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Through a series of events I owed my dad a nice dinner out.  Not to one of our usual meeting spots: Fireside Grill, Hard Times, or Lucky’s Sports Bar.  I owed him something like Morton’s or Ruth Chris, a nice place.  So what I decided to do instead was take him to see the Nationals play and buy him a hot dog for dinner.  When I told him of my plan I started it off by saying I would buy him a hot dog.  I could hear it in his voice he was a little disappointed, he was hoping for something more.  Once that settled in I told him the hot dogs would be at Nationals Park for a ball game.

Now, what game to see?  I checked the schedule real quick and was not impressed with the home games I saw for June.  Unfortunately the Nationals have some crappy teams in their division and I didn’t want to see any of them.  However late in the month I saw a ray of hope, the Nats would be playing the Red Sox.  Official tickets were sold out so I had to use a ticket broker to find a pair in the outfield.  Later while at the game I found out it was an inter-league game and the Nats don’t play the Sox often at all.

view from our seats

We were going to see the last in a three game series.  The first two were looses for the Nats, in fact the first game was a complete blow out with the Nats loosing 3 to 11, 6 of those runs coming in the eight inning alone.  The Wednesday game was still a lose, but not nearly such a beat down, loosing 4-6.  My Dad and I were not holding out much hope for a win, but we had luck on our side.  Even with the worse record in baseball the last game my Dad went to, the Nats ended up winning.  We where hoping his luck would hold and we could get a little revenge.

We meet early at my Dad’s house and drove up to Pentagon City to catch the Metro to the stadium.  If you are going to see the Nats play, Metro is the only way to travel.  Yeah you can park on site, but it’s $40 and in my opinion a rip off.  The Metro was packed with fans making their way to the stadium.  Tuesdays game was record attendance, then Wednesday broke that record.  Thursdays was sold out and would be close to a record, if not breaking the record.

We had time to kill before the first pitch so we walked around the stadium and got some food.  I was very impressed with the new stadium.  If it right on the water and the whole area around the stadium is being revitalized.  Currently things have slowed down because of the financial crisis, but all that will turn around soon and the place will be hopping.  After I bought my Dad hot dogs, and fulfilling my obligation for dinner, we took our seats in anticipation of the game.  I was shorta shocked by the number of Red Sox fans in our section, and in the stadium period.  When the Nats were introduced I heard more boos then cheers.  When the Sox took the field I could have swarn we were in Boston by how loud things got.

savoring the victory

When the game finally started I was excited for the team, I had a feeling.  We were surrounded by Red Sox fan, clearly out numbered.  Our only compatriots where a group of six right in front of us, a great group of drunks.  Not sure why but during the first inning things were looking really good for the Nats.  They scored 4 runs immediately, everyone was getting a hit and getting on base.  Only downer of the whole inning was I believe they left the bases loaded, but with 4 runs scored it was alright.  This certainly had a psychological effect for both teams.  The Nats were flying high on cloud nine and the Sox tried for the rest of the game to climb out of the hole they found themselves in.

With the four runs in the first scored the crowd was also knocked out of the game.  It was a shame that more Nat fans didn’t show up, the stadium was unusually quite for most of the game.  It was not till the sixth inning that the Sox fans had something to cheer with, they scored their first run.  But in the botton of the sixth we scored two more, way to steal their thunder guys!

It was at this time that I went for my last beer and meet a lovely lady in line.  After we confirmed from others around us, Michal Jackson was in deed dead.  With that downer we changed the subject, back to the Sox.  I told her I was amazed by the number of Sox fans in the stadium, she was not at all surprised.  She was from Boston but had been living here for several years.  She said it is so difficult to get tickets to Fenway that fans travel to see them play.  It is actually cheaper to travel than get home tickets, shocked the hell out of me.

When I returned to my seat we had put another two runs on the board.  Now the score was 9 to 1 and needless to say I was feeling pretty confident about our win.  Not so confident as to walk out screaming at the Sox fans saying they suck or anything, but darn close.  As the game went on they had a ray of hope in the 9th inning.  One  guy got on base and another player hit a home run.   Just like that life was breathed into this dying team.  What fans still remained were getting all excited, they thought maybe, just maybe their beloved Sox could pull a ninth inning come from behind victory.  But thanks to some great closing piching, finally, the Nats were able to pull out a win with the final score 9-3.

and another score

My Dad and I stuck around for a while, waiting for the other fans to leave before we started to make our way home.  It was just after 10pm when the game ended and we were not quite ready to leave yet.  We wanted to revel in the victory just a little longer.  Eventually security came along and forced us out of our seats.  “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”  So we shuffled along with the rest of the fans, out the stadium and onto Metro.  Within minutes we were back at the car in Pentagon City, still not wanting to head home.

