Amazingly that just a mere six months ago, the 2013 Major League baseball season was just getting underway. There were expectations for many teams and hopes and dreams for others that they could just have a fighting chance. Experts and fans alike debated who was going to be this year's surprise team. A's fans wondered if 2012 was just a fluke as the Los Angeles Angels reloaded signing Josh Hamilton. Seattle was an improved club and how would Texas fare after losing the 5 game lead with 9 to play?
The talk amongst most A's fans was if they could build upon what happened in 2012, which was a magical run to a division crown. When the schedule first came out, A's fan's looked at another 0-1 start against Seattle and Felix Hernandez and also looked at the last week of the schedule in which the A's finished with six on the road. There was a pretty good chances are the O. Co faithful would not see the A's celebrate anything at home with a division race that was pegged to be one of the best in baseball, perhaps sending three teams to the postseason. Experts had the A's finishing second or third to the reloaded Angels and Texas was not going to let September happen to them again.
Added to the mix in 2013 was a re-signed Bartolo Colon, who I personally thought wasn't a good signing. Though I disagreed with it, I was worried that the lack of PED's was going to affect him throughout the season. In retrospect, I was very glad to be very wrong as Colon stayed healthy pretty much throughout the year and led the staff with 18 wins and a 2.65 ERA, which was best for second in the American League behind Detroit's Anibal Sanchez. The A's also acquired Jed Lowrie in a trade from new division rival Houston for Chris Carter and some minor league prospects. I always knew that Lowrie was a good hitter, but the problem is he was often injured and had problems playing a full season. I felt he would be a descent hitter who could possibly platoon with Japanese import Hiroyuki Nakajima who the A's signed for two years. The A's though were concerned about Lowrie's and Nakajima's range, but if they could hit, they could balance thing's out. In the outfield, the A's had Yoenis Cespedes, Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick coming back along with Seth Smith. The A's had also acquired Chris Young just days after the ALDS ended for Cliff Pennington to be a backup outfielder with pop, which means they would not sign fan favorite Jonny Gomes. There was also utility infielder Eric Sogard who ended up winning a job out of Spring Training over Jemile Weeks. The A's also still had much maligned Daric Barton in their organization somehow. Near the end of Spring, the A's also picked up Rule 5 Draftee Nate Freiman, who was basically in many people's eyes, the right handed version of Ryan Sweeney. Freiman who had never played above AA, must stay on the 25 man roster all season or the A's risk losing him to his former team, the Astros.
The thing that gets me the most is where these players were six months ago and where these players are now. Freiman played an integral role as a right handed platoon player, had many key hits including a walk-off single against future Hall of Famer and now retired New York Yankee closer, Mariano Rivera. Lowrie had an awesome season, where he challenged the A's doubles record set by Jason Giambi. Crisp, went 20/20 this season and was the A's motor, while Cespedes and Reddick had down years average wise, but still hit the ball hard and played some outstanding defense. Eric Sogard solidified himself as one of the best 9 hitters in the American League using his tools as being a pesky hitter and being an awesome defensive replacement. Nakajima got hurt at the start of the season and really never recovered and still has not seen big league action. Other players that the A's picked up throughout the year such as Stephen Vogt, Alberto Callaspo and former A's catcher Kurt Suzuki have played key roles in helping the A's get to where they need to be. Much maligned Daric Barton, who the A's designated for assignment twice (meaning any team could have picked him up) played a huge role down the stretch playing stellar defense and contributing offensively. Brandon Moss lead the team in home runs with 30, while Josh Donaldson was the most consistent, putting himself in the middle of the MVP talk with his overall game. The pitching staff remained outstanding using only 7 starters all year including 2011 draft pick Sonny Gray. The down part to the team was that Brett Anderson was hurt for most of the season, but has returned as an effective reliever solidifying an outstanding bullpen. Grant Balfour, Sean Doolittle and Ryan Cook were consistent throughout the season. Jesse Chavez and Dan Otero were key cogs in the bullpen as well along with fan favorite Jerry Blevins.
Two-third's of Major League Baseball teams go home before October and the 2013 AL West Champion Oakland Athletics are not one of them. Surprisingly, the A's played consistent baseball all year long and then took off in September and clinched the division in front of their home fans on the last regular season home date of the season with six games to play. Not in an A's fan's wildest dreams would anyone have thought of that. Oh baseball, I love you oh so much!
Buckle up, strap in and enjoy this ride to hopefully ends with the Green and Gold the last team standing in the end...
