AFL Footy: Cats v Pies

Wow, did that suck. But I'll get to what happened on the pitch in a moment. Inky and I took a tram from St. Kilda up to Federation Square last night and then walked over to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As soon as you cross the Yarra river you can see the MCG's lights all blazing down on the pitch, which served as our signal to get ready for the Footy.

The students became the teachers, as we walked with two girls from New Zealand who thought we were Expat Yankees living in Oz, and were asking us all about the game. We told them about how fast and exciting the pace of footy is, and also told them that the Cats are one of the best teams in the comp, and that they should have the Magpies for dinner. Oh well, but again, I'm rushing.

Our seats were again right behind the goals, just like the game we went to in Tasmania last week. After settling in for a moment, we used our "pass out" to go out to the area surrounding the MCG where all the food stands are. We got two burgers and split a drink and "chips" all of which only set us back $20, which was fine since the burgers were huge. We had planned on getting some meat pies, but couldn't find the stand, so we went with what was close.

Seeing a game at the MCG is amazing to say the least. I've been to Fedex Field in Landover with 100,000 other screaming Skins fans, but there is something about the shape of a Cricket Oval that makes it look 10 times bigger. The MCG holds just over 98,000 sports mad fans, but you would have thought it was twice that many. They watch the game intently, and almost seem to rise as one in approval or in scorn. Even a small perceived oversight by a ref leads to a collective murmur that sounds like a roar.

I would have loved if my first trip to "the G" had been to see a famous victory for the Cats, but it was not. Inky, decked out in her Cats scarf and I in my Geelong Hoodie sat and watched as the boys from Collingwood had their way with the defending champs. The Maggies won 20.14 (134) to 7.6 (48) a complete victory to say the least. And so it was that my team, who were 8-0 this year, and 27 for their last 28 including a championship won by well over 100 points, fell in front of my eyes.

It wasn't all bad, however. as we met some amazingly nice people. The family in front of us were all Collingwood supporters, but they we're very engaging with us and even gave Inky a Tim Tam. We talked about Footy and NFL Football, and the players that have bridged the gap, ironically one from Collingwood (Sav Rocca) and one from Geelong (Ben Graham). Even though the Cats got their assholes pushed in by one of their arch rivals I loved every moment of our time at the football last night!

Fuckin A Cotton....Fuckin A

I can't seem to stop quoting movies lately namely Old School and Dodge Ball but what else can you say to a 10-0 Orioles lead over the hated Yankees. Not only did the Birds chase long time traitor Mike Mussina after just 2/3 of an inning (Mr. Vaughan I thought you were pitching tonight. I did. Oh, I didn't turn the game on until the second inning). I was not home to see the beginning of this game but I do know that Brian Roberts had batted three times in three innings and La Marquis de centerfield is 4 -4 with 4 RBI's and the ancient Kevin Millar is 2-2 with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Daniel Cabrera is on the mound and poised to get his third straight win so things are lining up. Another juicy tidbit from this game is Derek Jeter had to leave after being hit in the left hand with a pitch. Not to wish bodily harm but I'd be happy if he missed a few weeks especially being as A-Rod is just now back and healthy. The Yankees are in the basement just behind Toronto while the birds chase the Rays and the Sox. At this point I'm still happy with a .500 season but I'd love to at least see a wild card push this season. If the Rays can keep up their momentum I'd be happy to see them win the East. After all, they are way way way over due on contributing anything worth while to Major League baseball. What is a bigger shame is that the people in the bay area could care less win or lose. All the more reason to contract or relocate....

In other news the NFL owners voted to absolve the current collective bargaining agreement effective in 2011. This also leaves open the possibility of a capless 2010 which could prove to be a real problem going forward. I know a lot of people would love to see a capless year but then what? Why would the players accept a cap in a future deal if they already played a season without one. I think we can all agree that the NFL is what it is because of parity and the salary cap helps to keep that in place. We have some years before we have to worry about it but it's something to keep in mind. Also it is being discussed to replace the 4th pre-season game with a regular season game therefore going to a 17 game season. I don't think anyone would disagree with that being as the pre-season in the NFL is pretty much a joke.

