Tag Archives: sports

06/03/2025
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Baseball, Sport

How can you not be romantic about Baseball?

Spring Training has begun.

Hope springs eternal for all 30 Major League Baseball teams in 2025. I hope that one team in particular adds to their legacy.

My beloved Los Angeles Dodgers clawed back in Game 5 to beat the Bronx Bombers, the New York Yankees. It was an epic performance of resilience, grit, and determination. It also was an epic collapse.

So, I figured I’d write a post (yes, I can literally see the last time I wrote something was in March) about baseball.

This will be the first in a series that will have me look at a different stadium from around the league. I, like many other people, am trying to see them all.

Thanks to my job in the airline industry, I can visit more parks and get “paid” to do it. I put paid in quotes because it’s just a per diem at that point, so the pay is minimal.

Leading off this series is Tropicana Field. Home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

I had always read about The Trop, as it’s casually referred to, in the most dire of terms. “Dilapodated”, “Run Down”, and “Archaic” were words that were thrown around. Let me tell you, it’s not that bad! I’ve been to the Oakland Coliseum (RIP Oakland A’s- FJF), and The Trop is much more comfortable.

I ended up seeing the Rays vs the Mets. It was a tight affair, highlighted by a comeback and then a walk-off.

Admittedly, I did not have much time to explore the stadium. I showed up in the 4th inning because the stadium is a bit of a drive from the Tampa airport. Regardless, everything that I saw was well-maintained. The folks working the entry, concessions, and team store were also very kind and helpful.

After the win, I went to the team store to score some swag. I am an avid pin collector and needed a new pin to add to my collection. The Rays had worn their “City Connect” uniforms at this game. The uniform features a black background highlighted by neon blues, purples, and greens. They also have this siiiick devil ray riding a skateboard.

The idea behind this design stems from the skateboarding culture in Tampa Bay. It’s a fun image, so I bought it as a pin and magnet.

The area surrounding the stadium is fairly residential. Ingress and egress to the stadium can clog up once the game is over. I waited a hot minute for a Lyft back to my hotel because roads were blocked or rerouted to get people out of the stadium area quickly.

It is a shame it was damaged during Hurricane Milton. It’s a unique field and atmosphere. I look forward to my next visit!

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23/12/2014
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Australia, Travel

Australian Rules

AFL, or Australian Rules Football, is an odd game. To the untrained eye it’s just a bunch of guys running around kicking, catching, passing and punting a ball that looks like a rugby ball. Upon closer inspection it’s an incredibly nuanced game filled with rules about taking too many steps with the ball before bouncing it on the ground, getting a “mark” on a player, and then kicking it through vertical posts (called the goal and behinds) for varying point totals (six and one respectively).

The game is particularly thrilling to watch, especially live, as it is very fast-paced and the players are in top athletic shape as they crash into other players, making spectacular plays on the ball. After the game, they let the fans come down and throw around their own ball on the field! People, young and old alike, are down there tossing the ball around, sending it through the air and having their own bit of fun after they watched their team play. It’s, and this sounds cheesy but it’s true, fun for the whole family.

I recommend checking out some clips on YouTube or go directly to the AFL website to learn more about the game. I’ll leave you with some photos I took at the Gabba watching my Brisbane Lions.

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16/12/2014
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Advice

“Jaw With John” – There Are No Weddings in Baseball!!!

“My fiance and I are planning to get married over Memorial Day weekend. It’ll be a relatively small family-oriented affair — held in the same location as my father’s memorial last year.

My older sister is in my wedding party. She and her husband have been together most of my life (they married when I was 9 years old).

My sister informed me yesterday that her husband and my 12-year-old nephew may need to miss most of the festivities because he has a baseball tournament that weekend.

They also missed my father’s memorial for the same reason.

Amy, I understand that guests have other priorities, but I feel incredibly hurt that such a special occasion is being trumped by a baseball tournament. I feel it’s teaching my nephew skewed priorities. I come from a family of athletes; I understand juggling practice and playing with other priorities.

Should I address this directly or accept it? I don’t want to be an egocentric bride, but this hurts. Please share your perspective. — Disappointed Bride”

Dear Disappointed:

Let me get this straight – you chose one of the busiest weekends of the year to hold your wedding knowing that your nephew and brother-in-law missed your father’s memorial that same weekend the year before. You clearly knew that this was a possibility. I mean, they missed a memorial service over baseball…c’mon.

These types of tournaments are held throughout the year on various holiday weekends with various sports: soccer & Thanksgiving, basketball & Christmas, Football & New Year’s etc etc etc. You should know this since you, allegedly, come from “a family of athletes”.

I don’t believe that this is teaching your nephew to skew his priorities at all. He is obviously doing something that he loves and not doing it out of malice toward you, he’s 12. If you demand that they both be there then that’s a surefire way to make your nephew hate you. I believe you should address it but delicately. Mention that you’re disappointed that they might not be there (yeah, you said might, this could all change and everything could be fine) and hope that if they can make it that you’d obviously love to have them.

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