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Revising My Pre Season Predictions
Back in April, I wrote a prediction on how the A's season would play out. While my player stats have been mostly incorrect, I have been spot on with the most of the teams and will continue to believe that the Oakland Athletics will be facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. However, I will now change what will happen.
I still believe that the A's will sweep Tampa Bay in three games, winning the third game at home, thus meaning out of the three division winners, the A's will have the worst record and Tampa Bay the second best record. Detroit, who will own the best record in the American will face the winner of the wildcard match-up between Boston and Texas and will win a hard fought series in 5 The rest and hard fought ALDS will force the Tigers to be a bit tired and the A's will defeat the Tigers in 6 games exacting revenge from the 2012 ALDS.
The World Series gets a little interesting. I feel that the pitching for LA has an edge over the A's because of Kershaw, but the A's have the stronger bullpen, which will be the difference. The A's will have a pair of comeback victories and will use the long ball to help them win. Oakland's Runners in Scoring Position since late August has been outstanding, hitting .315 as a team and even better at .335 with less than 2 outs. In the Cuban battle of Cespedes vs Puig, Puig's inexperience of being a rookie will show on the big stage and he will make mistakes that plagued him during the season. Cespedes, with a year under his belt and who struggled throughout the year has turned it up in the playoffs hitting 7 home runs, hitting .435 and driving in 27 runs, winning the ALCS and World Series. My sleeper pick in the World Series will be Eric Sogard who would bat .500 for the series in the 9 hole and naturally get the final out of the World Series in 6...
(Joe Buck and Tim McCarver at the mic)
Joe: Oakland leads 4-2 in the top of the 9th, two down, 1-2 count on Gonzalez, Puig still at 2nd after a lead off double.
Tim: The crowd of over 47,000 can really feel it. Balfour, however is shaking his arm and working real slow, so I am wondering if the nerves are getting to him. He may be injured. Should Melvin and the training staff go look at him?
(Silence and just crowd noise in the background)
Joe: He is working rather slowly...The 1-2 pitch from Balfour...Broken bat ground ball to second....Sogard's got it, flips it to Moss and MONEYBALL HAS FINALLY GOT ITS CHAMPIONSHIP!
(a minute later)
Tim: Oakland has played on a budget for so long and they have shown that money will not buy Championships.
I still believe that the A's will sweep Tampa Bay in three games, winning the third game at home, thus meaning out of the three division winners, the A's will have the worst record and Tampa Bay the second best record. Detroit, who will own the best record in the American will face the winner of the wildcard match-up between Boston and Texas and will win a hard fought series in 5 The rest and hard fought ALDS will force the Tigers to be a bit tired and the A's will defeat the Tigers in 6 games exacting revenge from the 2012 ALDS.
The World Series gets a little interesting. I feel that the pitching for LA has an edge over the A's because of Kershaw, but the A's have the stronger bullpen, which will be the difference. The A's will have a pair of comeback victories and will use the long ball to help them win. Oakland's Runners in Scoring Position since late August has been outstanding, hitting .315 as a team and even better at .335 with less than 2 outs. In the Cuban battle of Cespedes vs Puig, Puig's inexperience of being a rookie will show on the big stage and he will make mistakes that plagued him during the season. Cespedes, with a year under his belt and who struggled throughout the year has turned it up in the playoffs hitting 7 home runs, hitting .435 and driving in 27 runs, winning the ALCS and World Series. My sleeper pick in the World Series will be Eric Sogard who would bat .500 for the series in the 9 hole and naturally get the final out of the World Series in 6...
(Joe Buck and Tim McCarver at the mic)
Joe: Oakland leads 4-2 in the top of the 9th, two down, 1-2 count on Gonzalez, Puig still at 2nd after a lead off double.
Tim: The crowd of over 47,000 can really feel it. Balfour, however is shaking his arm and working real slow, so I am wondering if the nerves are getting to him. He may be injured. Should Melvin and the training staff go look at him?
(Silence and just crowd noise in the background)
Joe: He is working rather slowly...The 1-2 pitch from Balfour...Broken bat ground ball to second....Sogard's got it, flips it to Moss and MONEYBALL HAS FINALLY GOT ITS CHAMPIONSHIP!
(a minute later)
Tim: Oakland has played on a budget for so long and they have shown that money will not buy Championships.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Just a Quickie A's Sniff Thought
As we all know a sports season is a roller coaster with many highs and many lows. Currently, the Oakland Athletics are at a low after having a 6 game lead on July 29th, they are now 2.5 back of the Texas Rangers; an 8.5 game swing. They still lead hold the second Wild Card spot with three games up on Baltimore, who they happen to play this weekend. Many fans have hit the panic button and I haven't. Below are 3 reasons why the A's will be A-OKAY...
