Warning Warning Warning
filled with lots of sports stuff.
Saturday, April 25th, 2009
I woke up wide awake with lots of energy before 6 AM after going to sleep about 2ish. Its not my birthday, not Chanukah, not new years, not even the world series. So why you may ask am I full of excitement on this day?
This is the week end that I look forward to every year since I was in my early teens. It is the one week end of the year where all four major sports have something big going on. And this year there was even an extra little treat.
Basketball: first round of the playoffs
Hockey: first round of the playoffs
Football: NFL DRAFT
Baseball: baseball games
However, for my birthday, my twin's close friend got me tickets for a Redsox Yankee game, I didnt realize it was the same week end as my sports holiday weekend. So, needless to say, it would be ...orgasmic
The weather was perfect. It was going to be in the 80's, (just two days before it was in the 50's, go figure) I put on my radeo about 8 AM to start listening to the pre-draft analysis, predictions and updates. Since it was the first hot day of the season, I had to find shorts. I did, with a RedSox Ortiz 34, t-jersey and my Redsox hat, along with my XM radeo, (so I could follow the nfl draft and get playoff updates) I was ready for my first game at fenway park for the season for me, my first redsox-yankee game and it was just perfect.
I meet up with Jeff, my twin's friend, at the park, my twin will catch up later, he was at a confrence in RI. We go to Boston Beer works and after 20 minutes of standing in line outside, they told us it would be about an hour wait for a table for two. We go over to the bar, Jeff has a Beer then we decide we'll eat in the stadium. We go over, I get a sausage and sprite, he gets a dog and another beer, and we sit on steps, just outside of the park. (the block off a part of a street next to fenway park so they have more room for people to mingle and relax, they put picknick benches out there, consession stands, and entrins to the redsox shop that is across the street.) I will admit, that little rage boiled up a bit inside me, the one that when it is warm or hot out and people are around. ... Jeff said "My god, I could just stay out hear looking at all the hot girls out here." um, the ones that I cant see? grrrrr. Ok, move on with the story. dont let one bad moment take over.
Jeff gets a text at 3;09 from Justin saying that he is leaving RI. He defanately wont make the first inning. We head in and go to our seats. um, these are awesome. They were just after the first base, back a few sections, where the over hang starts. These were 90 dollar seats? um, Jeff really doesnt have anything to do with his money. ok, and he is a great guy.
I get my radeo set up and shut it off till the draft starts, I dont know how long the XM battery will last.
throwing out the ceremonial first pitch was Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, wearing a Red Sox jersey with No. 9.69 on the back for his record time in the 100 meters.
There was a special batboy for the day, a 100 year old man, who was the bat boy for the Boston Braves during the early 1920's.
The National anthum was sung so beautifully by a lady, I did not even sing along. I just wanted to listen to her voice.
The game about to start, my XM radeo on ESPN radeo, I was experiencing nirvana.
I was interested in 4 things especially, when it came to the NFL draft. The first thing, Who was my favorite team, sf 49ers going to do with the 10th pick over all. Second, what my home team, New England Patriots were going to do. The other two, were players. Mark Sanchez and Michael Crabtree were going to end up. Sanchez, qb from USC, was the biggest name and could go anywhere from second down to Denver or Washington? The other is a player I first saw just a few games into his freshman season. I remember emailing my twin about him. About how awesome this kid was. He seems to be fearless with great hands and great feet. Now? after declaring for the NFL after his sofemore season, he is the number one reciever coming out this year. He was probably going to either Seattle at 4 or cleveland at 5 unless someone like Minasoda traded up to get him.
The sun was bright, and the air was hot, but the Redsox werent to start the game. Heading into the redsox side of the 4th inning, the redsox were down, 6-0, and the Yankees fans that dared to show up, were loud. However, the 4th inning for the RedSox a RBI single by Bay followed up with a grand slam by our captain, Jason Varitek. The game went back-forth, and in the 7th, the Yankees found themselves on top 10-9. The Yankees walked Bay, who has been on fire, to face Mike Lowell. However, to the wonderment of all, he hit the ball and he hit it good. When it landed, it was in the croud for a homerun. The Boston fans went nuts, as the redsox went ahead 12-10. The following inning, the same situation was seen, two men on and Bay up with Lowell on deck. They walk Bay to get to Lowell, and once again, Lowell came through with a bases clearing double, plating 3 runs and putting the home team up with the Fenway faithful going nuts. And when the final out was recorded in boston, after a 4 hour 21 minute marathon of a game, the Boston RedSox had won 9 in a row. The final score being 16-11.
In the mean time, on the XM, The New York Jets traded up with Cleveland, New York giving away virtually nothing to get Mark Sanchez. Mean while, Crabtree was not taken by this point at 5, maybe he’ll go 7th to Oakland? Nope, they do pick a WR, but not Crabtree. In my head I am thinking,”no way Crabtree will fall to san francisco?” Jacksonville doesn’t take him and neither does Greenbay. Here come the Commish with the 49er’s pick.
“and with the 10th pick in the 2009 nfl draft the San Francisco 49ers select,Michael Crabtree, wide receiver, texas tec.”
OH MY God! Are you kidding me? This is unreal. My favorite college player being drafted to my favorite team. I cant believe this.
Ironicly, my XM holds out for 3 hours, till the Patriots pick. I didn’t hear who they picked lived.
The Pittsberg Penguins, who my twin and I have followed since the beginning of the 90’s, were playing vs their rival, the philadulphia fliers in the first round of the playoffs with the Pens already up 3 games to 1.
The first update I get from espn was phi 3 pit 1. The next update, it was tied at 3 going to the 3rd period. I don’t get another up date till I hear, “Penguins move on to the second round as they defeat the fliers, 5-3.”
Basketball, Jason Kidd, my favorite player, and the dallas mavericks were playing a first round game 4 vs san Antonio. Dallas was up pretty much the entire game. I was excited. They have a very good chance to make it to the second round now. Last season, Dallas reaquiring Kidd for what everyone thinks was a lot, but Dallas is on the edge of making the second round and New Jersey, where Kidd was traded from, did not even make the playoffs.
After the Redsox game, Justin’s wife Lindsay, picked us up. We dropped Jeff off at his place. His dog was alone since early that afternoon. At this point we were starving but it was after 10. Lindsay said she didn’t want to go to a restaurant that was going to be closing soon. I suggested Kowloons, a Chinese restaurant that is opened till 2AM and is just a hop-skip-jump from my house. Lindsay said Kowloons was what she had in mind. Justin agreed to it pretty willingly. While waiting for the food, and later waiting for the check, Justin was reading me where some of the players I didn’t know about, went in the draft.
The food was good as always. The service was crappy but eh. What ever.
I got home, talked to Nikki, and soon after, fell asleep.
I had a sausage with peppers and onions from Fenway park
I had 2 freshly squeezed lemon aids from fenway park
I had Chinese food
The Mavs won
The Penguins won
Crabtree went to the 49ers
And I was at a wicked awesome Redsox Yankee game that lasted 4;21 with the sox coming out on top, 16-11
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