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Thursday August 14 2008 - 11:59pm Eastern

99% of the time … this blog is about basketball.  This time … it’s not.  It’s about baseball.  And weather.  If you don’t like it … deal with it. 

Me and Mother Nature are going to have some REAL problems if things don’t go my way on Friday.  Heck, I’ll even give her Saturday to make it up to me.  But if I leave New York without seeing the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium, I’m going on the hunt for the Wicked Witch of Weather.

Alright, here’s the deal …

My Grandfather-in-law is a HUGE Yankees fan.  He’s been following the Bronx Bombers since he was a little boy.  But for whatever reason … in 70+ years of watching baseball and following everyone from Joltin’ Joe to Jeter … he has never been to Yankee Stadium.

So, before it’s too late (literally) my Father-in-law and my Dad decided to take “Coach” (that’s what everyone calls him) to New York to finally see the Yanks at home.

We’ve got tickets for Friday night’s game against KC.  7:00pm.  But every freakin’ forecast and weather-related website I have seen/read is calling for an 80-90% chance of THUNDERSTORMS around New York … ALL DAY.

While it sucks to drive all the way to New York and have to wander around the streets while getting pelted with rain … I can deal with it.  I won’t even complain (much) about showers and storms that fall before or after the game.  My trip won’t be ruined unless the game is washed out. 

We left Wednesday morning from Toronto and drove to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.  We got some showers around Syracuse when we stopped for lunch … and I drove through a bloody monsoon as we approached the Hall … but … we were in the truck … so … who cares!  And it obviously didn’t matter if it rained while we were inside the Hall of Fame. 

The drive from Cooperstown to New York City was sprinkled with rain as well, but again, who cares … you’re in the truck.  And by the time we checked in to the hotel … it was after Midnight and we weren’t going out anyway.

Thursday was good as well.  We hit Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the World Trade Center all before 2:00pm and then spent about 2 hours in Times Square and Rockeller Plaza before ducking in for a beer at some 5th Avenue steakhouse around 5:00pm.  We no sooner sat down … and the rain came POURING down.  But we were dry.  No harm done.

After our beers, we walked in some light rain for a little bit but, again, it was nothing that caused any issues.  In fact, the next time it rained was around 8:00pm when we were already inside “Caroline’s” (Comedy Club) checking out Josh Blue (winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”). 

So Wednesday was the drive-day … and Thursday was the tourist-day for the guys that don’t come to New York as often as I do (with the Raptors).  But Friday is the key.  Friday is the trip; the whole reason we came.  Period. 

While it would suck to have the game rained-out, we’re all prepared to stay in NYC as long as we have to on Saturday.  As long as the Yankees decide to do a double-header on Saturday … we’re cool.  We’re supposed to leave for Pittsburgh at some point … to see the Pirates and Mets on Sunday … but we can leave for Pennsylvania anytime.  Hell, we’d roll into Pittsburgh at 4:00am on Sunday if we had to stay in New York that long! 

I’m just keeping my fingers crossed … ’cause Mike Wilner told me that if the Yankees DON’T play on Friday … there’s a chance that the Royals and Yanks could play on MONDAY … given that both teams are off that day.  $&%@#.

And I didn’t even mention the fact that if I can’t get to the Yankee game … I’ll eat the cost of the tickets.  $&%@#.

That’s my rant.  I feel better.  A bit.

Man, this summer has been terrible for weather.

E. Smith

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 11:58 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.