Archive for September, 2009
ROAD TRIP: Second Installment – Cleveland OH
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After two great days in Cincinnati – props to the Cincinnatian Hotel downtown on Vine St, especially to the bartender Natasha – and don’t you meet the most interesting people in a hotel bar? Not to digress, but I will, we met a wonderful, loving woman who along with her other daughter, was helping her eldest battle late-stage breast cancer, and a very talkative Australian guy in his sixties, who has traveled America coast-to-coast, visiting the nooks and crannies of our beautiful country. Something most Americans never get a chance to do . . .
Anyway, we drove the four hour trek to Cleveland in time to check into the downtown Wyndham hotel – which was a 
steal of a deal at $105 bucks for the night, and then walk the two blocks to the Jake. Progressive Field, I mean . . . although most of the fans still sported THE JAKE shirts . . .
It’s a gorgeous ballpark, and I’d have to rate it ahead of the Great American Ballpark in Cincy. The open “floor plan” was condusive to catching the game action from almost anywhere, and the beer prices were lower. Plus any park that has an open bar in centerfield with the game cornhole set up next to it must have been well thought out . . .
The ushers at Progressive field weren’t very pleasant, you could even say they were annoyed at you being there, shooing people away and not making eye contact when talking to, or AT you . . .
A product of not winning a championship since the Browns did it in 1964? Before the Super Bowl era? Probably . . .
One of my favorite moments came after the game when we walked to down the street to “Harry Buffalo”, a rustic sports bar that had $2, 23oz Miller Lites – cheers – when a young girl who couldn’t have been older than 22 and was TANKED, approached me for directions with her two tagalongs – This is how the conversation went:
DLG (Drunk Little Girl): Heyeyeyeyey!! (while chewing gum with her mouth wider than Angela Jolie’s legs) D’ya know
where the wess end issss?
ME: No, I’m sorry but I’m not from here.
DLG: Wowww, where ya from then? (chew, chew, chew, snap)
ME: Pittsburgh, we’re visiting different . . .
DLG: WAIT! D’ya saya Pisssttburgh? (no more chewing, mouth just hung open)
ME: Yes.
DLG: Are ya Steelers flan?
ME: Yes.
DLG : F*#K OFF! (chew, chew, snap)
Then she quickly stormed down the street sideways, with her tagalongs in tow, before I gathered my thoughts to say, “okay, and I’ll take our six lombardi trophies with me.”
I think I was in shock that this young chick would say something like that to me. I’m a 30-year old woman. Do kids have ANY respect any more?
Or is it just a product of not winning a championship since the Browns did it in 1964? Before the Super Bowl era? Probably . . .
An Ode to Cleveland….
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )ROAD TRIP: First Installment – Cincinnati OH
YES! I am voluntarily going on a road trip visiting baseball parks and the NFL Hall of Fame. I mention my intentions for my vacation to many with an overwhelming response ” why not the beach?” Because as my readers know, I LOVE SPORTS. Any chance I get to enhance my sports experience, knowledge or actuality, I WILL. Plus, I am more into beer than I am bathing suits right now . . .
FIRST STOP: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati OH – Courtesy of Mo Egger, of WLW & WCKY radio in Cincy, you can check him 
out at http://1530homer.com/pages/mo.html, where you can enjoy the Cincinnati sports rhetoric and the insightful female commentary to this statement “August 31st, 2009, when the Reds played the Pirates in front of maybe 1,500 people.” My husband, Jason, and I were at the afternoon game today and there were BARELY that many people at the park and the “paid attendance” was 11,516 – I thought to myself, who in the heck are you trying to impress? Seriously? Besides that weird calculation, there were many fabulous, and several funny, things about our trip to Cincy this far. Including:
WOOHOO! You can buy beer in a coinvienence store . . .
Okay, you got me, that wasn’t the first thing I realized, but it was VERY high up on the priority list . . .
Pittsburgh 6AM – First stop 9:30AM – While you are driving from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, you don’t realize how southern you are getting. We stopped about 30 miles outside of Cincy at a Mickey Ds (Jeffersontown?) – cause its the ONLY recognizable stop for a good 80 mile stretch – and the accent was crazy! One of the workers was shouting over and over again- CAN WE GET FRESH EGGS WITH THAT BIG BREAKFAST? in an insane southern accent – just stop and say that to yourself several times . . . crazy.
Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park is gorgeous – the only thing I didn’t like is that you can’t see the field from the entire concourse.
As we got in the ball park after sneaking a quick chugging of a couple miller lites – you never want to take chances in visiting ball parks with drinking in public – just fyi . . . we bought a couple of beers – 16 oz plastics at $7.50 a piece . . . so we were paying a buck fifty each beer pair more than we do at PNC PArk in Pittsburgh – but guess what? We don’t care, we are on VACATION!!!
Then, we turn around the corner and find a BAR. A real live bar where you can order SHOTS. Yes, shots . . . so Jason and I did some tequila. Who wants to hear my joke? Okay, you do . . .
Why did the husband throw his wife over the bridge?
TEQUILA!!! Get it? I hope so . . .
Anyway, here are a few more observations on our trip so far:
LOVE the highlight zone with 13 flat screen TVs – although only 4 were ON while we were there . . .
Weird, random, female fan overdosed on tanning and had an accordian skin two rows in front of us . . . gross.
Loved the Skyline Chili Dogs – got a FREE dog and just LOVED the dish . . . Big ‘n Rich weren’t lyin . . .
Met a few extra cool fans – including the newly 21 year olds, Kelly & Ben . . . both them and their parents were FAB!
The Police Officers were also top notch, including Officers, Jodice & Brehm . . . picture coming soon!
Thanks for a great expderince, Cincinnati!
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Stacy ON Sports 