The Beantown Post

A few weeks ago I mentioned the Men of the House of SoulSlam we're going up to Boston for a game and then coming back. Mission accomplished.

We've discussed a trip to Boston to see the Red Sox for a few years, but the boys summer baseball schedules, then work and vacation had always gotten in the way. With OSSS now in college, the door for my moments with my sons before they are gone on their won is slowly closing. So the boys picked a game and we went.

Now about the game: it was Game of Thrones night at Fenway. I do not watch GoT, but they do. The upside was a sweet limited edition Andrew Benetendi GoT bobble head.

Drove up, left the 07035 around 11:30 AM or so, smooth sailing all the way in. Gassed up right near the park, then drove over to Pru Center for special Bosox game parking. $18.00! Had to walk about a mile but that was cool. We walked through the Back Bay (past McGreevey's!) to Fenway. What a place. The oldest park I guess I've ever been at was at Yankee Stadium, so this was cool. We wandered about waiting for the 5PM entry (we got to go in early). Had a slice of pizza at a place called Sal's. Big slice. Not a NY/NJ slice though.

Went inside around 5PM or so. Got in and it was the scene from The Town! As a matter of fact they have a tribute to Fenway in movies display inside. Anyway, we had Grandstand seats, which apart from being the most uncomfortable seat I've ever sat in was still pretty awesome.

Now, remember we were going up and coming back? About 10 minutes to 7, they lay a tarp on pitcher's mound. Then they announce there will be a rain delay, big tarp on field. Game is delayed an hour to 8:10 or so. OK. Well the game was a 3-3 tie and going no place. Back and forth. Some really exciting baseball. My valiant sons decided we should skedaddle in teh 8th inning, since they had to work the next day and I had at least a 3.5 hour drive home. We walk back (!) to Pru Center and get on the road about 11:30 or so. At some point on some south-bound highway, OSSS wakes up in back seat, looks at his phone around 1:15AM and says "game just ended". They went 15! Wow.

Now besides the memory of the trip with my sons, I did get a treasure. Across Yawkey Way (which is shut down during the game so you can leave the stadium and go across the street. I checked out the Red Sox Team Store. And in the store was one of my favorite Sports Illustrated covers ever of the ultimate grinder, Jonny Gomes. Enlarged and autographed! Had to have it!

POSTSCRIPT: We pulled into driveway around 3AM. I got about 2 hours of sleep. YSSS had a 16U game that night, I was afraid he would be super-tired (I was)...he was 3-3 with 3 doubles, two RBIs, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. Big game!

It's Friday

And here I sit at the J-O-B waiting for the quittin' bell to ring. Tick-tick-tick.

Anyways it's mid-summer in North J and the weather is what the weather is. We had a storm the other day that featured hailstones. Sweet. Right now we're sitting at about 85 degrees and humid. Looks like we are in for a cool down over the next few days.

August is vacation time for the House of SoulSlam...that's something to look forward to. Going to FLA (we like it hot!). Gulf coast.

Some summer TV shows you should catch:

Broadchurch (season 3)

Snowfall

Animal Kingdom

Twin Peaks: The Return

The Sinner (haven't seen but I will)

Power

Mets are not too good. Will be at Citifield manana for Dodgers-Mets game. At least one of them are awesome.

The Gym

At this point, the gym I go to is my social life I think. And I go to a gym where I know a handful of people (on purpose). So ipso-facto I guess my social life is sad. My lifts are pretty incredible though.

Summer Baseball Over

Well that was interesting...

Summer baseball is over for YSSS; he played on a 16U team (mostly made up of HS teammates) and an 18U team. All in all, he played really well, competed and, most importantly, got his confidence back. Neither team was a killer...SoulSlam did his best (as Asst. Coach x 2) too instill some baseball into these young men. Enjoyed coaching the 16U team; if you ever see SoulSlam at a HS game I am far away, not anywhere near the dugouts. Too many of those parents if you ask me. Good bunch of kids...not too much baseball knowledge so it was a learning experience for many. The 18U team was the remnants of last fall's 16U team. They brought on a bunch of HS seniors in the spring that apparently stopped playing HS ball. IMO, it's because these guys couldn't/wouldn't fit into a team. HC is a good guy, but the last couple of games I came to there was another guy there that was the quintessential "rec coach". In the immortal words of somebody "I've forgotten more about baseball than this guy will ever know". If he's around in fall, we won't.

Highlight of season was last game for 16U for YSSS: three (3) doubles in three (3) ABs, stolen base, two (2) RBIs, three (3) runs scored. Great day at plate.

Trip To Boston

Roadtrippin' to Fenway on Tuesday with the Sons of SoulSlam to catch a game amongst other things. Never been so it should be fun. Driving back after the game so it will be a looooonnngggg day. Report to follow.

The Home Run Derby

Always a highlight of the #ASG festivities, the HR Derby is for kids of all ages. And the mythical beast, Judge won last night. He did have the advantage of always going last so that is a bonus in itself. But you gotta hit the dingers, and he did. A couple balls came off his bat to the opposite field which I figured would be a little flare to RF, but they would go over the fence. He's strong folks. I'd still take Cody Bellinger though.

But that's not the point of this randomly inserted post. It's the utter chaos of ESPN's commentary. At the mikes we had: Karl Ravith, mildy annoying announcer type; Mark Texeria, ex-ballplayer, close to stupid type; and my personal non-favorite, Jessica Mendoza, supremely annoying, I played softball so I'm an expert on baseball, screaming Mimi type. Between these 3 idiots I had to repeatedly MUTE my TV. How anybody could make Chris Berman seem reasonable is beyond me.

Twin Peaks The Return

Eight episodes in and I'm pretty sure that David Lynch is insane. The 8th episode was so over the top crazy that I thought I was watching dome drug-induced hysteria.

We've barely been in Twin Peaks. Haven't seen Audrey Horne, only a single scene with Bobby Briggs, etc. Cooper is bad and Cooper is dumb (Dougie). Harry has cancer apparently and his brother Frank is the Sheriff. This show is, as they say, off the chain.