Let me begin with a confession. I was born and raised here in the Houston area, but never was an Astros fan.

I didn't care about the Astros when they won it all in 2017 and tried to do so once more in 2019. All my life, my support for them was lukewarm at best. But when the sign-stealing scandal broke around early 2020 and most of the universe turned against them, they became my team. The COVID season for me was like riding a tricycle; the first full 162-game campaign since 2019 was me hopping on a Harley.

And that's why the just-finished 2021 season meant a lot to me than the other years. All the team had was each other. They tuned out the hate, the insults, and the literal trash to get to where they were. And I'm so glad I came along for the ride. It's my hope and prayer their title window remains open for a few more years.

Even when it closes, I'll still be here. It's them or nothing. Go Astros!