(Programming note: The “Shaq’s Fat Camp Finale” recap will be posted after I get out of class tonight. I know you’re waiting, but you’ll have to wait just a bit longer…it’s okay because waiting builds character.)
Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, Barry Bonds did not hit any home runs to me last night. Let me tell you how the evening went…
My girlfriend and I left our house around 5:45 for the 7:10 game, which we assumed was enough time since we only live about seven miles from Dodger Stadium. We were very, very wrong. It took us an hour and 25 minutes to get near the stadium. We decided to park on a street a few blocks away and walk up the steep hill because it was quicker than waiting in the 7 lanes of stand-still traffic heading into the stadium parking lots. We ended up missing the first inning, but it turned out alright because we learned from someone listening to the radio in their car that Barry struck out…good, we didn’t miss anything.
We walked around the whole exterior of the stadium because we were parked on the opposite side from will call and the outfield pavilion. When we got our tickets and got into the stadium, we made a bee line to the concessions (all-you-can-eat!!) and then got to our seats in time for the top of the second inning. When Bonds came up to bat in the third inning, everyone in our section stood up. By my estimate, I’d say about 70% of the people had their mitts with them last night. Old men, little kids, girls with pink mitts, and everyone in between. Dodger Stadium booed the two times Brad Penny walked him. The number of camera flashes that went off during every single pitch was staggering.
During Bonds’ last at-bat he should have popped out to deep short, but Furcal bobbled it allowing him to reach base on an error. As soon as the ball shot up in the air, my girlfriend squeezed my arm in excitement until she realized that A) it was not headed in our direction at all, and B) the ball barely made it to the outfield. We had a good laugh about that. Overall, the game was pretty fun. The Giants won, which I was happy about…even though they haven’t got a snowball’s chance to make the playoffs. It was also fun because I ate three dodger dogs, some nachos, a bag of peanuts, and two sodas.
However, there was this obnoxious girl sitting behind us during the whole game. Her accent sounded like she was from New Jersey, but I have a sneaking suspicion she’s Southern California through and through. Her hair was up in this ridiculous giant bunch on the top of her head, she wore high heels, and blabbed about absolutely nothing for the entire night. Her friend, who at one point said, “Yeah, he’s still my boyfriend. He just cheated on me a couple times,” was a real winner too. Other than that and the fact that I’m not currently selling a baseball for a few million dollars, it was a pretty good game.
I’m still going to Russell Martin bobble-head night tomorrow too, but we’re not sitting in the outfield. I’ll let you know how that turns out.