1. Each team goes through a time where they lose to "bad teams" they shouldn't be losing to. Losing 2/3 to the Mariners and Astros at home this past week is a prime example. Let it go, shake it off, move on. The current AL MOY is pissed and has let his players know. Melvin knows what he's doing, so roll with him. I noticed a ton of manager questioning this season on various media outlets. You want Geren instead?
2. Let's rewind to April 2013 and I tell you that Reddick/Cespedes have combined for 30 home runs and Brett Anderson has been out for half of the season. Nakajima/Sizemore is hurt and Eric Sogard is your starting second baseman. Josh Donaldson and Jed Lowrie are arguably your best players. Tell me the A's record and most of you will probably say under .500 and way out of the playoff race.
3. This 2013 A's team hasn't reached their potential yet. As I said in number two, Cespedes and Reddick haven't figured it out yet and when they do this season, this team is going to be scary for anyone to face. Also, they have left about 5 million runners in scoring position in the second half so far, but remember it all evens out at the end. I know this is going to make some fans butt hurt, but it is all about timing in the game. Look at the 2010 and the 2012 Giants as they had the "Perfect Storm" of playing baseball at the right time and navigated to 2 World Series Championships... (A's still lead 4 > 2 though =P). Also with this blown lead, the A's have plenty of time to right the ship. How would you feel if the Rangers won the West in the fashion the A's did last year?
In October, the A's will be there and will be contending for a World Series title. The starting rotation will be Colon, Parker, Gray and Anderson and I am not sure if any team in MLB wants to go up against that.
1. Each team goes through a time where they lose to "bad teams" they shouldn't be losing to. Losing 2/3 to the Mariners and Astros at home this past week is a prime example. Let it go, shake it off, move on. The current AL MOY is pissed and has let his players know. Melvin knows what he's doing, so roll with him. I noticed a ton of manager questioning this season on various media outlets. You want Geren instead?
2. Let's rewind to April 2013 and I tell you that Reddick/Cespedes have combined for 30 home runs and Brett Anderson has been out for half of the season. Nakajima/Sizemore is hurt and Eric Sogard is your starting second baseman. Josh Donaldson and Jed Lowrie are arguably your best players. Tell me the A's record and most of you will probably say under .500 and way out of the playoff race.
3. This 2013 A's team hasn't reached their potential yet. As I said in number two, Cespedes and Reddick haven't figured it out yet and when they do this season, this team is going to be scary for anyone to face. Also, they have left about 5 million runners in scoring position in the second half so far, but remember it all evens out at the end. I know this is going to make some fans butt hurt, but it is all about timing in the game. Look at the 2010 and the 2012 Giants as they had the "Perfect Storm" of playing baseball at the right time and navigated to 2 World Series Championships... (A's still lead 4 > 2 though =P). Also with this blown lead, the A's have plenty of time to right the ship. How would you feel if the Rangers won the West in the fashion the A's did last year?
In October, the A's will be there and will be contending for a World Series title. The starting rotation will be Colon, Parker, Gray and Anderson and I am not sure if any team in MLB wants to go up against that.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Short Term Loss, Long Term Gains
I was having an interesting twitter conversation with writer Sean Davis from the Swingin' A's blog site about Yoenis Cespedes today and we were both discussion about giving Cespedes some time off so he could heal since he is injury prone. We both agreed upon about the ideal of "Short Term Loss, Long Term Gains" and today was certainly truth to that matter.
As human beings, we all have a tendency to "live in the moment", but also we need to make sure that we look at the long term goals and focus on them. Like many people, I have interest in the stock market and my 401k retirement plan. Today the stock market went down over 2%. Does this mean I should panic and sell all of my stock and take out the money now? If we did that, then we would have to pay taxes on all this money that you are taking out. Plus when the market rebounds, you will miss out on all of the gains you felt like you should have gotten. If you are focused on a long term goal and there is a minor bump in the road, sure you can get mad and get frustrated for a moment, but the ideal is to try and let it go. One word I see and hear constantly on twitter and in life conversations is "This Always Happens." or "This Never Happens". I tend to disagree with these statements because you are discussing something that happens 100% of the time. The reason why this occurs is because humans tend to forget about the positive things and only remember the negative. I really wish I could understand why this works, but I will speculate that there is a brain disturbance when negative happens. If we get into a fight with the significant other or a family member three years apart, we tend to remember better what happened in the last argument than the positive discussion that happened yesterday.
