No Boh’

broderic on April 8, 2016

Contrary to what some say, for all intents and purposes, there is no Natty Boh’ at Camden Yards.

I was at the game last night, the start of my season tickets, and I had a few drinks. Three to be precise. The first was a Blue Moon for $8.75. Not the greatest, but that was the best choice I thought from the Lites that were in this vendors box. Around the sixth inning, I felt like more beer and wanted to get my choice, Natty Boh’. I went looking…

And looking…

And looking…

It’s out behind left field. The one lonely stall selling Natty Boh’. The lady was closing up shop but I had her pour me a draft.

Now there was supposedly cans being sold at certain vendors, but I didn’t find them. It was nothing but beer ‘ritas. Not sure why anyone would drink such a thing. I can’t even imagine how they brew that up.

Anyhow, there is no Boh’ there. Like it was when Camden Yards first opened.

Let’s Play Ball

broderic on November 17, 2012

Chicago White Sox [5-3]

Looking through my Lumix at pictures that were still on there and I found these from the August 30th day game versus the Chicago White Sox. Out of all the games I went to last season this one is a favorite. It came during the controversial “low attendance” “start of school” days. As you can tell, there’s barely anyone there, but it was a fun, rollicking crowd. Orioles won, too, to boot! It was just the start of their push to the playoffs, and soon Camden Yards and The Birds were rolling.

Gahh! Where’s baseball?!

Argo

broderic on October 17, 2012

When did Ben Affleck become a decent director? He competently directed Gone, Baby, Gone and The Town. Now with Argo he’s directed a nice 70’s period piece of the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Argo is about the incredibly incredulous story of how the US got six US Iranian Embassy workers out of Iran during the Hostage Crisis in 1979. Ben Affleck as a CIA agent who specializes in extraditing US people from harrowing situations. He comes up with the craziest way to get these hostages out: a Canadian Star Wars ripoff movie, Argo. He’s going to go into Iran, scout out locations using the hostages as his “crew,” and walk right out of there. Just like Ocean’s 11.

Not a bad flick. It had me on the edge of my seat in the final third of the movie as I waited with bated breath on the escapees being busted. Except I knew that they escaped. It would’ve been known better as part of the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Sort of like the crash and burn helicopter rescue. They made it and it receded from my memory until this move brought it back in glorious 70’s moustaches.

One final note, the CIA agent, Tony Mendez, is the father of Toby Mendez, the sculptor of the statues at Camden Yards.

4 of 5 stars.

“Joe, you do not know hypnotism.” “Sure I do. Watch this. Chicken.” *cluck-cluck*

broderic on September 29, 2012

Panorama Vistas Camden Yards: Winning

Wow. Just wow.

I bought my first Orioles season tickets for the 2010 season believing that good times were coming. It didn’t turn out that way. The Orioles started bad and continued bad in 2010. They switched out the manager twice. So long Dave Trembley, hello Buck Showalter and his pod people Orioles. They played well to end the season and to give hope for 2011.

I, too, still had hope, so I bought season tickets for 2011. That season started well, then June hit and it turned awful fast. But the Orioles did finish out relatively strong. And it did give us #theLegendOfBobbyAndy Game 162. That stoppage of the dreaded Boston Red Sox gave us hope for 2012.

Once more, I go all in for the Orioles and get season tickets for 2012. This time not too hopeful. The Orioles started out strong sweeping the opening series with the Twins but getting swept by the dreaded Yankees. It seemed we were destined to be terrible. Yet, they kept winning series by series, game by game. By the All-Star break they were competitive in the division although their Pythagoras Number was abysmal, more runs scored against them than they had against other teams.

Last night, they beat the Boston Red Sox and Pythagoras down to earn their 90th win of the season. It’s been a long time for the franchise to have a winning record. And finally, Baltimore has embraced this team’s run.

I used my final season ticket for this year last night with The Seed, and it was one of the best final series season I have seen. (I missed last year’s final tilt because Boston.) The crowd was electric and when Ryan Flaherty hit that first inning grand slam, the crowd erupted knowing that it was going to be a rocking night. Chris Tilman pitched a hell of a game so much so I didn’t know that it was a 1 hit affair. We were jumping and jumping until the final out.

Panorama Vistas Camden Yards: Camden Street
We wanted fireworks, and we got them.

It was a very successful season. I don’t want it to end. I wish I had tickets for the rest of the weekend.

Thanks, Orioles, for the memories.

“Beth, what is third base?”

broderic on September 12, 2012

Lew Ford Not Nick Markakis

The penultimate game in my 13 game season ticket package. It’s almost done, but the Orioles keep winning. They keep winning and they are vying for the first place in AL East and vying for a wild cards spot. Let’s hope they win the East so that they don’t have to worry about the tie-breakers for a wild card spot. It’s gonna be tough.

Yet, I feel sad that this season is coming to an end. I’m having so much fun following this team. I’m glad that the town has started rallying around them. Better late than never. Although you should’ve been watching when they were scratching out the wins in the late spring and early summer. What turned out to be just an early season surge and surprise has turned into contention. What was a joke has now become real. What can’t be explained now doesn’t need to be explained. The Orioles are winning. They have to keep winning. They will win.

Lots to believe in. We believe.

69-57

broderic on August 26, 2012

Ballgirl 2012

Last year the Orioles finished the season with 69 wins. Here we are with a month left in the season, and the Orioles have tied last season’s win total. It’s starting to feel good to be an Orioles fan. We’re still in this thing. No more #podpeople just good ball players grinding out the wins. There’s still plenty of time left in the season, but for once a game in late August means something in terms of the playoffs.

Playoffs! And the team had sent out the playoff ticket request package. With my season ticket plan, I get 3 games one in the Division Series, one in the Championship Series, and one in the World Series. They cost as much as my 13 game plan. Ridiculous prices and due soon. Decisions. Decisions. Welp, if you’re driving the bandwagon, you’re gonna have to fill up the tank.

Who’s with me? Come on Baltimore! Come out and support your team.

Mad As In Angry

broderic on July 28, 2012

Almost

Just got home from the Orioles game and a stunning loss to the hated Athletics. I am mad at how the whole thing went down. Mad at Zach Britton for giving up 4 runs in the first. Mad at that Socolovich character who gave up another 3 as the Orioles had taken the lead in the sixth. I am especially mad at Jim Johnson who blew a save and blows chunks since the All-Star game.

It was a game that should’ve been a W. Instead it was a blown opportunity to act like contenders. They battled back all night. Adam Jones is a true All-Star coming through with a lead taking 3 run homer in the fifth. He’s the only good player we have.

This loss was hard to take as we knocked those fuckers down every time. Coming back big time for the lead, but losing on the supposed best reliever. Jim Johnson blows and I still hate him. This loss I blame on the idiot kid who wanted extra innings, because it was always extra innings whenever it was fireworks night. As I told him, you always take a W whenever its given to you. Dumb kid jinxing the team.

At least I have another baseball story to tell. Another ball was hit my way. In the three years sitting in that section for season tickets it was the only night a ball came near, and by near I mean right at me, again.

Top of the sixth. One out. Athletics first baseman Parker up. I’m in Row 2 Section 10 Seat 3. The drunk kid in front of me, the couple on the end, and the kid on the wall. The crack of the bat. “Ball,” yells the kid in front of me! Woa, that’s head right this way! “Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit,” goes the kid in front of me. I think that it’s the dude’s on the end he’s got it. Except i carries some more. I’m gonna have to make a play! It curves in the air away from the end and is right to me, agan! I let it fall. The kid in front of me has it. I feel like a fool. Needed the nephew’s glove tonight. One more time, please.