They say that nothing breeds success like success. Apparently this extends into the arena of playoff tickets.
Ever since I moved back to Boston after college, I’ve entered the Red Sox lottery for postseason tickets. I never win, but I keep on trying. Growing up as a Red Sox fan taught me a lot about holding onto your optimism.
(It also taught me a lot about soul-crushing defeat, but we won’t talk about that).
I mean, I (eventually) made it up to the Green Monster, so anything is possible. This year, my patience was rewarded with an email informing me that I had been selected for the opportunity to purchase tickets to the ALCS. Giddy with excitement, I dashed off a quick Facebook post about how excited I was.
(And then I threw in some smack talk for my Dad and Sister about how the Yankees didn’t make it to the playoffs.)
(Because that’s just how I roll.)
One of my Facebook friends just so happened to read my post right about the same time that she just so happened to be looking for someone to take an extra ticket to the ALDS game on Saturday. Lucky me, she asked if I wanted to go with her. I think my reply went something along the lines of “Yes! OMG, YESSS! Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! Oh yeah, YES.” Which is how I ended up at the game Saturday evening, screaming myself hoarse.
Just in case you didn’t already hate me a little, here is the view from our seats:
You know all those clichés that people use to describe attending playoff games? “The feeling was electric. You could hear the crowd vibrate as they stood as one to cheer the appearance of Koji Uehara.” OMG, they’re all true. All of them. The clichés are all true. It really is electric. Much like a stoner feels the music, you can feel the emotions of the crowd. We cheered for the two (two!) David Ortiz homeruns. We went wild for Jacoby Ellsbury’s base running. We went nuts at the double play that got us out of a jam in the top of the eighth. We screamed like maniacs for every single strike from Uehara.
I’m saying that there was slow-clapping. Legit, totally un-ironic slow-clapping.
I’ve been to exactly two other playoffs game in my life. I was there when the Providence Bruins won the Calder Cup back in 1999. But my most recent memory is of freezing my ass off in the snow as the Jets demolished by beloved Patriots in 2011. So, I basically went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs.
I have tickets to game six of the ALCS. Part of me doesn’t want to be able to use them. If we’re playing game six, it means that we’ve lost at least 2 games in that series. But, that also means that we could watch the Sox clinch the series, so that would be pretty awesome.
(We still have to clinch the ALDS, so I am totally getting ahead of myself here).
Anyways, even if I don’t make it to another game in this post-season, I will be happy with my experience from Saturday. How could you not be? I’ve done some cool things in my life, but a playoff game at Fenway ranks pretty high up there.
(We’re not talking about football on Sunday. We just… aren’t.)
What did you all do this weekend?
Ah, Hope, I totally understand this glorious feeling, even if it’s been longer than I care to remember since I experienced it myself.
I saw my first playoff game in the NLCS in 1980 at Veteran’s Stadium. The Phillies won so I got to see my first and only World Series game also at the Vet which we also won. The team won the entire championship that year against the K.C. Royals.
Nothing else quite captures the elevated excitement of a race to the championship. Booyah!
I don’t really follow the AL but I’d pretty much root for any team over the Yankees so, Go Boston!
Oh that’s exciting! I’ve never been to anything along those lines. I actually don’t know that I’ve been to a MLB game… ever. I’m a much more agressive sports fan, football – hockey, those types keep my attention.