LVSoxFan

Just got back to the hotel across the road from Kaufmann. I am now 0-3 when watching the Sox here in KC. I gotta stop coming. We looked absolutely awful. It was like the roles were reversed; KC was us and we were them First off, I don't know how you build up a 5, 6, 7 run lead and then blow it. At the end of the first we were already up 5-0 and the KC crowd was silent. It looked like a rout. And then we steadily blew it. Garland looked okay for about four innings but then he looked tiref or wild; whatever you want to call it. Our offense was spot-on in the first inning and then disappeared. Literally. Even Thome was a non-threat. As the Royals got back into it, their crowd got louder and louder--man, these people are loud for not such a big crowd. And here we are. On a side note, Ozuna's awful drop of the fly ball might not have been his fault. When I got to the stadium at about 6:20 it was 65 and calm here. Shortly after 8PM all of a sudden the temperature plummeted and the wind kicked up something fierce. That may have been the wind playing with him. I don't know if you saw it on TV but there were hot dog wrappers (tonight is $1 night) blowing all over the field after 8PM). It was COLD. Having said all this, we officially looked like (sorry moderators) s***. There was no spark and no urgency. We just got trumped by the worst team in the AL central. I was not impressed at all. And there were more than a few blunders, Ozuna nothwithstanding. Sorry for the grim report, but I'm just tellin' ya what I saw firsthand.

QUOTE(soxpride77 @ Apr 7, 2006 -> 10:58 AM) I believe last year Widger sometimes would come up to "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" YUP. That's the one. Good call!

I get a kick when during the whole game everybody steps up and it's a hard rock or hip-hop song and then you always have the one Sox player who has a... country song. Who was that last year? Or was it 2004? Ben Davis? It was really jarring when he'd step up... LOL.

I personally get accused of this but it's not like you put it. What I was rolling my eyes at was a) the overkill and B) all these fans that came out of the woodwork starting with the ALCS. Part of it is complaining, yes, but I can also tell you it was a very real thing to walk down Michigan Ave. for years and never see any Sox gear and then all of a sudden they're EVERYWHERE. More of an observation than a complaint. Actually, it's pretty funny: those downtown sports stores that until last year had 99% Cubs merchandise now have about the opposite. Even the Tribune Tower gift shop (!!!), while they don't have Sox jerseys, do have Sox windbreaker in the window. It's all pretty funny if you think about it and I guess this is just what happens when you win it all. It's all new to most of us, since none of us was alive the last time it happened. Me personally I think the the hype will die down as the season goes on--just a feeling. But I'm sure not suggestig that there should be handful of us and no payroll, etc., etc. And with that, I officially retire from this topic FOREVER. Cheers.

QUOTE(bmags @ Apr 7, 2006 -> 12:20 AM) you know i thought i was above that jackassery, then at a sox game my little sister was on the big screen and some ghoul-like force took over me and forced me to jump into the frame...terrible. LOL. Well the whole idea of the big screen at the Cell is to try and get on it, so I wouldn't consider that jackassery. But Sweet Lord, those people on their cells waving at the camera in the background? They should be awarded express one-way tickets to Abu Ghraib. God do I hate that. You ever see some news broadcast where they have a "street level" studio with windows? And sometimes there'll be just one person standing there, looking like a chump, staring back through the window, fascinated with his non-claim-to-fame that he's in the shot. And he inevitably will do what any moron would do: start waving. Hey! Look at me! I'm on teeeveee! Pfft.

Hmm. Well, as a general rule after last year, your iPod must contain "Don't Stop Believin'." That is not negotiable. From there, I remember these threads from last year about intro songs. I think Pods is still using "Elevation" by U2. I have no idea what Gooch's song is. Thome's was playing yesterday, but I didn't recognize it. I'm not being much help here. Paulie is still using the Metallica song. Uribe uses a salsa. I remember asking here last year what Rowand's song was (it was "Papercut" by Linkin Park). I've only been to one game so far so I'm a little rusty. Oh and of course you must have "Thunderstruck."

QUOTE(iWiN4PreP @ Apr 6, 2006 -> 09:03 PM) They'll do the "na na na na, hey hey hey" chant when a pitcher gets blown out still, right? I absolotly LOVE that, and have that as a vid. on my ipod lol. Oh I'm sure. It'll just be canned from next year on.

I will be there. As I type this I'm staying at the Holiday Inn across from Kaufmann Stadium. Can't wait. Although I hope it doesn't rain!

I highly, highly doubt that Nancy will be replaced or that organ music will continue past this season. There is a "Nothing But Nancy" day this year, I assume, yes? I'll have to hit that.