AFL Footy: Hawks v Port

I swear I didn't set it up this way, but Inky and I found ourselves in Tasmania when there was a footy game going on. Five times a year the Hawthorn Hawks become the Tassie Hawks and play home matches at York Park in Launceston. It would be like the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing at a DIII Stadium in Akron Ohio, but it is an amazing treat for Tassie footy fans.

Inky and I started our day off by each downing a Carlton Draught and then settled into our seats in the Northern Terrace. We were right behind the 4 goal posts and had a great view of the whole field. We got to watch one of the AFL's most prolific goal kickers in Buddy Franklin as he booted six 6 pointers for the match. The Power (who played in last year's Grand Final) pulled ahead early, and lead by as much as 39 points in the game. The Hawks stormed back to win 17.15(117) 15.12(102) after pulling away late in the third term.

We were also intently watching the Geelong score as they fell behind early to Richmond, but got into good form to win by 30. That means both Geelong and Hawthorn are both undefeated and careening toward a huge clash down the road. It also means that Geelong is still undefeated going in to their game on Friday at the home of Footy, the MCG. Inky and I will once again be behind the goal for that one, and I'll let you know all about it then.

This Is Sports Centre Mate?

One of the things Inky and I love about Australia is that they are sports mad here. Think of that face painting, zuba pants wearing dude you know who is way over the top, and you’ve got just about every Aussie sport supporter. So it is no surprise that they have a few different cable networks that bring them sport all day everyday. `

I was surprised find out that ESPN is one of them, however. Inky and I checked into our hotel in Tasmania to find that the US version of SportCenter was on. So I got caught up on what was going on back home, which was nice. Then upon waking up this morning I got to watch the Aussie SportCenter, which looks exactly like its US cousin.

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They have an identical set, and use all the same fonts, graphics and transition devices and most importantly the same sound. During the breaks they promo live NRL, Rugby Union, Cricket and PTI? That’s right; they have an Aussie version of Pardon the Interruption. It is kind of a surreal experience to sit in my hotel this morning (7:00 PM yesterday at home) and read about the football game that I’m going to later today, while watching New Zeeland v England cricket highlights which were then followed by Spurs vs Hornets game 6 highlights.

That settles it, there is no reason to go home now.

What The Fuck???

I have been abandoned for the month while Inky and Greazy tour Australia and possibly take a spiritual walk a bout. As I am typing this the O's are on top of the hated Red Sox 5-3 roughing up Josh Beckett for 5 earned runs in 2 and 2/3 innings. The announcer has just stated that this is the most runs and hits allowed for Beckett this season so go O's!! Lets hope they can hold on to this one. The 4 run inning was capped by a Luke Scott mammoth blast onto Eutaw St. What I liked most about this home run is not only is it off Beckett but on the big score board Old School with Will Farrell doing the Frank the Tank dance was playing. That movie is fucking classic and that scene was genius so all the better to celebrate a home run with. Another tidbit on this game is 2 of the three Sox runs are unearned so if we could play some fucking defense we'd be up even more.

Onto another sport the Ravens have started mandatory mini camps with new head coach John Harbaugh. Everyone is accounted for accept Terrell Suggs (contract dispute) and Jon Ogden (likely retirement) so things appear to be off to a good start. There was a reported incident on ESPN that there was an all team brawl on the first day after some heated words were exchanged between guys who will be bagging groceries by Labor Day. The high light of the camp was Joe Flacco completing a 50 yard TD pass to Mark Clayton who got behind the secondary. Also being reported is offensive coordinator Cam Cameron may want to go with a 3 receiver set as their primary attack which would be a big change. I'm not sure how I feel about that, I guess it will depend on who is playing QB.

That's all for now, hopefully Greazy will give us some insight as to what watching a live Aussie Rules Football game is like. I also want to know how the hell he eats the traditional meat pie without wearing half of it.