As followers of the A's, people know how important Yoenis Cespedes is to their lineup. Fans also know that he tends to get hurt very easily due to him going "balls out" on his swing and his running. While that has tempered down this season, he has still had his share of injuries. Through Thursday, Cespedes has been the teams designated hitter for the past 5-6 games while nursing a hamstring injury. Hamstring injuries are always tricky, but he has struggled this week while in the DH slot. Sean brought up a good point about resting him during the Sunday game at Seattle and perhaps the Wednesday game against Cincinnati. Since the A's are off a rare two days next week (Monday and Wednesday while at home), giving Cespedes a full four days off to heal completely would be the right thing. This would certainly help him clear his head from his slump as well as having no reservations about the hamstring injury. I can only speculate, but I am wondering if Cespedes being careful about his hamstring injury has also affected him at the plate. Instead of playing pepper with the wall, I feel that Cespedes is trying to swing for the downs. Cespedes is a great hitter when he is spraying line drives all over the field and using his legs.
The A's have bigger things to accomplish for the first time in quite a few years and with a little bit of short term loss, they can definitely get some long term gains out of it.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
My Response to Jon Heyman
During the Battle of the Bay Series Tuesday evening, CBS Reporter Jon Heyman tweeted about the Oakland Coliseum...
Throughout my lifetime, I have lived and breathed the Oakland Athletics, while practically calling the Coliseum a second home. I love the place. My second home might be out of date, but it is still my home. I could be anywhere in the world, close my eyes and I am able to paint a photo in my head walking through the Coliseum seeing the myriad of fans, smelling the hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and seeing the beer flow like water. My parents have been taking me to A's games for so long, I don't even remember when my first game was. I do know that I had my first baseball emotion at 6 years old when Kirk Gibson hit the home run off Dennis Eckersley in 1988; I cried. My parents were season ticket holders in the early 1990's and then stopped because they got divorced and could not afford them anymore. I still tried to get out to as many games as I could and dad/mom would take us. I was afraid the Angels moved to Oakland when the entire Coliseum started to change to a blueish color, but luckily I found out they were just filming a movie (Angels In The Outfield). I was depressed in 1994, when I watched Ray Fosse talk about the players strike and ended baseball way too early than I wanted it to. I danced to Icebox and the Hard Hat Construction Crew "YMCA" when Mt. Davis was being built. I caught my first baseball from Section 216 from Jim Edmonds with help from my uncle. I lived through the teams of the 1990's that were just terrible with Ariel Prieto and Todd Van Poppel not turning out to be what we all thought. 1999 gave me a glimmer of hope where the A's contended until late September. In my first year at UC Riverside, I sat in my dorm room watching the A's win the West on the last day of the season. I sat through the 20 game winning streak and remember Game 18 specifically thinking the game was over, until the Los Angeles station broke in during their sports programming saying that Tejada hit the walk-off. I remember the Giambi non slide, the Lowe crotch chop as Terrence Long went down looking. Loved Jason Kendall for his grit even though he never could hit a home run. I loved it when watching the College World Series, seeing two future drafted teammates square off (Huston Street and Kurt Suzuki, the latter whom I followed in college). After finally securing a full time job after school and going to so many games, my parents thought I should become a season ticket holder, which I finally did in 2011, which has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have met a whole bunch of awesome people just like me that live at the Coliseum. If I go and see someone I don't see someone I know, I am in shock. It's not just a home, its a beautiful home where the "fanily" lives. I met an awesome group in the Right Field bleachers through a mutual friend during that time and it's been awesome fun. I am privileged to call these people I have met friends as there has been a bond that has been created outside of the Coliseum as well. I hung out with a lot of these same folks at an Oakland hotel at 3am watching our team play Opening Day in Japan in what turned out to be one of the most improbable years in team history.
Jeff Francoeur called us some of the best fans in baseball. Justin Verlander called the Coliseum the loudest place he has ever played in. Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, MC Hammer, Adrien Brody, Danny Glover, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson stepped foot into the Coliseum field and that's just for baseball.
After sleeping on the comments, I have the following message for Jon Heyman...
Thank you for what you said about the Coliseum and their fans. You just made us love the Coliseum even more, while you gave the A's and their fans/players no respect. The team that was supposed to win it all because their offense was superior? They are sitting 5.5 games behind us right now because you can't admit their pitching staff sucks. The defending World Series Champs have lost two straight to us. Want to say the A's are "padding their record" against divisional doormat, Houston? That's cool, but 9 other teams have done to Houston, which Boston and Oakland hasn't done. Keep on doubting us! That's fine by me, because when the A's "shock the world" once again in 2013, what is going to be your response this time?
