Category: Week 2

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MLB: Twins @ Yankees (9/19)

September 19, 2017

Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

My Friends Ryan (left), John (middle left) and John (right)

 

Results

Final Score: Yankees 5, Twins 2

 

Again, just like last post, I don’t have a pre-game video, but I can tell you I would have predicted the Yankees to win.

 

The Game

The score actually doesn’t show how easily the Yankees won this game. It felt like a blowout. After about an hour rain delay the Yankees played a really solid game. They really worked the count and created their opportunities to win the game (even without any home runs).

 

The offense was solid with Brett Gardner and Starlin Castro each having 3 hits and Aaron Judge adding two hits. The team had 6 walks as well.

 

CC Sabathia pitched a solid 6 innings, striking out 5 while only allowing two hits and two walks. Then the bullpen did their thing. Chad Green scoreless 7th inning. David Robertson a perfect 8th inning (3 Ks on 12 pitches). Aroldis Chapman a scoreless 9th inning on 12 pitches. Pitching will be key entering the playoffs!

 

The Stadium

Overall Rating: A- (this may be a little bias being a Yanks fan and living in NYC for 7+ years)

 

My only knock on this stadium is that it is way too corporate. The old Yankee Stadium was awesome, it definitely needed replacing, but not in this exact way. The corporate seats (most expensive ones) have a lot of room and everything is catered to them. I realize it should be this way, but not this much. To the point that the staff is checking your tickets to make sure you are in the right upper deck section in the 8th inning isn’t really helpful. Let the kids sneak up behind the dugout in blow out games at least, come on!

 

The location is great and it is easy to get there from Manhattan via the subway. There are bars to drink at before and after games. They let you in monument park early and tour the Yankees museum (which is like its own hall of fame).

 

Love, Hate, Shout Out

Love: Yankee Stadium. When I was living in NYC I went to at least 15 games per year. This past season traveling around the world was awesome and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but sports (especially Yankee games) are something I definitely missed.

 

Hate: Rain Delays. I know it isn’t anyone’s fault, but it just sucks especially during the week. If you live close enough to the stadium or have a bar to wait at, its not that bad, but still the unknown is killer.

 

Shout Out: CC Sabathia. All season he has done his thing. Not blowing away teams but getting through 5-6 innings and keeping the game close. He has really learned how to work on his off speed pitches.

 

Fan Tips

Make sure your Metro Card has enough money on it to take the subway home after the game. You do not want to be stuck in line for one.

 

Check out the bars before or after the game. Especially on weekends they have a good vibe.

 

 

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Game 4: Lions @ Giants

September 18, 2017

MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey

My Friend Dave

 

Pregame Thoughts

Prediction: Giants win by 3

 

Results

Final Score: Lions 24, Giants 10

My Record: 2-2

 

Terrible pick again for the Giants. My two losses are their two losses, both equally bad.

 

The Game

A late 88 yard punt return for a touchdown by Jamal Agnew for the Lions put the Giants away. This was overall a sloppy game with each team held to around 250 yards. Eli Manning was sacked 5 times and knocked down another 8 times (great job Offensive Line). The Lions did not play great but came out with a win thanks to the poor play of the Giants.

 

The Giants celebrated their 10 year anniversary of Super Bowl XLII. Most of the players and coaches from the 2007 team were there and honored at half time.

 

The Stadium

Overall Rating: D (too harsh to give an F)

 

New York City is filled with things to do, so there is not much to say about that, too bad the stadium isn’t really anywhere near it. The train is somewhat easy to get to MetLife (as long as you leave early enough), but a royal pain to get back. The stadium doesn’t have the greatest setup and although it is newer, it has an old feeling to it. They could have done a much better job on this one.

 

Easy to enter and good concessions with plenty of choices are the only upsides.

 

Love, Hate, Shout Out

Love: Michael Strahan’s half time speech about the Super Bowl anniversary. I don’t have the exact words, but it was powerful and got you motivated to do something. The current team should have been on the field, maybe they would have learned something.

 

Hate: Giants Offensive Line. It’s a tough argument to make when you say Eli Manning is losing it and getting old. Let’s face it, he is, but he was never an elite QB and you can’t put it all on him. When you get hit literally every other play, its hard to get any timing down. Maybe it is time to address the Offensive Line issue, since its been an issue for 4 years now, ughhhhh!

 

Shout Out: Giants Defense. I am not sure how many weeks they will be asked to play 40 minutes a game, but so far its two out of two. Playing that much and giving up less than 20 points both games is great (can’t count the punt return against them).

 

Fan Tips

If you are taking the train leave really early for the game and expect to wait a long time before you get out (unless you leave the game early, which I would never do).

 

You cannot walk all the way around the stadium on some levels because of the suites. So check your section before you go up the escalators.

 

 

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Game 3: Browns @ Ravens

September 17, 2017

M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, Maryland

My Friends Duncan (left), Rachel and Mike (right)

 

Pregame Thoughts

Prediction: Ravens win by 17

 

Results

Final Score: Ravens 24, Browns 10

My Record: 2-1

 

Almost nailed it! I am surprised the Browns scored at all to be honest. The Ravens Defense dominated like I said, but I did say “Kizer looks good” which was way off.

 

The Game

The Ravens defense dominated, forcing 5 turnovers, 3 sacks and repeated hits on the quarterback. Outside of a few highlight reel catches, the Browns didn’t have much going for them. DeShone Kizer looked good at times, but the Ravens defense made it hard for him to get any sort of timing down and he ended up with 3 interceptions and got benched.

 

Not too many offensive standouts on either side. Benjamin Watson had 8 receptions for 91 yards for Baltimore and Rashard Higgins had 7 receptions for 95 yards for Cleveland (with a few ridiculous catches too). It is early in the season but both guys are players to keep an eye on.

 

Joe Thomas played in his 10,000 consecutive snap for the Browns. That is an NFL record and unbelievable.

 

The Stadium

Overall Rating: A

 

M&T Bank Stadium was easy to get to and had a great pregame. Getting home wasn’t terrible either. It was a really hot day, so maybe this was just me, but they need escalators to get to the top. Who knows, they might be there somewhere. We took the stairs.

 

I walked around several sections and there isn’t really a bad seat. Some sections lacked restrooms and concessions but you can’t expect them everywhere. Overall great.

 

Love, Hate, Shout Out

Love: Inclusive tailgating. Not every stadium has somewhere that you can simply pay and then party. It was very close to the stadium and the food was amazing.

 

Hate: Odd giveaways. Okay, its marketing, I understand. But little bottles of hand sanitizer with a brand on it (honestly I forgot which one), isn’t a giveaway. The bottle was probably good for two uses and didn’t seem like antibacterial, it was more of straight alcoholic based water. Give a rally towel at least like everyone else or nothing at all.

 

Shout Out: Joe Thomas. 10,000 consecutive snaps. That is just remarkable to think about, especially when you realize he is on the Browns. Every single play he has been in there putting for 10+ seasons!

 

Fan Tips

Don’t get confused by the BWI airport and BWI train station, they are not one in the same (my friends learned this).

 

There is an all you can eat and drink tailgate somewhere around Leadenhall St and Olstend St. There were several, try to find one, best tailgate I have been to over the years (we will see if that is still true at the end of the trip).