On Wednesday, pitcher Shawn Chacon got to live that dream when he tackled GM Ed Wade by the neck and threw him to the ground. Teammates and club officials cheered Chacon as he went to town on the neck of the scrawny executive. Reporters called it "the most fight I've seen out of anyone on this club in a long long time". Manager Cecil Cooper held his hand out and gave Chacon a thumbs down like the gladiators of Rome. Lance Berkman shouted "Finish Him". But before Chacon could unleash his finishing move, where he pulls out Wade's spine, he was pulled off by security.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Chacon talked about what it was like to get the opportunity of a lifetime. "This is just every kid's dream, bottom of the night, 2 lights out in a dim hallway, and you alone with the man responsible for putting together this pitching staff. I just tried to keep my excitement in-check as I viciously attacked him, but I was almost giddy with laughter. I remember playing in my dad's barn and pretending a scarecrow was Ed Wade's neck. I used to practice choking him out 4 or 5 times a day. And now I get the chance to come out here and get paid for choking him. I'm truly blessed, and I want to thank the Astros for this opportunity."
Shawn's triumphant story has inspired members of the community to make changes in their lives. One boy decided to go back to high school, which he had dropped out of several years before. An elderly man decided to start talking again to his brother, with whom he had not spoken to in 18 years. And a stock broker decided to finally choke out his wife, based on Chacon's thrilling performance. It was an exciting night for anyone who dreams of greatness.