Optimism is for Suckers

Okay, I'll admit it. The Flyers may be better than I give them credit for. They managed to dispatch the number one seed Montreal Canadiens. They now move on to Pittsburgh. (which doesn't seem far, but really is) Can they win? I don't know. Will they win? I don't know. Do I want them to win? Yes. I do. I'm only human. As much as I don't want to believe, a tiny little part of me is rejoicing.

As a wise man told me this weekend about the Flyers chances: Why not? This logic may not be based on statistics, or goals against averages, or anything like that. But, let's say that the Flyers are going to win. Why? Because they might. They might just be able to pull it off. They could win. Couldn't they?

I like it. Not needing a good argument is a plus. But, it is also such an uplifting idea. Why can't the Flyers win? Why couldn't they get lucky and erase 25 years of suffering for the city of Philadelphia, and, 32 years of grief for their own franchise? They could win. It's kind of a "Yes I Can" for the cynical. It is not a definitive answer, but allows those of us who have been hurt by this team to hedge our bets. If they blow it, we can still say we knew it. But, if they win, we can say we knew it. Brilliant. All teams should try this.

So, it could happen. They could really do it. They could collapse like a house of cards on the Brady Bunch. But, they might not. Maybe this time, Marcia will take off her charm bracelet and Tiger won't run through the living room, ruining hours of hard work. It could happen. Why not?

Not So Fruity Picks

* The Flyers have gone up 2 to 1 in their series with the Montreal Canadiens. They play again tonight, we'll see what happens.

*Roger Clemens should really have quit while he was ahead. Mindy McCready? They need to stop referring to her as a star. She had one song, in 1996.

*Are we still talking about the NFL draft? Does anyone, even Mel Kiper care THAT much?

*In my quest for an all Aussie top 5, I realized that American athletes pale in comparison to their Aussie brethren. Don't believe me? Examine the evidence here. Tom Brady vs. Brodie Holland.

Man Holidays

There are a few days a year that I look forward to with complete and total excitement. I like to think of them as "Man Holidays" and there isn't much that can ruin them for me. This past weekend constitutes one of these Manadays, and if you think I'm talkin 'bout watching to see "the big un" at Taladega, then please never read this blog again. Of course, the big event this weekend was the NFL draft, which is really just a throw away event, but one that so many of us enjoy.

If you love NCAA and/or NFL football then this is a great event for you. The college fan gets to see the culmination of 3, 4 or 5 years on campus for a bunch of great young athletes. The pro fan gets to feel some hope about the coming season, like XL getting excited about Shane Falco being the new Ravens QB, or me watching as the Skins load up on targets for Jason Campbell. Plus, it makes for a great excuse for XL and I to sit and talk on the phone for 3 hours about both of those topics.

My other Sports Holidays are:

NCAA Basketball Championship Game/Baseball opening day- We didn't get these two together this year, but we almost always do. It's a great day to call of out of work to go see a day baseball game, and then get home in time for the title game.

The first Thursday of March Madness - I never work on this day, preferring to sit on my couch all day waiting for the first big upset, and watching my bracket fall apart.

Super Bowl Sunday - I think this on is self explanatory, but it's genius is that it is a one and done game, not a series like the NBA, NHL and MLB.

AFL Grand Final - This is a new one on my list, and my tradition with it started at 2 in the morning at XL's house last year watching the Cats kill Port Adelaide.

Masters Sunday - I'm not a huge golf fan, but I almost always end up watching the fourth round at Augusta.

Baseball Hall of Fame Induction - After going to two induction weekends, including the largest ever, I have a special place in my heart for this event. I think I'll end up going back despite the fact that no other O's look poised to get in any time soon.

Almost as important as the events on my list, are the ones which no longer peak my interest. I don't watch all star games any longer, which is a shame because I once loved them.

