Results tagged ‘ Frank McCourt ’
Until We Meet Again
Well, at least now we can look back and say that in 2008 we were eliminated by the World Champions. Congratulations to all of you Phillies fans out there. It must feel good.
After the elimination game, there were some fans that stuck around cheering and showing appreciation, for about a half hour straight. It was a cool thing to be a part of. My voice was hoarse for two days. Nomar came out of the dugout, waved, and put his hand over his heart as if to say: “Thank you.” It seemed like he was saying goodbye to something. Maybe he was saying goodbye to the stadium, maybe he was saying goodbye to baseball. The moment made me well up.
Mr. McCourt stuck around and the fans started a chant specifically for his behalf.
“Please sign Manny! (clap,clap,clap,clap,clap) Please sign Manny!” we chanted.
I said goodbye to my neighbors in my section, wished them a good offseason, and made the sad walk to the car with my brother (who was inconsolable), David and Rachael.
As I walked through the stadium to get to my parking lot, I saw sleepy children holding their gloves in one hand and their daddy’s hand in the other. I realized, a whole new generation of Dodger fans got to experience the NLCS for the first time and that was special. Their fathers were probably kids the last time we had made it that far.
I didn’t post a blog entry after that game because quite frankly, I didn’t know what to say. I sat down to try and write something, anything, to express what I was feeling. Alas, I couldn’t find the words and thought that it would be best just to be quiet for a moment and get some distance.
With that distance, I realized the good so outweighed the bad this season. With all the ups and downs, it felt like every game had its own heartbeat.
Thank you, Dodgers, for a great season.
Spring will be here before you know it and in the interim, we have the rumors and deals of the offseason to keep us occupied. Dodger free agents:
- Casey Blake
- Rafael Furcal
- Nomar Garciaparra
- Jason Johnson
- Derek Lowe
- Jeff Kent
- Greg Maddux
- Joe Biemel
- Chan Ho Park
- Mark Sweeney
- Manny Ramirez
- Pablo Ozuna
If you were Ned Colletti, what would YOU do?
I will try to continue to blog during the offseason when there’s something to say. Until then, I will be working on Single With Parents and missing baseball.
Peace,
Love,
AND BASEBALL,
Alyssa
Hus Your Daddy, the Five Man Infield and Opening Day
We left the house at 6:30 on Friday. My brother (above) drove and we listened to “Home Plate” on XM Radio. We were giddy to be making the drive to the stadium for the first time in months. Giddy and giggly. My brother drove like a NY cab driver, weaving in and out of traffic. Normally this would drive me nuts but I knew he was just excited to get there.
Once there, we parked the car. We went through security where we were greeted with “welcome backs” and “how have you been’s?” As soon as we walked through the gates we noticed all the renovations on the field level at Dodger Stadium – our home away from home. Wowie! The stadium looks gorgeous. The McCourt’s have outdone themselves this off-season. Everything looks sparkly, clean and bright. There are many new vendors like – Canters Deli, Mrs. Beasley’s (love their lemon cake), Ruby’s and Camacho’s. The walkway seems to have been widened. Say what you will about Frank McCourt but I think he has done an outstanding job with maintaining and improving the stadium. I guess coming from real estate the man understands the value of property. I appreciate what he has done to better the fan experience at the park. And that’s what it is all about isn’t it? The experience. Sitting there with your family and friends enjoying an evening in the yard.
What is it about the smell of a ballpark? It smells so deliciously distinct. You know how your home has a specific smell? As soon as I unlock my front door, it is the smell that tells me I’m home. I feel the same way about the ballpark. As soon as I walk through the gates, it is the smell that tells me I’m home.
We got to the seats and got settled in… and low and behold…there he was. Joe Torre in all his glory. So yeah, I squealed like a teenage girl at a Jonas Brother’s concert. So what? He wears his hat down low and his jacket was zipped all the way up (it was chilly). All you could see was his tan nose. Tommy Lasorda was right there next to him. So exciting.
It was a good game. Billingsley looked good with 7 strikeouts in 5 innings. Sweeney, Kent and Ethier all doubled. The rooks looked solid. My brother and I made endless jokes, a la Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s On First” routine. I would ask, “Who’s on deck?” and he would reply “Hu”. I would follow up with “I don’t know. I asked you.” That’s never going to get old. I can see us driving everyone nuts with banter like this. Brother and sister humor. Ah, thank God for siblings.
And then there was Saturday’s exhibition game celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers moving from Brooklyn. The last game played in the Coliseum (pictured above and below) was in 1961. I was sitting next to a gentleman who used to go to those games with his dad. He was there with his son. Baseball is such a generational experience. I was there with my family. We lost but being a part of the record turnout and listening to Vin dedicate his tribute to the great Dodger fans was enough for me.
There were 115,300 fans. That was the most ever for a baseball game, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The best part of all was that it benefited a wonderful cause: ThinkCure, the Dodgers’ new official team charity, which aims to raise funds for the treatment and eventual prevention of cancer. “This record is a tribute to the passion and compassion of our fans,
with whom this event clearly struck a chord,” Frank McCourt said. “It’s a marvelous launch for ‘ThinkCure‘ and great news for our partners at City of Hope and Childrens Hospital L.A.”
Poor Loaiza. He had his hands full with the odd shape of the field. Anyone know the distance of left field? It looked like only 200 feet! Loney homered and rookie Dewitt made up for his two-out error in the second with a two run homer off Paplebon in the 9th. The fans created a massive wave. It was the biggest I have ever seen (inclusive of the players in both dugouts participating)!
It was a great weekend. Spring has sprung. You know how I know? Vin told me so. He said, “It’s time for Dodger baseball.”
Peace,
Love,
AND BASEBALL,
Alyssa
P.S. How about that Opening Day win?
P.P.S. I have two words for you. Larry Freaking Bowa.
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Alyssa Milano
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