At work (shhhh!)
I'm allll aloooone at KPIX with the Legends and Celebrity Softball game on. Tried to find the clips Anthony (one of the producers) wanted but whoever was running the tape Saturday night must've cut out the bits with the baseball highlights or something.
I should do a full Europe recap but I am not quite THAT motivated. So, a Tiger Pride series recap.
The first day was Tiger Pride Day 5A, owing to the fact that many people could not come to the first designated Tiger Pride Day (Wednesday, which will now be referred to as Tiger Pride Day 5B). Monday night was me, my parents, Danny, Evanne, Ben, and Jay. Danny and Evanne were smart and came early to go in my car. We just barely squeezed into the front row of the bleachers and got our banner up before others leaped in. The other two boys, who came with my parents cause they had work (or something) ended up really late because, after crossing the San Mateo Bridge, my dad realized he did not have the tickets--and this game, due to Fireworks Night, was standing room only.
Danny, Evanne, and I had a grand time during BP, waving and yelling to the Tigers relievers jogging around below us. Jamie Walker and Roman Colon both tossed us baseballs, which Danny caught in his marvelous multi-colored mitt. Two assholes, who would heckle us all night, made their presence known, leaning rudely across our banner and yelling that they were Tigers fans (despite their evergreen sweatshirts) until an exasperated reliever tossed a ball up. They then fought other fans for it as if it were Bonds' 756th homer or something of similar significance. All throughout the game they were nasty, constantly making an intensely irritating laughing noise, which sounded like a hyena crossed with a five year old girl who just drank an entire glass of champagne. And they kept yelling at us, trying to get us to respond; we did, only once, when the Tygs took a short-lived 3-2 lead--we all turned in our seats and put our fingers to our lips.
The Tigers lost, in what was becoming a distressing Tiger Pride Day trend. It was a very close game though. We were allowed to go down on the field for fireworks but we had to get to the stairs first, and at the top the assholes were waiting for us. They attempted to pick fights with every one of the boys, were nasty to my mom, and then got incredibly riled about anyone attempting to speak with one of their sisters. We didn't even know they had a sister, much less who she was or that she was there. And she told us we'd started everything by standing up earlier in the game (explanation: the two A's fans next to us had their small son with them, and he needed constant foraging and bathroom trips, so each time they wanted to get up we would politely stand so they could pass more easily.) The jerks kind of soured the night. Nonetheless, watching fireworks from the outfield was undeniably cool, and I petted the grass like it was a puppy. They played my 2 favorite fireworks songs, When the Lights Go Down in the City by Journey and Ray Charles' rendition of America the Beautiful.
The second day, just me and Dad, was WAY better. First of all, I got to see all my security guard-friends, who were delighted to see me and said they'd been wondering where I was. I spotted Jonesy, who knows me, in right field stretching, so I headed over. The minute I called his name he turned and grinned at me. "I've been meaning to say hey to you!" he said, getting up and coming towards me. He held out his arms. "Are you loving us?" I nodded vigorously and he came over to the wall and reached up for a hug. "We your favorite team?"
"You always have been."
He asked about school and my dad and all that stuff; then he went to play long toss with Jamie Walker and playfully chat with the bleacher bums. I got to watch my boy Mikey do his first side session in a long time in the bullpen; he was glowing he was so happy to be pitching. He looked pretty good too, and when I asked how his arm felt he said it was fine. I saw Jonesy going towards the dugout so I went there too, so he'd see Dad. He was similarly gleeful to spot my dad in his eye-smartingly orange Tigers shirt, and promised to come back and talk a bit later. Meantime, we got lots of autographs. I am so proud of the Boys; despite their success this year, they were as accommodating as ever. Yes, I'm biased, but I still don't think I've ever seen a team sign so many autographs so willingly as the Tigers. And it's not just one or two guys, it's at least seven or more.
Later, I spotted Jonesy again, looking in our direction. He started waving madly and gesturing at the field box--"Come over HERE!" I quickly grabbed up some of my stuff and ran over there, with Dad hurrying behind. Jonesy was talking to the security guard, Trey, who let both of us into the field box. "So, you want to come meet the guys?" asked Jonesy. My jaw dropped and I went into meltdown mode.
"SERIOUSLY?"
"Sure, grab your camera, let's go!" He opened the gate, I walked through, and he put his arm around my shoulders, walking me down toward the Tigers bullpen. I felt like I was walking on air. Suddenly I heard Mark's voice (another of my security guard friends) yelling, sounding totally thrilled: "COLT! What the HELL are you doing on the FIELD?!" He was grinning so big.
