Bubba Dogs

Made it to the game last night, thanks to big brother Joe Mac. Many memories were running through my mind as I sat there in disbelief watching the conclusion of this magical season. Most profound was having enjoyed a similar experience at the Vet in section 234, 28 years ago with my two big brothers and Dad. While he couldn’t be there to enjoy last night’s win, I know he was happy that his three sons were in attendance. This one’s for you, Dad, and thanks for instilling in me a love for the greatest game on God’s green earth.

Fireworks at City Hall…

Speaking of that experience, thanks to friends at The 700 Level for putting to video exactly what was happening once stepping off of the Broad Street Line at Walnut and Locust:

Wheels, maybe there’s hope for you after all…

 

The final three outs with Harry the K providing the audio. Put this one in the archives, y’all…

Fat guy in a speedo walking down Walnut Street. Classic…

 

 

 

 

 

Next Bubba Dog engagement, Polar Plunge in Sea Isle City, February, 2009. Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I, everybody. See you at the Plunge!

A bit chilly, yes, but it looks like tonight is the night Phillies fans:

Went to game 5 last night, expecting a win and bedlam in the city. I walked out of Citizens Bank Park with nothing but soaking wet jeans and a feeling of rage toward MLB commissioner Bud Selig. What a dope.

This picture brightened my day a bit, however. Who says that we can’t all get along? Obama and Palin on last night’s Dancing with the Stars:

It seems J.C. Romero is expressing what all of Philadelphia is feeling at the moment.  25 years, people.  It all ends tonight.  What will you be doing?

The numbers are astounding:

• 23-6 in their last 29 games
• 10-3 in the post-season
• 6-0 at home in the playoffs

It all ends tonight, ladies and gents.

See you on Broad Street.

Feelin’ it…

9277 days have passed since a major Philadelphia sports team won a championship. The curse ends soon, my friends.

Game 1 Recap

(Thanks to We Should Be GM’s)

Mohawks and cowbells be damned, the Phils walk out of the Trop with a 1-0 series lead after a Chase Utley homer and solid pitching overcame loads of unclutch hitting as the Phils beat the Rays 3-2. Here’s how I break down Game 1.

Player of the Game
King Cole continued his postseason dominance last night, allowing only two runs over seven innings. He held Upton, Pena and Longoria hitless over twelve at-bats.He’s now given up only five earned runs in four playoff starts, all victories for the Phils and Hamels.

Best Balk
Cole Hamels takes his second award for the series opener with his “pick-off” of Carlos Pena.

Key Play
The Phils had already squandered two great chances to score in the second and third before the Rays loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. If Tampa would have pushed across a few runs, the momentum would have shifted heavily to the home side. Instead, Hamels got Upton to hit into a 5-4-3 DP.

Best Philly Hitter
The Chase Utley of Game 1 looked a little like the Chase Utley of April. His two run jack in the 1st was the biggest hit of the game. Mix in two steals and he narrowly beats out Jayson Werth (2-4, SB) for Phillies offensive MVP for last night.

Best TB Hitter
I love watching Japanese hitters like Akinori Iwamura (3-4 in Game 1) slap the ball all around the field. That style of hitting limits power, but for small, speedy players like Iwamura, it’s very effective.

Worst Hitter
A curveball to Ryan Howard is like a strobe light to an epileptic. They both result in wild flailing of the limbs and a lot of confusion. He’s fighting it big time right now, and we can only hope he figures it out before tonight…

Most Not Clutch
All the Phils with bats share this grammatically challenged award. 0-13 with RISP and 11 LOB. Baseball expert Jeannie Zelasko said after the game that it was, “A game of missed opportunities for the Rays.” The Rays left three on base. Good call Jeannie, did Kevin Kennedy tell you to say that?

Worst Part of the Game
I hate to beat a dead horse with this one, but the combination of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver is atrocious. Buck talks with the arrogance of a man who believes he is blessing the ears of America with his golden voice, although he doesn’t really say anything profound, intelligent or even remotely interesting. And as for McCarver, see the next category. He’s so bad I almost wish Joe Morgan was doing the game.

Most Ridiculous Description of a Hit
McCarver called Jayson Werth’s first double to right a “check swing plop shot.” I’m sure I could make a sexual innuendo out of that if I tried. At any rate, at least my fantasy baseball team has a name for next season.

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Can someone explain to me how this weasle, Ken Rosenthal, is near the top of his profession and is working The World Series?  The worst…

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 Think this would have been caught by Ray’s first baseman Pena if game was in Philly?

