Argh, Stupid Archaic Rules!

Nearly 2 years ago, I essentially fired Comcast (AKA Comcrap) as an entertainment and Internet provider when I moved into my own apartment.  I decided to stick with rabbit ears and DSL to get what I need when it came to services.  One of my major moves was not only to use Netflix, but to get a Roku box so I could stream any Watch Instantly movies to my TV.

If you have Netflix and can't already output your computer desktop to your TV, get a Roku box, it is one of the most awesome inventions. Besides the Netflix, you can also stream Amazon Video-On-Demand videos that you have rented or purchased to your TV as well. This week they have just added a new feature. If you subscribe to MLB.tv, you can now stream the games you would watch on your computer through the Roku box. Sounds great, especially if you're say, an Arizona Diamondbacks fan, but you live in Mobile, Alabama. However, there's one problem with the service...

MLB.TV is subject to MLB's blackout rules when it comes to TV broadcasts. What that means is that local TV broadcasters get priority for showing a game, and if another channel would be showing that game or a baseball game for another team, they will be blocked out from showing that game. In this case, it means not being allowed to watch any Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals games online.

Here's the stupidity of the blackout rules. I can't see any Orioles or Nationals game as it is because they don't put baseball games on over-the-air broadcast TV anymore. It only comes in via cable, usually through Comcrap's dedicated sports channel, or ESPN. Since I have no cable, I can't watch games as it is, and because of blackout rules, they will not show Orioles or Nationals games on the Internet for me.

So what is the freaking point then to getting streaming games to my Roku box if I can't even see my local team? From what I hear, more and more people are cutting the cable as it is and going completely Internet, but many more say the only reason they keep cable is to watch sports. It would be nice if MLB would realize there is a market for people who want to watch any game at any time, including their local teams live.

I suppose I could mess with running my Internet through a proxy server to trick the MLB servers into thinking I live across the country or something, but then it doesn't give them incentive to change their rules if they're still getting my money for MLB.tv. I'd rather send a message by not subscribing and letting them know that until they lift the blackout rules for MLB.tv, they're not getting a freaking dime out of me.

New Pictures

Since I'm still stuck at home, it gave me a chance to go through my pictures and get them uploaded to my flickr site. You can start here to view all of the latest acquisitions, or click on any of the pics below for what you're interested in:

Capitals Games




Exploring DC


Baltimore Ravens Spring Football Fest


Baseball Games

The Life of A Sports Nut

I suppose I can blame my parents for this, but I love sports, at least as a spectator. With the way things have gone this week, you'd think that I do nothing but watch sports.

If the pictures and video I posted previously was not enough of a clue, I was at the Ravens game this past Sunday. What a great game that was to watch. It is only my second live NFL game, and this time around it was a much better experience, maybe because it wasn't 45 degrees and raining! Great game, great fans, always a blast, I can't wait for December 7 when we face the Redskins. Did I mention I have now customized my phone wallpaper with Ravens logos?

Monday I took JH to an Orioles game as a gift for his birthday. Great seats, unfortunately, not a great night for the Orioles, oh well.

Tomorrow night, I am going to a Capitals game with AX because a friend of mine who is a season ticket holder cannot make it to the game, so she gave me the tickets, with one string attached. I will accompany her to the season opener of the Caps on October 11. I have gone to the games before, they're fun to watch live.

Finally, this Sunday is the last game for the Orioles and I have a couple of tickets. Anyone interested in joining me? Let me know.

Four different games in seven days, wow, I never would have thought I could do that.

While we're talking about it, the only sports I will watch on TV are professional football and basketball, I really am not a fan of watching baseball or hockey on TV, I have to watch them live in order to keep my interest. That's probably due to the fact that growing up, we always watched football, and my brothers got into basketball as well, so I am used to seeing those.

What surprises me nowadays is how accessible it is for me to get to a game around here. Of course it's easy to buy baseball tickets, even on the day of the game, it is one of the few sports left that is accessible. As for other sports, it has not hurt that I am making connections with season ticket holders who cannot always make it to the games they have, or occasionally my church has a group outing to a sporting event. Some people would be surprised that I would go with a church group to a sporting event, but the way I put it is that "It's not full of Jesus, just beer."

