To say that my birthday week had some excitement in it would be an understatement. First and foremost I am blessed with the greatest family in the world and my birthday was great because of them. Cool gifts from cool peeps and it wouldn't mean a thing without them.
The rest of the week was awesome as we headed to Williamsburg for a little mini-vacay before Sam goes back to school. I am a history person so I was looking forward to going down there for that reason but this was also all about fun at Busch Gardens and Water Country with a little bit of history worked into the schedule as well. With G-man only being 2 we were not sure how he would do at both places but he was great. We only were able to get about 3 hours in at both places on Mon and Tue but plenty of fun had by all. Good rides, touching snakes (Sam that is), lots of things to see at Busch Gardens and then plenty of funfilled water rides on Tuesday at water country. Sam loves water parks and G-man loves to be in the water so it was a good combo.....an then an earthquake hit. Seriously WTF!
Craziness but all was good. We just went home and took a nap then played mini golf. Isn't that what you are supposed to do after an earthquake? Had a great dinner at Sheilds Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg and then chilled our last night there.
Enjoyed some nice weather and a couple of days off at home and nice little tour of the White House on Friday which was a cool way to wrap up the week. Still amazing to me that the public is able to tour that place, but not complaining. Thanks to Justin and Mo for the historical facts along the way other wise it would have been just another tour of a big house. Seriously, that is all that it is unless you have someone there telling you some of the cool stuff.
.....and then Hurricane Irene hits. Yes an earthquake and a hurricane all in the same week! We lost power 16 hours and had about an inch of water in our basement, but it could have been a lot worse. The family was safe and we were fine so I am thankful for that. We had cell phones to communicate to family and friends who were worried which was great, but for the most part it wasn't too bad other than lack of sleep.
Well September is almost here and the Sox are still in first place and Bama starts off against Kent State on Saturday which will be nice. Back to the work week.
That's what it is in the world of the Sports Grapevine.....
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Phans......
Okay, I must preface this with a couple of comments. 1) I worked for the Phillies for 3+ years and some of the nicest people in the world. 2) I have numerous friends who are Phillies fans and I still pull for Jimmy Rollins who is a Boll Weevil alum ('97).
.......but man Phillies fans are an obnoxious bunch. Sam and I have been to 5 Nats/Phils games in the last two years and it is the same thing each time. Phans booing the home team and just coming into the park as if they are the second coming of the greatest fans in the history of sports. I am TOTALLY okay with coming in as a visiting van and supporting your team, but not to the level to where it is uncomfortable for the home fans and the neutral fans.
If Nats fans only come to 9 games a year, they should make sure it is the 9 times they play Philly in D.C. to keep the folks from Broad Street out of the ball park. Bad for D.C. tourism but good for baseball fans.
That's what it is in the world of the Sports Grapevine......
mv
.......but man Phillies fans are an obnoxious bunch. Sam and I have been to 5 Nats/Phils games in the last two years and it is the same thing each time. Phans booing the home team and just coming into the park as if they are the second coming of the greatest fans in the history of sports. I am TOTALLY okay with coming in as a visiting van and supporting your team, but not to the level to where it is uncomfortable for the home fans and the neutral fans.
If Nats fans only come to 9 games a year, they should make sure it is the 9 times they play Philly in D.C. to keep the folks from Broad Street out of the ball park. Bad for D.C. tourism but good for baseball fans.
That's what it is in the world of the Sports Grapevine......
mv
Friday, August 19, 2011
The First One.....
You gotta start somewhere so here is the first post of the SG. These will get better along the way I am sure, but it is what it is.
Since Sam's birth in 2004 (magical year of 2004 - Married, Sam born and Red Sox finally end the curse) he and I have enjoyed many different sporting events. Most of which will probably be detailed at some point on this site in the future.
The most recent of these was on Wednesday of this week as we took in the Reds/Nats game here in D.C. Sam is a member of the Nats kids club which has some benefits and because I still have a few connections in the game, hewas able to go down on the field to take in batting practice forever now referrred to at BP. BP was always my favorite part of the day when I worked in baseball. It was always peaceful, pure and a true learning experience that was fun to watch. Sam also enjoys watching BP but for him I am sure it has to do with the image of his favorite players "hitting the dog snot" out of ball numerous times.
Although we are a BoSox fam, we go to about 10 games a year locally between Nats and Orioles games as it is nice to enjoy the game of baseball and teach the boys the game rather than 16 hour days of working in the game. Sam has become a big Michael Morse (Nats) fan this year and got to meet him on the field after batting practice and get his autograph. Morse could not have been better with the 10-12 kids that were there and spent about 10 minutes talking with them and signing autographs. These are the things that make baseball great and leave lasting images in the minds of young baseball fans. Sam was grinning from ear to ear and then about five minutes later was given one of the baseball laying around and smile grew even bigger. That is what it is all about folks. Simple things like that.
Kudos to the Reds players also who far and away did the best job I have seen from any team in a long time when it came to signing autographs.
And that's what it is in the world of the 'vine
mv
Since Sam's birth in 2004 (magical year of 2004 - Married, Sam born and Red Sox finally end the curse) he and I have enjoyed many different sporting events. Most of which will probably be detailed at some point on this site in the future.
The most recent of these was on Wednesday of this week as we took in the Reds/Nats game here in D.C. Sam is a member of the Nats kids club which has some benefits and because I still have a few connections in the game, hewas able to go down on the field to take in batting practice forever now referrred to at BP. BP was always my favorite part of the day when I worked in baseball. It was always peaceful, pure and a true learning experience that was fun to watch. Sam also enjoys watching BP but for him I am sure it has to do with the image of his favorite players "hitting the dog snot" out of ball numerous times.
Although we are a BoSox fam, we go to about 10 games a year locally between Nats and Orioles games as it is nice to enjoy the game of baseball and teach the boys the game rather than 16 hour days of working in the game. Sam has become a big Michael Morse (Nats) fan this year and got to meet him on the field after batting practice and get his autograph. Morse could not have been better with the 10-12 kids that were there and spent about 10 minutes talking with them and signing autographs. These are the things that make baseball great and leave lasting images in the minds of young baseball fans. Sam was grinning from ear to ear and then about five minutes later was given one of the baseball laying around and smile grew even bigger. That is what it is all about folks. Simple things like that.
Kudos to the Reds players also who far and away did the best job I have seen from any team in a long time when it came to signing autographs.
And that's what it is in the world of the 'vine
mv