Slapinions

On Wednesday my friend Carlos invited me to a Brewers game. We hadn't seen each other in awhile, so long that he didn't know I was now a non-smoker.

 

"You quit?" he asked. "Nuh-uh. You smoke like a chimney"

 

"Dude, I quit in November of '06" I said.

 

Guess it had been awhile.

 

Anyhow that posed a problem. He had very good seats, section 327 where the seats are wide and the waiters bring the hot dogs right to you, but he also is a smoker. He'd planned on having the two of us go to the smoking area, watch the game on TV there, return to our seats, lather and repeat.

 

So while he smoked I spent half the game watching sans Carlos, but it was still a blast.

 

The Brewers were awful, save for a long Ryan Braun at-bat that ended in a homer, so I'll spare you that write-up.

 

Some things of note:

 

They honored the recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Pulitzer Prize recipient. The news was unexpected to say the least. It was rather like hearing your Grandma just won the gold medal in track; you're proud of course, but you're left wondering how low the bar was set.

 

I also went craaaazy and bought a soy hot dog.

 

"How does it taste?" I asked the cook.

 

"Don't know." he said. "You're the first to ever order one."

 

Well, ok . . but it was the 5th home game of the year. That didn't bode well for the dog or for Milwaukee's waistline.

 

The verdict? Not bad, especially with a little kraut and stadium sauce.

 

* * * *

Today I went with my mother-in-law to the game. She had some primo tickets, a gold parking pass, and exclusive restaurant passes courtesy of a favor she extended to some apartment staff in her complex.

 

 

 

 

The seats were field level, first base side, ten rows behind the home dugout. EASILY thebest view I've ever had at a game.

 

Here's a view from a few sections down

 

 

And from our seats

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the national anthem singers

 

 

Ken Griffey Jr, one of my personal favorite players and a future Hall-of Famer. It was an honor, as always, to seem him play in person.

 

Here's

 

Prince Fielder, reigning NL home-run champ.

 

 

 

Ryan Braun, reigning NL Rookie of the Year

 

 

As far as the game itself, it was very fast moving, completing in 2.5 hours and going through the first four frames within an hour. It was a pitcher's duel right up until someone said that aloud, and booyah, the Reds exploded and we were done for.

 

Oh well, there were still the original racing sausages.

 

 

See this?Think it's a pic of the roof? Nope. It's a shot of one of the leaks in the roof, which naturally didn't turn out on camera.

 

 

The cause of the leak? This nasty stuff

 

 

I didn't enjoy being squashed in a crowded section, but I relished the conversations around me. These were $$ tickets, and everyone there knew the game.

 

After the defeat we tried to eat at the .300 Club (now renamed something corporate) but the kitchen had closed.

 

 

So we braved the rain, managed to get out of the lot, and then ate at Chili's down the road.

 

 

Thanks Jeanne and Carlos for the great time I had at both games!