. . . 'til it is experienced. (Keats) This summer the Giants reality TV show officially airs and will follow the players personal and baseball lives. I saw the preview. It was good. We saw Freddy Sanchez celebrate his anniversary with his wife, Wilson arriving to spring training in a police cruiser, Torres doing insane jump squats up the side of a hill and tossing cinder blocks everywhere, and Panda racing up a mountain to get back in shape. Showtime is relying on the cast of characters to be characters. This isn't like other reality TV shows where "reality" is scripted and Showtime cannot make the Giants win again or force the players to create fake arguments or fist fights. Showtime can't send the Giants players to Cabo on spring break and force feed them Long Island Iced Teas until they forget their own names.
With the emergence of social and digital media, professional athletes are more accessible than ever. Fans can read their tweets to their friends and stalk them by going to the restaurant where they are eating or ask them a question such as is Buster Posey's wife having twins? (she is) It's free marketing for the teams and players. I love it, I've been tweeting Baby Bull and asking him questions. (trying to put together a piecemeal interview like a pseudo-journalist, more to come with that) There is no way in my lifetime that I would ever be able to have a direct conversation with one of the greatest Giants of all time.
When you grow up watching sports on television you develop a relationship with your favorite teams and players. These athletes are performing in you living room every night and if you are lucky you can get a little closer by attending the live event itself. The fans' knowledge of their favorite players used to be limited to TV, live experience, and newspaper interviews. Digital media adds another dimension. Sandoval tweeted one night that he was going to eat at PF Chang's and my first thought was bad idea. Not too many good options for his new diet. Then I thought this is crazy, I'm analyzing a professional baseball player's restaurant decision. I almost went to the website to look up some healthy options to tweet him. The concept of "it's none of your business" does not exist on Twitter, your business is every one's business. It's addicting. Case in point, Panda training video. (I forgive him for his poor form on the rowing machine)
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