NFL Week 1 Predictions

It's that time again the NFL season is finally here.  And like every other season before that predictions need to be made.  So I'm not going to waste anymore time, here is how I think Week 1 will pan out.

Packers @ Seahawks
The Thursday night game gives a potential NFC Championship game preview.  I have high hopes for both of these teams but tonight is Seattle's night.  I expect a high scoring entertaining game but one that sees the defending champs edge the Packers.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Saints @ Falcons
Unfortunately for Saints fans most of the pre season was spent on whether or not Jimmy Graham is a WR or a TE, and it sort of took away from how good this team really is.  Atlanta looks to have a bounce back season and should with Jones and White both healthy.  However the Saints are the class of this division and should win this game, perhaps by double digits.
PREDICTION: Saints

Bills @ Bears
The Chicago Bears have the potential to be one of the most explosive offenses in all of football.  It will however like it always does rest on the arm of Jay Cutler, which isn't a sure thing.  Not much going on in Buffalo, although if Sammy Watkins can stay healthy, he's my early choice for offensive rookie of the year.
PREDICTION: Bears

Bengals @ Ravens
This might be one of the tougher games to pick for me.  The Ravens new look offense might take a couple weeks to gel, and with no Ray Rice for the first two games no way to predict what they get out of their running game.  The Bengals right now are the better team but they haven't won in Baltimore since 2009.  It pains me to say but I think the Bengals take this in a close one, FG or less.
PREDICTION: Bengals

Browns @ Steelers
I cant help but think that the only thing Browns fans care about is how quickly Johnny Manziel takes over the starting job from Brian Hoyer.  Luckily for the Browns this game is on the road because even the slightest mistakes and the Cleveland faithful would turn quick on Mr Hoyer.
PREDICTION: Steelers

Titans @ Chiefs
It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs can build on their 11-5 mark of a year ago.  They just signed Alex Smith to an extension and Jamaal Charles is a top 5 running back in the NFL.  With having one of the best home field advantages in football on their side, cant say I expect much of a fight from Tennessee.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Raiders @ Jets
Cant imagine even the fans of these two teams want to watch this game.  I guess there is one intriguing aspect, two very young QBs.  Geno Smith beat out Michael Vick for the Jets, and for once Oakland made the right move in going with Derek Carr.  Honestly, whoever the home team was in this game that's who I was going with.
PREDICTION: Jets

Vikings @ Rams
Another game that brings lackluster interest, well at least to me it does.  Shaun Hill will quarterback the Rams after another injury to Sam Bradford.  Matt Cassell on the other side isn't much better but if Adrian Peterson is ready to go it might be a long day for the Rams.
PREDICTION: Vikings

Patriots @ Dolphins
As much as it pains me to say I really don't see anyone in the AFC East, really putting a scare into the New England Patriots.  Rob Gronkowski said he's good to go for the opener, might not be much of a factor in week 1 but it should be enough.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Jaguars @ Eagles
This game has the potential to be the blowout of the week.  The Eagles look to repeat as NFC East champs while Jacksonville just cant seem to get out of its own way.  Why Blake Bortles isn't starting Week 1 is a complete mystery to me.  Good luck with Chad Henne.
PREDICTION: Eagles

Redskins @ Texans
If you are a Redskins fan you are probably going to be holding your breath this entire game.  JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney chasing RGIII all day.  I still like the Redskins in this match up but it wont be easy or pretty.
PREDICTION: Redskins

49ers @ Cowboys
This game should be fun.  The Niners are favorites once again to compete for a Super Bowl.  The Cowboys offense is always fun to watch and with some key pieces missing from the 49ers D, the Cowboys should be able to put some points up.  Unfortunately I don't see them stopping San Francisco too often.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Panthers @ Buccaneers
Cam Newton lost so much of his help this past off season.  I guess there is one good thing that will come out of this, we'll be able to see just how good Newton is.  Tampa will be better and Mike Evans could potentially have a good year.
PREDICTION: Panthers

Colts @ Broncos
The road to redemption starts for the Denver Broncos.  Although they did suffer a blow not having Wes Welker for the first 4 games, Peyton will be Peyton.  The Colts have a really good team but they will struggle in the tough week 1 match up.
PREDICTION: Broncos

Giants @ Lions
Im setting the over/under for interceptions in this game at 10.  Two of the most turnover prone QBs in the league take center stage on Monday night.  If nothing else it should be really entertaining.
PREDICTION: Lions

Chargers @ Cardinals
Week 1 ends with a pretty intriguing game of two teams looking to take the next step.  Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers had bounce back type seasons in 2013.  I feel the Cardinals take this one at home, but it could be a good year for both teams.
PREDICTIONS: Cardinals

Well that's it for my week 1 predictions, you can follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks and Happy Opening Week!!

