Proud

Sports are a great platform.  They represent a lot of what is great about our society.  Hard work, competitiveness, team spirit, and entertainment.  People of all ages and races can find common ground through sports.  And we've seen time and time again sports advance social agendas and acceptance.  Today will be eventually remembered for being such a moment.  Jason Collins has come out as being Gay and is the first active player in the four major North American Sports to do so.  It was extremely brave and all my love and respect for his decision to do so.

I don't have a lot to say about it, as I think Jason Collins  can speak for himself and he does it beautifully.   I just want to lend my support and I want to point out all the other athletes who have come out in support of Collins.   

People said we weren't ready for an athlete to come out.  I think this shows that isn't the case. 

To sum it up...Thanks Jason.  For being yourself and comfortable with it.  We are all proud of you.

There's Always Someone More Badass

The construction crew across the street found our waiting funny

You know that feeling of self-satisfaction when you do something you're convinced someone else wouldn't do?  When you believe you are so much more badass/die-hard/and any other adjective you think fits than anyone else?  Well, that's how I was feeling this morning when I woke up at 5:40am for my 6am personal training session. 

Feeling groggy (as I mean, I don't know about you, but I don't really function till a few cups of coffee in me) I stumbled up to the gym...only to be met with a surprising sight...There was a whole crowd waiting outside of the gym doors! 

That's right, about 30 people were waiting to get their workout on.  Apparently the person who was supposed to open up the doors at 5:00 am hadn't shone up yet...and as I walked up around 5:55am there were people who had been waiting for around an hour to get in the doors! 

As I sat there for the next 30 minutes until the doors opened, more and more people rambled up to the gym.  And other than a few people who were carrying suits and clearly had to get to work, NO ONE left!  They all sat there and waited till the gym doors opened...and then preceded to carry on with their training as if they hadn't had to stand for upwards of an hour to get in.

Moral of the Story:  There are a ton of BADASS people.  You are just one of them.  But damn does it feel good to count yourself as one of them!

So to all the badasses out there...rock on!

Best Seats In The House

You know the best way to get amazing seats at a professional sporting event?  Well, one way is to go to a MLS soccer game as well, not really enough demand to give them the right for premium pricing.  Another way though to get amazing seats and not take a huge hit to your wallet is to go to a game after the team has been officially eliminated from the playoffs.

One year after losing to the Kings in the Stanley Cup, the New Jersey Devils were eliminated from the playoffs with four games to go.  And quick tangent, that tends to seem to happen doesn't it?  I mean whose the last Super Bowl loser to make the playoffs then next year?  It's weird to think that the disappointment can really follow a team into the next season, but it seems like its happened way to often for it to just be coincidence.  And ok, it doesn't happen in basketball... but that's just because the entire league basically makes it to the playoffs in the NBA so that doesn't really count.  Anyways, as soon as the Devils were eliminated, do you know what I did?  Googled ticket prices for their last home game.  And now, close to the glass tickets aren't absolutely insane at the best of times (listed price is $100)...but lets just say the Devils were giving tickets away for last nights game.  Think you can manage to part with $5?  Well then take the PATH and mosey on down to Jersey to see your team from the rafters.  And if those are $5...you can imagine that it didn't take much to get our tickets 3 rows up from ice.

And I have to say, hockey is one of those sports that is much better live than on TV.  It's easier to follow the puck, the fans are great and the energy during the power plays is just amazing.  And from where we were sitting?  Forget about it! I could practically see the spit fly out of the players mouths when they were checked into the glass right in front of us!  If that doesn't get your blood flowing, I don't know what would.  And believe me, I'm not the biggest hockey fan in the world, as well duh grew up in LA.  Is there even ice in California?  But after going to the game, well that's a whole different story as it seems like a whole different sport.  I could totally see myself become one of those rabid hockey fans.    

So next time you want to live like a VIP (and god, after seeing those tickets, how badly do I wanna be a baller who can have these seats as my season tickets), go to a game right after the team has no chance of making it the playoffs.  As who wants to go see a game that means nothing?  Especially when there's an important Knicks basketball game on....