Stiff of the Year: Steve McNair

This post has obviously been a long time in coming but I've been on the road for the last two weeks. But Steve McNair, Thanks a fucking hell of a lot!! I mean why couldn't you fucking decide to hang it up after you fumbled 4 times on opening night last season or maybe after your "shoulder injury" that sidelined you for the rest of the year opening the door for Kyle Boller and Troy Smith to get some playing time. McNair has pretty much fucked the Ravens over as now everyone knows what they'd like to do with their 8th overall pick. Before all this insanity the Ravens may have taken Ryan but they also could've taken a corner back or O lineman depending on who was available. More than likely in the second round the Ravens would've gone with Joe Flacco if he were available or Chad Henne either way they'd get a quality QB of the future with some time to develop him.

Now we know New England being the giant whores that they are will trade the 7th overall pick to the highest bidder and they likely will take Ryan ahead of the Ravens. After trading a future 1st round pick for bust Kyle Boller the Ravens most definitely won't make that mistake again. So what could now happen is the Ravens trade back into the lower third of the first round to select Flacco or Henne earlier than they likely would've gone. Now this could be a good thing because the Ravens could use another 2nd or 3rd round pick and they could probably get that by moving back. What is frustrating though is I've been looking forward to this pick since the Ravens stunk up the NFL last season. I mean that's the only thing to look forward to after a 4-12 season. So McNair, you had one decent season in Baltimore and then fucked us twice without staying the night thereby making him my early choice for stiff of the year.

Now What the Fuck Was That About?

I'm not one of those "anything that's not American, must suck" people. Hell, I love me some Aussie Rules Football, as one scan through this blog will tell you, but even i have limits. I turned on Setanta sports (the network I subscribe in order to watch said international football) the other day and I saw a crazy game. It's called hurling, and it originates from Ireland. The field looks like an American football field, but it has a soccer like goal at each end, which also has NFL like uprights coming out of it.

The game is played with a baseball like ball, and feild hockey like bats. The players seem to be able to pass using their hands, but main form of passing and scoring is scooping the ball up with the bat, and then hitting it while it hangs in the air. If it goes in the net, then it is a goal, if it goes above the crossbar and through the uprights then it is a point. The score line is like that of Aussie rules football: 1.10 being one goal, ten points, 3.9 being three goals and nine points.

There is a ton of swinging of the bat near heads, knees and feet which leads me to believe that a bunch of these guys get fucked up. The odd part (as if the rest of this wasn't odd) is, that while all the players on the field wear helmets, the goalie doesn't. What the fuck kind of sense does that make?

Still, I found myself watching this sport, and with the magic of Setanta, I may watch it again. I just can't get enough sport, and that makes me wonder why ESPN stopped showing this kind of stuff.

Fruity (Flaming) Pucks

Well, I guess it is a trade off; to live in a world where Schlack is half right, if it means the Flyers can advance in the playoffs. Since that is what happened, I'll take it. They sure did make it interesting, though. Two overtimes games, a game seven the very next day after a game six loss at home. They wanted me to hate them, again. They wanted to give it all away, again. But, in the end my Joffrey made it happen, like I knew he would. (Okay, so that is a lie. I didn't know, but it sounds good doesn't it.)

Now, we get to take on Montreal. Those crazy Canucks are a little torch happy, so it should make for an interesting series. And, yeah, about that. Seriously, Montreal. You were the one seed, beating the 8 seed in a game seven. Don't break your arms patting yourselves on the back, and how about not burning police cars. Clearly, we are going to have to win the series in Philadelphia, just to protect the Mounties. We owe it to our neighbours to the north to protect them from themselves.

So, play on, player. Make me proud. Or at the very least, try not to piss me off too much. At least make it a series. If Boston can do that, so can we.

Stiff of the Week: Hank Steinbrenner

First things first, I don't have a problem with the owner or Chairmian of a baseball team speaking his mind about his team. God knows as an O's fan, I've dealt with the fall out for years, but if you own the team, you get to call the shots. Just don't be surprised when championships don't follow that management style.

