Jun 23 2007 11:41 AM
Here's some pics from that shitty game. Completely awesome day right up until the Mets got ass-hammered.
I got there with my neighbor Sarah really early (the stadium gates were closed and we had to wait on the hill to get in). She had to sound-check at 6:00, so we got there about 4:45 or thereabouts and waited to get in. The bus made it through gnarly 5 o'clock traffic on the 101 like a true champion. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't really scared it might overheat.
We parked and found a couple more of our neighbors, Martin and Damien, brothers from Ireland. Martin's lived in the LBC 7 years, Damien's been visiting for 2 weeks and this was his first baseball game. He said it was like rounders whatever the hell that is. Both really awesome dudes who got on the jumbotron doing this crazy thumbs-up dance. Those guys were a hoot.
Anyway, here's a pre-game warmup shot in Marty's truck. Mmm, canned Budweiser...
The empty Dodger Stadium parking lot... "Think Blue".
We got to tour the underbelly of the stadium which takes you past all the offices. This was the coolest thing that caught my eye, though:
We then cruised up to the press booth. This was the long row of seats for newspaper writers. The SNY booth and Vin Scully's booth were to our left so I didn't catch a glimpse of any of those guys. At the far end of the press booth is where the organist, Nancy Bea Hefley does her thing. I got to meet her and her husband (pictured to her right - Edit: make that her left, who apparently goes with her to every game). They were two really sweet people who'd just celebrated their 50th anniversary a week or two before.
They gave Sarah some wireless earbuds and she did her first run-through there. That was the first time I'd heard her sing and she is a bad-ass.
After that we went down to the field. Straight behind home plate so she could do another run-through with the PA in her ear and get a feel for that.
The Mets last group was doing BP (Castro, Franco, Easley, another guy maybe). It was crazy to be that close and my first instinct when seeing these guys so familiar right in front of you is to say "what up", and then you remember you don't actually know them and you feel like a dork for staring.
Anyway, I think I took a few more, but these were the only ones I was sent. Maury Wills cruised by and Willie was really excited to see him. He stopped watching BP to chat him up a bit. Here's Willie and Sandy Alomar with Maury, Sandy clearly not too proud to ask for an autograph.
BP finished, they did the first pitch, and then the kid belted out the anthem, opera style. Even better than the run-throughs. 
Then I got to hang with the star for a bit.
As we walked off the field, we went past the Dodger dugout. Those were some cool guys, all congratulating her and telling how great she did. Then they went out and kicked the Mets asses. Jerks.
After we got to the seats, I changed from my nondescript black t-shirt to my jersey. Didn't want her to get booed singing on account of me (Damien behind us).
I caught some ribbing from a half dozen or so guys next to us, but they ended up being very cool, all of them. This one's Roy, I think. Or something.
Here's the view from the seats. Stamped "VIP" on the ticket, but not Swank or Seinfeld real estate. Killer just the same.
A win would've been nice, but what are you gonna do.
Post game sad face: