I recently asked a question about contests? A number of you were kind enough to reply and I appreciate you taking the time to write out an answer. Every comment you leave on another person's blog has an impact on that person. It could be an affirmation that they are putting out good content, it could be constructive (or not) and it most certainly lets them know someone is reading. That's a good thing.
When I ask a question, it is sometimes to help me understand you a little better. It's easy to fall into the trap that everyone looks at things the same way you do and getting a little feedback is a positive thing. Especially when it comes from such a varied group of people.
The November contest is going to require a tiny bit more than just leaving a comment on this post. Many of you are already entered, some more than once, and you didn't even know you were entering. I like to reward the people who comment and if you recall, one of my contests simply was a randomization of all the people who left comments in the previous month. This time it's going to be a randomization of all the people who answered some questions I asked over the last two months.
What's that? You didn't answer any of the questions, but you still want to enter? Lucky for you, I'm going to link all the eligible questions right here so you can still answer and get an entry in the contest. Every question answered is one entry in the randomization. If you've already answered a question, you already have an entry for that one. Only one entry per person, per question. Here are the 9 eligible questions.
September
What is vintage to you?
What are your collecting priorities right now?
What is the cornerstone of your collection?
Starting over...What would you do differently?
October
What is your favorite...?
What is your best baseball memory?
Does timing really matter?
Have you ever...?
November
Contest question
I'll leave this contest open for a couple of days so make sure you get an entry or 9 by answering some questions. The prize will be at least two packs of 2010 Chrome and something that fills your collecting needs.
There will be only one more chance, the December contest, to get into the year-end contest in which all the monthly/special winners will be eligible for a prize of unequaled (not really) and unparalled (again, not really) value.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
My first World Series Game
After much nail-biting and price-watching, I finally bit the bullet on Halloween afternoon at about 4:30. I bought two tickets to Game 4 of the World Series on StubHub. Up to that point, I had been unwilling to pay $400 each for seats, but as the day wore on, people who wanted to turn their tickets into some cash were lowering their asking price. I finally decided to buy when upper deck seats started coming down to the $225 area and ended up getting two seats in section 310 for $235 each. With the ridiculous 10% fee StubHub charges, I paid just over $500 for my son and me to go to the World Series.
It was actually my first playoff game of any kind and I have to say, even though the Rangers lost the game, it was worth the money to be a part of that atmosphere. We arrived about 5:30, got our free rally towel and World Series pin and as soon as we entered the centerfield gate, it was a sea of red and blue. It was almost impossible to move around the stadium and the line into the main gift shop was 10 wide and 30 or 40 deep so we headed past the centerfield visitor's bullpen to our seats. The only problem was the ESPN guys, Bobby Valentine, John Kruk and Karl Ravitch had their mini-studio set up next to the bullpen and there was an incredible logjam of people. If you've never been to the Ballpark in Arlington, there is a narrow walkway behind the visitor's bullpen that leads to a narrow doorway that goes under the left field seats and onto the concourse. Well, it took us 20 minutes to go about 50 feet as people were basically stuck there. It didn't help that the people directly behind the ESPN stage wouldn't move whenever those guys were on live.
We finally made it around to the concourse and my son really wanted to go to a gift shop. There is a small gift shop behind the homeplate are and we waited about 30 minutes to get in and another 20 minutes to check out. Three t-shirts and two programs later, I'm out another $100, but that's ok. We were actually in the middle of checking out when Lyle Lovett started singing the National Anthem so we missed that. We were headed up the double set of escalators to the top of the stadium when they introduced both President Bush's and didn't get to see the ceremonial first pitch. I was very disappointed in that, but hey, my son got a shirt right?
The crowd was awesome and the noise was fantastic. Here is a view of the field from section 310.
I went to the very first opening day at the Ballpark in Arlington back in 1994 and it was nothing compared to the electricity of Game 4.
The game itself was obviously disappointing. Madison Bumgarner was lights out and pitched the Giants to their second shutout of the series. That was the first time a team had been shutout twice in the World Series since the Orioles shutout the Dodgers 3 times in the 1966 Fall Classic. Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey homered, the Rangers couldn't mount any kind of threat and the Giants took a 3-1 series lead. All that was disappointing to be sure, but I'm still glad I was at the game.
