Svrluga "they’re trying to sell some beers and send people home"

[Natsinpwc]

I always love it when old people talk about participation trophies like kids came up with the idea or are too dumb to realize what they are- they were created by boomer parents who were deluded enough to think their kids would actually believe everyone is a winner. It’s actually nice to see them slowly getting phased out

Stop complaining. Our parents didn’t even go to our games. 

[skippy1999]

I'm and totally agree that roofs of any sort suck. 

[bluestreak]

I never understood why people get so upset about participation trophies. No halfway intelligent kid actually believes they won anything and who knows, maybe it did encourage someone who wasn’t great to continue, since you derive benefits from sports even if you aren’t good or never win. And if I doesn’t the only thing really lost is space in a landfill for a bunch of gold painted plastic and faux wood.

If people truly thought this attitude was somehow ruining the young generation then they should actually be espousing this attitude in schools. If you’re dumb, you need to learn life isn’t fair, you’ll always be a loser and encouragement is for the weak. No stickers for B work. No A+B honor roll and no attendance awards.

[nfotiu]

We're not even in the top 6 teams in terms of rain outs, so I don't see the drastic need for a roof.   Retractable roofs tend to still look and feel like a dome and kind of kill the baseball atmosphere in my eyes.  I'm oldish too though.

[Natsinpwc]

I never understood why people get so upset about participation trophies. No halfway intelligent kid actually believes they won anything and who knows, maybe it did encourage someone who wasn’t great to continue, since you derive benefits from sports even if you aren’t good or never win. And if I doesn’t the only thing really lost is space in a landfill for a bunch of gold painted plastic and faux wood.

If people truly thought this attitude was somehow ruining the young generation then they should actually be espousing this attitude in schools. If you’re dumb, you need to learn life isn’t fair, you’ll always be a loser and encouragement is for the weak. No stickers for B work. No A+B honor roll and no attendance awards.

Millennials are always looking to blame their poor pathetic lives on someone else.

[Natsinpwc]

We're not even in the top 6 teams in terms of rain outs, so I don't see the drastic need for a roof.   Retractable roofs tend to still look and feel like a dome and kind of kill the baseball atmosphere in my eyes.  I'm oldish too though.

Definitely would not want to lose the view of the parking lot you now get from behind home plate at Nats Park. Breathtaking.

Seriously. Have you attended a game at a stadium with a retractable roof?

[skippy1999]

I never understood why people get so upset about participation trophies. No halfway intelligent kid actually believes they won anything and who knows, maybe it did encourage someone who wasn’t great to continue, since you derive benefits from sports even if you aren’t good or never win. And if I doesn’t the only thing really lost is space in a landfill for a bunch of gold painted plastic and faux wood.

I don't get it either.  My son's first year playing peewee football his team didn't win a game-those boys played their little hearts out, they just sucked, and they knew it-"We keep losing!" after every game, then another minute later "Can we go to McDonalds?" yea they got little trophies at the end of year party, basically just to commemorate that none of them gave up and so the coach could bring each boy up and say something nice about them-none of them thought that made them good, it just gave us all a nice way to end a tough season. 

[HalfSmokes]

It’s fine for young kids, but even once you get to second and third grade, the kids seem to find it more patronizing than anything. For our pools swim team, the super young kids seem to cherish the trophies, most of the older kids don’t bother picking them up

[nfotiu]

Definitely would not want to lose the view of the parking lot you now get from behind home plate at Nats Park. Breathtaking.

Seriously. Have you attended a game at a stadium with a retractable roof?

Skydome, and hate it.  Maybe some new ones are better.  I like the open air feeling of Nats Park.  This feels way more baseball to me:


over these




It's like the difference between a convertible and a car with a sun roof.

[bluestreak]

[mitlen]

I never understood why people get so upset about participation trophies.

Lots of old people don't get upset.    They just don't give a crap.    Keep it at home in your participation trophy case.    Add it to your curriculum vitae and feel good about yourself.

[mitlen]

Retractable roofs are the unique idea, and here you are talking about "the old days."

If it's pouring rain, you can't play the game.

There was baseball before the Astrodome (first MLB dome).    I had an enjoyable evening last night and they didn't play.    I gotta go back and get tickets.   I got wet and over paid for beer.    I got to BS with some young soldiers who, of all things, thanked me for my service.    Never had that occur before.   I told 'em the reason the Army is so messed up was because I was in it and they're still tryin' to straighten it out.   

