When I first heard of the cheating scandal of the Houston Astros I did not believe it. The Astros were the good guys of baseball in my mind. They were also such a strong team that everyone knew that they did not have to resort to malfeasance to win. After all, they had just as many victories on the road as they did at home. When confessions came forth proving the accusations I was heartbroken, mostly because it tarnished the reputations of good people and also because it did not need to happen. I will always believe that the Astros would have won the World Series in 2017 without that ridiculous camera and trash can banging. I will forever be angry with the people who came up with such a ridiculous idea. 

It’s been four years now and the Astros have a new and honest coach, a good man with a sterling reputation. Many of the players from the 2017 team are gone. True to my beliefs they are still one of the strongest teams in baseball. They have not needed any extra advantages to dominate year after year. Therefore I think it’s time for everyone, especially the naysayers, to move on from dogging on the team as though they are the villains of baseball. There is such a thing in this world as contrition and reconciliation and I believe that the Astros have paid their dues and moved forward. The rest of the baseball world should do the same. 

I hear ugly comments about the Astros that include the entire city of Houston, as though every citizen in our city is guilty of some heinous crime. In truth ours is a town that few people will ever understand. We are an outlier in Texas and even the rest of the United States. We are the most diverse city in the country and we live together in harmony. We represent the future in a very good way. 

Houston is a town of hard working individuals who have always had to deal with insults from even the rest of our own state. We are often regarded as being the ugly city, the less refined city, the less cool city. That is, of course, untrue. We are in fact a very open and inviting city. We tend to embrace anyone who comes here and we have some of the most remarkable institutions in the country. 

There are four major universities in Houston each of which is doing incredible research and educational advances for our young. Our medical center is world class. We have outstanding art galleries, a wonderful symphony and a stunning ballet troupe. There are entertainment venues in multiple areas of town that attract artists from around the globe, not to mention the Alley Theater which is highly regarded for its live performances. In other words, Houston is home to renowned venuse of art and culture. 

The heart of Houston, however, is always revealed in times of disaster. We care for each other deeply in this city. People just naturally respond to the needs of those in danger or who need help fending for themselves. For years the people of Houston have been some of the most generous donors in the country for causes of all kinds like the Muscular Dystrophy Society. We are some of the first to open our pocketbooks to causes of every kind and our efforts for others are often unparalleled. 

When members of the media attack our teams and our fans as though Houston is a city of thugs and cheaters it is a gross misrepresentation of who we are and who the Astros are. It really is time that such ugly accusations stop. It may make for good television to create controversy but it also puts an entire city of good individuals into an inaccurate stereotype. 

Houston is not perfect and those of us who live there will admit that we have work to do. The traffic is horrific, but really no worse than in Dallas, Chicago or Los Angeles. We would do well to work more on renovating our infrastructures and beautifying all areas of town. We can’t do much about the heat and humidity but our seasons of fall and spring are generally spectacular. 

We have every sort of person that there is in the United States and still manage to get along. We are a hard working town that loves its children. We often mystify our state government with our voting patterns that do not always conform with their beliefs. We get by with a strong determination to allow people to be who they are. 

So let’s please get over the malicious attacks on our Astros and our city and its people. Let our team play ball and demonstrate that they really are champions. Be happy for us. We’ve had some hard luck but we keep coming back. If that’s not an all American story, then I don’t know what is. We are teaching the world what repentance is all about. That must surely be worth cheering for. It’s time to let the hate go away.