How far can the 2014 Orioles go?

So August is quickly coming to a close and the baseball pennant races are heating up.  However when you look to the AL East the race is far from close.  As we stand right now (Aug 22) the Baltimore Orioles, yes the Baltimore Orioles have the largest division lead in all of baseball.  Even the most die hard of Orioles followers couldn't have imagined this at the beginning of the 2014 season.  But here we are with about 35-38 games left and that's where we are.  So now the question arises, just how good is this Baltimore Orioles club and is a deep postseason run in their future?

When July 31st came and went ill admit I was a tad disappointed that the Orioles didn't add a big name.  In my opinion the Orioles were maybe one front line starting pitcher away from being a real serious World Series contender.   Instead the birds traded for Andrew Miller, a relief pitcher.  Not necessarily a name that would make you run to the box office and start demanding playoff tickets.  However, Miller has pitched extremely well.  In 8 games with the Orioles he's pitched 7.1 innings and has allowed only 1 earned run equaling a 1.23 ERA.  The two teams that made the biggest splashes at the trade deadline were Oakland and Detroit.  The A's picked up Jon Lester from Boston and Detroit added to their already stellar pitching staff by acquiring David Price from Tampa Bay.  Oh but how baseball can turn on you in a heartbeat.  Both guys have pitched well for their new ball clubs so that's not the issue.  When both teams made those trades they were in first place in their respective divisions.  Now, both teams are trailing and if the season ended today they would face each other in the Wild Card game.  When you look at the Orioles they only led the AL east by a game and a half on July 31st, now its 9.  Sometimes you don't need to add to your team, sometimes the team you have is plenty good enough to get where you need to go.  Some would argue that the AL East is down this season, and maybe that's true.  In a recent stretch against the Angels, Athletics and Mariners, all who were playing great baseball, the O's went 10-6, not too shabby.

So how are the Orioles doing it?  Well for one its not just one guy carrying the load.  It's easy to look at Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones with their numbers and say they are the reason the Orioles are 21 games over .500, and it's tough to argue that.  But so many other guys have contributed in big win.  Caleb Joseph has 8 home runs and set an Orioles record for a catcher by hitting home runs in 5 straight games.  Jonathan Schoop, though the average is disappointing he's homered 12 times and had a huge bases clearing double against the White Sox a few nights ago.  Old reliable Nick Markakis looks to be fully healthy as he has 11 bombs and his hitting his usual .292 at the top of the Orioles lineup.  Steve Pearce, who has had to play a lot his year because of injures, is hitting above .280 with 13 home runs.  JJ Hardy's power numbers are a tad down this season but he has his best batting average since 2008 and is still playing gold glove defense.  Even Chris Davis who cant seem to break .200 still has 21 home runs and 60 RBIs.  When Manny Machado has been on the field he's shown why he should be considered one of baseball's brightest stars.  Everybody who has picked up a bat this season has helped the Orioles win, which take a ton of pressure off the pitching staff.

Speaking of the pitching, as great as the hitting has been its the pitching that have gotten the Orioles to where
they are at right now.  Three Orioles starters have 10 wins or more, and only 1 starter has an ERA above 4 and as of yesterday he's no longer a starter.  The Orioles pitching was one of the biggest questions marks coming into 2014 but they have answered the challenge, especially in the second half.  Since the all star break the Orioles are 21-11 as a team and have posted a 2.93 ERA, nearly a run less than the first half of the season.  Wei-Yin Chen might be having the best season of all of them, he's 13-4 with a 3.76 ERA.  Chris Tillman seems to have rebounded from some struggling starts and has the best ERA among starters.  Kevin Gausman, in his first extended time as a starter as shown the top 10 draft pick promise we were all hoping for.  Then when the starters are done they throw it over to perhaps the best bullpen in baseball.  I mentioned earlier how good Andrew Miller has been since the trade.  Darren O'Day is my sleeper pick for Orioles MVP.  I know its tough to give it to a reliever especially if its not a closer.  However, any time you can have a guy on your staff with a sub 1 ERA, and he pitches in the most critical spots, 7th inning or later.  That is a huge weapon for any team.  Zach Britton has turned into a pretty damn good closer.  He's had some hiccups along the way but 27 out of 30 is awesome for a guy who has never closed in the big leagues.

