Date Night: Baseball

Dave and I try to attend one baseball game every year, but this summer, as we approached the Labor Day weekend, we realized that time was running short. (I still don't understand how the summer flew by so quickly; it feels like just yesterday we were discussing plans to go to a game with friends "sometime.")

We live about 15 minutes away from one of the local minor league teams, so I checked out their schedule and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were playing on both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Although Saturday's game would be colder, it won out because of the end-of-game fireworks.

We bought our $5 bleacher/lawn tickets, only to find out that there weren't any bleachers, only the steep lawn. Stink! We lasted through the national anthem before deciding walking around would be better than being pushed around by the large party next to us and the dozens of kids rolling down the hill and throwing errant pitches as they played catch with the squishy balls given out as souvenirs at the gate.

Our view from the cheap seats

After a few pitches on the field, my brilliant husband spotted the promised bleachers (3 whole rows of them) and tables and chairs by the Miller Party Deck behind left field. We headed there and watched the game until an employee asked us to leave at the beginning of the final inning so they could set up for the fireworks.


Our exit led to a pretzel and pop snack before we settled in to a couple of vacant seats behind home plate. Now we know to splurge the next time we go to a game! Our cheap seats were fine, but I couldn't believe how much I'd missed being out in left field!

Enjoying the "luxury" seats

Our team won. (Hooray!) And we celebrated with some of the best fireworks I've ever seen. (Really, there was one that looked like a hose, spraying sparks all over the outfield--and, yes, it was on purpose!)

It may have taken us all summer to catch a game, but I'm glad we got a chance to go. It was one of my favorite activities of the summer.

It's Game Day, Baby

No matter what month may be featured on the calendar, it doesn't feel like fall until opening day of college football. I love the experiences that come with college football season: watching College GameDay on ESPN on Saturday morning, dressing in my team's colors, relaxing on the couch as my team plays on Saturday afternoon, jumping up and down when my team gets a touchdown. I have so many precious memories of cheering on the University of Michigan Wolverines with my mom on Saturday afternoons. I've continued the tradition in my own home now that I'm on my own, and I hope that my children will grow up to be Michigan fans. (They will be influenced beginning at birth!)

Today was the beginning of one of my favorite seasons: college football season! I dressed as closely to azure blue and maize, started the coffee, and turned on College GameDay to accompany me while I paid the monthly bills. The windows were wide open, allowing the cool, fall breezes to fill our living room with fresh air. All was right with the world.

(photo courtesy of ESPN)

Because Dave and I decided to go out a bit this afternoon, I set the DVR to record the Michigan-Connecticut game. I made sure not to find it on the radio as we drove around, because I didn't want to ruin the experience of watching their opening game.

We finally got home 90 minutes after kickoff, and I settled in to watch the Wolverines fight for a victory. I was hopeful but cautious, considering the horrible seasons they've endured for the last two years. Would this game be the shift toward winning seasons that they desperately needed? I yelled, "WOO-HOO!" when they scored the first touchdown and startled my husband. He had forgotten just how excited I get about Michigan football. (Oh, love, one of these years you'll remember!)

Interrupted by a date night to a local baseball game, the game watching restarted with the second half when I got home from cheering another team to victory. Denard Robinson continued to amaze me with his awesome quarterback performance, and I gasped with everyone else when he didn't get up after a tackle. (Fortunately, he returned to the game minutes later.) I yelled a bit more, then gave a final "WHOOOOOO!" when the final seconds ran out and Michigan ended the game with a 30-10 victory.

(photo courtesy of ABC)

My team had won its opener! I'm hoping this is the beginning of a good season for the Wolverines. I know that, no matter what happens with the team, it will be a good season for me because I'll always be able to spend my Saturday afternoons for the next 3 months watching those Wolverines play one of my favorite sports.

M Go Blue!