My experience at the Coliseum, March 29, 2008

Pictures I took at The Exhibition Game

Here are hubby and I at the Coliseum before the game...above is a link to the pictures I took while there.  I do hope you enjoy them!

Like I mentioned, we live in Riverside which is about an hour and a half drive to Dodger Satadium.  No biggie.  But since we had tickets to the game at the Coliseum AND Opening Day, we decided to make a weekend out of it.  We booked a room at the Hilton Checkers downtown.  Great place to stay!  Hubby and I had a lot of fun at the bar downstairs (Shout out to North Carolina!!!) and the location was ideal. 

We took a taxi to the Coliseum....bad idea???? Uh,kinda.  But we got there around 12:30 which was just perfect. The pregame festivities were in full swing!  Got to see Rick Monday, Kenny Landraux, Tommy Lasorda...it was surreal.  Before we knew it, Frank McCourt made his way passed us in a golf cart.  Mario (hubby) said "hmmm...I think he's gonna talk on stage.  I'm going over there to see what he says."  "Ohhhhh take my camera!"  I pleaded.  "No... I'll be right back." He assures me. Fine.  So I wait with the boys.....All of a sudden...bus after charter bus come driving up.  Lo and behold...it's the freaking Red Sox and Dodgers.  One by one they lined up onto the stage with screaming fans and all I could do was wonder where hubby was in the mix and how I had pleaded with him to take my camera!

Shortly after the small introduction, the security guards began to tape off a "walkway" for the players to pass by.  I couldn't believe my luck...I happened to be standing at the right place at the right time WITH my camera.  They taped off right across the front of me.  OMG.  I was in heaven.  Here they come....oh man...Red Sox first?  Well I'll take pics anyway, since Jason Bailey is such a fan...ha ha.  Oh yes, I hear the roar of the crowd - here come my beloved DODGERS!  Snap snap snap snap - I could barely contain myself.  Part of me wanted to throw my camera on the ground and flail my hand out for all of them to touch as they walked on by....lol.  She thinks to herself "get a grip woman!" and I just smile and snap away. 

Inside the Coliseum was a whole new experience.  The concrete structure was so old it looked as if it would crumble at any moment.  I thought to myself "Oh man...please no earthquakes today".  The stairs were tedius on the climb up to aisle 94...and no railings!  How I was so glad I wasn't too old to climb them or pregnant or anything like that!  Also, as much as I was delighted and honored to be one of the 115,300 in attendance I thought "I am soooo happy this isn't our stadium anymore!" 

The game was interesting to say the least.  It was very bitter cold up at the tippy top.  We took a taxi from the hotel we were staying at in LA and hubby was nervous about finding one back.  A little after the 6th inning and a very long day we decided to head out.

The memories we have of the day as well as the momentos will last our entire lives...as a matter of fact I told my youngest son who is 8 "You may very well be celebrating the Dodgers 100th Anniversary - you'll only be 58!"  Wow - what a thought.