From the time Veteran’s Stadium opened in 1971 through the year it closed in 2003, my father held 4 season tickets in Section 234, row 3.  Unlike today when bar codes are used to enter stadiums, back then ticket takers would rip your stub and deposit a portion of it into a container.  About two months after defeating the Kansas City Royals on October 21st of that year, every season ticket holder received a plexiglas #1 momento with their individual stub sealed inside.  It has been sitting on my desk at work for the last 12 years.

 

Note the ticket price.  Three rows behind the dugout, 20 bucks.

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The Great One, via Warren Buffett, offering some sound financial advice during this turbulent economic time. No wonder Buffett’s Op Ed piece is today’s most viewed in the world’s most popular newspaper.

Buy American. I am.

Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”

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Article on the ‘93 Phils, the most entertaining Phils squad of all time.

Team Mullet

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As a kid growing up in suburban Philly, my friends and I would play whatever sport was in season at that time of year. Spring/summer/fall was baseball and football. Winter was basketball.
If you grow up on Maui or Oahu, I guess you find new and innovative ways for rodents to ride waves. This gives new and literal meaning of the term “Surf rat”…

Well done, Charlie.

Great coverage all over The700level.com.  Read it all.  Man, I love this team!

Cottman and Frankford at midnight last night:

Schedule:

All 8:00 games.  Wednesday night, game 1. Saturday, Sunday and Monday home games.

October 22nd @ Tampa/Boston

October 23rd @ Tampa/Boston

October 25th @ Philly

October 26th @ Philly

October 27th @ Philly

October 29th @ Tampa/Boston

October 30th @ Tampa/Boston

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Couldn’t embed this picture, but it about says it all.  Top 9, Rafael Furcal (I think), diggin’ for gold.

Pick me a winner, LA

To further prove how lame Los Angeles fans are (it’s no wonder the football Rams left town in 1994).  They’re second biggest media market, and they don’t even have a football team!

Look at what tickets were going for on Stubhub yesterday:

 Phils homegrown talent, looking their best.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, props to Ed Wade for assembling this cast.

What an amazing night. 40 year old Matt Stairs cements himself in Phillies lore. 16 seasons in the league, 11 different major league teams.

Phils tied 5-5 in the 8th with Ryan Howard on base. Stairs pinch hitting and comes to the plate for the 4,938th time in his career…

WHAM!

From the millions of Phillies fans all over the country, thank you Matt.

Last night’s other hero (and probable NLCS MVP) Shane Victorino, celebrates his two-run home run to tie the game also during the 8th inning last night

Something that made me feel a bit better as I drank my coffee purusing the NY Times online this morning.  Warren Buffett, the world’s richest man and ultra-respected investor…

“I have no idea what the stock market is going to do next month or six months from now,” Warren Buffett told CNBC on Friday. “I do know that the American economy, over a period of time, will do very well, and people who own a piece of it will do well.”

Hang in there.  Phils will win tonight and the market will be up 5-8% by 4:00.

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Game 4 tonight, no need to panic folks. If (when) Phils win tonight, this thing is over in 5. If not, we’re looking at 7 games, and I still think they have the upper edge. Why? Cole Hamels will start game 5 and will have to start game 7 if necessary.

Relax everybody.

A bit late to be posting, I realize, but this was a great catch that Victorino made in       game 2.

 

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The ride after the ride….

 

From The 700 Level:

If the Phillies play .500 ball over the next nine days, they are going to the World Series. It’s that simple. Three wins in six games is all the Phillies need to earn the National League Pennant for the first time in 15 years.

Three wins in six games and we’ll all be running out to the store, the stadium, the back of some guy’s van or wherever to buy World Series gear. Three wins. And the Phils have three left at home where they are 51-33 this season. Oh, and three left on the road, where they are 45-38…the best road team in the National League. 

Puts it into perspective.  Went to the game last night.  A life athletic top 10.  Game two of the 1980 World Series far and away #1. At that game, Dad, my two older brothers and I were sitting in Dad’s great seats that he’d had since the Vet opened.  Three rows behind the visitors dugout.  The owner of the Royals was sitting right behind us.  I’ll never forget Dan Quisenberry coming in for the save and Mr. Kauffman, the owner, tapping me on the shoulder saying, “This is the best relief pitcher in baseball.”  I turned, at age 13 and said, “This is the best player in baseball.”  Schmitty then hits a two run knock to right center.  Phils win 3-2. 

 Still have the ticket stub.  $20.00 three rows behind the friggin’ dugout for a World Series game.

Let’s do it again, Phils!