Down at the bullpen, Jonesy took the camera and directed me to go sit on the bench. I perched on the end. "No, go sit down there with all the GEAR." Jonesy seemed to be having a marvelous time (not as marvelous as MY time though!) He turned his cap around backwards and snapped a picture of me sitting there with all the catcher's gear at my feet. Then he put his arm around me again and we went to right field. I couldn't believe those were my orange and blue Converse crunching on the rich brown Coliseum dirt.
"This is Jason Grilli," Jonesy said, and the big handsome pitcher shook my hand. "Jason, this is Colt. She's a huge Tigers fan." Jason grinned and said, "Yeah, I saw you over there," meaning by the dugout, where he'd earlier been signing. I began babbling hurriedly at him about how wonderful I think he is, how great he was last year in the Mud Hens' championship. He was so sweet. Jonesy then presented me to Fernando Rodney, Wil Ledezma, Joel Zumaya (who he called Zoomie), and incredibly tall and rather goofy Roman Colon. Having met everyone in right, we headed back toward the dugout, from which two of my favorites, Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames, were emerging. Jonesy of course made a beeline for them.
After we'd been introduced, Curtis nodded to my Converse. "Nice shoes!" he said. "You've got the earrings and everything!" He was such a sweetheart. They ALL were. "Want a picture?" said Jonesy with a smile, knowing the answer. "Yeah, get between us!" said Curtis, moving a little away from Marcus and holding out his arm. They both put their arms around me and I was in heeeeaaaaavvvveeeennnnnnn. Jonesy returned me to my dad and posed for a picture. Informed that my mom was on the phone, he immediately accepted the phone from my dad and said brightly, "Hi Mom!" Then he said stuff about me being a special and sweet kid, which made me go even redder. "Can you breathe yet?" he asked me, laughing. It was the coolest thing EVER! Once Jonesy had gone Mark came over and grabbed me up in a hug. "I've worked here 17 years and I've NEVER seen anything like that!" he crowed. All the security guards, rather than seeming miffed, seemed totally ecstatic.
In the game, Justin Verlander and Danny Haren had a gorgeous pitching duel, which unfortunately ended with the Tigers losing in the 10th. Shit, gotta go. More on the third game (which we won) later. Hopefully.
I should do a full Europe recap but I am not quite THAT motivated. So, a Tiger Pride series recap.
The first day was Tiger Pride Day 5A, owing to the fact that many people could not come to the first designated Tiger Pride Day (Wednesday, which will now be referred to as Tiger Pride Day 5B). Monday night was me, my parents, Danny, Evanne, Ben, and Jay. Danny and Evanne were smart and came early to go in my car. We just barely squeezed into the front row of the bleachers and got our banner up before others leaped in. The other two boys, who came with my parents cause they had work (or something) ended up really late because, after crossing the San Mateo Bridge, my dad realized he did not have the tickets--and this game, due to Fireworks Night, was standing room only.
Danny, Evanne, and I had a grand time during BP, waving and yelling to the Tigers relievers jogging around below us. Jamie Walker and Roman Colon both tossed us baseballs, which Danny caught in his marvelous multi-colored mitt. Two assholes, who would heckle us all night, made their presence known, leaning rudely across our banner and yelling that they were Tigers fans (despite their evergreen sweatshirts) until an exasperated reliever tossed a ball up. They then fought other fans for it as if it were Bonds' 756th homer or something of similar significance. All throughout the game they were nasty, constantly making an intensely irritating laughing noise, which sounded like a hyena crossed with a five year old girl who just drank an entire glass of champagne. And they kept yelling at us, trying to get us to respond; we did, only once, when the Tygs took a short-lived 3-2 lead--we all turned in our seats and put our fingers to our lips.
The Tigers lost, in what was becoming a distressing Tiger Pride Day trend. It was a very close game though. We were allowed to go down on the field for fireworks but we had to get to the stairs first, and at the top the assholes were waiting for us. They attempted to pick fights with every one of the boys, were nasty to my mom, and then got incredibly riled about anyone attempting to speak with one of their sisters. We didn't even know they had a sister, much less who she was or that she was there. And she told us we'd started everything by standing up earlier in the game (explanation: the two A's fans next to us had their small son with them, and he needed constant foraging and bathroom trips, so each time they wanted to get up we would politely stand so they could pass more easily.) The jerks kind of soured the night. Nonetheless, watching fireworks from the outfield was undeniably cool, and I petted the grass like it was a puppy. They played my 2 favorite fireworks songs, When the Lights Go Down in the City by Journey and Ray Charles' rendition of America the Beautiful.
