(Sports discussion first)
Saturday was the final local softball tournament of the year for our team. It was actually with competition a level higher than we normally play. We ended up going 2-2 in the 10 team tournament having lost to the second and third place teams as it turns out.
The big moment on the day for both me and the team, came in the bottom of the last inning of our last game. We were trailing 10-9 and got our first two batters on base and I was up to bat. A base hit and we'd tie the game. On the day up to that point I was 5-8 with a triple and two doubles, so things looked good for us. Unfortunately I didn't deliver and instead hit a fly ball to center field. The runner on second tagged up though and went to third, putting the tying run 65 feet away. Also unfortunately, the runner on first decided (late) to tag up and try to make second as the throw went into third. He was called out though he was actually safe from my point of view. So we went from runners on first and second with nobody out to a runner on third with two outs. Our leadoff hitter was up next and he continued his struggles on the day (5-13) by flying out to left. Shoot.
Not delivering in that situation really made me feel terrible. Sure, the runner on first shouldn't have gone (or shouldn't have delayed) or the guy after me could have delivered and there were plenty of other opportunities in the game to get a run (I was left on third once at least for instance), but I still felt like I let the team down.
(end sports discussion)
Sunday was a pretty great day. All weekend the weather was phenomenal with not a cloud in the sky and warmer than normal temperatures. After going to mass, I headed out to pick up MWrigley to go to a bar/restaurant to watch the Bears game at a location near the United Center where Bruce Springsteen was going to be performing. We were out there at about 2:30 and were met by my friends from Mokena, Terry and Sandie, at about 5 or so. The Bears game was pretty remarkable culminating in a 97 yard drive by Bears QB Brian Griese. And yes, he's the same guy who I said should have been playing the last half of LAST year. The Lombardi Trophy would reside in Chicago if he had been tabbed as the starter in week 9 of last year.
Regardless, the game was great to watch and the food, drink and company were all outstanding. We headed over to the UC at 7 and decided to hop in a cab, which turned out to not be the best idea because parking in the lots was only $15 and the cab ride was almost $10, plus we had to walk back after the concert because there were none to be found.
Our seats, $95 each but free to me, were behind the stage. I'm not entirely sure that mattered all that much though. Bruce still really puts on a show and Sunday was no different. Unfortunately I don't know much of his rather copious discography, but he did play several songs that I knew. Hints for going to a concerts:
1) if the entertainer has 15 albums over 25 years, try to know more than just a few songs.
2) try not to drink alcohol for the six hours before the concert (two bloody mary's, several beers) unless you have a huge bladder or one of those crazy astronaut chick diaper systems set up.
3) if you bring a camera, turn off the red-eye reduction light. If you don't know how to do that, don't bring your camera because you're probably an idiot and the picture won't turn out anyway.
4) unless you are within the first four rows of the stage, Springsteen is NOT pointing at YOU. Don't be stupid.
5) don't make the "horns" hand sign unless the band you're seeing is akin to Metallica.
In addition to Bruce, it was pretty cool to see the likes of Max Weinberg, Clarence Clemmons and Steven van Zandt aka Silvio on The Sopranos.
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6 comments:
Oh man- hilarious post Joe. (the 2nd half anyway)I will remember these concert rules. Really they should be taped to the door as you walk in. The "horns" one is crucial, I am always doing that in inappropriate places. ;)
Sorry for the 'sour note' on your softball season finale. Oh well there's always next year (just ask the Cubs...ha!)
To revisit past discussion, Griese could've been the starter last year in Week 9 and the Bears still would've lost to the Colts. Rex Grossman didn't help matters any, but he wasn't the only reason they lost; they had a defense who wasn't stopping anyone.
I really liked your concert hints, though. Hilaripus.
And as I said before, without Grossman's ineptitude, the Bears defense would have been on the sidelines where the only person they would have had to stop was the Gatorade guy. Indy would have had to have changed their offensive scheme if the Bears QB was effective and using up clock. It would have played right into the more rested Bears defenses hands.
Except that Indy's offense was just as effective in the first half, with a rested Bears defense, as they were in the second half, maybe even more so.
If your theory is correct, you'd expect to see little offense in the first part of the game until the Bears defense got worn out. Likewise, you'd expect less offense in the 3rd quarter than you would in the 4th quarter.
Well, the facts don't bear that out. Indy had 246 yds of offense in the first half, scoring 16 pts. In the second half, they had 167 yds of offense, scoring 13. What's more is that they had more offense in the 1st and 3rd quarters, when the Bears defense was more fresh (247 yds.) then they did in the 2nd/4th quarters, when you'd expect the Bears defense to be tired (166 yds.)
They did score more in the 2nd/4th quarters, but 7 of those points were put up by the defense (and of course you can blame Rex for that). But to suggest that the Bears defense only struggled because they spent so much time on the field is rubbish.
A huge reason they spent so much time on the field was because they couldn't shut down the Colts' offense. Indeed, in terms of time of possession, the Colts' longest drive was the one to open the second half, against a fresh Bears defense. Their second longest was on their second drive of the game, in which they drove 80 yds. right down the throat of the Bears' defense.
That all may be true, but as I said, Indy would have changed their scheme if not for the ineptitude of Grossman. They would have had to because they would have trailed. That scheme, not dinking and dunking, would have played right into the cover 2's strength. There's no defense for a lousy qb, if that qb is on your own team.
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