“That’s why you go to games!”, I excitedly shouted to anyone within earshot as I strutted out of Nationals Park after a thrilling mid May, walk off victory this past Tuesday.
I’ve traveled home from Nationals Park 59 times in my life, but this last visit was different. In fact lots about Tuesday night felt different from the typical venture to Half Street.
The New York Yankees were in town.
CHARLESTON, SC —
Within 60 minutes of landing in Charleston, ordering a John Daly at 10am on a Wednesday seemed like a reasonable thing to do.
After dropping our bags at the hotel and trudging a mile or so through the thick southern air, Mrs. FSB and myself arrived at our first destination. With my head still full of airplane weirdness, I crossed the threshold of the Rutledge Avenue sidewalk, into The Hominy Grill, a bedrock breakfast joint in Charleston specializing in low country classics. It was our first stop on a four day tour as we ate and drank our way through The Holy City.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA —
A few weeks back when I wrote about my trip down to Chinatown for the Villanova/Georgetown game, I noted all of the great D-1 college basketball options in the DC area. Last weekend, I decided to venture outside of the Beltway for the two hour trip down to Charlottesville, VA for an epic matchup between Duke and unbeaten Virginia.
CHINATOWN, NW DC —
Living in the DC area comes with many pitfalls and perks. But for every accident on the GW Parkway, single tracking Metro train and random social encounters almost always starting with “so, where do you work?”, there is the embarrassment of riches that is Beltway college hoops.
Pick any random day on the calendar, and there’s often multiple games within a 25 miles radius of Capitol Street that are worthy of any blue blooded college basketball fans presence.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ —
The entire day really couldn’t have gone any better, up to this point. My weekend excursion to New Jersey had included some of the best pizza I’ve ever had, a tailgate menu worthy of it’s own review in the Food section of The New York Times, several different beer fueled BS sessions with friends old and new and an ill gotten yet spirit lifting win for the 49ers. Did the Niners deserve to win? Probably not. But as an East Coast Niners Fan, leaving a road stadium with a W in my back pocket doesn’t get old.
SOUTHEAST DC —
Stand up.
Sit down.
Clap your hands madly.
Sit down with crossed arms.
Lose your mind with happiness.
Lose your mind with frustration.
The MLB playoffs are back in DC, and the Nationals delivered the home crowd every emotion they could have expected in October baseball, except the chesty satisfaction of a hard fought win. Instead, it was a long trudge for Nats fans down the concourses and out onto Half Street as the Giants grinded out a 3-2 win today.
THE BRONX, NY —
I’ve never been a camera guy. I feel that a lot of people miss big moments (sports plays, kids milestones, etc) because they’re too busy taking pictures or video taping. I had decided last night was going to be different for me, I was going to make sure to get some good shots of the Captain as he’s walking off the field for the last time. Most likely from shortstop with 2 outs in the top of the 9th as he jogs off with his cap in the air. Or even better, a double in the bottom of the 7th & they take him out for a pinch runner with the long walk across the infield.