"Not too bad for a dump..." is what I am pretty much expecting...
A shame the a's and giants have to play these games at the coliseum while ATandT sits empty. #shameBefore you continue reading, let the statement sink in for a moment. Whether you are a fan of an opposing team or a fan of the Oakland Athletics, this tweet did one thing and one thing only; they insulted a fan base and as predicted, many A's fans are not happy about it including myself. Though, I am very disappointed for what Heyman said, he continues to go on and take the low road and decline and interview with the A's "flagship" station KGMZ.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) May 29, 2013
Heyman to Rise Guys on declining interview via text:"Sorry no disrespect but don't want to get caught up in fake controversy." (continued)
— 95.7 The GAME (@957thegame) May 29, 2013
Heyman cont'd: "Just meant to draw comparison between best and worst baseball stadiums.Surprised A's fans love Coliseum so much.(cont'd)
— 95.7 The GAME (@957thegame) May 29, 2013
Heyman (3/3):"I'd have assumed they'd agree with their team and ownership that they prefer a new stadium."#Athletics #SFGiantsTo educate Heyman, I would like to first off and say that his mention about our team and ownership prefer a new stadium. I agree with him that the A's need a new yard, but in my opinion, I want the stadium to be in Oakland and NOT San Jose as current owner Lew Wolff wants. There is also a sticky situation that has been going on for 3+ years because the Giants do not want to give up Santa Clara County territorial rights that the A's gave up to the Giants in the 1990's as a "gentleman's agreement" so they would not move to Tampa Bay. Even though the territorial rights have prevented the A's from moving to San Jose, I am thankful the Giants are doing this because this pretty much forces Wolff to try and build a stadium in Oakland or perhaps sell the team to someone who will.
— 95.7 The GAME (@957thegame) May 29, 2013
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| Die Hard Fans as you can get (Photo courtesy of Spencer Mills) |
Jeff Francoeur called us some of the best fans in baseball. Justin Verlander called the Coliseum the loudest place he has ever played in. Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, MC Hammer, Adrien Brody, Danny Glover, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson stepped foot into the Coliseum field and that's just for baseball.
After sleeping on the comments, I have the following message for Jon Heyman...
Thank you for what you said about the Coliseum and their fans. You just made us love the Coliseum even more, while you gave the A's and their fans/players no respect. The team that was supposed to win it all because their offense was superior? They are sitting 5.5 games behind us right now because you can't admit their pitching staff sucks. The defending World Series Champs have lost two straight to us. Want to say the A's are "padding their record" against divisional doormat, Houston? That's cool, but 9 other teams have done to Houston, which Boston and Oakland hasn't done. Keep on doubting us! That's fine by me, because when the A's "shock the world" once again in 2013, what is going to be your response this time?
"Not too bad for a dump..." is what I am pretty much expecting...
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Why I Dislike Geographical Rivalry Games
First off, hats off to all of the servicemen and women who have served the for the United States of America. Holidays seem to be the only time we remember them, but I don't believe its enough. Whether your brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc served, be sure to spend as much time as you can with them when you have the chance. You just never know what tomorrow brings.
For the next three days, not including yesterday, Major League Baseball is holding Interleague Play games between "Geographical Rivals." Some aren't as geographical, such as Atlanta/Toronto or Seattle/San Diego, but there are those that make sense such as Tampa Bay/Miami, Mets/Yankees, Angels/Dodgers etc. Major League Baseball says that this time is a great time for the fans, which I tend to disagree with this statement.
Being a "fan" of a sports team or anything in general, I consider to be a loose term. For example, I am a big fan of cheese, but I don't educate myself in the history of cheese. I just love to eat cheese. To a person who knows the best kinds of cheeses and their history, they may not consider me a fan of cheese and choose to avoid talking about the subject with me. Some people are willing to educate those that are less knowledgeable, while others don't care and say "I believe what I want and I don't give a rat's ass what you say" mentality. The example about cheese, can really apply to anything. No matter how educated one is about a subject, people will always have an opinion about something. Opinions about a subject will usually be based upon one persons past experiences, as well as general stereotypes which are subconsciously thought about. If we were to play word association with the words below, what would be the first word that comes to mind? Please keep these answers to yourself as these are just to prove a point.
Asians
Mexicans
Caucasians
Oakland Raiders
New York Yankees
Democrat
Republican
Depending on your background and what geographical region you live in, you can probably associate those 7 groups with different names. For the sake of example, lets go with Asian. Being Asian myself, I am pretty sure you can think of a wide range of words from extreme ends of the spectrum from, "Go back to China because your blind ass can't drive" to "Smart and beautiful people that are awesome."
