Opening Day in LA 2007

COST

45 minute wait on Stadium Way to get into the stadium.....At least $3.29 (gas)

Parking prices raised 2nd or 3rd time in 4 years................$15.00

Tickets from a scalper, face value $17, I paid................ $66

A large beer.........................$11.00 (^&^%%$$#!%^^%&*)

Bathroom (yes even the men's line!!!) and Food lines outrageously LONG.....2 Innings

Having baseball back even with a clueless owner.........PRICELESS.....or is it......

Alright, I have not missed an Opening Day at Chavez Ravine in more than 10 years. Back when the O'Malley's ran the premier franchise, I never had a problem getting tickets for opening day and did not even have to buy season tickets. Now the fans are held hostage. The Dodgers release maybe 50 tickets for sale to the general public for opening day. The rest they hold back and use to BLACKMAIL you into buying some kind of ticket package. Whatever, I'd rather pay a scalper $50 more than a ticket is worth than buy a "Plan" from these A-holes running the team now.

Anyway, so I've been going to games for over a quarter of a century. I have NEVER had a problem parking my car at Dodger Stadium. Let me repeat that again for the idiots now in charge, I'VE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS PARKING MY CAR IN 25+ YEARS!!! If you have half a brain cell you can navigate a lot and find a spot. On the rare days like Opening Day or the playoffs (yeah...ha ha), then it can be a little harder but try showing up before the 2nd inning and you can find something! We don't need the Disneyland Nazis pointing us to spots. If anything, we need them MORE at the end of the game to direct exiting traffic. (That requires common sense though!)

Even with all of this, I still managed to be in my seat for the F-16 flyover, the Anthem and all that jazz. I was happy to see the names return to the jerseys (another idiotic move by Frank the TANK). The product on the field that we are paying these HIGH prices for could be a whole lot better. I love that our leadoff hitter/new 50 million dollar man hasn't met a pitch he won't swing at. (Back to prices - the Dodgers raised them on average over 20% this last year. What a way to thank the 4 million fans that came out last year!) So the game is moving along through 2 non-descript innings when I get up to go to the bathroom. HOLY COW. The bathroom line for the Men's "room" was a giant U. It started at the aisle to the seats, went all the way to the exit gate then back into the john. IT WAS LONGER THAN THE LINE FOR THE LADIES ROOM?!?!? How is that possible? We guys can line up in groups of 12 and happily pee into a long metal trough, how can this take so long?? Well it did.

Next, onto the food lines to get a beer and a dog. The lines were equally long and slow moving to the point where the line-members broke out into a "LET'S GO VENDORS" chant. AMAZING. Beers now cost $11 at the stadium. Yes, $11!!!! Apparently Frank did not go to the Arte Moreno school of treating fans right. So I missed at least 2 innings and the Schmidt HR (our only power of the day) because of this and came back just in time to see our new ace pull up lame and leave the game. Grrrrreat! "I love this Game"

So the bully ended up giving up a few more runs and we lost in typical Dodgers fashion. Outside of a late rally in the 9th, nothing really to get excited about. Maybe that is why I am so furious over everything else. Don't even ask about the drive home. Got in the car in the lot at about 4:30pm and did not get to the freeway until about 5:30pm....... THANKS FRANK! At least we went on to win the next two games vs. COL.