Just being at the game, a World Series game, was amazing. Being able to share it with my son was the best. My younger son didn't want to go. That's ok too. He's more into basketball so maybe I'll take him to the Finals if the Mavericks ever get back there.
Only 150,000 or so people got to attend the first ever World Series in Rangers history. I'm glad we were two of those people. One thing I'm sure of....it won't be another 50 years before this franchise makes it back to the World Series. Oh, I guess you can never sure, but the Rangers are a hungry, young team and with the new ownership group andI think they have a very bright future.
It was actually my first playoff game of any kind and I have to say, even though the Rangers lost the game, it was worth the money to be a part of that atmosphere. We arrived about 5:30, got our free rally towel and World Series pin and as soon as we entered the centerfield gate, it was a sea of red and blue. It was almost impossible to move around the stadium and the line into the main gift shop was 10 wide and 30 or 40 deep so we headed past the centerfield visitor's bullpen to our seats. The only problem was the ESPN guys, Bobby Valentine, John Kruk and Karl Ravitch had their mini-studio set up next to the bullpen and there was an incredible logjam of people. If you've never been to the Ballpark in Arlington, there is a narrow walkway behind the visitor's bullpen that leads to a narrow doorway that goes under the left field seats and onto the concourse. Well, it took us 20 minutes to go about 50 feet as people were basically stuck there. It didn't help that the people directly behind the ESPN stage wouldn't move whenever those guys were on live.
We finally made it around to the concourse and my son really wanted to go to a gift shop. There is a small gift shop behind the homeplate are and we waited about 30 minutes to get in and another 20 minutes to check out. Three t-shirts and two programs later, I'm out another $100, but that's ok. We were actually in the middle of checking out when Lyle Lovett started singing the National Anthem so we missed that. We were headed up the double set of escalators to the top of the stadium when they introduced both President Bush's and didn't get to see the ceremonial first pitch. I was very disappointed in that, but hey, my son got a shirt right?
The crowd was awesome and the noise was fantastic. Here is a view of the field from section 310.
I went to the very first opening day at the Ballpark in Arlington back in 1994 and it was nothing compared to the electricity of Game 4.
The game itself was obviously disappointing. Madison Bumgarner was lights out and pitched the Giants to their second shutout of the series. That was the first time a team had been shutout twice in the World Series since the Orioles shutout the Dodgers 3 times in the 1966 Fall Classic. Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey homered, the Rangers couldn't mount any kind of threat and the Giants took a 3-1 series lead. All that was disappointing to be sure, but I'm still glad I was at the game.
Just being at the game, a World Series game, was amazing. Being able to share it with my son was the best. My younger son didn't want to go. That's ok too. He's more into basketball so maybe I'll take him to the Finals if the Mavericks ever get back there.
Only 150,000 or so people got to attend the first ever World Series in Rangers history. I'm glad we were two of those people. One thing I'm sure of....it won't be another 50 years before this franchise makes it back to the World Series. Oh, I guess you can never sure, but the Rangers are a hungry, young team and with the new ownership group andI think they have a very bright future.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The World Series Contest Winner is...
Wait. I'll get to it in a second.
I decided there was no need to wait to announce the winner of this contest.
I was going to work through my World Series hangover first, but those of you that picked the Giants deserve to know who the winner is, sooner rather than later.
Here is a list of the people who picked the Giants.
hairy lemon
tony mc
fuji
the brooklyn met
the gooch
wickedortega
mariner1
darkship
abhishek duggal
the diamond king
madding
fan of reds
The winner is.....
Mariner1. Congrats!
The video is to show the randomization, but you're welcome to watch it. Mariner1, get me your address and I'll start working on a package for you.
I decided there was no need to wait to announce the winner of this contest.
I was going to work through my World Series hangover first, but those of you that picked the Giants deserve to know who the winner is, sooner rather than later.
Here is a list of the people who picked the Giants.
hairy lemon
tony mc
fuji
the brooklyn met
the gooch
wickedortega
mariner1
darkship
abhishek duggal
the diamond king
madding
fan of reds
The winner is.....
