The Bigass Flag can only mean one thing...Opening Day 2008!

















As you enter Progressive Field, we received a cap and the Schedule Magnet, a favorite of mine. They weren't too concerned about the magnets, I ended up with four of 'em.

















Gale and I are so high. Yes, we are above the foul pole which is not sponsored by Farmers Insurance anymore, for obvious reasons.

















To go along with Bigass Flag and the traditional bunting, it's the balloon release at the end of the National Anthem, once again not sung in Spanish.

















As we locate our seats, a big waste of money.

















Further down, an incomprehensible waste of money. Unless you are family or friend, you can't purchase/wear the jersey of the hitting instructor. Unacceptable. Note the Progressive Field caps.

















The AT&T building looked ready for a monster to climb it yesterday.


















Opening Day Notes

Beer is still $6.75. However, it is back to pounders from the vendors, down from the 24-oz. size from 2007. Either fans complained about the warm beer at the bottom of those pours or the Indians had an epiphany about sending drunks home.

Somewhere, a few people obtained the Arby's hat, as in "I'm thinking Arby's!". You just have to laugh when you see someone wearing it.

The Miller Lite girls hardly wear anything these days. However, through some extreme bottle shifting, we obtained Indians Jersey Sleeves for our beers from them.

Circle K now sponsors each strikeout. With their logo.

Topps Baseball Cards sponsors the starting lineup.

Jim Thome still gets booed. After his second homer, I said, "He's slugging 8 Thousand!" a la Gomer Hodge.

Grady Sizemore uses a Rage Against the Machine song for his intro.

Asdrubal Cabrera seems oblivious to picking a song for his intro.

They asked several Indians a promo what their name would be if they were an American Gladiator. Jason Michaels said, "Malibu.". WTF? C.C. answered, "Chocolate Thunder!" and proceeded to laugh out loud. Actually, it was funny. BTW, the statute of limitations on basking in his Cy Young lasted all of three batters after the first Thome home run. Then the catcalls started. I love Opening Day!

Hot dog tasted good.

Men's room ran out of towels.

The game turned a bit boring as the Indians failed to hit in innings three through seven. Of course, Casey Blake, you know, the snippy stat hater (according to today's PD), won the game with a three-run double in the eighth.

Bad pattern. Rafael Perez got belted around the park in his appearance. Jensen Lewis looked good when he came in during an inning, then got belted around the park. Rafael Betancourt looked good when he came in during an inning, then got belted around the park. Joe Borowski! Well, JoBo gave up a homer and a really bad walk in his inning. Whew!

Got some good hitting from Tortuga Nino, Hafner got everyone excited about his hitting early, then looked bad. Sizemore homered. Victor Martinez injured himself on a bad slide...er...tumble.

It looked like the White Sox suffered three really questionable calls. A play at first where Garko seemed to pull his foot. A play at the plate, where Shoppach appeared not to tag Crede, and an interference call on a double play to end an eighth-inning rally. From my not-so-close viewpoint, the ump appeared to have "balls the size of church bells" to give the Indians the DP. Upon looking at a replay last night, it was the right call.

All in all, a nice 10-8 win to start the season.

Meal of Links

Periodic Table Quiz. Things I should have learned in fifth grade. Hey, how 'bout a show?

Today is the 45th anniversary of "General Hospital". Don't get me started on that Scotty Baldwin. I've mentioned this before, but I can't listen to "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who without thinking of him. They played that when he was behind bars, I think, when they thought he killed Susan Moore, his wife. But she was killed by Crane Tolliver, a name which should make the Fake Soap Name Top Ten.

I happen to like The Raveonettes. They show up here once in a while and I am determined to see them next time.

Exercise Yard

Since it's April 1st, what better time to look back at what might be the greatest prank a magazine has ever pulled. It's George Plimpton's classic, "The Curious Case of Sidd Finch". My God, that piece is now 23 years old. A much simpler time, when an unknown could sneak into a major league camp without hoopla. And without fantasy baseball, sports talk radio and the Internet.

Courtesy of the Vault at SI, one of the best things on the Internets right now.

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