The reasons I stated above are the reasons, I dislike attending the current "Bay Bridge" Series between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. I feel that there are too many fans on both sides of the spectrum at these games and all these can lead to is problems. All teams fans are guilty of this, whether we admit it or not. Tensions are high between fans at these games and fights will happen, especially if there is alcohol involved. Friendly jabbing among fans can escalate quickly and someone could get hurt. My problem with this through experience via fans and family members is that some "fans" are only interested when two of the local teams get together. With the advent of social media such as facebook and twitter, this is much more prevalent. Joe and Jane Smith who never post about sports are posting about how awesome their team is, while the fans who have been there the entire time are thinking, "Since when did these people care about my sports team?" Also on social media sites, there are people known as "trolls" which is defined to be those who stir up problems between different fan bases. Since they are "hiding behind a keyboard" chances are the people that are "trolling" will not be reprimanded for their actions, so you could really call people whatever you want to and I am very disappointed with some of the language that I see. I believed that the USA had some of the most open people on the planet at one point, but after seeing what is said on twitter, I am not surprised that we are behind in some of the times in major issues, but that is for another day.
On the flip side, I have met fans and talked to fans on twitter of teams I don't root for and have had great conversations with them. I find that talking baseball with a knowledgeable baseball fan is very fun and entertaining especially if they know their teams history. If there is a way I can be educated about their team through these experiences, this will make me a much better fan in the future. If there is someone that is interested in the game and wants to learn what you know, then don't be afraid to open up and take them under your wing. We could always use a few more A's fans on this planet =)
For the next three days, not including yesterday, Major League Baseball is holding Interleague Play games between "Geographical Rivals." Some aren't as geographical, such as Atlanta/Toronto or Seattle/San Diego, but there are those that make sense such as Tampa Bay/Miami, Mets/Yankees, Angels/Dodgers etc. Major League Baseball says that this time is a great time for the fans, which I tend to disagree with this statement.
Being a "fan" of a sports team or anything in general, I consider to be a loose term. For example, I am a big fan of cheese, but I don't educate myself in the history of cheese. I just love to eat cheese. To a person who knows the best kinds of cheeses and their history, they may not consider me a fan of cheese and choose to avoid talking about the subject with me. Some people are willing to educate those that are less knowledgeable, while others don't care and say "I believe what I want and I don't give a rat's ass what you say" mentality. The example about cheese, can really apply to anything. No matter how educated one is about a subject, people will always have an opinion about something. Opinions about a subject will usually be based upon one persons past experiences, as well as general stereotypes which are subconsciously thought about. If we were to play word association with the words below, what would be the first word that comes to mind? Please keep these answers to yourself as these are just to prove a point.
Asians
Mexicans
Caucasians
Oakland Raiders
New York Yankees
Democrat
Republican
Depending on your background and what geographical region you live in, you can probably associate those 7 groups with different names. For the sake of example, lets go with Asian. Being Asian myself, I am pretty sure you can think of a wide range of words from extreme ends of the spectrum from, "Go back to China because your blind ass can't drive" to "Smart and beautiful people that are awesome."
The reasons I stated above are the reasons, I dislike attending the current "Bay Bridge" Series between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. I feel that there are too many fans on both sides of the spectrum at these games and all these can lead to is problems. All teams fans are guilty of this, whether we admit it or not. Tensions are high between fans at these games and fights will happen, especially if there is alcohol involved. Friendly jabbing among fans can escalate quickly and someone could get hurt. My problem with this through experience via fans and family members is that some "fans" are only interested when two of the local teams get together. With the advent of social media such as facebook and twitter, this is much more prevalent. Joe and Jane Smith who never post about sports are posting about how awesome their team is, while the fans who have been there the entire time are thinking, "Since when did these people care about my sports team?" Also on social media sites, there are people known as "trolls" which is defined to be those who stir up problems between different fan bases. Since they are "hiding behind a keyboard" chances are the people that are "trolling" will not be reprimanded for their actions, so you could really call people whatever you want to and I am very disappointed with some of the language that I see. I believed that the USA had some of the most open people on the planet at one point, but after seeing what is said on twitter, I am not surprised that we are behind in some of the times in major issues, but that is for another day.
On the flip side, I have met fans and talked to fans on twitter of teams I don't root for and have had great conversations with them. I find that talking baseball with a knowledgeable baseball fan is very fun and entertaining especially if they know their teams history. If there is a way I can be educated about their team through these experiences, this will make me a much better fan in the future. If there is someone that is interested in the game and wants to learn what you know, then don't be afraid to open up and take them under your wing. We could always use a few more A's fans on this planet =)
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Why Downtown/Off Strip Las Vegas is Underrated...