The second day, just me and Dad, was WAY better. First of all, I got to see all my security guard-friends, who were delighted to see me and said they'd been wondering where I was. I spotted Jonesy, who knows me, in right field stretching, so I headed over. The minute I called his name he turned and grinned at me. "I've been meaning to say hey to you!" he said, getting up and coming towards me. He held out his arms. "Are you loving us?" I nodded vigorously and he came over to the wall and reached up for a hug. "We your favorite team?"
"You always have been."
He asked about school and my dad and all that stuff; then he went to play long toss with Jamie Walker and playfully chat with the bleacher bums. I got to watch my boy Mikey do his first side session in a long time in the bullpen; he was glowing he was so happy to be pitching. He looked pretty good too, and when I asked how his arm felt he said it was fine. I saw Jonesy going towards the dugout so I went there too, so he'd see Dad. He was similarly gleeful to spot my dad in his eye-smartingly orange Tigers shirt, and promised to come back and talk a bit later. Meantime, we got lots of autographs. I am so proud of the Boys; despite their success this year, they were as accommodating as ever. Yes, I'm biased, but I still don't think I've ever seen a team sign so many autographs so willingly as the Tigers. And it's not just one or two guys, it's at least seven or more.
Later, I spotted Jonesy again, looking in our direction. He started waving madly and gesturing at the field box--"Come over HERE!" I quickly grabbed up some of my stuff and ran over there, with Dad hurrying behind. Jonesy was talking to the security guard, Trey, who let both of us into the field box. "So, you want to come meet the guys?" asked Jonesy. My jaw dropped and I went into meltdown mode.
"SERIOUSLY?"
"Sure, grab your camera, let's go!" He opened the gate, I walked through, and he put his arm around my shoulders, walking me down toward the Tigers bullpen. I felt like I was walking on air. Suddenly I heard Mark's voice (another of my security guard friends) yelling, sounding totally thrilled: "COLT! What the HELL are you doing on the FIELD?!" He was grinning so big.
Down at the bullpen, Jonesy took the camera and directed me to go sit on the bench. I perched on the end. "No, go sit down there with all the GEAR." Jonesy seemed to be having a marvelous time (not as marvelous as MY time though!) He turned his cap around backwards and snapped a picture of me sitting there with all the catcher's gear at my feet. Then he put his arm around me again and we went to right field. I couldn't believe those were my orange and blue Converse crunching on the rich brown Coliseum dirt.
"This is Jason Grilli," Jonesy said, and the big handsome pitcher shook my hand. "Jason, this is Colt. She's a huge Tigers fan." Jason grinned and said, "Yeah, I saw you over there," meaning by the dugout, where he'd earlier been signing. I began babbling hurriedly at him about how wonderful I think he is, how great he was last year in the Mud Hens' championship. He was so sweet. Jonesy then presented me to Fernando Rodney, Wil Ledezma, Joel Zumaya (who he called Zoomie), and incredibly tall and rather goofy Roman Colon. Having met everyone in right, we headed back toward the dugout, from which two of my favorites, Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames, were emerging. Jonesy of course made a beeline for them.
After we'd been introduced, Curtis nodded to my Converse. "Nice shoes!" he said. "You've got the earrings and everything!" He was such a sweetheart. They ALL were. "Want a picture?" said Jonesy with a smile, knowing the answer. "Yeah, get between us!" said Curtis, moving a little away from Marcus and holding out his arm. They both put their arms around me and I was in heeeeaaaaavvvveeeennnnnnn. Jonesy returned me to my dad and posed for a picture. Informed that my mom was on the phone, he immediately accepted the phone from my dad and said brightly, "Hi Mom!" Then he said stuff about me being a special and sweet kid, which made me go even redder. "Can you breathe yet?" he asked me, laughing. It was the coolest thing EVER! Once Jonesy had gone Mark came over and grabbed me up in a hug. "I've worked here 17 years and I've NEVER seen anything like that!" he crowed. All the security guards, rather than seeming miffed, seemed totally ecstatic.
In the game, Justin Verlander and Danny Haren had a gorgeous pitching duel, which unfortunately ended with the Tigers losing in the 10th. Shit, gotta go. More on the third game (which we won) later. Hopefully.