field is. This isn't about how often the star players get hurt. This isn't about how confusing/irritating the front office can be. This isn't even about the owner's anti-fan comments from this summer. No, none of those things have made me question my Rockies fandom.
But one thing has: the AAA affiliation switch that happened two weeks ago, when the Rockies ripped their affiliation away from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, breaking a relationship that lasted over two decades--a relationship that was only acknowledged by one measly tweet.
Most Rockies fans' reaction to the move was "sweet, now we can make more Simpsons references!" But to someone like myself, a Rockies fan that lives in the 80922, it hurts. To someone like myself, who got Troy Tulowitzki's autograph at a Sky Sox game, it hurts. To someone like myself, who saw Dexter Fowler hit for the cycle at Security Service Field, it hurts.
For the last two weeks I have been unable to think about the Rockies (or baseball in general) without feeling that hurt. I understand that the Rockies have many valid reasons for the affiliation switch, but it still feels like my favorite team has abandoned me and my community. And it hurts.
Which is the reason I have been asking myself lately: why am I a Rockies fan?
I'm not trying to make any grandiose declarations, edicts, ultimatums or threats. I'm just trying to come to grips with some very conflicting feelings that I currently have about this team.
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