A Weekend in Cincinnati

There is something truly awesome about your sports team rewarding your fan-dom with a great performance. This is one of the main reasons I love going to see sports live: there's always the potential to see something awe-inspiring. Buzzer-beaters, Hail Mary touchdown passes, anything in overtime hockey, and walk-off home runs - there's nothing like seeing your team pull one of these off, and it's all that much sweeter when you're there to see it live.

I love baseball, but my team doesn't often give me many of these moments. Our last World Series victory was in 1990 - I was three years old. Cincinnati has a phenomenally rich baseball history, but the river has been somewhat dry recently. One thing I can't be accused of being, however, is a fair-weather fan. And though I live in Boston now, when I come home for the weekend, I have to go to a Reds game.

This weekend was a home series against the Cubs and a great chance to get together with the old crew for some live baseball, some beers, and a night out on the town. It started out innocently enough with some cornhole (look it up, best day-drinking game ever) and then it was down to the stadium for the game. While it wasn't a walk-off or a no hitter we watched an unexpectedly good outing from Aaron Harang (6.68 ERA for the year; 6.2 innings, 9 K's, 2 ER last night) from the seats in the picture above as Joey Votto led the offense in a rout of the Chicago Cubs, 14-2. Then, we went bowling.

And at some point during one of the rounds of beers or bowling, Brandon Phillips walked in and started bowling in the lane next to us.

Bill Simmons describes the "when a celebrity walks into a room" situation as a big gush of wind. He said that about Michael Jordan, so obviously the whoosh wasn't as big, but it was there. We don't know why, but we idolize these people - we want them to write their names on our clothing in permanent marker, we take pictures with our phone when we think they aren't looking, we whisper in hushes about little things they do (like not taking off their sunglasses at a blacklight bowling alley, true story). We love meeting our idols even if they act like total jerks to us - it's an experience that you'll tell everyone in your immediate circle of friends at least twice before they say, "Yeah, man, you already told me."

Tomorrow I head back to Boston after a great weekend home, and I'll be heading back with a signed Brandon Phillips jersey and a wealth of great memories. Man, I love sports.

PS - as I write this, Rajon Rondo just had one of the best playoff performances I've ever seen. The "MVP!" chants from the Boston faithful during late free throws as Lebron James looked on were priceless. Go Celtics.