Running Blog from Nationals Park

Ala Bill Simmons, I decided to recount my night with friends at Nationals Stadium on Tuesday where everything that could have gone right, did go right. If only I were Bill Murray and could relive the same day everyday, I would relive those 4-5 hours over and over again until I wanted to kill myself too.

Monday Night - At our weekly poker game, my friend Pat asked the group of fellas if anyone was interested in coming to a Nationals game on Tuesday. I, of course, was interested because I am the second coming of George Costanza. Now my Halloween costume from this past fall is coming true because "I'm unemployed and I live with my parents." Hence I was psyched to go.

Tuesday 5:30-ish - I begin my trip into downtown Silver Spring heading to the Metro. No terrible "Office Space-worthy" traffic on the way, so already in a good mood.

6 pm - I realize it's hilarious when other people miss their Metro trains, especially when their friend is standing inside of the doors laughing. A woman was a step late and watched her friend ridicule her as he sped away to the next stop. Priceless!

6:30 pm - I meet Pat on the Metro ride there and we immediately begin talking about our hatred of certain fans. Pat, a Phillies fan, was abhorring all the Mets fans on the train with us while I spewed venom about Red Sox and Yankees bandwagon fans who crowd Camden Yards on a regular basis. I'm still amazed to this day how many Boston fans find themselves in Baltimore and I'm firmly convinced that 80% of them are posers who only like the Red Sox after they won a World Series.

7:00 - Pat and I grab two hotdogs and a bag of peanuts respectively as we go to willcall. Pat's friend and former co-worker Rembe (awesome name btw) was able to get us free tickets as he works with the Nationals operations. Through the gates we receive free t-shirts. Free tickets maybe 20 rows up from behind the first base dugout and free t-shirts. Off to a great start.

7:05 - After meeting our friends Jordan and Bob the builder, we discover that Bob was endowed by the sports gods with four luxury suite tickets by a random person on the Metro. Incredible! We trek our way up and sit in king-like chairs with an awesome view behind home plate. Here's the view

7:15 - We search the suite to see what lies within and quickly Bob discovers a bottle of Johnny Walker Red underneath the sink (which seems like a reasonable place to keep fancy liquor). We all quickly walk out of the suite, buy cheap sodas and realize that we just saved maybe 15-20 dollars apiece on booze. Shots are poured and the night is getting better every second.

8:00 - Three business men from out of town join us and sit down to begin a strange betting game. Pat being a very personable guy asks the details and joins in. I now endorse this game to anyone who ever wants to make baseball a more interesting game to watch.
Everyone throws in a dollar into the pot and it starts at one person with one corresponding batter. If the batter strikes out, the person holding the pot throws another dollar into the pot and passes it to the next bettor. If the batter walks, the bettor hangs onto the pot for another batter. If the batter hits into an out/error, the pot is passed to the next bettor. If the batter gets a hit, the bettor wins the pot, takes the money and the pot is remade with a dollar from each participant. If the batter knocks one out, all the other bettors owe the pot-holder five bucks apiece.
Awesome game that gets better with liquor.

8:45 - Pat wins his first pot and rejoices. We all cheer for him as we watch the Nationals and Mets play the most worthless game ever.

9:00 - Bob and Jordan go out for Dippin' Dots ice cream. After getting some ridicule on their way out, they return to tell us they got free ice cream. The vendor had shut down her station due to a lack of cups, so Jordan and Bob borrow cups from the suite and the vendor gives them free ice cream for being so resourceful. Could this night be any more free?

9:30 - The Mets implode in the eighth and the Nationals take one from a team with twice their payroll. Good end to a game for everyone except Jordan (a Mets fan). We part and head home on the Metro

Awesome night that I had to share with everybody. I encourage people to go to eliminated-from-playoffs games because almost everyone will not care and then you have "free" reign over the stadium if you play your cards right.