The Big Suck

Every ballpark has its own little charming idiosyncrasies. I have to say that one of the highlights of the Metrodome is leaving. Not because the stadium is that bad, but because you literally get sucked out of the dome when leaving.

Since the dome is basically inflated, there is a ton of air pumped into this large pillowy stadium. When the fans begin to leave, the doors open and the air just pours out just as the fans do. It feels like you are getting blown out the door. This explains why there are revolving doors like you would find at Macy's to enter through. It would be hard for some weaker individuals to beat the wind to ever enter the stadium.

But there is more to the stadium than just this crazy doorway breeze. Justin and I were able to buy 2nd row seats down the rightfield line. These seats were right next to the visitor's bullpen home plate...oh yeah...and 35 rows below the entrance to the section!

Luckily some front row fans decided to take advantage of other plans on Father's Day, so seats were open and we found ourselves in the front row enjoying out Dome Dogs.

The Astros were in town as part of the interleague carrusel. We were talking distance to Pudge Rodriguez and several 'Stros pitchers during the game.

Due to the way the stadium is set up, we never really ventured around the park as I usually do. There are no "other views" from different areas around the concourse. The concourse is hidden behind the seats and is loaded with fans - at least it felt that way as the walkway was narrow and the lines from concession stands blocked many parts of the walk.

The rightfield is as was expected, large hefty bag-looking things draped over the collapsed Vikings seats. Seats in the right centerfield area in the upper deck were also blocked by large curtains. On these curtains were the retired numbers of the Twins franchise. More than I expected. Can you name them? If not, here you go...RETIRED NUMBERS.

The only other odd thing about the stadium was the fact that you had to check multiple scoreboards to get the total picture of a batter's year. Want to know his average? Better look to the narrow scoreboard along the second-level facade. Want to know how many homeruns, RBI, at bats or other stats? Better look up high over left field (or above firstbase line) for the jumbotron and other large scoreboards. From out seats, that scoreboard in the OF seemed like miles away.

It makes me wonder who is in charge of determining what stats will be displayed...and where. It is an issue I have with Busch as well. Cater to your die hard fans and let me know every at bat, hits, doubles, triples, HR, Runs, RBI, SB - and all in one place, please. The casual fan will learn a little more about these telling numbers and the player and the devout fan will be happy. Niether the Twins, nor the Cardinals, are listening to me...yet.

Overall, I think that the Twins fans are in for a big surprise when they walk into their new stadium next April (brrrr). This stadium is a football stadium that allows baseball to be played. It is not a good place to watch baseball. It is a horrible place to listen to anything. The sound system echos so much and sounds so muffled that it was impossible to understand anything said over the PA system.

So where does it rank in my list? Near the bottom. Maybe at the bottom. Three Rivers and Veteran's Stadiums were both bad, probably the worst I had witnessed. This was even more generic. The fans were into the game, so the atmosphere was pretty good (even more impressive since they were 2-hit). The only place I would say was worse is the old Nationals' Stadium, RFK. So, if you have not been up to Minneapolis and you feel you need to see the Metrodome for baseball, you have 42 more home games (it is hung proudly in leftfield). Next year baseball will be different in MIN, it will be in a beautiful open-air park (not even a retractable roof). I will be back, but it will be June or July. The town is beautiful during the summer, the team has some big stars, and the fans, draped in their Twins jerseys seem to love the team.

But what they rename the Dome Dog? And how will they ever replace the best part of the stadium...the way you get sucked back into the beautiful June weather in Minneapolis?

I was worth the wait...

So I was on my way home from a trip out west. Been flying for about 4 hours and it was already in the evening of a Friday. All I wanted to do was have the airport parking shuttle take me to my car so I could get home.

I boarded the parking shuttle to find little room to sit down. Not because there were so many people, but because there was a large family (I mean large in size, not quantity) taking up more than their fair share of seat space.

I honestly thought that I had no patience for these people. I had to squeeze in next to grandma (who was only in her 50's) in the seat and endure a ride that is in reality no more than about the distance of 5-6 blocks. But in these tight conditions, it seemed much longer. This family was quite the redneck bunch. Grandma and Granddad were sporting their Crocs (sorry if you have a pair), Mom was kickin' her 80's hairdo and the daughter was just plain awkward. Let me remind you that not one of them was weighing in less than me. Probably had me beat by 50 lbs at least with some of them. My patience grew thinner as I listened to them. "Mom, where'd we park?". "I dunno, to the left I thank." "Do you have the piece of paper that says where we parked?". "Nope, 'left it in the car so we wouldn't lose it." CLASSIC!

Then they decided to get involved in the few other conversations going on in the bus. You know, like only really annoying people can...Nothing really to add, but feel that they must interject something into a conversation they know nothing about and have no business in.

Is it my stop yet?

Of course the driver forgets my stop and proceeds to every other stop before mine. Including this wonderful family's stop. They yell to the driver, "I think I saw our car in 'L'". The driver makes the turn and creeps up the aisle. Then it happens. A quote that made it all worth the wait..."that's it on the left, the white minivan...the LOSER CRUISER."

Aw, thank you annoying family for bringing that phrase into my life. Thanks for knowing that your minivan is exactly that...And thanks to the bus driver for forgetting my stop. Had I missed that I would have just been annoyed by this family. Now I have a memory.

Loser cruiser...I think it might better fit a PT Cruiser...but it is good all the same.

You all are on my distribution list - let me know if you don't want to hear about this random crap.

Renaming Stadiums Mid Season

So the Cardinals are rolling into Miami tonight and I read earlier today that they were going to be playing at Landshark Stadium. I honestly thought it was the author playing with the Dolphin Stadium name since it is not on the water.

Nope, as it turns out, the name was officially changed. I googled it and there were a couple of stories on it. So I guess it was not a complete mystery to others like it was to me.

So are we at the point now where stadiums will be renamed each year? This deal with Jimmy Buffet will go through the end of the 2009 football season. Buffet is behind the Landshark beer so that just adds to the beer companies holding naming rights to stadiums: Busch Stadium, Coors Field, Miller Park.

Anyone want to get a group together, albeit a large group, to buy naming rights to a stadium for a year? Maybe if we all pony up $10 we can come up with a crazy name that the stadium would have to be called.

Thoughts on the name?

It was about 7:35 this morning when I looked out the window for the first time. Misty said, "has it been raining?". "No", I replied, "Not yet". Well, all you had to do was give me enough time to close the blinds and count to five before it hit...and it hit hard.

A hail storm in June in St. Louis. Pea sized hail bombarding U. City. It was an onslaught like I have not seen before.

This picture is of the ground just off our front porch. That pile is snow...OK...sleet piled up. Here it was June 8th in St. Louis and we had accumulation!

Amazing!

To make it all worse, I had left my sunroof "popped open" last night to air out the car as I had gone running in Forest Park earlier and the car had to bear the grunt of my sweaty self on the drive home. What I did not know was that I had forgotten to fully roll up the back window as well.

This pile of sleet is nothing compared to the number of leaves and sleet pellets that I found in my car as I left for work. Some day I will learn to close my sunroof and windows. Maybe that day will be today...and I will keep doing it from here on out...

Now to air out the car...