The Retun of the King? The Building's Gonna be Lit. That Building's Gonna Be LIT !

Montreal Baseball Project president Warren Cromartie released a report today that on April 1st of 2015 none other than The Last Dragon of the Expos himself, Mr. Vladimir Guerrero, will be in Montreal for the first time in 12 years.

It is symbolically and literally...The Return of the King.

He's going to honored along with Timmy "Rock" Raines, Andres "Big Cat" Galarraga, Rusty "Le Grand Orange" Staub, Jacques Doucet, and Hall of Famer Andre "Hawk" Dawson at Montreal Baseball Project's gala on April 1st.

Now as everyone knows Montreal is hosting two exhibition games between the Jays and Reds at the Big O on the 3rd and 4th of April...that is two days after the date Vlad is confirmed to be in Montreal for the first time in 12 years.

The people at Evenko have to get him on the field, even if it is but for a moment, for at least one of the two exhibition games. You don't even understand how nuts people will go if Vlad steps on the field of Olympic Stadium once more...the fans, who've already bought 60K tickets for these games, and many are predicting a FULL HOUSE for BOTH GAMES...these fans will go absolutely MENTAL if Vlad shows up at either or both of these games. They will collectively FLIP OUT as a whole!

I guarantee if Vlad even steps onto the turf of Olympic Stadium for even ONE SECOND....fifty thousand people will totally FLIP OUT...and FLIP OUT HARD! Who me? I'll go nuts, man. Totally absolutely nuts, man. For real.

Vladimir, in Warren Cromartie's words is:

"When people think of the greatest All Stars in Expos history, the name of Vladimir Guerrero is always mentioned. His incredible talent made him one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball and one of the most exciting players to ever wear an Expos uniform" -(Cro)

Straight up.

Vladimir was one, if not the, most electrifying Expo to ever step up the plate to be friggin' great. People used to start standing and clapping and flippin' out just from him walking to the plate before he even did anything because they knew he was gonna smack the ball like a crazy man. He didn't even have a strike zone...he would hit any pitch, any where, any time, any how! He was a Wild Man, a complete and utter Wild Man.

People used to get PUMPED for Vlad, holy crap did they used to get pumped, they used to flip, completely FLIP. I'm telling you, 110%, if this guy even walks onto the field for the briefest of moments, the crowd will get Hella Pumped. He hasn't been in Montreal in over a decade and people wanna get pumped again, they feel it in their hearts and they feel it in their bones. They wanna GET pumped, they wanna BE pumped. Hey, people in Montreal? They were BORNED PUMPED. One Thousand Percent.

They gotta get him on the field on either April 3rd or on April 4th...they just got to. They have to. All the people who already have a massive case of Baseball Fever will thoroughly go absolutely WILD and CRAZY.


Conclusion

If they even get Vlad on the field for 0.00001 seconds...the Crowd'll FLIP OUT.

I'm not lying. They'll FLIP OUT. Seriously, They will literally FLIP OUT!

Ya.

What's up with those Montreal Expos Baseball Fans? Seems like They Want that Baseball Back or somethin'...

I've wrote somewhat extensively on the Montreal Expos Renaissance Movement.

January, 8 of 2013: Speculations and/or Prognostications on Phase II of Montreal Baseball Project

April 4, of 2012:  After 34 years the Serious Heart Attack Fires still Burn Strong

In the prognosticative piece we delved into Warren Cromartie's Manifesto ("Montreal is a Five Tool City") on the return of the Expos...or I guess it's more of a Cro-Mafesto. Within the Cro-Mafesto we focused on the 4th point of the pentagon-pointed five-tools which make up this wonderful baseball city in my heavily speculative article.

Today we shall look into another piece of the pentagonal "5 Tools" (as such). We shall be looking into the "Passionate Fan Base" tool.

The other sports fan bases in this city we already know about. Not one person hasn't heard of the Montreal Canadiens hockey club. The Montreal Canadiens fans look at their city's hockey team as the life and essence of the city itself almost.

We wish to focus on the rabid fan base of baseball fans only.

Take this story:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/expos-fans-pack-bleachers-at-toronto-game-hoping-to-lure-a-team-to-montreal-1.1375970

A contingent of 1,000 Expos fans comprised of hardcore fans, who never stopped believing in their team, dawned Expos gear and showed their colors at a Toronto Blue Jays game. Now granted 1,000 is not a huge number but it's only the tip of the ice berg of the rabid base that lies underneath the surface.

Last week, the New York Mets and Toronto Bluejays announced two exhibition games will be hosted at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Within a week they have sold over 80,000 tickets for these games. Montreal wants baseball back. That's 80K tickets purchased by Montreal's fan base for exhibition (not even regular season) games. It seems they are serious about getting a team back.

That's how it starts...

A guy like Cromartie convinces everyone it's possible...The "baby steps" have been set in motion.

The ball gets rollin' and 1,000 people are convinced it's possible and crash a game in full Expos regalia...The Kool-Aid starts gettin' stirred up quick.

Then 80,000 people catch the Baseball Fever...Something's brewin' that's what it's doin'.

The wheels are now in motion...will 4 million people in the greater Montreal area catch the Fever? My guess is...Yes, it is most likely.

Memories of the Greatest

On a related note, Vladimir Guerrero has announced his official retirement from the game:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/23645316/vladimir-guerrero-makes-retirement-official

Vlad was "The Last Mohican" of the Expos...or maybe Vlad was the "Last Samurai"...No, Vlad was the "Last Dragon..."

You aaaaaaare the Last Draaaaaaagon!

Out of all the Heroes, Legends, and Diamond Kings...Vladimir was Montreal's last Diamond King, our Last Dragon.

When many of the Montreal's Diamond Kings careers came to a close they ventured back here to receive their curtain call. Take the dearly departed, but still awesome in all our hearts, Gary Carter...

1992 Double Video

Or who could forget Tim Raines' triumphant return in 2001?

Rock 2001 Return

Yet, with the Expos no longer around...there will be no curtain call for our Last Dragon. Vladimir Guerrero won't get to double over Andre Dawson's head in right, or draw a walk while 55,000 fans stand and cheer during his entire at-bat like they did for Raines. If the Expos were still here Vlad would have been on the 2013 roster and he would have had an unforgettable curtain call at Olympic Stadium.

I will say this...Vlad was the most electrifying athlete who EVER played in this city. His talent was unfathomable.

The rumored story of how Vlad ended up here was that Tommy Lasorda kicked him off the Dodgers because Vladdy showed up with two different pairs of moldy old shoes and Tommy judged the book by the cover and assumed he was a bum. Felipe Alou recognized the diamond in the rough and invited the skinny awkard lanky kid to spring training.

He was the strong silent type. Never ever speaking. The only time anyone heard him speak was at the last game he played in an Expos uniform when he took a microphone onto the field and simply stated...

"Merci Beaucoups"

Everything had to epic like that with this guy.

Happy trails Vladdy, it is too bad that you didn't get a send off. If anyone deserved one it was you.



Like the seasons, love will come and go
If it's right, you'll automatically know
The world of mystery exists only in your head
When you become one with yourself
The wall will fall

There's a power deep inside you, an inner strength
You'll find in time of need.

You had the power. You had the glow, bro. 

You were the Expos' Last Dragon...