Birth of a Superstar

Why do we go to professional sports events?  Yes, because its a fun way to kill the afternoon.  There's something about drinking beer outside that's just plain fun.  It's great family bonding.  And hey, while that's all true, one of the main reasons we go to professional sporting events is because its just plain exhilarating seeing the best.  We've all played sports.  So we all realize just how crazy athletic most professionals are as, well, we just don't look that cool/smooth/good when we are playing sports.  Now all professional athletes are great.  But when you are watching a true superstar.  A once in a generation talent.  Now that's exciting. 

Jordan.  Messi.  Mia Hamm. Lebron.  All of them are a step above the already seemingly superhuman professional players.  I've had the privileged of seeing all of them at least once compete and its not an experience that I'm going to forget.  And now I get to add Bryce Harper to the list. 

No one should be that good.  And especially, no one should be that good before their 21st birthday.  It's unfair.  And makes you feel a little bit bad about yourself.  I mean, what were you doing at 20?  I was hanging out at college, with no responsibilities.  Harper?  Oh you know, he's only starting his 2nd season in the big leagues hitting .370.  So I had fairly high expectations when I went to see him take on the Mets.  And yet, somehow, he found a way to surpass them.  By hitting two towering home runs to dead straight-away at Citi Field.  And Citi field is HUGE!  I will definitely remember my first time seeing him in person.  He made it look easy.  It's supposed to be hard to hit a 95 mile per hour fastball with wicked movement right?  Well, someone needs to tell Harper that.  As he hasn't gotten the memo.

I'd recommend the box frites with buffalo blue cheese dip

If there's a specific player you haven't seen, let me give you a hint about how to get great seats and catch that player you've been dying to see (there's some players called Trout and Posey...I have to say, it's a bit of a golden age for young talent in baseball).  Go to Mets stadium.  We say 7 rows up from the Nats dug out and it was less expensive than bleacher seats would be at Giants/Yanks/Sox and most other good teams.  And Met's stadium is pretty nice.  I mean, the food is good.  And you'll feel comfortable rep-ing the opposing teams stuff.  We've now gone twice to see opposing teams (not the Mets...does anyone actually support the Mets?  If you are from NYC, why wouldn't you support the Yankees?  Are you masochistic?) and have really enjoyed ourselves. 

But even if you can't make it out to Mets stadium, I think its worth it to shell out some money to see this Harper kid.  Trust me, he's pretty good.  Any you know how they are still talking about that Ruth character?  Or some guys called Dimaggio, Mantle and Mays?  I have a feeling he could be join that echelon of stars by the time he's done.  And you want to be able to tell your grand kids some day that you saw him.  I know I will be some day in the future saying, "I was there in Met's Stadium when Harper hit two bombs into deep center...."

one of the more random features at a park I've ever seen...

best promotion ever...dog day!  There were literally about 1000 dogs rocking Mets jerseys walking around the field pre-game...cutest fans ever

Just for Fun...Right?

How can you not enjoy a game with a view like that?

I love playing soccer.  Not the least because it's a great workout (I mean come on...how many miles can you run or dumbells curl before you go crazy).  And then there's the fact that from the age of 7 till 22, I basically played soccer every day.  So it's always nice to get back out on the field.  And the league I'm in right now is perfect.  It's a turf field and the perfect size to take advantage of my skill set (namely, no speed but good ball control).  But there's one thing that really annoys me when playing.  And that's taking it too seriously.

Look, I'm not saying don't try hard.  I mean, as a completely overly competitive person, that wouldn't really be a fair thing to say.  But there's a difference between going out there and trying hard to win, while also enjoying yourself...and taking it so seriously that you start looking like Renaldo in the Champion League, diving every which way, and then yelling at the ref when you don't get the call.  Example: I'm not one of those girls who wants the ref to give me all the calls in a coed league (in fact, I hate girls who ask for special treatment...but that's a different rant meant for a different time)...but come on.  Do you seriously think you are going to get a call when you have about 70 pounds on me, but somehow you go flying when I touch you?  I know, I know.  I'm such a thug.

