Yo, I’m gonna check out the rally at City Hall. It’ll be a little different than the impromptu celebration we had on Broad yesterday (more on that later), but it’ll still be fun. I’ll be back this afternoon to do my write up about what was an incredible weekend of celebration, heartbreak, and finally euphoria in the middle of Broad Street. Oh, and if anybody wants to see me follow through on a dreadful bet, be at the Bards tomorrow night. I have to drink Mind Erasers. I told the Kingdom I would never drink another one unless the Phils went to the playoffs.
How sweet it is!!!!
Story to follow whenever I recover from my hangover! How sweet it is! How sweet it is! Here’s a few select calls from Harry in the 9th:
HARRY KALAS: You hear the cheer? You hear the cheer? You know what that is? That’s the final out at Shea Stadium…This is just unbelievably exciting. Wow! What great fans…This is really special to be here and see this. This is quite an afternoon…This is truly exciting…Curve ball, struck him out! THe Phillies are National League East champions!
Closing remarks
If you haven’t played the new online quizzo, check it out! If you have played it, please tell your friends. I think I have an opportunity to really do some fun stuff here, but I really need you guys to help me promote it. I greatly appreciate your help. Should have a new one up next week.
Also, I’m going to the Phils games tonight and tomorrow. Neither is an afternoon special, so they should be OK. Right? We sweep and we’re in, and we can celebrate with an Eagles win over the Giants on Sunday night. Fellas, the fact is that you will not be leaving the couch or bar stool all weekend, so you’re gonna have to agree to take the little lady out somewhere real nice next week. I suggest Chili’s. And to show her how much you care, give her the gift that lasts forever: plastic roses.
Thank you Lazaro’s
The good guys at Lazaro’s hooked it up a couple of weeks ago. We had an open house for the basketball Little League at my YMCA (if anyone is interested in volunteering or donating funds, jerseys, etc., let me know), and the guys at Lazaros (17th and South) gave us a great deal on pizza. Thanks guys! And keep up the good work.
The Week in review
-We begin on Tuesday at O’ Neals, where the Young Old and Restless continued their hot streak, winning for the 3rd time in 5 weeks, 98-94, over Tallulah and the Three Js. Dork Sided finished 3rd with 90. Tallulah had a comfortable lead in round four, but pulled an ’07 Mets and missed the final three questions.
-On to the Bards, where the Sofa Kingdom’s five game winning streak came to an abrupt halt at five, as the Narcotyzing Dysfunktion scored a 104-96 win over Blast of Humidity. The Kingdom finished 3rd with a 90.
-At the Vous Steve O. (AKA Milton Bradley: Some Assembly Required) took a perfect game into the 4th, but changed a couple of answers he had right in Round Four and fell to the Jams (aka Eternal Silence of the Spotless Mime) 106-94.
-The Satan’s Duane’s were none to happy with Goodtimes Wednesday night, as their formidable team was laid low by the “1991: The Year in Music” round. Truth be told, though, they still got outscored in Round Four by the Axis of Evil Knieval and fell by a score of 107-87.
-Thursday was weird. Real weird. Are that many people watching the Phils? Smallest crowd ever at both the Good Dog and the Bards. At the Dog, the C+ Average knocked off the RPD M****F*****, 85-64.
-On to the Bards, where the Sofa Kingdom fought off a spirited effort by End of the Bar. The two teams were tied at 58 after three, but the Kingdom had too much manpower and closed the door in Round Four, 103-88. In third place was Geekswhodrink.com, aka John Denver (all quizmasters must be named John). The king of quizzo in the game’s Second City finished with 79.
3 Game Season
First off, gotta give credit where credit is due: I regularly check in on Metsblog to see what the hairy necks are up to, and I have to admit, I’m pretty impressed with what this Metsblog writer had to say. Apparently Mets fans are all jumping off the bandwagon, calling talk radio and going ballistic, leaving 3 run games in the 6th inning, etc. In other words, acting ways that the national media says that only Philly fans act. But man, the only thing as fun as coming from 7 games back is coming from 7 games back against the Mets. So now, a conundrum: I kind of want the Mets to make the playoffs, albeit as a wild card. I think a Mets-Phils NLCS would be off the freaking Richter.
Then again, I’m getting a little ahead of myself. The Phils still have to cool off a red hot Nationals team, the same team that kicked us out of the playoff race two years ago. But something feels different about this Phils team, and I’m sensing something I didn’t sense a couple of years ago: confidence. Phillie players (and fans) fully expect to win the damn thing. This particular team has captured this city’s hearts like no team in the city since I moved here 6 years ago, and I even count the Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl, because nobody enjoyed that team b/c they were expected to make it to the Super Bowl (or at least the NFC championship game).
We have a goofy manager that the fans still have a love/hate relationship with (and leaning a little heavier on the hate), a roster that has been ravaged by injuries, a shortstop who said they were the team to beat in March and then backed it up 159 freaking times in a row, a catcher who played in the minors for 14 years, a LF whose career was considered to be over until he suddenly surged back and rescued the team when their star 2B went out, a fun loving Hawaiian, Mitch Williams joining the post game show, etc., etc., etc. Oh, and don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Harry has slipped into his playoff voice these past few nights, and it is spine tingling. I have been a sports fan for over 25 years, and I have to say that this has been the most fun ride I’ve ever been on. I really hope it continues past this weekend.
Holy Crap
How could we let this happen? I had no idea that when I called the Liberty Bell overrated it would lead to something like this. I can’t believe they gave the damn thing to Bono. I mean, give it to like, Jimmy Rollins, sure, I can live with that. But Bono? (CNN actually had posted this headline last night at about 7:30 p.m.)
Dock Street
Just joined the lovely Ginger for a little lunch at Dock Street Brewery (50th and Baltimore) and like whoa, the pizza there is off the chain. Get the BBQ chicken pizza, I’m telling you, peoples. The Pumpkin beer was pretty good too (No, I won’t be sloppy at quizzo tonight, I only had one.) Then, because I was hanging with beer royalty (Ginger) I got to go back to the brewery and try out their coffee stoudt which they haven’t put on tap yet. Delicious. I know the pizza hunt fizzled, but I still know my pizza, and trust me, this wood oven pizza is top notch.
Phils notes: Look out, Mr. Met!
-Apparently in an effort to escape reality, Philly fans have taken to huffing nitrous in the parking lot. I did a nitrous balloon once in college, then went to a Phish show, because hey, there’s no way you can watch that boring ass band without the help of illegal drugs. But the buzz wears off in like 30 seconds, and then you’re just stuck watching a Phish show with less brain cells and all the boredom.
-When the Mets were up 6-2, I said, “If they blow this game, the Phils are gonna win the division.” The Mets blew it, and I stand by my statement. I really think we could be seeing a 1964 type meltdown. I think there is a chance the Mets don’t make the playoffs. Here’s a little gem from Paul Lo Duca: “It seems to me we’re all waiting to lose. It better change quick or in five days we’re all going to be home for the winter. You can’t play the game that way. It’s like a broken record every game.”
–If you missed the video I posted yesterday, then be sure to watch before tonight’s game to get fired up.
The Metro: Goodtimes bounces back
I told you this week’s column would be better. Also, I Think the fact that my picture is next to Biggie’s is kind of awesome. Now it’s your turn. Post below the songs you hate to love.