What I do have a problem with, is being unoriginal. I mean, come on Hank, are you really going to try and walk in your father's shoes on this? Have you ever heard the expression "a fat pope must follow a skinny pope" meaning that if your father was retarded and heavy handed in his running of the Yankees, shouldn't you try something new? You oust Joe Torre, you bitch about the pitching staff and you talk about how you are still the universe's favorite team (even though you haven't won shit since '00, and the Sox have won twice.) What's next? Are you going to dig up Billy Martin and make him the next manager?

Get a new act! I dub thee, Douche Hank Steinbrenner, Stiff of the Week.

Yeah Girl!

Amid the O's beating the Yank's for the second night in a row, the Cat's turning a close 3 point game into a 40 point ass kicking over Sydney, the Caps holding on in their series against Philly, and the mind numbing waist of time that is the NBA, there was a sports first last night. Half the world away, Danica Patrick won her first race, to become the first woman to ever win an open wheeled race. Ever. She has been dogged by the Anna Kournikova "pretty but can't win" criticism ever since she put on a fire suit, but no she's put all that to an end.

No one ever questioned if Phil Mickelson could play golf, they just questioned if he could win a major. Danica, however, never even got the decency of people assuming that she knew what she was doing out on the track, despite her multiple top 5 finishes. There will be some who still scoff and say that she is only in the sport (and I use the term loosely) because she is an oddity, and a chance for more exposure for sponsors. They can say that all they want, but they can't take that shiny cup away from her.

If This Surprises You, Than You’re and Idiot.

Miguel Tejada was asked how old he was the other day, and he missed by a year... either way. He said 32, but his baseball age is 31 and his real age is 33. Oops! The thing is, this goes on all the time in baseball. Many of the Latin ballplayers who were playing under their brother's identity, or with altered ages were rounded up during the '02 season, following the passage of the PATRIOT act, but some never got caught.

As it turns out Tejada had the right birth date, the one from 1974, on all his official documents for a work visa in the US, and no one at the INS ever bothered to check that data against his baseball card, lazy bureaucrats!

In the end the only impact this has, is on what Tejada will be paid for the 2010 season and beyond, since he is under contract to the Astros till then. Plus, he's bashing the ball like the Ceranno of old, so Houston isn't too worried. He has far more to be concerned about, when it comes to B-12 shots vs the Cream and the Clear then he does about 1976 vs 1974.

And as I said, this kind of thing has been going on in baseball for year. In 1999, when Inky, XL and I all worked in the minors, we saw it first hand. There were guys who went by different names in person from the names they used on the field. This was because they used the birth certificate of their younger brother when they were scouted to appear to be a better/younger prospect. Pedro became Juan, and so on.

The best way I can illustrate how rampant this practice was, is to tell this story. Howie Clark was the team leader of the AA Baysox, since he was a bit of a grizzled veteran by then. 1999 was his third year of spending time at AA, and he went up and down between Bowie and Rochester a few times. One day, when he and a pitcher were preparing to leave for another trip to the Red Wings, they were saying goodbye to the Baysox, who were on their way out of town. Maximo Heredia, who was one of the pitchers, was showing his newborn son around to the assembled crowd who were all busy boarding the bus. Upon seeing the baby, Clark shouted across the parking lot: "Hey Max, cute kid. How old is he, negative 4?"

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

When I woke up this morning the O's were still holding their head above .500, but I think we all know that won't last. Their already quiet bats will have to deal with Maryland's own Gavin Floyd tonight, and then the Yankers come to town, so the euphoria felt during that 6-1 start may be beginning to wane already. Don't get me wrong, I still like where this team is going. I get excited when I Nick Markakis, Luke Scott and LaMarquis de Centerfield in the outfield. I think there is a lot of upside to the bullpen, and I am excited to think that MacPhail may actually know what he's doing, and most importantly, may be allowed by Angelos to do it.

What really excites me, however, is the notion that the O's may finally have drafted a "can't miss" college player who could be doing damage in the majors by this time next year. When the Birds took Georgia Tech Catcher Matt Weiters with the 5th pick overall most people thought it was pure folly, and that he was yet another top pick that would go unsigned by the O's. But, they got a deal done, and Weiters hit two homers in his first professional game for the Fredrick Keys last week. So far this season Weiters has collected 27 at bat's in 11 games. Over that span, he has hit .444 with a 2B, 3 HRs and 8 RBI. The Carolina League obviously already has a ton of respect for him, as he's drawn 10 walks so far this season. If he keeps this up he'll be in Bowie by May, and he should get a September call up to the big team too.

