AN ALL-STAR CITY OF CHAMPIONS: Saturday
Hello everyone. I know I said I'm on pseudo-hiatus, but really, did you think I'd let something as awesomely-awesome as the 77th Major League Baseball All-Star Game roll through my town without saying anything? Didn't think so. Since there's not a ton of time to write before I head off to work (must. work. super. hard. today. so. i. can. leave. for. the. Derby.), you're getting bullet points, and you'll like it!
Before we get to the weekend's breakdown, though, I just want to go on the record to say that PGH looks positively B-E-autiful right now. We've got the whole place all cleaned up and the multi-colored All-Star banners and signage really have turned out to be pretty cool. When I first saw the rainbowesque logo, I hated it. But I've got to admit, when the whole motif comes together throughout the city, the bright colors really stand out among the earth-hued buildings. It's a vibrant, festive sight. Artist who designed it all-- We who are about to die, salute you!
Saturday: FanFEST!
-Sprout, Gooder and I hit up the Convention Center for a HUGE fan experience, good times were had by all.
-I almost won an XBOX 360. This is why I'm the Gaming Pro. Midway sports, the makers of MLB Slugfest 2006 for the XBOX and PS2 (a game i've never played on two systems I don't own) held a 16-person tournament with an XBOX 360 on the line. I finished 2d. The Cardinals rule. I throttled two little kids, then eeked out a 1-0 win in the semis, only to run into the dreaded COLLEGE KID THAT OWNED THE OLD VERSION OF THE GAME. He knew the ins and outs of things like "turbo" and "special pitches". I held my own, but was beaten 3-0, in a five inning contest. If the game were 9 innings, I think I could've won, as it took my four innings just to figure out a) how to hit him, and b) how to keep him off base. Oh well.
-I wish I was 10. The big baseball field in the middle of the convention center where clinics took place all day was mega-cool
-I struck out a video of Barry Bonds on four pitches. I threw the first at his head, and hit him in the crotch. Then I got him with my 68 mph GAS. Gooder walked ...someone. Sprout walked the Phillie Phanatic.
-I didn't get to do the HR Derby, but apparently Sprout and Gooder raked a bunch of balls off of the wall, otherwise, the net was too low to go yard.
-I out-fielded Sprout, because my drop step is awesome (just not the next day on the softball field)
-Sprout out-sprinted Gooder. This is a match I would've liked to have seen five years ago.
-I need a Silver Slugger Award. The Big Silver Bat is perhaps the coolest trophy i've ever seen
-All XM Radio girls are hot. Except the one that talked to us. Dammit!
-I hate Wally the Green Monster
-I didn't buy the Official NL Batting Jersey. There just wasn't a player I really wanted. Instead, I settled for the yellow "National" t-shirt, with Freddy Sanchez on the back. Play Dirty!
-I think I like David Wright. I just can't reconcile the fact that he's a Met. I'm working on it. Maybe if he wins the Derby...
The Verdict? FanFest was an awful lot of fun. Special props to Sprout and Gooder for hanging out with me there, and especially to Sprout for watching me play video games for an hour and half.
Later: I'll tell you about the tremendousness that is an Impromptu Celebrity Home Run Derby, and Tony Almeida's Warning Track Power.
-apk
All-in-all
Before we get to the weekend's breakdown, though, I just want to go on the record to say that PGH looks positively B-E-autiful right now. We've got the whole place all cleaned up and the multi-colored All-Star banners and signage really have turned out to be pretty cool. When I first saw the rainbowesque logo, I hated it. But I've got to admit, when the whole motif comes together throughout the city, the bright colors really stand out among the earth-hued buildings. It's a vibrant, festive sight. Artist who designed it all-- We who are about to die, salute you!
Saturday: FanFEST!
-Sprout, Gooder and I hit up the Convention Center for a HUGE fan experience, good times were had by all.
-I almost won an XBOX 360. This is why I'm the Gaming Pro. Midway sports, the makers of MLB Slugfest 2006 for the XBOX and PS2 (a game i've never played on two systems I don't own) held a 16-person tournament with an XBOX 360 on the line. I finished 2d. The Cardinals rule. I throttled two little kids, then eeked out a 1-0 win in the semis, only to run into the dreaded COLLEGE KID THAT OWNED THE OLD VERSION OF THE GAME. He knew the ins and outs of things like "turbo" and "special pitches". I held my own, but was beaten 3-0, in a five inning contest. If the game were 9 innings, I think I could've won, as it took my four innings just to figure out a) how to hit him, and b) how to keep him off base. Oh well.
-I wish I was 10. The big baseball field in the middle of the convention center where clinics took place all day was mega-cool
-I struck out a video of Barry Bonds on four pitches. I threw the first at his head, and hit him in the crotch. Then I got him with my 68 mph GAS. Gooder walked ...someone. Sprout walked the Phillie Phanatic.
-I didn't get to do the HR Derby, but apparently Sprout and Gooder raked a bunch of balls off of the wall, otherwise, the net was too low to go yard.
-I out-fielded Sprout, because my drop step is awesome (just not the next day on the softball field)
-Sprout out-sprinted Gooder. This is a match I would've liked to have seen five years ago.
-I need a Silver Slugger Award. The Big Silver Bat is perhaps the coolest trophy i've ever seen
-All XM Radio girls are hot. Except the one that talked to us. Dammit!
-I hate Wally the Green Monster
-I didn't buy the Official NL Batting Jersey. There just wasn't a player I really wanted. Instead, I settled for the yellow "National" t-shirt, with Freddy Sanchez on the back. Play Dirty!
-I think I like David Wright. I just can't reconcile the fact that he's a Met. I'm working on it. Maybe if he wins the Derby...
The Verdict? FanFest was an awful lot of fun. Special props to Sprout and Gooder for hanging out with me there, and especially to Sprout for watching me play video games for an hour and half.
Later: I'll tell you about the tremendousness that is an Impromptu Celebrity Home Run Derby, and Tony Almeida's Warning Track Power.
-apk
All-in-all
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