QUOTE(Felix @ Apr 6, 2006 -> 07:26 PM) Do you play for the White Sox? Thats basically why I hate it when I see people putting their names on the back of jerseys. Hey I have one with my name on it! You do it because it's literally personalizing the jersey, not because you're trying to fool people into thinking you're on the team. However, in your defense, my main Sox fan buddy with whom I attended most games last year feels the same way you do. He hates that jersey. Here's what I want to know: I have all the regular jerseys, but only two have names. Is there a place that will stitch on the name and number of a player? Or would it make more sense cost-wise to just buy a new jersey. Maybe I can then stick McCarthy on the black and Gooch on the gray. The jerseys look way cooler when they have the name/number on them.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Apr 6, 2006 -> 06:08 PM) Greinke isn't even with the Royals right now. REALLY. I did not know that! Well that's one less thing to worry about I guess. That guy used to shut us down regularly. Remember last year, at the Cell, when he started and we scored no runs but eventually won? Because his reliever walked in two! LOL! That's when I KNEW that season was something special--I will always remember that game, thinking: no. No way. We are not going to win this. We WON! Anyway, I guess I should brush up on KC before I go tomorrow night. Cool park, though. You see it and you can't help but flashback to the 70s (or was it the 80s) and think of the George Brett years.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Apr 5, 2006 -> 10:08 PM) KC is up next, LOL Don't assume anything. Remember last September when we didn't exactly the roll the Royals. They have a crappy team but Sweeney is capable of blasting a few hrs, DeJesus isn't bad and their lousy starters like Affeldt are capable of a good outing every once in a while. Oh, you don't have to tell me. Why? I was there. Two games. A night game and the following day game. We lost both. It was brutal. And yes, you're right. Also, that Greinke (sp?) kid gives us fits.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Apr 6, 2006 -> 05:52 PM) Both Jenks and McCarthy will probably be around for awhile, unless Jenks completely stops throwing strikes. Iguchi will likely be here for at least two more seasons (he has a cheap 2007 team option). Probably. I guess I could have gone with Gooch. I chickened out. I still love the McCarthy idea and now have buyer's remorse! But I like the AJ jersey (World Series). I also figured for what they charge these days, I'd make them put as many letters on the back as would fit, LOL. BTW is it just me, or did jersey prices shoot up $50. Ordering a custom AJ jersey cost $200 (getting my name last year cost only $150). And I was shocked at the Cell yesterday when looking in the gift shop and all the jerseys were now $150. Didn't they used to be $100? And Lord oh Lord the '59 ones are now up to $275. Are you freakin' kidding me? Also, what the hell happened to the "Hall of Fame" half of the gift shop?

I'm there tomorrow night, nine rows behind our dugout. Can't wait (hopefully it won't rain). Will be wearing a Sox jersey (either gray or black) if anybody sees me (you should see me on TV when the batters come to the plate. No I won't have my cell phone and wave like a jackass). BTW it's beautiful here right now--about 79, compared to chilly Chicago. BTW when I searched for tix on the KC site it said it was sold out. Then I went to the White Sox site and for some reason was able to score awesome seats. Hmm. Maybe there's a set-aside for out of town fans, who knows? Just thought I'd pass that along.

I went with AJ because I wanted a player that I figured would still be around for a few years (after getting burned getting an All-Star jersey with--doh!--Loaiza's name on it). Who knows if Jenks will be around? Or Iguchi? Konerko's obviously the safe bet, although there's a lot of PK jerseys out there. I think Bmac is a great choice. Wish I would have thought of that. I really, really wanted a Takatsu jersey last year at the beginning. PHEW... I didn't get one.

For whatever it's worth, I was there today (my first game this year). It sucked. We looked flat. Jose looked good through six, so did Brandon. Then Boone gave up the dinger. Hell, that thing looked like a Thome homer. It was cold, it was boring, and that's just how it goes sometimes. Forget 2005. We're never going to have a start in our lifetime like that. However, I trust that Ozzie and KW know what they're doing, and there's a method to their madness. Give it time, people. We didn't win the series, but KC is up next, LOL. Hell I'd rather have bad first half and then smoke down the home stretch then almost blow it all after a first half like we almost did last year. I know that sounds like heresy, but seriously. Like they say, you can lose a season in the first half, but you can't win one (although didn't Cleveland kind of disprove that?). As long as we don't lose in the first half and put together a solid season, I'm happy. Just sit back and enjoy! Baseball is back, for God's sake! I had a crappy day/night but when I walked into the Cell I thought: "Ahhh! My goodness, I'm back!" We have to stop thinking like champions and start worrying about just toughing out each three game/four game series. Then the division. And then, and then... 2005 was great, but it's in the rear view mirror now. This game sucked, but there were some positives. The pitching and defense were good. The bats, I assume, will come around. As will the situational hitting (damn you, AJ! I thought they were toast when you had the bases loaded!). Again, step away from the ledge people. It's been three games. Have fun with the season. P.S. how 'bout that crazy interference on the 1st base side? Or the collision between their pitcher/catcher? That was scary! Side note: the most exciting thing today was apparently some hell of a brawl that was going on in left center, in the bleachers. Politte was pitching but we were all watching that, LOL (I was in 148 along the 3rd base line). GO SOX! Cheer up, people!

Can somebody articulate what was so horrible about them? I saw it all over the game thread (for those of us who don't have radio).

Well I think you can kiss 2005 goodbye forever now. It's back to reality time, and time to realize that nobody's going to hand it to us. Time to fight it out for 162 games. I say: BRING IT.

Hey Tribe: Don't sweat it; I don't mind seeing other fans here. Yup, you're kicking our ass today. I have a feeling we'll be going back-and-forth on this all season. Unless somehow Minnesota wakes up and gets right back into it.

Remember the mantra from last year, guys? At least it was with my little group: just win the series and we'll be fine. First half, last year, we did that like clockwork. We'd take those two out of three. Usually it would be the first two and Ozzie would put in the bench for game three it we were up 2-0. That's all you need to worry about. If we lose today, then take it tomorrow. That series-win mentality got us there last year, no reason it shouldn't this year as well. And those of you expecting that pretty, pretty start like last year--well even I know that's never gonna happen again anytime soon. Now step off the damn ledge already...

Isn't everybody going a little overboard, talking now about trading Freddy during his first game?

I don't miss Jurassic Carl.

This should be fun. Ahhh... Mondays at the Cell. See tag line...

I've already bought my ticket. What is included for the price, BTW? Besides the patio party. Food? And our seats? Anybody know where they are?

I have to say, nothing makes me prouder to be a Sox fan than all the noise the couple of thousand people left were making. I remember being a quite a few games last year where there weren't that many people but those of us that were there were LOUD. Or, watching on TV and hearing the same thing. But yeah, with the diehards there in the wee hours, you could still "feel" the excitement because people were so rowdy. Nice job, those of you who were there!