Quest For 30
Sommet Center – Nashville, TN
Nashville was cold and windy and drizzly and lonely! Dawn was on a 9 day trip to Australia and instead of spending another weekend alone at home I decided to hit up a Nashville game. I arrived late Friday night, checked into the hotel and was surprised to see the complete fan base for the Baltimore Ravens in the hotel bar. I had no idea when booking this excursion I would be plopping myself into the middle of the Ravens / Titans playoff game in Nashville. Friday night came and went, Saturday morning was spent working a little and then around 4pm I ventured out towards the arena. A chilly 3 block walk landed me on Broadway St. and in front of Jacks BBQ. A quick glance at the menu and I was sold … Pork Shoulder, Corn, Beans, a bun and a nice cold beer all for $12! After my lunch and snapping a few pictures inside I walked the one block to purchase my ticket. Planning to spend $25 I ended up with a $42, Center Ice, 2nd row from the top. Seriously, I think I had to duck to get to my seat! I was sitting literally “in the rafters.”
Seeing I had an hour before the doors opened I walked down Broadway (not to far – it was coooooold!). I ended up at this cute bar that looked like a hotel, The Merchants was the bar and grille in a building built back in the late 1800’s … history ranged from soda fountain, pharmacy, general store, brothel, gangster bar, dive bar among other things. The bar top was a hammered copper top and next to that they still had the lowered marble counter that served many a kid during the soda fountain days. Since the Titans were playing the Ravens down the street, the Sommet Center opened early and they were playing the football game on the jumbo-tron. I walked around, took more pictures, talked to some ticket checkers and enjoyed the Nashville environment. 5 minutes into the game and Chicago looked scattered already. Nashville was capitalizing on their lack of focus and were able to keep the puck in their offensive zone for the majority of the first period. 1st ended with 15 – 2 Shots On Goal in favor of Nashville and Legwand netted their first goal of the night with 9:19 left in the 1st. I spent the first and second period sandwiched between two ladies who were hanging on every word that spewed out of their hubby’s mouth. 99% of what these guys said regarding the game and the strategy and their play by play was wrong and I had to remember where I was before I opened my mouth to correct them.
What really surprised me was how quiet the crowd was during the game. Sitting almost on the roof, I was able to hear the players talk to each other. The crowd was just not into the game, it was like they were at a convention listening to the keynote. A few times in my excitement I realized I was being looked at and judged … ok, that might be a projection, but they were looking at me. Aside from the silence and the ignorance … I had a GREAT time at the game in Nashville and look forward to the next arena I get to visit.
Verizon Center – Washington DC – The Phone Booth
Dawn and I love Washington DC … we have not been there in a couple years and have talked about hitting up the nation’s capital on more than one occasion. On our last trip to DC, we found ourselves at a very classy chophouse … dark mahogany booths, dimly lit and the brewed their own beer! How could we NOT eat there? I was standing at the bar when a woman called out to the bartender “hurry up, I am heading to the game!” I noticed she was wearing a Washington Capital jersey and I asked “What game?” She looked at me like I had 3 heads on my shoulders and then said in a very snippy attitude – “Caps and Canes” … to which I stupidly responded with “HOCKEY???” She gave me one of those looks women give men when they just cannot understand how we can be so stupid but still have the motor skills to breathe! After she left, I turned and asked the bartender … Where do they play? To which he looked at me silly and said “Across the street!”
I ran back to our table and told Dawn of my newfound knowledge, looking back I believe I sounded like the guy who first discovered fire! Lots of grunts, pointing involved and I was able to form the word “hockey!” This happened early in our dating relationship so Dawn was still in the “Let him do what he wants to do” phase … really, I don’t think part of Dawn’s idea of a “romantic” evening in DC involved a Hockey game! Either way, we informed our waiter and he rushed our order through. We walked up to the Verizon center ticket window and asked for two tickets, 3 minutes later we were sitting in the lower section corner behind the Carolina Hurricanes goal (the goal the Caps shoot on in the 1st and 3rd). Martin Gerber was in net for the Canes and by the middle of the second period we realized that the two rows in front of us were filled with his family. They were all so cute, waving their Switzerland flags, wearing their Gerber hats and shirts. Behind us sat a couple rowdy guys who were obviously drinking in excess and taunting Gerber’s family to the point I was embarrassed for them. During the second intermission security came by and escorted them elsewhere. Capitals won that game … but watching Martin’s family support him the way they did was by far a very fun and memorable experience.