Georgia Tech is famous for turning out great players, like another tall switch hitter: Mark Teixeira. Tex played just 86 games in the minor leagues in 2002, before breaking through with the Rangers on opening day of '03. It is not at all unthinkable that Weiters could very well do the same if he stays on this pace. With him in place (and perhaps Teixeira too if he wants to join his fellow alum and return home to Maryland) the team could put together a two to three year run like Cleveland, Detroit or Colorado.

A boy can dream can't he?

Pick-a-Licious

*Barry Hall, the big scary man from the video below, got a 7 game suspension for punching that poor West Coast Eagles player. He also broke his wrist running into the boards at the oval, and will be in a cast for six weeks. Karma, anyone?

*The Flyers are up 2 games to 1 on Washington. Is Alex Ovechkin stoppable? Time will tell.

*I'm sure there is other stuff happening, I'm just not sure what it is.

*Oh, yeah. The NFL schedule is out. Already?

*The NHL changed its rules to accommodate this yutz. Gotta love it.

They Don't Call Him Big Bad Barry For Nothin'

I get three or four Aussie Rules games from Setanta a week, and I try to watch them all. This requires prioritizing, and so this weekend I watched Geelong take St. Kilda’s best shot, and then go on to win 42. That was Saturday Morning right after I woke up. Then Inky and I watched Carlton down Collingwood at the G last night, which left me just one game to watch: The ’05 and ’06 Grand Final rematch of Sydney v West Coast, which I planned on watching tonight.

I guess I should have watched this one first. Barry Hall was frustrated by all of the pushing and hanging on, to which he was subject to at the hands of Brent Staker, and he let the moment get the best of him. After Staker accidentally hit Hall in the throat, Barry elbowed his throat, and then he turned around and punched him full in the face, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. I love the point after the punch, when Barry throws his arms up in the air, in the international “What did I do?” motion. Then Brett Jones comes in to take umbrage with the situation, and Bazza drops him like third period French. All good things come in threes, so as the kerfuffle continued; Barry gave Beau Waters a shot for good measure.

All this adds up to a month or so off work for Big Bad Barry, and one less weapon for the Swans to use when they travel to Skilled Stadium to take on the Cats next weekend. It will be interesting to see what happens if Barry every brings that big leg, and bigger temper to the US to punt in the NFL.

Studs of the Week: The Announcers

I spent some good quality time watching sports today with Inky and XL. I started my day off with some Aussie Rules, moved on to NHL playoff action, took a bit of a break for some of the Masters and finished it up with more Footy. While all the action on the feild/pitch/ice/links, was great, I got the most enjoyment out of the mouths of the announcers.

To start off with, during the second intermission of the Flyers-Caps game, Mike Millbury dropped this on us while talking about what the Caps needed to do to get back into the game:

"We've gotta sink it deep, good dumps, get some pressure and use the D on the wrap around."

Later during the Blues big win over the Magpies, Dennis Cometti remarked on a player's reticence to take a big mark:

"He's feeling a bit like Brittney Spears' Attorney. A bit uncertain."

The Nationals Food Experience on $40 a Day

As Greazy has stated below he and I went out for a day of baseball in our nations capital yesterday. The weather was amazing and as you can see from his post the views were amazing as was the ambiance. I'll mention now before I forget that the Nats lost this game 3-0 to Tim Hudson and the Braves. We didn't really go for the game but for the experience of the stadium and to see what types of food they had to offer.

