 |
 |
|
|
Win One FOR THE GIFFER |
|
Giff Nielsen
October 2008
Categories
More KHOU Blogs
|
Everyone has been talking about Michael Phelps and what he has done at the Olympics and I don't blame them. It was remarkable to see history made in China but I would be remiss if I didn't take time to acknowledge the wonderful career of former Astro Craig Biggio. He had his jersey retired and what a setting at Minute Maid Park as a packed house honored him for what he has done not only for the organization and but also what he has done for baseball in Houston. When I came to the Bayou City back in 1978, I quickly found out football was the only game in town. You could forget about basketball and baseball. Those sports were there to pass the time until anything to do with football surfaced. That changed a little with the Rockets winning the NBA championship in 1994 and 1995 with the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Baseball started to bump the excitement scale with the signing of Nolan Ryan. But it wasn't until Craig Biggio came on the scene that the sports landscape started to change here. Local baseball got more help when Jeff Bagwell joined Biggio to form the greatest one-two punch in the history of the organization. It also didn't hurt baseball that Bud Adams was messing with the local pro football team eventually moving the Oilers to Tennessee. So with Biggio and Bagwell doing incredible things and the game being moved downtown in a marvelous ballpark, baseball really became something special. We watched as year after year they went to the playoffs. We were frustrated at the lack of success in the postseason but they just kept battling finally taking down the Braves and the Cardinals to make it to the World Series. If you weren't at the ballpark watching these guys, you wished you were or you were from another planet. It was so fun to be part of all the success. Houston really became a baseball city. So now when we go to the downtown ballpark and look up and see #7 on the wall, our thoughts will go out to a guy who always played the game hard. We'll remember his 20 years of leading the team on the field, the slides, the dives, the playoffs, the World Series, the dirty jersey, the pine tar on the batting helmet, the seven time all-star and the only player in the game to steal over 400 bases, smack over 3000 hits, hit over 275 homeruns and rip 600 doubles. The next time Craig will speak at a podium with the excitement he felt at Minute Maid Park with be in Cooperstown and that will just cap his dream career as he is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Good for you "Bidge!"
3 CommentsLeave a comment |
|
|
Giff Blogs Sports!
Giff Nielsen blogs what he knows best, and that's sports. As a former player for BYU and a quarterback for the Houston Oilers during the "Luv Ya Blue" era, Giff gives you insight into the world of sports that most can't. |
|
Congratulations, Craig, not only for all you did for baseball but for keeping it clean and being a gentleman in the process. You are truly someone the kids of Houston can emulate. Please keep the clean image kids will still be watching. Thanks for making Houston proud.
Best of luck in your 'retirement'.
I have always enjoyed watching Channel 11 news. However, when Giff Neilson puts his need to broadcast the olympic results without warning before those events are shown on TV, I have decided to no longer watch your programs.
I have never called or written anyone before, so hopefully you will take me very seriously. I really thought Giff was a stand up guy. My opinion has changed.
Gary, you are a fool to waste OUR time over your inability to change a news broadcast to avoid spoiling the surprise, you need some hobbies, perhaps baseball you moron!!!!! This is a blog about Biggio and all his greatness. We love you Bidge you are a remarkable man and what you have done for baseball and the City of Houston will never be forgotten!!!