8/7/13
The smell of kraut is one of
favorite smells at the ballpark…That’s just one of the many thoughts that went
through my head last night at the Cardinals game. Memories from yesteryear come through every
time I go to a game. Since 2006 I have
looked around the current Busch Stadium and still feel like I am in its
predecessor until my eyes get to the arch skyline. (I was sweating ballsacks at the game too,
and rest assured that I would have been sweating twice that in the old
Busch. The wind was never invited to the
old Busch.) It was “Nelly Bobblehead
Night” at the ballpark last night. I
mentioned this to one of my bosses at work today and he asked when his
bobblehead night would be. I see his
point. It’s a way to draw in a crowd no
doubt, but what possible connection does Nelly have to the Cardinals that my
boss, I, or anyone of my friends doesn’t have?
Maybe its sour-grapes on our part, but it’s a reasonable damn
question.
I can remember my mom taking my
buddies and I to games in junior high on school nights and us staying until the
end of the game pretty much every time.
There were circumstances that could keep us from staying like a blowout
on either side or a rain delay. But for the most part we would always stick
around at that time because we wanted to see if La Russa would put in Willie
McGee. Willie was in his career twilight
at that point and he was strictly a bench player, but every time skinny Willie
hit the field there was a standing ovation.
For good reason too, he was a shot of nostalgia in the late 90’s of “Whitey-ball,”
which utilized his speed and playing style perfectly. He was and still is a hero to any true Cards
fan. (At this time there was also a guy
named McGwire playing here in town and he could’ve been another big reason
people stuck around for the whole game…But if you’re like me and think juicers
are ruining baseball then you’d like to forget that he was a reason you’d
stick around.) Willie was still giving
his all even though his legs wouldn't bend anymore when he ran.
Anyway, I couldn’t help but notice
last night that a lot of people were leaving in the 7-8 innings when we were
only up by a run! I’m looking around
thinking what the hell is wrong with all of you people!? I know it’s a fucking weeknight, but we can’t
claim to be the best baseball town in America and all leave the game in the 7th
effing inning only up 2-1. We
probably made the damn Dodgers feel right at home heading to the gates during a
close game like that. They played the Clydesdale song on the organ between the
7th and 8th and the claps were some sorry stuff,
man. A crowd from the local Tuesday night
Jewish coed volleyball league could have made more noise…Maybe I’m crazy and
just imagining this, but it just seemed like there should have been more around
for a close game in August against one the best teams in our league.
You’re probably saying right now, “Luke,
you’re crazy…Lots of people probably just showed up for Nelly night and a lot of
them were probably fairweather fans.” I
agree. I’m sitting here watching the
game right now which is “Star Wars Night,” and I guarantee there are 30-year-old
virgin Storm Troopers there tonight who left in the bottom of the 4th
because they didn’t understand what was going on. (I can make fun of Star Wars fans because I am
one…I’ve had sex though.) You may also
be saying, “Luke, you sack of crap, Nelly is a local celeb and a lifelong Cards fan.” The Oakland A’s had an M.C. Hammer bobblehead
night last season because he was a local hero and a lifelong A’s fan…That doesn’t
make it right. As much as I love one hit
wonder rappers (Bel Biv Devoe!), and the theme song to the Addams Family
movie, I just feel like Bobbleheads should be reserved for those who contribute
to the game or the team. Call me old fashioned…
One bright spot from Nelly night was
that his lyric; “Light it up and take a puff, pass it to me now” is no longer
blurred on the stadium sound system. I
mean, if this isn’t progress for pot smoking I don’t know what is!
