Let's Go Oakland!

Back in the 2002, I was a 20 game season ticket holder for the Oakland A's. I had been following them since college and this team showed a lot of heart and determination in 2000 and 2001. During that season, I booed when Giambi returned to the coleseium, I sat in the stands for a handful of the 20 games during the streak, and I watched them lose to the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS. It didn't matter as I still loved this broke-ass team.

The next year I read Micheal Lewis' Moneyball and it opened my eyes to the mathematical strategy of the A's GM. I had heard stories, but the book really broke everything down and I learned a ton about on base percentages, and the like.

Now there's a movie based on the book starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane and I watched it tonight.

I thought I might not be able to get past Brad Pitt as "Brad Pitt", but I loved him as Billy Beane. Plus the camaraderie with Jonah Hill's character, was priceless. The negotiation scene to get Ricardo Rincon traded to the A's might be my favorite scene between the two actors.

I also loved that real footage of some of the games were mixed into the movie and we even got to hear a "Holy Toledo" from Bill King (A's former announcer who has passed on). I think the producers of the film really got that time in Oakland A's history right. 

But I don't think this is just a film for A's fans, or even baseball fans. It's a really good movie based on a true story and I definitely recommend! 

Plus - Brad Pitt! ;)