http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/ 15 en-us Copyright 2009 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:39:52 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.21-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Bottom of the fifth over, I wanted a last look around. A stroll through the concourse by Ben's Chili Bowl pulled me up short -- there wasn't a single person in line. Not one. I actually checked the kitchen to make sure that their power wasn't out. Nope; full of food. Just no people. I slowly scanned the other concessions. There were a few people buying beer, but that was it. Nothing else really moved. The season was really over. So a quick valedictory address: The stadium is clean, convenient, comfortable, and complete. Yankee Stadium may have 26 World Championships, but we have great cupholders, and really wide seats [accommodating my assets] with lots of leg room, and our bathrooms are clean and eco-friendly. In fact, we have a vastly better stadium than either New York baseball team. Okay, so I left my subtlety stick at home, and have hinted http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/09/in_like_a_lion_out_lika_a.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/09/in_like_a_lion_out_lika_a.html Scott Watson Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:39:52 -0500 On my extensive travels of the U.S. this summer on college visits, I was saved from having to suffer through yet another college tour when my family went to see a White Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field (called "the Cell") in Chicago's south side. I had heard that the Cell was a hideous, dead-beat, waste-of-money stadium that ranked among the worst in the majors, but from what I experienced there it proved to be anything but. While I was there I took notes on comparing it to our own Nationals Park, and here's what I came up with. Cons (of U.S. Cellular Field): 1. The only beer you can get on tap at the Cell is Miller Lite, end of story. If you want Bud, Heineken, or anything else, you can get it out of a can, for the same price of $7.50. The only time you see people http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/stadium_comparison_us_cellular.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/stadium_comparison_us_cellular.html Gillum Ferguson Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:19:13 -0500 In light of recent events--a losing record, a frustrated team and an even more frustrated fan base--I can't help but wonder: What is good baseball behavior? Where I come from--Philly by way of New Jersey -- it is acceptable to curse, kick and scream at your team and fellow fans. While it isn't my style -- OK, maybe I curse at the umpire who makes a bad call -- I wonder what others thought about good and bad baseball behavior. During a recent home stand, I suffered through what I call the 305 whistle. A fellow season ticket holder in section 305 whistles a loud, two-index-fingers-in-the-mouth whistle each time a Nat steps up to bat. With at least three at bats an inning, times nine innings, one's eardrum begins to suffer. I suffer in silence and only occasionally complain to my husband (who also finds the loud, piercing whistle annoying). http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/the_annoying_guy_in_our_sectio.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/the_annoying_guy_in_our_sectio.html Kyra DeBlaker-Gebhard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:05:34 -0500 I have to admit that when a friend asked why I had not posted a blog entry in the last month, I changed the topic of conversation to something much less frustrating: like the current state of our economy. Gas prices and the housing market were a whole lot less stressful to talk about than my dear old Nats. What had my Nats done for me lately? Nothing. The Nats appeared indifferent to a win and I was indifferent to the box score. Then I realized what I had become... I was a fair weather fan, and there is nothing I hate more than a fair weather fan. When the Nats hit their rocky patch, oh say back in May, I still supported the team. When the Nats approached the All-Star Break with not a hope in sight, I stopped going to Nats Park. Now I could say that http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/a_little_winning_goes_a_long_w.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/a_little_winning_goes_a_long_w.html Kyra DeBlaker-Gebhard Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:01:22 -0500 Last week my husband and I visited the park for the first time in nearly a month, and all I wanted was a ball park hot dog... and a win. (Spoiler alert: I got both!) As we made our way up the escalators to the 300-level, I suggested we stop at Nats Dogs for a hot dog and a half smoke. While we patiently waited in line, we looked at the menu and noticed an item that was new to us: the Nats Dog Value Pack. Had this value pack been offered before? Regardless, the value pack was $7 and it was more than just a hot dog--it had to be a deal! We got to the front of the line and asked what we got with our value pack, and the answer shocked us: a hot dog, French fries and a drink. I immediately ordered the meal, lest http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/in_the_value_packvalue.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/in_the_value_packvalue.html Kyra DeBlaker-Gebhard Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:57:17 -0500 A quick FYI from washingtonpost.com management: This blog, and all blogs on the site, will undergo an upgrade from noon ET Tuesday till about 3 pm ET Wednesday. You may see a limited number of posts on some blogs in that time frame, but you will not be able to comment. Some blogs -- like this one -- will not have posts or comments at all till tomorrow afternoon. The upgrade will allow our staff to address some sorely needed technical issues. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience. Jon DeNunzio Sports editor, washingtonpost.com http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/sitewide_blog_outage_starting.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/08/sitewide_blog_outage_starting.