In my last post, I discussed 10 Tips that Las Vegas Virgins should know before going to Vegas. Now I will discuss how the Downtown area/Fremont Street is very underrated compared to the pizzazz of the strip. First however, there is something that I did not mention in my last post that can be useful. Those would be Player's Cards.
If you ever wanted to get amped for a trip to Las Vegas and want junk mail with room offers from various casinos sent to your mailbox or e-mail, then sign up for a players card at the various casinos you go to. Some of these player cards come with incentives such as a free slot or table play and discounts off restaurants when you first sign up for them. Even if you aren't a gambler, there are chances that even if you use your card for a little bit, the casinos will send you offers. Las Vegas hotels are expensive in general, so having these cards will help you when you travel on future trips. Are you a big fan of Bellagio, Aria, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand? Well you are in luck as they are under the same M-Life players card. Fancy some Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood? They use the Caesars Entertainment Card.
1. Cheaper Food Options - Just because it's the Las Vegas Strip, the food is going to be a bit more pricey. Tourists don't know and they want to just eat good food and will splurge a little bit more while on vacation. If you want something more reasonable, check out downtown. Four Queens has an excellent cafe called Magnolia's Veranda. They have a Prime Rib special for $11.99 per person and the meat rivals some of the better cuts of meat that you have probably have had ever. I have also have had their Teriyaki Chicken and that is awesome as well and very filling at 3am. Another good spot is the Paradise Buffet and Cafe. Here you could get their buffet or order off their menu. If you are a fan of Oxtail Stew, the portion here is really good and very filling. If you want to go off strip and want Asian food, check out the variety of spots on Spring Mountain Blvd. Tofu Hut serves up some cook your own Korean Food and Pho So 1 serves up some of the best Vietnamese noodles I have ever had. Another place you can't go wrong are the Station Casino's Buffets, which run between $10-$20 a person depending on the time you go. A tip for anyone hitting up the buffet in general though. Try to get into the buffet during the end of their lunch hour and pay those prices. Thirty minutes later, they start changing their dishes out to dinner and you get twice the fun!
2. Cheaper Gambling Options - The same places that I mentioned above also have much cheaper gambling options than their strip counterparts. Unless you are in Vegas at 8am on a Tuesday morning, chances are really good you will not be able to find a $5 blackjack table. Heck, you might have a hard time finding a $10-$15 dollar blackjack table. Downtown and off strip casinos have multiple options of $5 tables everywhere and your dollar will definitely last much longer. Also, from what I have seen, comps are much easier to obtain with a players card. For example, I have gotten offers to stay at The Orleans for a free two night stay for just sitting down and playing blackjack for about an hour at about $5 a hand. Comp offers work well on future trips. I'm not sure about their slot machines, but I do notice there are more cheaper slot options than the strip.
3. Hotels are much Closer Together - In late 1994, a 5 block stretch of Fremont Street was closed to vehicular traffic for good, which created the Fremont Street Experience that is seen today. On the street, there are many side shops and vendors selling trinket type items and also there is a couple of stages which provide live entertainment during the evening. Also if you are to look straight up, there is a canopy which provides a free light and sound show at night. There are also many outside bars to pick up your favorite beverage of choice. In this five block stretch, you will probably pass by about 5-7 different casinos. Compared to the strip, this is a short walk and you can see a whole bunch of different themed hotels in a matter of minutes. The distance between hotels is what helps you with your food options I stated earlier. You could go to your favorite cafe in one casino and a couple of minutes later you could be at your favorite dessert stop.
4. The Rooms are Very Good - When my father said that he wanted my friend and I to stay Downtown with him for a night, I didn't expect much from the rooms when I stayed there. Honestly, I expected them to be run down. My buddy and I stayed at the Golden Gate and while the room was about the size of a cramped bedroom, it did the job and was clean. There wasn't much of a view, but the bed was comfortable and I wouldn't have a problem staying there again. However though, I would rather stay at the California Hotel because I thought their rooms were much nicer. I was honestly surprised because if you would have told me the room was on the strip and you paid over $100 a night for it, I would not be surprised. The worst experience I have had in a room has been Imperial Palace (renamed The Quad), which is in the dead center of the strip. I try to avoid that place at all possible, until they renovate their rooms, which they said they would in the near future.
