The Classic Novel Moby Dick 
begins with one of the most recognizable opening lines "Call Me Ishmael" which tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whale ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. Ishmael soon learns that Ahab seeks one specific ferocious whale, Moby Dick. In a previous encounter, the whale destroyed Ahab's boat and bit off his leg. Ahab intends to take Revenge. When he joined the ship, Ishmael didn't know that Ahab was a psycho maniac. Ultimately Ahab's obsession with Revenge would doom himself and the crew of the Pequod (save for Ishmael) to death.
begins with one of the most recognizable opening lines "Call Me Ishmael" which tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whale ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. Ishmael soon learns that Ahab seeks one specific ferocious whale, Moby Dick. In a previous encounter, the whale destroyed Ahab's boat and bit off his leg. Ahab intends to take Revenge. When he joined the ship, Ishmael didn't know that Ahab was a psycho maniac. Ultimately Ahab's obsession with Revenge would doom himself and the crew of the Pequod (save for Ishmael) to death.My favorite revenge line in the book is during the final chase where Ahab hurls his final harpoon and yells "to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it."
OK now that we took a walk down 10th grade English class, a good question to ask is : Why am I bringing up "Moby Dick" in softball? Well, in sports REVENGE is a common/classic theme. You want to stick it to an old team, opponent, manager, friend, etc b/c they have done something to you in the past that hurt you. Whether it be losing, getting released, benched, or disrespected you have been wronged and now it's payback time and nothing is sweeter than making a great play, hitting up a storm,or throwing a gem against them and hurting them where it truly hurts the most-on the field!
Well this year I was softball version of Ishmael as I was recruited to play on Bravery in the Broadway show league by Dave "L.D." Bergman. 
unknown to me, like Ahab, L.D. was on a win at all costs revenge mission against his former team and defending champion RJK
He wanted to beat them bad. Real Bad. But our team started out terribly with an 0-4 and 2-6 record, I honestly thought we wouldn't win a game at one point. But our manager Jack "Bandanna Man" Cutler
kept hustling and our top players like Anthony
unknown to me, like Ahab, L.D. was on a win at all costs revenge mission against his former team and defending champion RJKHe wanted to beat them bad. Real Bad. But our team started out terribly with an 0-4 and 2-6 record, I honestly thought we wouldn't win a game at one point. But our manager Jack "Bandanna Man" Cutler kept hustling and our top players like Anthony
started showing up and we won 8 in a row and made it all the way to the finals only to lose a heart breaking 4-3 single elimination game in the bottom of the 7th to RJK
Congrats RJK well deserved It should be noted L.D. made a legitimate brilliant diving catch in LCF to keep us in the game and set up 7th inning dramatics via Ralph Serrano clutch two out RBI hit. But it was all for not, as we lost on a walk-off dribbler. Tough loss.
L.D. may have not gotten his revenge, but he got something more - our team's respect for playing his heart out all year. Funny I've played on 4 championship teams this year, but I am so much more proud of this team than all those others combined b/c of the adversity we overcame. It was an honor serving aboard the Pequod with captain Ahab, I uh mean playing on Bravery with L.D. - we have nothing to be ashamed of. Also, remember revenge is a dish best served cold, Dave you will get another chance
Moby Dick is a story about how a man's blinded desire for revenge ultimately brought about his crazed death. Perhaps there is another story here that Ricky is over-looking. Stories were being told this weekend that LD "busted" a player on another team during the playoffs. When revenge is your motive, then clearly inflicting pain on someone else has become more important than achieving a goal for yourself. Funny the values some people think are important.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like Peckins´, the little pecker. Are you saying that L.D. is a snitch?.
ReplyDeleteI did not write that. Way to eloquent for me.
ReplyDeleteI say thing like RJK RJk RJK
I don't understand what busted means???
ReplyDeleteLD may have been one of the guys who reported a noon player that had not played enough regular season games to be eligible for play-offs. Team could have been eliminated giving LD's team a better chance of winning. Team wasn't eliminated in spite of some people whining. Does sound like the little Pecker also.
ReplyDeleteIf you think I write about Moby Dick you guys don't know me.
ReplyDeleteI like your Moby Dick comparisons but you really missed one obvious literary link to Bravery's downfall -Poetic Justice. Apparently LD, and other Rjk players left for Bravery because they were unhappy with their playing time in the playoffs last year. Last year rjk won a championship - enough said. So this year when playoffs started and Bravery benched guys that had played for them all year to get in their "ringers" they acted worse than rjk. Bravery benched guys because other teammates said "I brought Anthony to this team and if I don't play, he don't play". Guys that played in front of guys left on the bench didn't hit and made key errors that cost Bravery the game.
ReplyDeletePoetic Justice.
LD complains that his strike zone is too big...how can that be? Then he fouls balls off all the time to get the walk. If you're gonna take the benefits of being the short man, ya gotta take the blows as well. (Another Moby Dick elusion.)
ReplyDeleteSure are a lot of guys named anonymous out there.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Poetic Justice post.
ReplyDeleteCary is benched with the second highest average on the team and the player they bench him for makes a season ending error.
Well done.
LD - Don't tell me you dont hit the Anonymous box when you're making comments about other people...it's different when it's about you. Been there. But you do your share of talking shit about people so you should expect to get some of it back.
ReplyDelete"It smells like the left wing of judgment."
ReplyDeleteHerman Melville
Wow, this is a more literate bunch than I thought. I didn't know you guys all spent the off-season reading Melville. What does Billy Budd have to say about hitting the cut-off man?
ReplyDelete