WATCHFUL WAITING

You know the stupid things you remember from school?

I do and recently confirmed my memory of the original source of the term "watchful waiting" - now more likely to be associated with illness and medicine.

My recall was correct today. It was a phrase and diplomatic philosophy voiced by former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.

This policy reflected the absence of diplomatic training that Wilson possessed - which may or may not have prompted him to step down as President of Bryn Mawr, "an all girl" school, as we used to say before this age of political correctness.

The Republication administration that immediately preceded him in office was rumored to have complicitly recognized the Mexican regime of General Victoriano Huerta.

Huerta overthrew the Mexican reformer Francisco Madero who attempted to implement control of Mexican resources and utilities; many of which were previously under the control of American business interests. You got to admit the Republicans are pretty consistent.

Wilson did not recognize Huerta and postured his diplomatic position as one of "watchful waiting."

That all went to hell following his aggressive decision to raid Santa Cruz after the Tampico incident between U.S sailors and Mexican officials. Mexico's loss of 300 people resulting from the fray caused them to sever diplomatic relations with us. Only the intervention via mediation of Chile, Brazil, and Argentina got everybody settled down.

Now, what the heck does that have to do with anything, you probably are asking yourself?

Well, occasionally friend Harry and I trade references to each other in our respective blogs.

Sometimes those references address the fact that Harry, with his beloved Yankees - and yours truly, with my Pirates have followed our respective teams - it seems like forever. He did so
again recently reminding me he rooted for our Pirates last year. He then followed that with an excellent appraisal of the Yankees through the years at hepie2335@blogspot.com.

Living in Bradenton year round it is not unusual to occasionally glimpse our Pirate players, coaches or management around and about in public gathering places.

Last week my wife and I plus Bella were enjoying the restaurant patio of a local Pizza facility when I observed Pirates President Frank Coonelly enter the restaurant and sit at the counter.

Like Chuck Tanner, I had met Frank via my brother Jim. Otherwise, I might have not known him from any other ruggedly good looking Irishman in great shape. (hopefully, that's not an oxymoron.)

Immediately, the guy on the stool beside him engaged Frank in conversation. I assumed it was because the stool neighbor recognized him. It later turned out that was not true. After the Prez finished his beer and obtained his takeout he made a beeline for the door and finished his sprint to his car in less than 4 seconds.

I went in to pay the bill and was kidding the stool guy that whatever he said to Coonelly must have really hit home. He demurred and said, "Did you know who that guy was? He's a really nice guy and is with the Pirates."

So, once more I was wrong about something connected with the Pirates.

Another guy was sitting beside me down at a popular restaurant the other evening and started talking to me right away about the Pirates, despite a lack of clothing suggesting I was a fan. His topic was the wave of enthusiasm that seems to be taking place at Pirate City and McKechnie Field.

I therefore assumed he was part of their management team soliciting public opinions and had picked up on some of my Pittsburgese or dialect.

I had just arrived and lacked my usual sarcastic irish wit. Therefore, I just listened and only slipped once when I offered, "when you lose for 18 years straight - and most recently 105 games-I guess it makes sense to grasp at anything positive".

Per my new BFF, the Pirates players who seem to engender the most positive responses are mostly those youngsters whom we have acquired via our incredibly good drafting position: our reward for playing even more miserably the past few years. We could also add a few more such as Tabata and Snyder whom we have acquired otherwise.

The law of averages involving drafting high, giving away your non-productive veteran ballplayers, and possibly bringing rookies up prematurely because of need, does suggest a better outlook may be justified.

I believe I share my own "watchful waiting" philosophy with several other longtime Pirate fans.

I do so while occasionally adorning myself with my long sleeved No. 8 Pirate jersey in honor of "The Chicken On The Hill" guy, who did admirably represent our "We Are Family" enthusiasm, "back in the day".

It's just that I fervently hope now we conservative Pirate fans won't change our minds, give up on our Woodrew Wilson strategy, and decide to attack Vera Cruz.

Might be some good ballplayers there.