First, I'll start with the fact that I'm by no means a casual fan of the Nats. I went to 25 games last year, 2 spring training games this year, the "Battle of the Beltway" pre-season game, and the opener. Never once did I leave before the last out of the game, even if we were getting pounded.
I had tickets tonight & had looked forward to it all week. I knew it was supposed to rain this afternoon & tonight, so all day at work I kept checking out weather.com for the forecast. It said it was going to rain, but I could see outside that it was holding off.
So, about 5:15, I head to the metro & I'm on my way. Still not raining. I come out at the metro at RFK & it's raining. :cry: By the time I get to the stadium (~6:45), it's pouring. I go in & go to my seat and they cover the infield and delay the game. About this time my wife & son arrive (they drove from home). We waited over an hour & it's raining like crazy with no sign of letting up. My wife decides she wants to leave because she's cold & tired, so we agree that she'll take the car & go on home and my son & I will take the Metro home.
Well, she's gone about 10 minutes when I hear one of the beer vendors tell another beer vendor that "They've called the game, but they just haven't announced it yet." Then I hear him tell several other people in the crowd the same thing. Me being the cynic I am, I think it might be true because they just want to keep everybody there for a while to sell more beer & food. I'm thinking that I'm going to get stuck with all these people trying to get on the metro, so I call my wife. She hasn't left yet. I tell her to wait & that I was coming to the car. I start descending from the 400 level &, on the way down, I keep debating in my mind whether I really want to leave or not. Should I really take the word of some beer vendor? It goes against my very being to leave a sporting event early no matter the score or weather conditions. However, it is raining like crazy & I'm thinking there is no way they're playing this one. So, after dawdling near the exit for a few minutes & trying to get some info out of the ticket takers, I finally leave. :oops: All the way back to VA, it's looking like a good call- we got out of there without having to deal with traffic & crowds. However, we pull up to the Metro to get my car & I notice that the rain has really let up. I switch over to 107.7. The game is coming on. NOOOOOO!
This can't be happening. I was distraught. I got home in the bottom of the first & watched the game on TV. After sitting through a good portion of last-summers July/August collapse, I miss one of the most exciting home games in Nats history:
Soriano blasts 3 bombs
Zimmerman makes an unbelievable catch
Patterson pitches awesome
Church's triple & the comeback in the 8th
I am so mad at myself right now. :x :x :x Carpenter said several times during the game that the "hearty fans that stayed got a treat" and things like that.
I WILL NEVER LEAVE A NATIONALS GAME EARLY AGAIN UNTIL THE LAST OUT IS RECORDED OR THEY ANNOUNCE ON THE P.A. SYSTEM THAT THE GAME HAS BEEN CALLED.
P.S. I remember that beer vendor from last year; I am going to the game again on Monday & I'm going to tell him he's an a**hole when I see him.
