What in the Wide, Wide World of Sports?!?

After watching another roller-coaster save by Wickman on Friday (spirits high), I get to return to Cleveland after two abysmal outings by the Wahoo Warriors. Before I start a complete overhaul as a knee-jerk reaction, I'm going to sleep on it and think about what I think is wrong with the 2005 Tribe and what can be done to fix it, which will be forthcoming.

So, with that in mind, and with Ryan Drese throwing a 6-hit shutout on Saturday night, I thought that I would recall one of my favorite stories.

To set the scene, for my bachelor party, myself and about 20 other guys sat in the bleachers for a Saturday game with thoughts of hitting every watering hole in sight after the game before retiring for the evening. While watching the game, my buddy TB mentions to the group that Ryan Drese (who was pitching that day for the Tribe) is his second cousin on his mom's side. He says that his mom has invited Drese (who hails from California and was spending his first year in Cleveland) over to the house for a family dinner; a nice offer which Drese had not yet taken up. TB tells us (as Drese is getting shelled) that he thinks he met Drese once or twice, but not recently. The conversation is forgotten until later...much later.

Fast forward to the Shooters' deck, about 1:00 AM. TB runs over to us to tell us that Drese just came in with some other guy and they're hanging out. I convince TB to go over to him and introduce himself. "What's the worst that could happen?", I ask him, telling him that I'll go so it doesn't look too gay (while it actually probably made it look MUCH more gay). TB sidles up to Drese, who looks annoyed that someone not wearing a halter top has come within 5 feet of him. And the exchange:

TB-Ryan! My name's Tim. I'm your second cousin. My mom and your mom are cousins!

Long pause.

Drese-So?

Long pause.

TB- So...nothing.

TB walks away red-faced and fuming, tosses his full beer across the deck cursing like I've never seen him curse before. I'm dying to know what happened in the conversation, which TB plays back for me. Drese is called every name in the book when word spreads of the encounter. About fifteen minutes later, TB is still visibly upset. I tell him not to worry about it, that Drese is a prick, and who cares? TB's classic response, "I don't care that he blew me off. If my mom ever found out that Ryan is a jerk it would break her heart." TB didn't tell his mom for a few years, for fear hurting his mom's feelings.

Apropos on Mother's Day. Always thinking of mom.

Speaking of which...Happy Mother's Day to Nikki Addington, who miraculously gave birth to a 10+ pound baby (Gavin Thomas) BEFORE her due date.

Drese is still a prick, though. More on the Tribe in the next DiaTribe.