Wow, what a great night. I had jumped online a week ago and managed to secure 4 tickets to last nights Rockies / Phillies game at face value off the Colorado Rockies website. We were in the nose bleeders, section U311 but we were in the park. After quickly calling a few friends to join me I also thought dinner might be a good idea and grabbed a reservation at the Keg for 6:15 pm.

It couldn’t have worked out better. We chilled out and got the celebration started with a round of cocktails (dirty martini, blue cheese stuffed olives please) and then relaxed over laughter, stories, and catching up while enjoying steaks (baseball sirloin for this day of course) and some great red wine. Our boys night out dinner carried us past the first pitch (which we did want to see) but we got there just in time for the blackout. In fact we timed it so close the folks behind us joked that we caused it.

First of all, let me tell you that the crowd last night was amazing. The energy, the rockies flag waving, the cheers, the jeers, and everything else was like a live current. Someone who watched the game at home said it was boring. I don’t know what they were watching but from my seat it was a nail biter with the close score and then the tie up keeping us all on the edge of our seats (or standing) as we celebrated every strike and out that kept the Phillies from moving ahead. That is to say that the comfort zone when we were 1 - 0 disappeared as we watched their one run homer put us neck to neck.

Somewhere around the 6th inning a few incidents started happening around us. Drunk guy falls down stairs (ouch), another drunk guy (doofus) tries to start the wave on his own with beer in hand and sprays the crowd (many apologies did follow), and the last drunk guy (yes, we see you) tries to start his own cheer leading section. There are always those interesting characters.

But what a finish. When, in the bottom of the 8th, the Rockies scored the needed run to put us up 2 to 1 the crowd went nuts. And then for every pitch, out, catch and moment through the top of the 9th the Rockies put the final touches on the SWEEP of the Phillies.

That moment, on the last out, was magic. Friends yelled with joy and high fives all around. Smiles EVERYWHERE filled every face and goodwill flowed. It was AWESOME. How cool to be there and share it with not just my friends but with 70,000 other fans.

The post game party in the streets and bars around the ballpark was just as exciting and with just as much energy. With laughter in the air, the smell of beer in the air, and traffic crawling through the streets we leisurely walked through Denver to find a spot for one more beer and some quality time to revel in the day. Cheers Denver, the Rockies did it!!

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Rockies win again.

Nuff said

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Denver should be celebrating… the Rockies just won their first game against the Phillies and the unexpected continues to astonish others and give me glee. With folks around me tracking the game on laptops, cellphones, or running into the local bar to check the score it seems everyone kept their thumb on the pulse of what was going on today. Baseball, Baseball, Baseball was in the air in a town where the talk seems to be on every sport except for Baseball.

This one I couldn’t watch but caught a few moments here and there along with the sparkle in the eyes of others as they whispered “we are ahead” and kept their fingers crossed.

Unless of course keeping them crossed will get in the way of your clapping.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

AP Photo

Nicely done!

The Colorado Rockies rose to the occasion in the bottom of the 13th inning to beat the Padres 9 to 8 with the winning score coming from Matt Holliday.

The controversial question out there and being blogged across the sportosphere is… “Did he touch the plate?“.

Well, did he? The best view has got to be from the ump but Holliday could have done a great deal more to reassure us as his post game response was basically “I don’t know, but the ump said I did”. Okay that is the same answer we all have. I almost wish we could have gone on for another couple hitters (and gotten another run) just to leave no doubt.

I think he did hit the plate right when his hand was also getting stepped on. But isn’t that what folks expect our bias to be… the Rockies fans think it was a good call and the Padres fans don’t. But ultimately it is the ump standing a mere couple feet away that has the best view. And the biggest reason I believe he did touch the plate is not the ump’s call, as we all know those can be wrong. But the comment by the Padres manager Bud Black: “It looked to me like he did get it.” That seals it for me.

I am dang proud of our Rockies and they did one heck of a job tonight. And once again (or maybe for the first time that I can remember) the city is full of Rockies enthusiasm. Seats are full and I heard cheers ring across the CPV tonite after the game as the celebration continued. This is another great thing to be a part of a city, the celebration of your heroes or in this case the creation of them. What do you want to bet that a whole batch of kids are running around in Rockies jerseys over the next week. It’s nice to have heroes without bullets too. And of course, the fact that the Rockies were counted out makes it even sweeter. They were even refused when asked to prepare for post season tickets, unlike other teams that were “expected” to make it. Why, I feel just like when I first watched Rocky.