To celebrate a little more we headed to Shirlington and the Capitol City Brewery for a victory beer and wings.  Since it was after 10pm, it was happy hour all over again.  We walked out of there for less then $12 bucks, with tip!  What a great way to end the perfect day.  Long live my Dad’s streak of Nat victories.

June 25, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Boston	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2		3	8	2
Washington	4	0	1	0	0	2	2	0	X		9	11	1

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So it was my birthday the other day and my kick ass girlfriend got me tickets for the Skins vs. Cowboys at FedEx Field.  I was floored when I saw the tickets, this is the game of all games.  What made the tickets that much better was the parking pass she got me too!  The first game I saw this season was Skins vs. Cardinals, I had tickets and no parking pass.  This turned into a cluster fuck before and after the game.  The cash lot is $40 and it takes forever to ride the bus to the stadium.  You have to fight the same traffic as everyone else getting into the stadium.  Getting out is more of the same.  As for walking, bring your hiking boots you will need them.  So when I got tickets to the Skins vs. Steelers for a Monday night game with no parking pass…….I skipped the game.

So having that parking pass and the ability to tailgate I was ecstatic.  I have wanted to tailgate all season long and I always find it to be one of the most enjoyable parts of going to see the Skins play.  If I just wanted to watch the game I can do that from the comfort of my home.  Where there are no lines to the bathroom, beers are endless, and nobody wants to pick a fight.  I took Jeremy with me to the game and we left my house at about 3:30 to get to the stadium.  Surprisingly enough there was no traffic getting to Landover.  Not crossing the bridge or near the stadium.

Jeremy and I tailgating

When we arrived at about 4:30 the lots were still pretty empty.  I guess the 40 degree weather and constant 15mpg wind was enough to keep most people away, at least for tailgating.  So with the ability to pick just about any space we wanted we parked near the front of the orange lot that was closest to the exit.  Here we setup camp.  Well I put the tailgate down and turned on my Colman stove.  We had some pre-game food and tried to stay warm.  My body was pretty warm, it was my hands that were freezing.  Having no gloves will do that.

So after a few hours in the parking lots both Jeremy and I gave up.  It was too cold to be outside any longer and since we had club level tickets it was worth it to go inside.  We headed in and decided to take up residency at Club Macanudo.  It is an indoor smoke lounge with giant leather chairs and tvs all over the place.  What a better place to chill while we waited for the start of the game.  Here I ran into Frank from General Cigars and also Gary, my boss.  If you want to meet some cool, and sometimes powerful people, the cigar lounge at FedEx Field is a good place to start.

By the time we finished smoking it was almost time for kick off at 8:15.  So we headed to our seats to watch the spectacle that is the National Football League.  The game started off rather well for us.  The Skins were able to hold the Cowboys off and score a few points themselves.  The problem was the Skins could not put enough points on the board.  At one point the kicker missed a 37 yard field goal by being 5 yards short.  It was heart breaking.  The skins would march down the field and couldn’t score any points.  The only bright spot was that the defense was holding the Cowboys at bay.

great seats!

By the end of the first half the Skins were up 10-7.  We were going to start with the ball and the crowd was psyched.  Even with the extreme cold and wind blowing the crowd stuck around.  We won the first meeting down in Dallas and we had the lead going into the second half so things looked good.  Unfortunately things bogged down.  Nobody scored in the third quarter.  The skins started to look worse.  They were getting fewer and fewer yards each time they had the ball and the Cowboys were getting more and more yards per possession.  They changed their play book and it was working.

So when the fourth quarter came and it was still 10-7 things didn’t look to good for the Skins.  As the last quarter went on things started to look worse.  The Skins just couldn’t get any where and the line couldn’t hold back the Cowboys.  So our only hope of winning was to hold onto the lead we built early in the game.  Unfortunately this didn’t happen and with only a few minutes left on the clock the Cowboys scored the touch down they needed to take the lead.