Mariner1. Congrats!
The video is to show the randomization, but you're welcome to watch it. Mariner1, get me your address and I'll start working on a package for you.
Sad, Not Mad
Of course I'm sad the Texas Rangers lost to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
I'm not mad though. The Giants pitching overwhelmed the Rangers hitters. The Rangers pitchers weren't as sharp. It's really that simple.
I still want to do a recap of the game I went to, Game 4. I need to do a Series recap, maybe as a cathartic way of dealing with the result.
I'm just not up for it today. I'm spent.
Literally spent.
I've gotten very little sleep the last few days, yet the responsibilities of real life don't take a break because your favorite team is in the World Series.
I've got a lot of blog housekeeping to take care of this week. I need to mail a number of packages in the next couple of days. That means I have to prepare them for the PO. I have to randomize the World Series Contest winner. I need to post the November contest. I have to figure out the issue with my scanner, if it can be figured out.
And guess what? You all don't care about that stuff. You just want what you want. And I know that is for Spring Training to come soon. That's what I want.
I love November baseball! Especially when it involves my Rangers!
I'm going to sleep about 10 hours later today. Hopefully, that will put me back on track and I can get back to my regular posting schedule. If you read this far, thanks. If you didn't...well, then you're not reading are you?
I'm not mad though. The Giants pitching overwhelmed the Rangers hitters. The Rangers pitchers weren't as sharp. It's really that simple.
I still want to do a recap of the game I went to, Game 4. I need to do a Series recap, maybe as a cathartic way of dealing with the result.
I'm just not up for it today. I'm spent.
Literally spent.
I've gotten very little sleep the last few days, yet the responsibilities of real life don't take a break because your favorite team is in the World Series.
I've got a lot of blog housekeeping to take care of this week. I need to mail a number of packages in the next couple of days. That means I have to prepare them for the PO. I have to randomize the World Series Contest winner. I need to post the November contest. I have to figure out the issue with my scanner, if it can be figured out.
And guess what? You all don't care about that stuff. You just want what you want. And I know that is for Spring Training to come soon. That's what I want.
I love November baseball! Especially when it involves my Rangers!
I'm going to sleep about 10 hours later today. Hopefully, that will put me back on track and I can get back to my regular posting schedule. If you read this far, thanks. If you didn't...well, then you're not reading are you?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Contest Question
I’m a bit curious about your approach to contests.
There are all manner of contests around the blogosphere. There are almost as many types of contests too. Some require a simple comment. Some require following a blog, pimping a blog, solving a riddle, guessing something, picking winners, etc. I could go on and on. I typically make my contests fairly simple to enter. On a day I have a contest (one’s coming tomorrow) I get about double my normal hits, but sometimes there aren’t that many entries. Honestly, the number of entries isn’t that big a deal to me, but I’m curious why someone would see a simple contest and choose not to enter.
What makes you choose to enter or not enter a contest? Simple question. Thanks for taking the time to read/answer.
I should be back to a normal week of posts tomorrow. The dayshift is busy.
One and One
If someone had tried to tell me 6 months ago that on November 1st, the Rangers would have the same number of World Series wins as the Dallas Cowboys had regular season wins, I would have said they were crazy.
I didn't get to bed until after 1 AM so I'm a little spent, but I'm working the dayshift today. I'll try to get a game recap together. It will be more of a personal reflection on the World Series experience rather than the game since the game was a dud from the Rangers perspective. That's not to take away from a great pitching performance by Madison Bumgarner.
I'll also try to get my November contest up later today or tomorrow at the latest.
All the Rangers need is a three game win-streak.
Go Rangers!
I didn't get to bed until after 1 AM so I'm a little spent, but I'm working the dayshift today. I'll try to get a game recap together. It will be more of a personal reflection on the World Series experience rather than the game since the game was a dud from the Rangers perspective. That's not to take away from a great pitching performance by Madison Bumgarner.
I'll also try to get my November contest up later today or tomorrow at the latest.
All the Rangers need is a three game win-streak.
Go Rangers!
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