I am sure that we will never no the true effort required of the Fearless Hosts to keep this site going. I know that I can lob them a Limey Time at my whim, and find it online within hours if not minutes. The dedication and attention this site has received from it’s founders is clear to us all, and I believe that we all understand K&S’s decision to pull the plug.
Personally, I doubt my Astro-fandom would’ve reached the ridiculous levels it has without this site. As many of you know, I arrived in Houston in March 1994 and became an instant Rockets’ fan as I was swept up in “Clutch City” fever. I’d followed what you call “football” from across the pond and so baseball was a distant third on my list of sports in which to become interested. To my ill-informed mind, it was nothing but a bastardisation of a girls game called “Rounders”, and just a poor man’s cricket.
That summer, a chap called Bag-something was getting a lot of pub. I started to pay attention to what was going on, and became aware that he was doing something quite special. I also went to a couple of games, and started to pick up the rudiments of play. It wasn’t cricket, but it was ok.
Then Bagwell (I think that was his name) broke his hand, and then the whole thing came to an abrupt halt. My interest in baseball was shelved. Meanwhile, the Rockets “double clutched” and the Oilers took one step towards Tennessee. Basketball was still my thing, but now there was nothing for a large part of the year. I was, and still am, unmoved by collegiate sports. I took golf lessons, and got to be “not totally crap” at it.
Baseball came back in ’96, just as the Rockets started to circle the bowl. I paid a little attention to it, partly because I came to realize that my interest in basketball was really all about the fun of the championship charges and not about the sport itself, and partly because I was rubber ‘necking on what might be a baseball train wreck if the fans didn’t come back.
I enjoyed keeping tabs on the Astros through the ’96 campaign. The final day’s drama of maybe making the playoffs reminded me of the fun I’d had front running with the Rockets. I looked towards the ’97 campaign with a little anticipation. By this time, I was also starting to click with the subtleties and nuances of the game, something which got me labeled as a little bit of a freak within the ex-pat community in which I was largely enveloped. I had an inkling to talk about this stuff, but knew no one with the same interest level or geekness for the minutiae.
I think I discovered the BFT in the ’98 season. I’d become an avid 610 listener, as this was the only place where I could hear discussions about the stuff I liked. AstrosConnection was referenced by one of the on-air types, and I surfed my way over here. Like you, I was instantly hooked. Not only did it offer entertainment, news and views with a style that tickled my funny bone, but the TZ at last gave me an outlet for me desire to talk about all things Astro – and not work while looking busy. The rest is, apparently, is the stuff o’ legend.
So now it comes to an end. I have no idea what legacy Kev and Scott plan to leave behind, but most of us have e-mail addresses posted and can keep in touch electronically, although the pace and spontaneity of the TZ will be lost in mere e-mail correspondence, I fear. I have thoroughly enjoyed my brief tenure as ego-columnist, and hope you have enjoyed the shite I’ve spouted.
To our Fearless Hosts, a mighty and heartfelt “Hussar!” Now is as good a time as any to hang ’em up, so enjoy your victory lap to the end of the season and good luck in your future lives and endeavours. This place has born witness to an incredible range of events, triumphs and tragedies both human and sporting. It has been part of the fabric of the lives of those who dwell here – and you have touched us all in a way that you may never fully realize (NTTAWWT).
To my fellow Zone Dwellers, who number in the region of 1,100 apparently, I offer a tip of the hat and a fond farewell. I shall be here until the end, whenever that finally comes, but in case I don’t get to post it in the TZ, I’d just like to wish you the best, and say thanks.
It’s been fun. Let’s hope the Astros can Kev and Scott at it until the end of October!