Honda Center – Anaheim, Ca – Duck Pond
Detroit VS. Anaheim in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs … Again, with my buddy Brian! This trip was hatched in a 10 day period. Dawn happened to be out of town again on business, and the first round of the playoffs ended. The schedule was set and Brian bought the tickets, I landed a miles flight from Orlando to Santa Anna and that was all she wrote! It was a quick trip, game Tuesday night, fly in Monday leave Wednesday morning. Brian took the day off of work on Tuesday and during our bee boppin around I “jokingly” said “You got tickets for the correct game didn’t you?” After looking at our tickets and doing a quick math check – it turns out he bought tickets for Tuesday’s game … however, the ticket broker he used listed Tuesday’s game as Round 2 / Home game 2 (which was NOT the Tuesday game, but the Thursday game). The game we were going to was Round 2 / Home Game 1! After spending 2+ hours on the phone with the ticket broker “customer service” we were left “stuck” with the tickets. Brian was right, they were wrong, but they would NOT admit it! Soooooo – we did what any other sports fan would do 3 hours before a playoff game. We went to Hooters looking for extra tickets!
After 2 hours at Hooters and an unsuccessful run at “extra” tickets … we decided to try to grab some from someone in front of the Duck Pond. We walked across the street and looked for anyone selling … no such luck! I told Brian I was going to go to the ticket window to see if they released, or will release tickets anytime soon – it was a long shot, but we were desperate! I walked up to the window that had No Line and asked in my most pleasant and pitiful voice, “would you by chance have any tickets to this event, I need 2” … To which the guy inside tells me “Standing Room ONLY – $88 per!” SOLD … I grabbed two and headed out into the swarm to find Brian. Once inside we locate our section of the wall and are amazed that we are standing at the top of a lower bowl section – by far a section that sold tickets for $250+ … and here we were, rubbin elbows with them! Just for the record, when they said “Standing Room Only” they were NOT joking!
We stood on our wall and watched an amazingly painful game … Detroit shut down the Ducks 5 – 0 that night! The other people in the Standing Room Only section happened to be Detroit fans, and true to form, were loud, boisterous, and ignorant to the fact that the playoff format is best of 7 games! Evidently these guys thought that with Detroit winning it meant they were better. I think the Ducks embarrassed Detroit that year and ended up taking the cup! Brian ended up going back to the Pond on Thursday to see the game with the tickets he bought for us that turned out to be wrong … and the best part of that, the ticket broker refunded him for one of the tickets!
Staples Center – Los Angeles, Ca
I am doing a series on the 30 NHL arenas and my quest to see a game in each venue. I am going to grandfather a few spots in since I have been to games in these cities. Do not take that to mean I will pass up future games – I am just putting these on the list since I have seen games here.
My buddy Brian and I decided to catch the Kings play the Avalanche in 2001 maybe 2002. It was my first live Colorado game and as an Avalanche fan I was very excited about seeing them play. Our seats were up high (300’s section @ the Staples Center) and it was hard to see who was on the ice, but I was with my best friend and we were watching the Avs play! Not much to say about the Staples Center other than it SUCKS for watching hockey in the upper upper bowl.
HP Pavillion – San Jose, Ca – Shark Tank!
I am doing a series on the 30 NHL arenas and my quest to see a game in each venue. I am going to grandfather a few spots in since I have been to games in these cities. Do not take that to mean I will pass up future games – I am just putting these on the list since I have seen games here.
In the 2003/04 season I landed the dream job. I was hired to work for an NHL franchise, being paid by the San Jose Sharks! One regret I have is I never framed my first paycheck … I planned on having it mounted and framed and by the time I got around to getting it done, I lost the check! Anyway – I have witnessed many battles @ my beloved Shark Tank, which is why I am launching this quest with this team. I have been a Sharks fan since 2001 when I moved to San Jose, it was a tough decision to make since I fell in love with the sport by watching the Colorado Avalanche open in Denver and go on to win the Stanley Cup that year. The Shark Tank holds many wonderful memories – running into Joe Sakic in the halls, being within 5 feet of the Great One – Wayne Gretzky, shaking hands with Phil Esposito, quick conversations with Kyle McClarren, Scott Hannan, Vinny Dampouse, Patty Marleau, Drew Remenda, and who can forget the adorable SJ Sharkie? I will always be grateful to the group that decided to give me a spot on the Nob Hill Foods Tank Patrol – I will never stop saying “Thank You Jaime” … for granting me one of my life dreams … you probably didn’t know it at the time, but stepping out onto the San Jose Ice with Danny Miller introducing the new Tank Patrol members and hearing my name being announced will be one of the best memories of my life, and for that, I will be a San Jose Shark for life!