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:33:04 -0500 I felt guilty as I walked to the dessert table. I complained all season about people sitting in the Presidents Club, the best seats in the house, not actually in the seats for the first pitch. Here I was, with seats six rows behind home plate, and I missed the first pitch. Now I know why. The Presidents Club was certainly my most extravagant sporting experience. Upon entering the stadium, you are escorted to an elevator where you descend to the field level, walk across a red carpeted hallway and into the dining room. The dining room looks as swanky as any K Street $100-a-head restaurant; lofted ceilings, dark cherry paneling, silver cutlery, pleasant servers, flat screens littering the walls. This is a world away from the 45-minute wait for nachos upstairs. Sitting at the table, the media room for postgame press conferences was over my left shoulder, while the http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/you_can_find_me_in_the_club.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/you_can_find_me_in_the_club.html J.P. Finlay Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:08:00 -0500 In Thomas Boswell's most recent online chat, he said: "I think, in stock market terms, this is "the bottom," or close to it. This winter, some semi-fans may not renew their tickets at Nats Park. Then, perhaps, more of the best seats in the house__and within various sections__ will be returned to their rightful owners." I'm one of those "semi-fans" who is unlikely to renew. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/hitting_bottom.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/hitting_bottom.html Scott Watson Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:22:03 -0500 Just a quick "thank you" to the popcorn / pretzel guy working behind Section 238 last week (he declined to give his name, saying he was "just doing his job"). Your good service is appreciated. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/thanks_pretzel_guy.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/thanks_pretzel_guy.html Scott Watson Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:49:34 -0500 As many of you know, Nationals Park has a great big scoreboard out in center field. If you've ever heard team president Stan Kasten or owner Mark Lerner talk, you'll eventually hear something about how amazing the scoreboard is. Unfortunately, our "great and amazing" scoreboard is putting up some of the most pathetic stats you'll ever see. Just look up at the scoreboard when a National comes up to the plate. Ignore the low batting average and non-existent power numbers, but look in the top center of the scoreboard. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/really_really_pathetic_stats.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/really_really_pathetic_stats.html Gillum Ferguson Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:45:27 -0500 I went to my first Potomac Nationals game on the 4th of July. It was exactly like the big Nationals only cheaper and the team played better. I was completely charmed. Highlights: Elite, Field Box Seats: $13 An attendant toweling off our seats, another taking food orders from our seats: priceless. The manager, Randy Knorr, is also the 3rd base coach. My friend Amelia said he's also the mayor and runs the Post Office. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/the_other_nationals_are_pretty.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/07/the_other_nationals_are_pretty.html Rachel Gibson Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:41:17 -0500 Wasn't it just spring? Didn't we just have a bright, new season ahead of us? Weren't the concessionaires nice? I try to be positive, despite the climbing temperatures, the growing belly and the team's win-loss record, but I can't help but wonder where our happy-to-serve-you concessionaires went. You know ... the ones who spent weeks learning how to love their job and believing the customer is always right? And while there is no one more sympathetic than a pregnant woman on a very hot day, I don't understand why the people working the concession stands have gone from happy to belligerent in a matter of months. Is it really so hard to be nice to a person who politely asks for a hot dog and soda? Yeah, it's hot working the grill. Yeah, the Nats are terribly inconsistent. Yeah, the pay probably does stink. But why do you have to http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/the_flogging_will_continue_par.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/the_flogging_will_continue_par.html Kyra DeBlaker-Gebhard Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:37:16 -0500 This weekend, I finally caught a game with my season ticket partners. Sharing a plan had the paradoxical effect of keeping us from seeing as many games together, and a lot of our experiences were shared by e-mail or phone rather than at the park. To my surprise, we all independently came to the same conclusion: "I wonder how much we'd love the stadium and the experience if the team didn't . . . stink." http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/the_flogging_will_continue_unt.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/the_flogging_will_continue_unt.html Scott Watson Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:27:18 -0500 The heart of DC's summer is descending upon us and you might be tempted to wear shorts to the ballgame thinking you'll be more comfortable. A brief word of advice: don't. Don't even think about wearing shorts unless they reach near your knees. Let's just say 3 hours of bare skin on hot, sticky plastic can lead to discomfort. Here at Grounds Crew, we suffer so you don't have to. Consider yourself warned. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/beware_the_hot_seats.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/beware_the_hot_seats.html Rachel Gibson Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:26:33 -0500 So after a hiatus due to switching employers, I was unable to attend a Nationals game for a while. Okay, almost a full two months. Inexcusable, I know. Yet I remain unapologetic. I like being me. My first experience at Nationals Park was in the 400 section and the view was very good for the amount I paid, so being the natural vagabond that I am, I decided for the other extreme. On Monday, June 23, I sat in Section 128 row DD seat 10. My gratitude to Tom L., a season ticket holder and a coworker, hopefully you will continue to find it in your heart to throw some more tickets my way. The view, I must say, was terrific. Sitting about 20 rows back from the Nationals dugout was just right. Not too close, just the right elevation from the playing field and a good view of the http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/a_view_from_section_128.html?wprss=grounds-crew http://voices.washingtonpost.com/grounds-crew/2008/06/a_view_from_section_128.html David Park Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:46:30 -0500