I hate to use this phrase but barring a major collapse the Baltimore Orioles will not only make the playoffs but be winning their first division title since 1997.  If I would've wrote this blog a month ago my most feared teams would be Oakland and Detroit.  Both of those teams are struggling and might not make it past the Wild Card game.  So, if you're an Orioles fan do you fear anybody in the American League?  Not to sound cocky, but I don't think so.  Look, as I mentioned earlier in this post in the Orioles toughest stretch of the season they went 10-6.  Other than maybe the Tigers (who they are 1-5 against this season), the Orioles have shown they can compete with and beat any team in baseball.  For the Orioles its all about staying consistent.  I don't believe that teams can peak too early, this Orioles squad is a damn good team.  If somehow Chris Davis breaks out of his season long slump (highly unlikely I know), then teams should really watch out.  Injuries play a huge role and so far the Orioles have weathered that storm as well, Wieters is done for the season and Manny Machado is on the DL for the second time this season.  The last thing is this club believes they can win.  That might seem childish but if you truly believe that you can win every game in which you take the field that goes a long way.  Anything less than an appearance in the ALCS would be a huge disappointment for this club, and saying those words make the previous 15 years almost bearable.

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Things I'd do as MLB Commissioner

Well we have a few more days until baseball gets back into the swing of things and we start the postseason push.  I love baseball, it is by far my favorite sport to play and watch, always has and always will be.  That being said the game I love isnt without its problems.  It's probably because of these problems that baseball is not nearly as popular as it once was.  So it got me thinking, how can we make the game better, more watchable, more enjoyable, and what decisions could be made just in general to make baseball better.  Now, ill be the first to admit, im not a genius (just ask my friends), but i think most people who love baseball can agree that Bud Selig has not been the best commissioner the sport has ever had.  Some of my suggestions you might think are great others not so much, just saying these are thing i would change.

1) All Star Game goes back to being just an exhibition

This one might be the simplest but the the one that at least to me makes the most sense.  The fact that home field advantage is being decided at the All Star Game is completely moronic.  This was a panic move made by Bud Selig after the 2002 All Star game ended in a tie.  So of course you cant have a game that means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things end in a tie can you????  There are a couple reasons why the All Star Game shouldn't decide home field advantage.  First, the managers still treat this like an exhibition.  If you are really trying to win a baseball game you don't bring in a different pitcher every inning, you ride the starter as long as you can and only go to the bullpen only when needed.  Also if this game counts, discontinue the rule that every team needs to be represented.  I'm sure Anthony Rizzo (Cubs), Jose Altuve (Astros) or Paul Goldschmidt (D-Backs) really don't care if their league gets home field advantage in the World Series.  Here is a simple solution, the two teams that are in the World Series, the one with the better record gets home field advantage, I know its crazy talk.

2) Going back to a more balanced schedule

Having to play each team in your division 18-19 times can be an unfair situation for some teams.  If a team is playing in a much weaker division they can beat up on all of their division rivals and play mediocre ball against everyone else and still win the division easily.  It can be unfair when you play in a very competitive division as well.  Last year the AL East had 4 of the 5 teams finish above .500, the only division to do that last season.  So obviously playing in the AL East last year was tougher than say the NL West, whose only above .500 team was the division champ LA Dodgers.  My proposal would be going down to 12 games.  You still play enough within your division that the games still mean something but also open it up to potential new rivalries and playing more teams from the other league.