Of course, try being the only Ravens fan in Redskins territory; thank God we are not division rivals. I joke that I am a drop of purple in a sea of maroon at work. However, ever since I have started wearing my jersey for Purple Friday, I have had other fans approach me, including those who are season ticket holders. Hopefully this will translate into more live games in the future :-)

One more thing, why aren't more gay men into watching football? Discuss. I will post my own thoughts about it in the future.

Shea Stadium Pictures

Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by theblackdog2071.

The pictures are up on Flickr from watching the Mets play at Shea Stadium on September 13.

Baseball and "Family"

Greetings from New Jersey!

Once again I am on the road traveling because that's all it seems I ever do. JH and I had planned a trip a few months ago to Shea stadium in NYC since that stadium is going the way of the dodo after this season. Since it's close enough and cheaper, we have opted to drive up there. It also happens that one of JH's cousins is having their 50th birthday this weekend so JH's parents are along for the ride. We dropped them off at NJ before heading up to NYC. Traffic into NYC was not bad at all, but it also helped that we stayed on main highways and didn't have to drive through the city streets to get there.

We had a good view from our seats, unfortunately those were some of the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in at a stadium. Those seats were clearly not designed to accommodate tall people because the space in front of me was the size of my shoe, and to put it into perspective, I wear a size 12. We were in the front row of that section so there was a small wall in front of us, and I would have to put my feet up over the edge if I wanted to stretch my legs out. I dealt with as much as I could stand but there were definitely a few times you could hear my knees pop when I would try to move them.

After visiting Yankee Stadium and Shea stadium, I have come to the conclusion that Mets fans are more obnoxious during the game than the Yankee fans. During the Yankees vs Orioles game, the O's basically spanked the yanks but the fans were at least respectful about it, and the fans were decent to JH and I, even if we were in O's gear. As for yesterday, it was Braves vs. Mets, and every time a Braves player came up to bat or when they made a play, they got booed by the fans. Now I've done my fair share of booing at sporting events but there's a fine line to when booing becomes obnoxious, and the Mets fans clearly do not know where that line is.

So after 5 1/2 innings of uncomfortable seats and obnoxious fans, JH and I had enough and we bolted out of there. Since we bolted early it meant that we were able to get back to NJ in time for the beginning of the surprise party and surprise the intended recipient.

The party was fun, and as usual it was meeting a whole bunch more of JH's extended family. I swear though there has to be Italian in that family because much like my own family, there are lots and lots of cousins. It really becomes a game of figuring out who knows who and in what way. The food was good and so was the drinks. Allow me to reiterate my love for margaritas.

Woke up this morning after a decent sleep, had breakfast with the folks, and now we're back on the road heading towards Baltimore. Luckily there have been no traffic issues. As it was just reported to me, it's 94F outside, so that means I am likely returning to a hot apartment. Joy...

Spank the Yanks

Sunday JH and I traveled to Harrisburg and stayed overnight, so it would save us some time for our trip this past Monday.

We met up with his friend DP and first went to Dorney Park. I picked up my 81st coaster credit by riding Voodoo since it was running this time. It was a fun ride and since the lines were so short, we ended up riding it 3 times. If you can, go for the front.

We rode Laser, Thunderhawk, Hydra, and Talon as well, had some lunch, and then it was off to NYC to Yankee Stadium.

We got to NYC, found parking, and I got in touch with my friend KS, who would be joining us to watch the O's play against the Yankees. While she was on her way, we wandered around the outside of the stadium in our Orioles shirts. Earlier in the week JH had suggested we not wear our shirts, but then he talked with folks and heard that unless we got obnoxious, the fans wouldn't mess with us.

We grabbed dinner at a local restaurant, the food was meh, the service sucked, but whatever, it wasn't the reason why we were in NYC.

We went back to the stadium and got in, where we had to show security our cell phones for some reason. Does anyone have any clue why they would check our cell phones? Still, I couldn't believe we were actually at Yankee Stadium before it vanishes. It was showing its age, but it was still exciting to be there. We also had good seats to watch the game. I couldn't believe what they wanted for a beer there, 8.50 for a can of beer. We didn't buy any while there, we stuck with Coke instead.

So the game would go extremely well for the O's that night, they spanked the Yanks 13-4. It was an exciting game to watch and for the most part the fans left us alone. There was the moron who gave us a thumbs down to our shirts, but that douchebag wasn't even wearing any Yankees gear. One guy did joke that I wasn't going to see George Sherrill (I was wearing his shirt) play that night, and I told him "I'm not complaining." because if Sherrill comes in to pitch, it means that the O's are leading by 3 runs or less.

