We were supposed to make a trip to NYC for the Belmont Stakes and the chance to see Big Brown win the triple crown. My dissertation proposal kept me away, but it seems that it was a blessing in disguise. As if Big Brown’s last place finish wasn’t disappointing enough, this event had another damper, so to speak. 

The excessive heat created a demand on water that the park was not ready to handle. At one point, the water had to be shut off and the pressure was lowered …

In the last leg of the Three-Day Relay, we drove up to Miller Park in Milwaukee for Tuesday’s night game- Brewers versus Braves. I have written in detail about “sausage racing your way up north” and why it is worth the trip.
Here are the top three reasons that I make the trek north. First, there is the allure of the Sausage Race in the sixth. Second, there is the rousing rendition of “Roll Out the Barrel” in the Seventh. And, finally, there is the wide array …

Perhaps the rising prices at the pump have already put you in a panic. Our first $70 fill-up was quiet an eye-opener. But, now this article from TheTimesNews.com details the toll that rising prices are wreaking on one of my favorite sports-NASCAR. Seems that gas-guzzling is not just for Earnhardt and Gordon, but essential to the transportation and fan culture of NASCAR. For many fans, the venues are more than 250 miles away and a trip to an event is not just one day …

In my most pathetic and sad state ever, I had to leave the game today in disgrace. I didn’t feel too well on my way to the game but pressed on so as not to miss a great day of baseball. By the time I got to my seat, I was shaking with a fever. I am sitting there rocking in my chair and finally, by the seventh, I had to scream “UNCLE!”
I thought very carefully about my decision to leave. To make my attendance “official” …

Its late. I am tired. And, I just found out that Edmonds was traded to the Cubs.
Now, if this was 1998 and Edmonds was 27 years old, then it might not be such a bad thing. But, the reality is that the Padres didn’t want him, and now, he is pawned off on the Cubs.
Adding insult to this injury…Cubs fans hate him. In fact, I would argue that of the historic “slug” section in the St. Louis line-up (Rentieria, Pujols, Roland, Edmonds), Edmonds was the …

Here is some “dirt” to dish on…As if the high price of concession stand food wasn’t enough to curb your Game Day appetite, now we have some unsavory news to put us all on a diet.
Conde Nast Portfolio Magazine charted health-code violations in stadium food stands for 11 ballparks. Forget the standings, it seems as though the Colorado Rockies are the best in baseball when it come to health standards at Coors Field with an underwhelming (and unsettling) 11 violations.
So, who are the teams in last …

I thought this was a feel good kind of post. Check out this video from The Gratitude Campaign. They are publicizing a quick (yet meaningful) way that civilians can say a much deserved “thank you” to those in the military serving our country. So, where is the “sports” in this post? Well, it seems as though some professional sports teams have been instrumental in passing the gratitude on…teams and venues like: The Seattle Seahawks, in stadium at Qwest Field The Pittsburgh Steelers, in-stadium at Heinz Field …

When I think of the sport of polo, I can’t help but envision Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman stomping the divots and drinking Champagne. This weekend, I had the rare chance to take in a polo match at The Villages Polo Club. The Club is located in the heart of Florida’s “friendliest hometown” in central Florida (or so they say). My family retired to the Villages, FL and since then,I have taken a few matches at the Villages Polo Stadium. The stadium seats about 12,000 …

The Cubs are back in town and playing the Padres in a night game at Wrigley and I am an unfortunate refugee of baseball. Rather than fleeing political oppression or anything much more serious, I have hustled my way to Evanston to work at the University since I missed the window of time to get back to the neighborhood before the game started. I had to make the tough decision to bail out of the neighborhood rather than try to sit in one lane of incompetent Game Day traffic mixed …

The Champions League Final is the grand-daddy of European Club Football contests.
This year, the final is in Moscow and in a new development, all ticket holders attending the Champions League final are able to use their game ticket as a free, visa entry to the Russian Federation for a 72-hour period.
Don’t get too excited about the “free” 72 hour visa with ticket. The way that I calculate it…a Russian Visa is anywhere from $150-$200. A Champions League Ticket? About $1500 Euro.