3) Expand Instant Replay

Baseball purists are going to hate me for this one but why have the technology if you are not going to use it to its fullest capacity.  First of all Major League Baseball still has no idea what they are doing with instant replay.  They don't seem to differentiate between challenges by the manager and just a plain review by the umpires.  The fact that some plays aren't review-able is crazy and ill give you an example.  Watching an O's-Red Sox game earlier this season and the Red Sox won the game on a sac fly.  In the heat of the moment it was unsure if Dustin Pedroia left third base too early.  Replay showed he did but he also went back to the bag just to make sure, so it didn't really matter.  However the broadcasters said even if Pedroia did leave early the play is not review-able, that's insane.  Can you imagine if a team clinches a pennant on a sac fly but replay shows he left early but the umps cant review it?  In my opinion, everything except balls and strikes should be review-able.  Some would argue that it would slow down the game even more, I disagree if you plan properly.  If you have a station at every ballpark and they are watching the game and can see every replay angle available, no reason why a quick decision cant be made.

4) Install some kind of pitch clock (like a shot clock in basketball)

People complain that baseball is far too long and honestly its hard to argue that point.  There is no reason why a 2-1 game should take 3 1/2 to 4 hours to complete.  It might take adjusting for the players but basically what I would propose is once the pitcher has the ball he has 10-12 seconds (whatever you want to make it) to throw the ball or you add a ball to the pitch count.  Same goes for the hitter because i know at times the batter is the one who holds up the game.  Now ill admit this so called pitch clock might take some adjusting but again something has to be done about the length of some of these games.

5) Reinstate Pete Rose

This one has nothing to do with the on field play but it might be the most controversial.  Pete Rose is arguably the greatest hitter to ever play the game and for him not to be in the Hall of Fame is a travesty.  Yes, he bet on baseball and yes he lied about it for a very long time, but before we condemn Pete lets look at other guys in sports Hall of Fames.  Ty Cobb, the record Rose broke for most all time hits, was a horrible racist and there are stories of him running into the crowd and getting in fights.  O.J. Simpson is still in the pro football hall of fame.  My point is guys have done a lot worse than betting on baseball and it didnt affect their status among their sports elite.  The sad thing is even if Pete Rose was reinstated, there is no guarantee he'd get in .  The baseball writers are a bunch of bitter old men, some who wont vote for a guy because no one deserves 100%, or they wont vote for someone on their first ballot because in their minds that certain player shouldn't be a first ballot hall of famer.  Bottom line is Pete Rose did this to himself but still being able to vote for him should be an option.

That's all i could think of right now, im sure as the season rolls on I'll think of my situations and things I would change about the sport I love more than any other.  Also, i'll try to update this blog more often, it's been way too long since my last entry.

Follow me on the twitter at https://twitter.com/AndySnaks

15 Years in the Making: My Postseason experience at Camden Yards

The magical season that was the 2012 Baltimore Orioles came to an abrupt and disappointing end on Friday night in the Bronx.  A season that literally came out of nowhere.  A season that most thought would end like any other, with 90-98 losses or even more.  However something was different in Baltimore this season and as the months went by and the momentum built the city of Baltimore become more and more anxious with anticipation that this might be the year.  Not only did the Orioles end the 15 years of losing they also clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1997.  I was 11 years old when the O's were last in postseason and trust me the way the O's were going it didn't seem like they would ever get back.  Once the Orioles announced they were selling playoff tickets I jumped all over the opportunity to be a part of that atmosphere.  Just like all season the Orioles didn't make it easy on themselves and they had to win a 1 game playoff against the 2 time defending AL champs on the road, which they did and it set up a tremendous homecoming.

Starting Lineups for Game 1

So its the morning of Game 1 and of course the night before I couldn't sleep.  The game was scheduled for 6 pm, I woke up at 9 am, 9 hours before first pitch.  This day was the slowest day ever, but finally the time came when we headed to the ballpark.  The minute we entered Oriole Park you could feel the excitement, the fans of Baltimore were ready to unleash 15 years worth of frustration, then the heavens opened up.  It almost seemed like a cruel joke mother nature was playing on Baltimore.  Fifteen years we had to wait and the rain was making us wait more.  Finally after 2 and a half excruciating hours they were ready to play ball.  The wait didn't temper the enthusiasm of the Baltimore crowd, the game could've started at 2 am and the reaction would've been the same.  I would be re missed if I didn't mention the first pitch ceremony.  Perry Hall student Daniel Borowy, the special needs student who was shot on the first day of school, threw out that first pitch not many dry eyes in the house.  Then the towel waving began (they handed them out before the game) and playoff baseball was back.  It was everything I imagined and more, I have been to dozens of games over the years and never have I been part of a crowd that hung on every pitch.  Game 1 in the ALDS was like every other O's-Yanks game, hard fought and down to the wire.  Nate McLouth's go ahead 2 run single in the 3rd sent to crowd into a frenzy.  The Yanks quickly tied it up and it stayed that way for most of the game.  The loudest the crowd got in my opinion was the top of the 7th.  Troy Patton started the inning by walking the first two guys and it looked bleak for the birds.  Darren O'Day came into an impossible situation especially after Jeter's sac bunt.  But O'Day got the next 2 outs without a run scoring that included a strikeout against A-Rod that ended the inning, wow is all I can say about the noise of the crowd.

