Yes, I'm PROUD TO SAY I'm an OAKLAND A'S FAN... and here's WHY I HATE the giants

East Bay resident since mid-50s, Dodgers fan until 68 when we got a team of our own because I despised the giants so much.

My dislike, which has grown into hatred, of the giants isn't an arbitrary thing, there is logic behind it.  As a kid playing Babe Ruth ball, our coach always taught us "Baseball is s TEAM sport, it's not about a player's personal stats, you do whatever it takes to make your team look good, and hopefully, for the team to win".

The giants were always a collection of individual stars, and there were some great ones...But they didn't play as a team.  Mays, Marichal, McCovey, Cepeda, the real Bonds (Bobby)... and others in future years continued this practice.  Why do you think they won few LCS and never won a World Series? It wasn't for a lack of talent.

And when you hear these bandwagon fans squeaking about "We won two World Series in 4 years"... remind them that NO, they've won two World Series in 55 years. 1958 through 2013.... two total World Series.  THEN remind them the Oakland A's won THREE IN A ROW, and have only been here for 45 years... oh, and that we won a FOURTH... and while it might have been 24 years ago,  it was a 4 consecutive game win OVER THEIR giants.

I started attending A's games in 68 as s teenager, continued through my college years and up to the early 80s, took a few years break, and rejoined them in 88 and have stayed loyal until today.  This included through some very lean years, like 1979-1981.

Point of all of this? I have friends who were coworkers that were giants fans, and when we started playing final Spring Training games against each other, we would go to the Coliseum and to Candlestick to watch games.  I've been to 17 MLB parks and dozens of MiLB parks... I've never been asked to leave or ejected... Except from the Stick.

At a game in 1990, 4 of us in A's hats and 6 in giants hats went to a game, sitting on the 2nd deck.  A's were up by 5 in the 6th, and we were cheering as another run scored. A giants fan sitting behind us didn't like us cheering in their stadium and he knocked my A's hat off my head. I turned around, looked at him and said "that was uncalled for"... And he dumped a beer on me. If I had ignored it, things probably would have been fine (in his eyes) but not in mine. I stood up again, grabbed him by the shirt and belt, and threw him two rows down in front of us.  I was pitched out of the park by security, and never returned to the Stick and have never set foot in ATandT.

These punks weren't 'New World' bandwagon giants fans, these were old school die hards, and they were the same thugs that start fights in the Coliseum and beat up on A's fans over the past 3 years at ATandT.

So next time you think about telling me you're a "Bay Area Fan" or you wear a split cap, or you wear your colors in OUR stadium to watch us beat your team in a CLASSIC Baseball Stadium? Just remember this:

 THIS IS NOT giants TERRITORY!!

YES, I DO still have a pulse!!

Hadn't realized how long it had been since I posted anything here... so thought I'd just confirm that I AM still alive and kickin'.

Newest phase of my life?  HEALTHY EATING....  yes, that right healthy. NO, no one has stolen my password and hijacked my page, it's really me.

Something clicked a few months back and I started looking at what types of "programs" were available that could provide some assistance and REALLY DID NOT LIKE most of what was offered, for a number of reasons:

• WAY TOO RESTRICTIVE, weekly meetings, our foods only, no alcohol (even occasional)
• WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, $4100-5300 for a 7-8 month program
• DID NOT HELP WITH HABIT MODIFICATION, how to get to the next step of life
• REQUIRED MEAL "REPLACEMENTS", artificially sweetened shakes, non-soluble proteins
• MANDATORY SUPPLEMENTS, provided by the program (pills, powders, and/or injections)

I did find one program that I thought might be viable called "Lean MD", but even that one would have cost about $2700... and had some of the elements of the ones mentioned above.

And I found one I'd SERIOUSLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE steer clear of, completely.  The "Ideal Protein Protocol" , which is ANYTHING BUT "Ideal". It's from Europe, moved to Canada +/- 10 years ago, and has been moving across the US for around 3 years.  The first warning signs for me were my Gastroenterologist,. a Registered Dietician friend (who is employed at a local hospital) and the Nutritionist at my work (who runs a Mayo Clinic approved program) had NEVER HEARD of the "protocol".

Another concern is that it's a 'franchised offering' and the majority of those running programs were chiropractors.... NOT physicians.  And after attending the 'social meeting' detailing the program, the fee structure, including mandatory non-food proteins, supplements (essentially vitamins and protein powders) and meal replacements that you HAD TO BUY form them to remain in the program?  A definite turn-off.  It was like sitting at an Amway meeting, including the "loaded deck" of testimonial providers.

I did a lot of research about the commercially provided programs and on a number of healthy lifestyle and eating sites and decided to design a program, including many of their components, suited to my lifestyle, my diabetes, and would also accommodate my limited ability to exercise, due to a severely damage knee.

My "lifestyle change" has me eating:

• 1000-1400 calories per day
• 3 standard meals and an occasional evening snack, if needed
• under 60 grams of carbs (more than 50% of that coming from fruit and vegetables)
• under 50 grams of fat
• +/- 100 grams of primarily lean protein

And, after 8 weeks of being on this program?

• I've cut my insulin dependence by more than 60%
• I've essentially given up bread, rice, potatoes and pasta
• The "snack shelf" in the house is empty, and NOT being refilled
• AND I've DROPPED OVER 25 pounds!!!

It does require more planning and effort to pre-prepare foods, especially for lunches during the work week. I'm making egg white scrambles and "egg beater" frittatas for breakfasts, grilling chicken, lean pork and beef, shrimp and salmon and preparing a lot of vegetables and salad fixings for lunches. I'm also grilling, pan-searing or broiling lean protein options for dinner nightly, accompanied by steamed vegetables and a HUGE salad.

And I don't eat STRICTLY and RIGIDLY by these guidelines, we do eat dinner out once a week, but I'm choosing much healthier options.... like sashimi style seafood instead of rolls or nigri sushi, or lettuce wrapped burgers instead of on a bun, and veggies or salad (dressing on the side) instead of fries, and once a week, when I do the grocery shopping, I buy a single sour french roll as a "treat".

What do I miss the most?  Well, I try not to focus on it, but there are certain things I do miss.

• Empty Carbs.... like bread and pasta
• Potatoes and rice, because these are both typically vehicles for sauces and gravies
• Unlimited quantities of fresh summer fruits and melons
• Bacon and sausage.... but I do still eat bacon every couple of weeks and chicken or turkey sausage
• Crackers and Chips... and cheese

Snack options are apples, a limited amount of dried fruits, dry roasted nuts and edamame, sugar snap peas, and turkey or salmon jerky.

And this is a LONG-TERM change. I'm happy with the results and yes, I do have a goal, but that's a personal thing. Maybe AFTER I reach it, I'll talk about it. It's nice finding new clothes in the closet, well, not REALLY NEW, but things I haven't been able to wear for awhile, so they are once again "new to ME" =)

Any suggestions or words of encouragement are more than welcome....