5. Homely Feel Downtown - While Downtown, I felt like I was more at home. When on the strip, I felt completely overwhelmed and in shock by all of the stuff that is going on. You have larger than life buildings, shows, people trying to hand out adult entertainment advertisements etc. Downtown, you don't get this and it doesn't feel "too touristy" if you get what I mean. I love having a good time, but the Downtown area just seems a bit more friendly and down to earth. The crowd Downtown is mostly older people so if you are looking for your clubbing and pool crowd, this part is definitely not for you.
Downtown Las Vegas is where it was all happening back in the day, so if you are looking to see some of the nostalgia of Las Vegas, this is the place to be. I always believed in being able to look at some of the past history of the city and downtown provides a great experience. For those that are World Series of Poker fans, check out Binion's and see where the first tournaments were played. You can even seriously take a photo with a million dollars there as well...
Stay Positive Everyone!
If you ever wanted to get amped for a trip to Las Vegas and want junk mail with room offers from various casinos sent to your mailbox or e-mail, then sign up for a players card at the various casinos you go to. Some of these player cards come with incentives such as a free slot or table play and discounts off restaurants when you first sign up for them. Even if you aren't a gambler, there are chances that even if you use your card for a little bit, the casinos will send you offers. Las Vegas hotels are expensive in general, so having these cards will help you when you travel on future trips. Are you a big fan of Bellagio, Aria, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand? Well you are in luck as they are under the same M-Life players card. Fancy some Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood? They use the Caesars Entertainment Card.
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| Prime Rib from Four Queens - I like my meat rare |
2. Cheaper Gambling Options - The same places that I mentioned above also have much cheaper gambling options than their strip counterparts. Unless you are in Vegas at 8am on a Tuesday morning, chances are really good you will not be able to find a $5 blackjack table. Heck, you might have a hard time finding a $10-$15 dollar blackjack table. Downtown and off strip casinos have multiple options of $5 tables everywhere and your dollar will definitely last much longer. Also, from what I have seen, comps are much easier to obtain with a players card. For example, I have gotten offers to stay at The Orleans for a free two night stay for just sitting down and playing blackjack for about an hour at about $5 a hand. Comp offers work well on future trips. I'm not sure about their slot machines, but I do notice there are more cheaper slot options than the strip.
3. Hotels are much Closer Together - In late 1994, a 5 block stretch of Fremont Street was closed to vehicular traffic for good, which created the Fremont Street Experience that is seen today. On the street, there are many side shops and vendors selling trinket type items and also there is a couple of stages which provide live entertainment during the evening. Also if you are to look straight up, there is a canopy which provides a free light and sound show at night. There are also many outside bars to pick up your favorite beverage of choice. In this five block stretch, you will probably pass by about 5-7 different casinos. Compared to the strip, this is a short walk and you can see a whole bunch of different themed hotels in a matter of minutes. The distance between hotels is what helps you with your food options I stated earlier. You could go to your favorite cafe in one casino and a couple of minutes later you could be at your favorite dessert stop.
4. The Rooms are Very Good - When my father said that he wanted my friend and I to stay Downtown with him for a night, I didn't expect much from the rooms when I stayed there. Honestly, I expected them to be run down. My buddy and I stayed at the Golden Gate and while the room was about the size of a cramped bedroom, it did the job and was clean. There wasn't much of a view, but the bed was comfortable and I wouldn't have a problem staying there again. However though, I would rather stay at the California Hotel because I thought their rooms were much nicer. I was honestly surprised because if you would have told me the room was on the strip and you paid over $100 a night for it, I would not be surprised. The worst experience I have had in a room has been Imperial Palace (renamed The Quad), which is in the dead center of the strip. I try to avoid that place at all possible, until they renovate their rooms, which they said they would in the near future.
5. Homely Feel Downtown - While Downtown, I felt like I was more at home. When on the strip, I felt completely overwhelmed and in shock by all of the stuff that is going on. You have larger than life buildings, shows, people trying to hand out adult entertainment advertisements etc. Downtown, you don't get this and it doesn't feel "too touristy" if you get what I mean. I love having a good time, but the Downtown area just seems a bit more friendly and down to earth. The crowd Downtown is mostly older people so if you are looking for your clubbing and pool crowd, this part is definitely not for you.
Downtown Las Vegas is where it was all happening back in the day, so if you are looking to see some of the nostalgia of Las Vegas, this is the place to be. I always believed in being able to look at some of the past history of the city and downtown provides a great experience. For those that are World Series of Poker fans, check out Binion's and see where the first tournaments were played. You can even seriously take a photo with a million dollars there as well...
Stay Positive Everyone!
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