The Skins tried hard to get that lead back but stick a fork in the Skins, they are done.  With just under two minutes left on the clock and the Cowboys getting the first down they needed to successfully kill the clock to zero Jeremy and I walked out.  The stadium was dead, the life completely sucked out of of everyone.  I couldn’t believe we lost, and to the Cowboys of all teams.  Jeremy and I hung our heads and walked back to my truck.

I guess the only good part about the game was getting out of the stadium.  Usually traffic is so bad it is not worth it to leave when you get to your car.  It is better to fire up the grill and have some more food and another beer.  This time getting home was like arriving, took just an hour.  I was home and in my bed by 12:30.  I could start to forget about that crappy game.

The tickets from Nancy was a great surprise and the best gift I got from any body.  To bad the Skins had to loose.  Thanks again Nancy for this wonderful gift.

On Saturday we had our La Gloria Cubana BBQ with Ernesto.  So that means that Gary was hanging around all day to “entertain.”  We were looking for items to give away for a raffle and Gary mentions he has tickets to the Skins game on Sunday.  But he is not sure if he wants to throw them in with the other raffle items.  We should a good number of tickets, but not really enough to justify giving away a $2,500 humidor AND club level seats to a skins game.  So I of course offer to take the tickets off his hands.  Surprisingly he says yes, “I would rather give them to someone I know will enjoy them than raffle them off.”

So I immediately call Nancy and let her know there was a change of plans for Sunday, what ever we were doing we are not any more.  We are going to a Skins game, club level, and FREE!  I was very excited about this.  Any time I get to see my team play its a good day, even when they loose, its still good to be at a game watching them play.  This would also be my first time on the club level.  My seats have generally been in the upper ring way far away.  This time around I would get good seats and all the amenities of the club level.  Shorter lines for food and drink, nice bathrooms, and the cigar lounge.

We unfortunately got a late start for the day, not leaving my house till just after 10 o’clock.  By the time we got up there it was just after noon.  So no time to meat up with my brother and Matt or Nancy’s friend Nichole and her group.  Hell we barely had enough time to get from the car to our seats for kick off.  Since we didn’t have a parking pass we used the off site cash lots and took a Metro bus to the stadium.  And efficient system, if it were not for all the traffic.  I was pulling my hair out waiting in line.  I really wanted to get together with my brother and Matt who just happened to be there.  Never had my brother seen a game in person and it had been a while since we talked to each other.  We didn’t even have time to meet with Nichol.

Luckily we got to our seats in time for the kick off and a wonderful afternoon of football.  The weather was perfect and our seats were in the shade the whole time.  When we did need some food it was a quick trip to the concession stands for food and beer.  Even the beer guys came around often, unfortunately they only had crappy domestic in bottles.  Beggars can’t be choosy when they are bringing beer to you.

During the half time we took a moment to visit the cigar lounge which my company sponsors and say hello to Gary.  It was the least we could do to thank him for the tickets.  When we walked in I was shocked to see how few people were in the club.  I had heard stories of it being standing room only in seasons past.  But since Maryland passed a strict non-smoking law the club is now empty.  You can still smoke in the club, you can’t serve food or drink in the club.  So most patrons are avoiding it and sitting at their seats.  When you pay that kind of money for season tickets why would you want to sit in a bar and watch the game on tv?  I never got that.

The game was a great one.  Lots of good defense and offense.  At times the Skins would lead and then the Cardinals would take it form them, with the skins quickly coming back.  They hung in there till the very end.  By the end of the third quarter it was tied 17 all.  Late in the fourth quarter the skins score another touch down to take the lead and held the Cardinals off.  Skins win!  Skins win!  Final score was 24-17.

Now that I was on cloud 9 it was time to leave the stadium and head to my dad’s house for Sunday dinner.  If I thought getting in was a headache leaving was much worse.  The traffic in and around the stadium was not that bad this time.  The real problem was the beltway.  From the time we got onto the highway till we crossed the Woodrow Wilson bridge it was bumper to bumper, it took 2:30 hours to get to Springfield.

Even with all the traffic it was a great day that both Nancy and I enjoyed very much.  I hope to get more tickets from Gary in the future.  The Skins play the Cowboys at home my birthday weekend.  It’s a long shot, but I could get free tickets to that game.