After perusing around once we noted that one of our favorite chains, Five Guys had a stand out in center field. The Nats also have incorporate in another local staple of the are in Red Hot & Blue which specializes in barbecue among other things. Not being a resident of D.C. I also understand that Dave's Famous Chili Bowl is a staple of residents in the area. The Nats also have their own stands with clever names such as "Slice Down the Line Pizza" and my personal favorite "Senators Sausages" which Greazy and I got a kick out of. I mean who would want Trent Lott's sausage? The other interesting thing about the food/beverage selection in this stadium is they have actual bars throughout where the non beer drinker can get a gin and tonic or crown and coke.

Greazy and I decided to go to the Hard Times Cafe for dinner where I got wings and a dog while Greazy got a hot dog and nachos. We were both pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food although I have to say this is one of the most expensive ball parks I've ever been to. A sandwich at Red Hot & Blue would run you $10.50 without any baked beans ($3.50) or non alcoholic beverage ($4.50). The wings and nachos were $9 each but were both very filling. An all beef dog is also $4.50 which I guess is the most comparable to anything else I've seen at other parks. The prices at 5 Guys were also kind of surprising. A hamburger was $7 while a cheeseburger was $8 and a bacon cheeseburger was $9, the best value on their menu are the $5 fries. Their fries are very similar to board walk fries and are delicious with some vinegar and salt. If you're a beer drinker and want to get drunk at this ball park it will run you $7.50 a beer draft or bottle.

All in all the experience was great, I "caught" a ball in batting practice, the weather was phenomenal and the game was close. There are many good views and it's hard to imagine a bad seat in the house although there are a few sections that would have some blind spots. I think next time though I'll try to eat a little more before I go and definitely see if I can sneak in my own bottle(s) of water being as they also run $4 a pop.

Nationals Park: A Greazy and XL Adventure

After a short stop in Hanover Pennsylvania from some lunch at Famous Hot Wiener, XL headed down to DC for a baseball game. Before meeting up with XL's brother, GSR, we wandered around the stadium to take in all the angles. From the outside the park is very pleasing to the eye, and once the surrounding neighborhood is built up to accommodate after game festivities it should be even nicer. I was impressed with the style of the Park, which blazes it's own trails rather than following in the Camden Yards-Jacobs Field-Coors-Ballpark at Arrlington chain. There's no red brick to be found at Nationals Park, and it all together eschews the throw back feel for a futuristic approach. As soon as you get off the Metro, you get a view down Half St. into the outfield of the park. When the time comes to buy your ticket, you can do so at handy little kiosk's, like the baseball version of fandango.

Once inside, I was a bit let down by some of the sight lines in the outfield. Like Philly's new park, there are many seats in the outfield where you can't see either corner, which makes no sense to me. That is made up for by some of the specialty seating located on the second level of the center field area. There are seats on two levels adjoining the "Red Porch" restaurant in center. Here you can get a sit down meal before or during the game, and many people were crowded around it's bar and TV's all through the game.

Even the seats with the best view's have one problem in Nationals Park: the price. They have seats that they are asking more than $300 each for: per game! Needless to say, many of the people in them came dressed in their best invisible man outfits, and most of the seats behind the plates were vacant. We sat between home and third in the 400 level, and all things considered we had a great view. The nazi who was working the section made things a bit uncomfortable, but we survived none the less, and didn't have to promise our first born for the pleasure.

XL will touch on the food at the ballpark, which has increasingly become an important part of the experience. I enjoyed the overall day at the ballpark, helped by views of the Capitol, Washington Monument and the river. We were also the lucky recipients of a perfect early spring day, where the weather was one notch away form ideal. If you were a person of unlimited means I would tell you to run down to DC the next time one of these days comes along and get a seat between the dugouts.

For the rest of us, I would recommend getting the cheapest ticket you can find and walk around the Park at the game is going on, stopping to take in the view from a few different spots. First, there is the railing under the giant scoreboard (see the view from the picture at the top of this post), where you get a full view of every part of the park, save said scoreboard. There is also the spot between right field and the river, next to the skybox entrance that makes for some damn nice viewing.

All in all I have to give Nationals Park a 4 star rating. This park can never attain a 5 star rating as long as so many of the seats in it are totally out of the reach of the public at large. That said, I'll be back.