After the game was over, there were the folks who kept bleating out "Well we have 27 championships!" I think it must be something you have to yell on command in order to be a Yankee's fan.

It was then time for the long drive home to Harrisburg to drop off DP, and then further to Baltimore. We didn't get back until 4:30 in the morning, and thankfully I had slept on and off in the car.

The trip, totally worth it. I'm glad we got to see the stadium before they turn it into a parking garage next year. Now there's plans to hit Shea Stadium before that vanishes as well.

What a busy few days

The last seven days have just kept me busy, but there has been much fun to be had.

In summary, I got denied entry to a bar for a bullshit rule, went to a luau in Baltimore and caught up with folks I haven't seen in a year, traveled to Allentown, PA, and picked up my 81st coaster credit; watched the Orioles spank the Yanks live at Yankee Stadium with JH and KS; lots of rehearsal time and now it's time to memorize; finally getting ready to do some major revisions at work.

Details to follow in the next few days...including photographic evidence of these activities.

First Video

So I finally took a video using my digital camera, since this is likely to be a once in a lifetime event ;-)



For those of you who are not familiar with Washington Nationals games, they have a race between one of the innings during each game where mascots of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt race down the field to a finish line. It varies on who wins the race, except for Roosevelt. He has never won a race since they started this tradition, so as you can imagine, he's the big time underdog.

Since it's interleague play with many MLB teams, the Baltimore Orioles are facing off against the Washington Nationals in the current series, aka "The Battle of the Beltways." During last night's game when the "Presidential Race" was held, the Orioles mascot tripped Teddy Roosevelt so he lost his lead and the race. So tonight it was decided the race would be Roosevelt vs The Bird to see who was the better racing mascot

I'll let you view the video to see who wins. Apologies for the faraway shot, we were in the upper sections of the stadium :-)

First O's Game

So JH recently decided to buy a partial season package to Baltimore Orioles games, with the first one being this Thursday. Originally we had plans Wednesday night to take a lantern tour of the cherry blossoms in DC, but when I woke up to 25 mph winds outside, I scrapped that plan and suggested dinner and a movie at my place.

I get home, JH gets there, and the first thing he says to me is "Would you be opposed to going to a game tonight?" Apparently he had driven by the stadium and it was dead (as I would later find out, it was the lowest attendance ever in 17 years) so he knew we could get decent seats for a good price. So we drove up to Baltimore, passed by one parking garage that wanted $20 for parking, then found another parking garage two blocks away that had parking for $7. Walked down, got our tickets, and we were set.

So JH gave me a small tour as we got to our seats, we watched the game, enjoyed some ballpark food, in this case Italian sausage sandwiches and some fries, and got to see a good amount of action. The seats were a little off to the right from home plate in the upper deck so we were able to see every pitch and make our own judgments on the calls (JH is a trained umpire so he has an eye for it). It was fun, yet cold, so after a few innings we walked around and he showed me more of the stadium, eventually we headed into the store to look for a hat for myself and he was looking for a jersey.

Now I admit, it took me a while to find a hat, namely because I wanted to make damn sure it was one I wanted and was going to wear. Of course as this goes on, the O's, who were down by 3 came back and scored 6 runs. I caught some hell from JH for it, but whatever, ya know, how were we to expect this would suddenly happen. However, we did catch the 8th and 9th, so it was alright.

So it was a fun time, but only because I got to see the game live. It was a good thing that we went out last night to the game rather than try to make tonight my first O's game, simply because it got rained out. Instead JH and I met up at a local sports bar and had dinner since I was basically on the road to Baltimore when the game was called. Oh well, we get to exchange the tickets from tonight for another game another time.

BTW, I know some of you want an excuse to go to the new Nats Stadium, I'm considering it in July when the Diamondbacks visit, just be warned that you're going to have to put up with someone who will root for the Diamondbacks, and the games start at 4:10, so leaving work early might have to happen. ;-)

Brewers vs Rockies, 03/24/2008

Brewers vs Rockies, 03/24/2008 - 1, originally uploaded by theblackdog2071.

The pictures from watching the Brewers and the Rockies play a spring training game are up on Flickr. We were in great box seats at Maryvale Stadium, and now I know that you should try to get seats in the low 100s sections if you want shade.