Here is a link to O'Day's escape in Game 1 http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25357305&c_id=mlb

Game 1 didn't end the way O's fans wanted it to with a 7-2 loss but despite the loss the crowd, the atmosphere and just seeing playoff baseball back in Baltimore was so special, but I had Game 2 on the horizon.

Johnson reacting to the O's Game 2 Win

Game 1 was disappointing which made Game 2 all that more important for the Orioles.  Yet again mother nature did her best to piss off Orioles fans, the delay wasn't nearly as long but enough to irritate us.  Game 2 started and you could feel the sense of urgency in the crowd.  Game 2 nearly followed the same script as Game 1.  The Yankees took a first inning lead after a nifty little move by Ichiro to avoid a Matt Wieters tag.  The Orioles would respond with a 2 run third inning after a Chris Davis single.  The only difference was the Yankees never tied or took the lead back.  However that didn't make the game any less stressful.  You would think after all of the one run games and extra inning wins that id be used to it by now.....nope.  The Yankees threatened in the 6th, 7th and 8th and only mustered one run, so we headed into the 9th with the O's up 3-2.  Usually this is automatic for Baltimore since Jim Johnson had 51 saves, but he got hammered the night before and maybe a little doubt crept in.  It also wouldn't be easy with the top of the Yankees lineup hitting.  Johnson however did what he did all year, shut it down.  It came down to a 3-2 pitch to A-Rod and swing and miss ball game over, the first home playoff win in 15 years and it kind of felt like they won the World Series.  The fireworks started going off, im slapping high fives with random people and yelling at the top of my lungs.  For at least a brief moment all the heartache of 15 years gone and forgotten.  Baseball was back in Baltimore and it felt fantastic.

Chris Davis' 2 Run Single to put the O's up for good http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25364151&c_id=mlb

Jim Johnson gets the Save and tied the ALDS at 1-1 http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25365099&c_id=mlb

Maybe the most enjoyable part of these two games was enjoying it with my family.  Its amazing what affects sports have on you and I saw that first hand in those 2 games.  The city of Baltimore has been aching for a winner and in 2012  they got one.  Will this lead to more winning seasons?  Only time will tell but being excited for next baseball season is a weird and wonderful feeling.  No the Orioles didn't win the World Series and some would argue they should have actually won that series against the Yanks, none of that matters.  The Orioles gave the city of Baltimore a season none of us will soon forget.

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Maryland witnessing a Baseball revival

There are a lot of people who live in the state of Maryland, and among the masses a lot are baseball fans.  To be brunt baseball fans have not had a lot to cheer for in recent years.  Well forget cheering its been down right embarrassing to say you were a fan of either the O's or Nats.  However something has changed in 2012, and for some reason the baseball gods have smiled down on this region.  Unless you have been living under a rock you know that the Orioles and Nationals are playing some of the best baseball all year.  As of now the Orioles are 81-62 tied for first and the Nats have a 8 1/2 game lead in the NL East with a 89-54 mark.  I don't know how long it will last or if even both teams will even make the playoffs but damn this has been a fun ride.

Since the Nats moved from Montreal you could say that they have been mediocre at best (81-81 being best record until this year).  Then in back to back drafts they were lucky enough to land Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, both being huge parts of their success this season.  They traded for Gio Gonzalez in the off season, signed free agent Edwin Jackson and there was a buzz about this team.  Not many thought they would be this good but playoffs was not out of the question.  At times the Nats hitting has struggled, however when nobody in your starting rotation has an ERA above 4, you don't need to score a lot.  Other than maybe the Reds no other team has played better and more consistent than the Nationals.  The Nats caught fire early starting 14-4 and have never really looked back.  It's unfortunate that for the majority of this season the "Strasburg Shutdown" has been the main topic of conversation when it comes to the Nats.  I look at it this way, Strasburg pitches once every five days and even though he is a great pitcher, baseball is not a one man game and Strasburg is not the only reason the Nats are in first place.  That being said if the Nats fall short in the post season the shutdown will be questioned for a long time.

One of my favorite Orioles Moments

Now for the Orioles, just like everybody else I really don't know how they are playing as well as they are.  In a game where stats are more important than any other sport, the stats tell you the Orioles should really be in last place.  They have a negative run differential, which I hate talking about but its true, 16th in runs, 21st in batting average, and 18th in team ERA, and they are 19 over .500.....huh??  Now I know those numbers aren't great but the O's do have some impressive stats.  They are 27-7 in one run games which is the best in MLB history, and they have won 13 straight extra inning games.  Not to mention a bullpen that ranks top 3 in ERA in the American League.  The best way to describe the Orioles in 2012 is the song Orioles Magic.  "Every day there's a different star, that's the magic of Orioles baseball".  Its true, just look at the recent 3 game series against Tampa.  Game 1, JJ Hardy had 4 hits and 5 RBIs, Game 2 Nate McClouth game winning hit in the 9th, Game 3 Manny Machado game winning hit in the 14th.  This truly is a team that believes it can win every single game and through 5 1/2 months who's to argue with them.

The best thing about these teams playing well is the fans coming back to the ballparks.  Both for numerous reasons have struggled drawing fans over the past few seasons, with neither cracking the 2 million fan mark.  The last time the Nats had over 2 million was 2008 (first year of Nats Park), for the O's 2007 was their last time over 2 million.  In fact the O's and Nats have only drawn over 2 million in the same season twice, 2005 and 2006, well 2012 might be that year as well.  As of now (Sept 14) the Nats have already hit the 2 million mark with 2,078,208.  The Orioles have some work to do, right now its at 1,893,421 with 7 home games left.  Is it doable, i think so as long as they average 15,200 fans a game they will hit 2 million, and with Boston coming to Baltimore and Brooks Robinson statue being handed out, it should happen.  Bottom line its nice to see excitement for baseball in Maryland.

In a region that is mostly dominated by football with the Ravens and Redskins, baseball is making a strong push, of course this hinges on the O's and Nats playing well consistently and not being one year wonders.  You know what would really help, a battle of the beltways World Series.  What?? it could happen, and just remember when it does you heard it here first.

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No More Excuses, O's Fans need to fill Camden Yards

Fourteen years, that's how long its been since the Baltimore Orioles last had a winning season. Its a very long time, I was 11 years old in 1997, I'm 26 now. So obviously all the years of losing and a very good football team right across the street attendance numbers are sure to take a hit. The one constant I always heard however is that as soon as they start winning again the fans will come back. Well, as I write this its August 21st and the Orioles are 10 games over .500 and own the second wild card spot. Yet during the last home stand their biggest crowd was 25,000 plus, well actually the paid attendance for Eddie Murray's statue game was 40,000 but a three hour rain delay chased people away. So Baltimore your O's are winning where are you?

So lets get into to the excuses a lot of Orioles fans make.  Maybe the most popular is its too much money.  Now look the last thing I'm going to do is judge people on what they decide to do with their hard earned money and if you don't want to go that's fine but don't tell me its too expensive.  The most expensive single game ticket is $65 and that's right behind home plate.  A little steep yes but you don't have to sit behind home.  A favorite spot of mine is the Center field seats, where the O's have the "2110 Eutaw Street" promotion.  Tickets out there are $15.  Now the one thing ill agree with most O's fans are the extra charges for tickets.  For instance if you buy a ticket the day of the game its usually 4-6 dollars more than if you bought it a few days earlier, it might stop people from deciding a few hours before to go to the game.  The second charge is for prime games (Red Sox and Yankees), however this happens at pretty much every ballpark so if you want to see the better teams you will have to pay.  Still there are plenty of promotions and deals that should help you save a buck if you want to go to the ballpark.

Another popular complaint is the price of food and drinks at the game.  Ill be the first to admit I think beer and food are way too expensive but nothing says you have to buy refreshments at the game.  Oriole park may be the only ballpark that at least I know of that allows you to bring food and drinks into the ballpark.  Of course there are restrictions but at least the give you the option.  Another way to avoid the high prices at the game is real simple eat before you go.  There are plenty of restaurants either in the Baltimore area or from where you are coming to eat at and save some money.

This is the only thing that I wont meet the Orioles fans half way on, not going to O's games because of who they are playing.  Maybe 3 or 4 years ago, OK I get it but this year who cares who the Orioles are playing, you should be going to watch the Orioles, especially now.  Adam Jones is having a career year, Manny Machado making his debut, Matt Wieters, JJ Hardy and the way this pitching staff is performing.  There I gave you plenty of reasons to watch your own team, it shouldn't matter if the Rays or Royals or the Yankees are in the other dugout.  In fact when they play lesser teams you should want to go more, better chance of seeing an Oriole victory.

One last thing I'll comment on is the ownership of the team.  Now I work at a Baltimore radio station and have heard several fans say that as long as Peter Angelos is the owner they wont support the O's.  Now I understand that the radio audience is a small portion of the entire Baltimore area but I tend to think a lot of people think that way.  Angelos does not have a great track record as the O's owner but an owner alone shouldn't keep you away.  Look right down the street, Dan Snyder might be the most hated owner in sports but Redskins fans still support the team.  I know football and baseball are completely different but supporting your team is universal.  Why would you deprive yourself of maybe witnessing something special because of your hate for a man I'm sure most of you have never met?  Don't punish Jones, Wieters, Hardy, Markakis, Machado and others over something so silly.

It has been a long time since the O's won and maybe that's a large part of it.  I understand it I just don't like it too much.  The Orioles are averaging a little over 25,000 a game, which is actually about 4,000 above last years average and that's definitely something to be proud of.  I guess just a large part of me aches for the day that a ticket to Oriole park is actually hard to get.  I want 40,000 to be the rule more than the exception.  I will also practice what I preach when the O's come back home I plan on going to a handful of games on that home stand.  I just don't want to miss a moment of what might turn out to be a special season, hopefully the rest of Baltimore feels the same way and soon.

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I Need a new hobby

I live a very simple life, it doesn't take to much for me to have a good time.  One thing I enjoy more than most is watching sports.  Quite honestly I just don't watch sports, I live them.  Whether its the Ravens, Orioles or Caps I get emotional invested like many other people do.  I don't watch a lot of reality TV or sitcoms so for me its sports or practically nothing.  There is just one problem, when you get so emotionally attached to something it makes it that much tougher when your team fails.  Sports is the worst to get so attached to, because only one team a year wins it which plainly means the odds are against your team winning.  I bring up this topic because Monday night sent me to the brink.

Being the sports nut I am of course I planned my night around Game 5 of the Capitals-Rangers playoff series.  Just like the first series the Caps were in this one has been extremely close.  The Caps lost a marathon Game 3 and then rebounded to tie the series in Game 4.  Game 5 didn't start well Rangers took an 1-0 lead into the first intermission.  But like most of their games the Caps did not give up and took a 2-1 about midway through the third.  The Capitals then started playing their gritty defense until a minute was left in the game and it seemed Washington was going to steal one in MSG.  As rewarding and enjoyable as sports can be for players and fans it can be just as cruel.  In the first round Joel Ward scored a game winner in Game 7 to send the Caps into the second round.  On Monday Ward committed a awful penalty with 28 seconds left to essentially give the Rangers a 6 on 4 power play.  They didn't waste any time and scored with 6.6 seconds left to tie the game.  Let me say that again 6.6 seconds, that's how close the Caps were from winning Game 5.  Instead they lose later in OT to fall behind 3-2 in the series.

Gut-punching is just the first term that comes to mind.  I compare this loss to the Ravens AFC Championship game loss with only one difference.  When Cundiff missed the kick against New England the Ravens season was over, the Caps are still alive even if they are on life support.  To say I was a little perturbed throughout the day on Tuesday that would be an understatement.  I was ill-tempered, short with people and honestly probably not the best to be around all day.  It still amazes me that even after working in sports that a loss still affects me the way it does.  For those who don't follow sports as closely as I probably think I'm insane well I cant really argue that.  As much as I would like not to watch the Game 6 match up between the Caps and Rangers because of the fear of a giant letdown I will watch.  And whether ill admit it or not win or lose for the Caps ill enjoy every minute of it.   I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.  GO CAPS!

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