OT   Me and my neighbor enjoyed namin' all (most of) the weather songs they played over the PA during the delay.

[UMDNats]

I don't really care for the look of retractable roof stadiums. Kinda kills the vibe for me.

[skippy1999]

I don't really care for the look of retractable roof stadiums. Kinda kills the vibe for me.

ditto, just feels artificial. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Marlins Park is just a different piece of architecture.  I think Safeco and the Brewers field are very nice. Skydome is not a good model to compare because it was late 80s architecture and not much like modern retractables. 

I don't think the view at Nats Park will age well. It is going to be pretty hemmed-in when the buildings are complete across from the CF gate.  I think a very high roof, like Safeco, would have worked.  At this point, there really isn't any going back because you would  have to completely redo the lighting to put it under a dome, unless you made it more of a bubble / eggshell over the park.

[Elvir Ovcina]

ditto, just feels artificial.

Me too, and before someone asks in an aggressive manner, yes, I've been to several of them, including a game at Safeco in which they opened the roof mid-game.   

[mitlen]

Marlins Park is just a different piece of architecture.  I think Safeco and the Brewers field are very nice. Skydome is not a good model to compare because it was late 80s architecture and not much like modern retractables. 

I don't think the view at Nats Park will age well. It is going to be pretty hemmed-in when the buildings are complete across from the CF gate.  I think a very high roof, like Safeco, would have worked.  At this point, there really isn't any going back because you would  have to completely redo the lighting to put it under a dome, unless you made it more of a bubble / eggshell over the park.

OT-ish  ...   There's a good documentary out there on how they built/designed Marlins Park.

[hotshot]

As it is, Nats Park is not memorable architecture nor does it have any particularly great "look." Neutral parties visiting me in Annapolis prefer OPACY. Can't recall one visitor out of around 20 who preferred Nats Park. I don't think a retractable roof would harm the "look"; who knows, might even improve it.

[HalfSmokes]

There is no look to harm, it’s very much a form follows function park

[mitlen]

As it is, Nats Park is not memorable architecture nor does it have any particularly great "look." Neutral parties visiting me in Annapolis prefer OPACY. Can't recall one visitor out of around 20 who preferred Nats Park. I don't think a retractable roof would harm the "look"; who knows, might even improve it.

Are there architectural restrictions because of the National Capital Planning Commission?      They can put the nix on something like this (retractable roof, etc.).

[HalfSmokes]

Are there architectural restrictions because of the National Capital Planning Commission?      They can put the nix on something like this (retractable roof, etc.).

Other than height, it’s not historic and neither is the neighborhood- I doubt there would be anything too onerous

[mitlen]

Other than height, it’s not historic and neither is the neighborhood- I doubt there would be anything too onerous

Never underestimate the onerousness of the NCPC.

[hotshot]

Certainly modernized, but in its way Nats Park to me is reminiscent of the cookie cutter parks like RFK, Three Rivers, Busch Stadium, Vets, Riverfront, etc. The 21st Century equivalent.

[Count Walewski]

Nats Park is a replacement level ballpark for me. Not gonna write home about how awesome it is, but it's never gonna be on a list of worst MLB parks. I agree that Miller Park is extremely underrated, and Safeco Field seems generally well-regarded. The acoustics have also always seemed a bit off to me. The way a place like Nats Park becomes a memorable locale is by being home to a memorable team or, at least, to memorable concessions.

I agree that Nats Park is being increasingly boxed in by blah-looking office and condo buildings. It's good for the city and for the neighborhood but it's not the best for the view from behind the plate. I happen to think that the new building that went up on Half Street (where the bullpen used to be) is particularly ugly.

[mitlen]

Nats Park is a replacement level ballpark for me. Not gonna write home about how awesome it is, but it's never gonna be on a list of worst MLB parks. I agree that Miller Park is extremely underrated, and Safeco Field seems generally well-regarded. The acoustics have also always seemed a bit off to me. The way a place like Nats Park becomes a memorable locale is by being home to a memorable team or, at least, to memorable concessions.

I agree that Nats Park is being increasingly boxed in by blah-looking office and condo buildings. It's good for the city and for the neighborhood but it's not the best for the view from behind the plate. I happen to think that the new building that went up on Half Street (where the bullpen used to be) is particularly ugly.

Neighbor and I were in the remnant of the Pen last night and I told him that one of our WNFF wags called that building the S.S. Half Street.    He doubled over in laughter.