I just wish I could get through a game without a pushing match...a yelling match...or just general cattiness.  It's a beautiful Saturday...with Spring just around the corner...can't we just enjoy ourselves without getting into a stupid pissing match?

Apparently that's too much to ask for.  Which is just too bad...as every time the yelling erupts, I find myself thinking, "Well, running laps isn't that bad."  A run being more fun than a Spring soccer game?  Now that's just wrong.

Grown Up Field Day

You remember your favorite day of the school year when you were a kid?  When Spring was in the air and the whole school celebrated by going outside and competing in a field day.  The fun though, doesn't have to stop with the end of elementary school.  Nope.  Just get together with a group of your friends for a reunion and have an Adult Field Day.  You know what adult field day is better?  It involves beer of course!

You'll find yourself doing Beer Mile (chug a beer after every lap), Dizzy Bat (chug a beer, spin around a bat, then run up back and forth to line), as well as classics such as three legged race, wheel barrel competition, and egg toss.  As you can tell, beer is for sure a theme.  The faces people make after doing the beer mile is priceless, as is watching people stagger (not run, stagger) the run way after doing their turn around the bat in dizzy bat.  We all know that there is nothing better than drinking outside.  So adding some competitive elements?  It can only make outside drinking better!

But we all know what the star of the show is.  That's right, your favorite competition ever.  TUG-OF-WAR!!! Is there anything better?  The answer is no.  There's just something so primitive about the competition.  You line your team up, we line our team up, and then we pull until one team falls on their face.  And when you win?  Nothing more satisfying in this life.  Trust me. 

In college when we did it, the dorms you lived in were your teams.  And my dorm happened to be the smallest on campus.  But, we were also the most die hard.  So naturally, we won the competition.  Pure joy is and understatement.  It was madness. It was pandemonium.  And it was one of the best days ever.

Find your inner kid, grabs some beers, some friends and go outside for a field day.  You won't regret it.  I promise.

Joy of winning....

Can you see the happiness?

Non-Vintage Yankees

Yankee Snuggie on my work desk....

This can't be right.  There's no way this is the start of baseball season.  Opening day is all about Spring and summer being right around the corner...so why is it I'm in a beanie, scarf and have a blanket wrapped around my legs?   

The weather isn't the only thing that's confusing me.  There's also the weird twilight zone that we have entered where the Yankees have been picked to finish last.  That's right.  The club that defines baseball...that has more world championships than anyone...is being picked to finish behind Toronto (wait...they have baseball in Canada?), Tampa (average attendance lower than a Texas park league game), and Baltimore (perennial cellar dweller).  Oh and the Socks, the other glamor franchise of the AL, is picked to compete with the Yankees for that last place finish.    

Does this look like an opening day outfit to you?

Growing up the most predictable thing in the world was the fact that the Yankees were going to get all the best free agents and compete for a championship every year.  So this off season, as I watched the Yankees let fan favorite and solid players Swisher and Martin walk away over a few million...I literally couldn't believe it.  What happened to the evil empire?  The I'll see your 3 million, and raise it 5 more negotiating tactics that had worked so well in the past?  Old Mr. Steinbrenner must be turning in his grave.

So with all this going on, you can imagine that the stadium was going to feel a bit different....but I had no idea it was going to be as dead as it ended up being.  Literally half the seats were empty.  Cheering?  Nope.  Didn't hear much of it.  Sox sucks chants?  Not a one was started all game.  In a league where the Yankees define so much of the baseball chatter, this non-relevance and passion just doesn't feel right. 

Baseball is better with a good Yankees team.  It's just the case.  And as much as I love the SF Giants, and the Dodgers are an interesting storyline, as are those Nats...it's just not the same.  So here's hoping that the Yankees shock everyone and...gulp..play the part of the underdogs (if you can realistically be underdogs with multiple 100 million dollar players on the payroll, even if they are all ancient and crippled) and make a march to the playoffs.

As the ghosts of Yankee stadium are legendary...but Yankee stadium as a ghost town on game day?  That's just not right.

Rivera finishing the save with a K, the one constant in a Yankee season like no other in my lifetime