Apparently some of our fans had already given up after the Padres scored that 2 run homer in the top of the 13th. Someone who was passing by the stadium while the Padres were still jumping around celebrating (jinx) said the roads were packed with grumpy looking people dumping out of Coors Field at a record pace. She didn’t know what had happened but said the crowd looked upset. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I hate to leave until the very last play. Even if it means you fight the crowds getting out (whoopie) isn’t that you want to bear witness to, one of those awe inspiring come backs in the face of dangerous odds. Where people simply do something wonderful.

Midway through the 6th inning I got online and picked up tickets to all the possible future games just in case the Cinderella story comes true. I can tell how far out the confidence level goes because each game out my available tickets got better and better. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that I have a reason to use every last ticket and need to buy some more.

 Loading ...

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

The first time I took my new Electra Cruiser Bike on a ride I dang near wiped out. I was coming up to my first intersection and started grasping for the hand brakes.

There are no hand brakes on a cruise bike. It is far simpler than that. You pedal forward, you move forward. You pedal backwards, you stop. But it is taking my brain a little time to let go of all the years of using hand brakes on scooters, bikes, mountain bikes and pretty much anything on two wheels.

But other than that.. I love my new Cruiser bike. And here is the scoop on where to find them. [Read more →]

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

It’s nice to see one sport root on another. At last nights Rockies game we noticed a familiar face in the seats next to us. Jay Cutler appeared to be enjoying a night in the fan’s seat rather than in the spotlight as the Rockies played the Padres at Coors Field. The previous night the Rockies pulled it out at the tail end of the game. They were on the verge of repeating this on Tuesday night but it just wasn’t in the cards. But still, a great game night even with the heat. Something about a cold beer and baseball on a summer night appeals to many, including Denver Bronco quarterbacks.

I was glad to see Jay getting a chance to kick back and relax before the season kicks off. With his arm and the combined team strength we have a shot at taking the A.F.C. West. The papers are all doing their comparisons of Jay with his arm and the days of Elway. I’d say lets not compare him to anyone and let him make his own way.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Not that you aren’t all over fireworks, but wanted to share a quick update from a couple nights ago.  It is rumored that Microsoft had a big old shing ding in Coors Field and set off their own set of fireworks for the event.

I wonder if anyone there had an iphone?  Can’t imagine the heck one would catch for that.  It’s probably like the old days where if you worked for General Motors and drove into the parking lot with a foreign car you had better believe your tires would be slashed and your car maybe with a bit worse by the time you tried to drive home.

At Microsoft, who knows.  Perhaps it gets really rough where a bunch of Microsoft programmers beat them out of the gang, as it were, right after work.  But these guys are techies, and I have to believe that quite a few are going to have a tough time resisting the new phone.  If you know of anyone who works for Microsoft and has an Iphone, just let us know their treatment.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

The Central Platte Valley Metropolitan District approved funding for the new pedestrian bridge across 18th street so it is only a matter of time before this becomes a reality. If you look at the beautiful pedestrian bridge that connects at 16th with the integration into the Promenade building it is only logical to assume that the upcoming groundbreaking of the City House building will kick off some sort of movement for this bridge to begin as well.

Residents of Glass House are going to really love this access point as it creates the newest access point for the city. I am looking forward to a short cut for a sunny afternoon Rockies game. But don’t get your hopes up yet, with the time it takes to complete and the infrastructure that still has to be added for the street scape in that area it will probably be some time before you can walk across. Perhaps if City House wraps up in 2009 then the bridge will be ready at the same time. One can only hope.

Either way this is one more pedestrian bridge addition that is make Denver even better. Maybe not as exciting as the Pedestrian bridge over I-25 connecting the Highlands and Riverfront, but still cool.

Anyone have any idea what it will look like?

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Yep, still snowing and getting BITTER cold.

Farmers’ Almanac weather forecasts for the month of February predict snow will coat much of the country before the sun shows its face again. According to Farmers’ Almanac, residents of the upper Great Plains and Northern Rockies can expect a powerful winter storm to pound the region in early February. In New England and the Mid-Atlantic, heavy snow is expected during the second week of month, with lesser amounts of accumulation building up through early March. Other regions, including the Great Lakes and many southern states, will get off easier, with light flurries falling through most of February. Regardless of the region, one thing is certain; winter isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites