Things I Learned at Shea Stadium

So yesterday I headed east to the lovely (I mean outdated and dirty) Shea Stadium for my final Braves game of the season. I never go anywhere without learning a few things, so here they are:

1. You can smoke on the concourse. In other stadiums say in San Diego, you'd get thrown out for that sort of behavior, but not at Shea. I guess they figure the place couldn't get any worse.

2. People in Queens are so over pronouncing the letter "r". (Think of "Malon" for Marlon Anderson) If it works for the people in Boston...

3. Jose Reyes is such a nice guy. He gives out private spanish lessons to the more then 11 fans who showed up to the game. Like now, if I were to go to say Puerto Rico for a fun vacay with my pals and I go to a resturant and I drop my napkin on the floor, I can tell the waiter(ess), "necessito un servilleta." I'm so ready!

4. Meanwhile, Mr. Met, not so nice. He's working on taking out little kids with a t-shirt launcher, one kid at a time. I bet he has a tally board in his dressing room of the poor innocent little kids that have gone down as a result of his actions.


5. Paul Lo Duca has horrible taste in music. "Stayin' Alive", really? When did you turn into Lee Mazzilli? At least that makes sense since he played for the Mets in the late 70s. I almost forgave you for your choice of "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"...almost. (Also you and David Wright apparently hang out way too much since Wright comes out "Sabotage" although I think I'd rather him come out to "Girls" instead of "Still Not a Player")

6. Speaking of music, apparently the Mets are prementally frozen in 1994. Think of Mary J. Blige while working with Puff Daddy and dating that guy from Jodeci.

7. Mets fans are really not very fond of Guillermo Mota 2007. They'd prefer his 2006 drugged up version instead. I myself, was all for the Mota switch in the eighth inning, mostly because he gave up a game tying single to Jeff Francoeur, but I maybe biased!

8. Finally, I looked deep inside my soul and discovered, I'll actually miss Andruw Jones when he leaves the Braves at the end of this season. He's been on the team since 1996, a year after Chipper Jones' break out rookie season. Remember those two homeruns in that world series game against the Yankees? And yeah, he's having a horrible year and he can barely run because his knees aren't what they used to be, but I'll miss his smile when he swings at what should have been ball 2 but was actually strike 3. Or when he makes those ridiculous grabs over the wall to rob someone of a homerun. He's so not worth $30 million a year and I'll for sure take Mark Teixeira's two time gold glove and 39 RBIs in 39 games with the Braves this season over Andruw's .220 batting average. But he will be missed, not in a Tom Glavine you jumped ship you ass, kind of way, but in a he had to his golden years and now it's all down hill sort of way.

For some of my other educational experiences click here (Yankees/Mets), here (Halloween) and here (Mets v. Phillies).

For photos from last night's game click here and go to pics.

It's been fun blogging with you,
Kate