Professional Sports (and college)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

How many different sports have you seen in person?

 

For Professional sports:

 

NFL:

 

Went to see the Redskins play Minnesota in the 1982 Playoffs, then the next game was the NFC Championship game Washington vs. Dallas. I saw that one as well. When I lived in Texas I got to a Dallas Cowboys game against the Tampa Bay Bucs.

 

USFL:

 

For those that are old enough to remember the USFL (United States Football League) I went to a couple of Washington Federals games, though I was a Philadelphia Stars fan.

 

NBA:

 

I don't really remember the games I only went to 2 or 3 back in the mid to late 70's but they were Washington Bullets games. I'm not a big NBA fan though.

 

NHL:

 

I went to several Washington Capitals games back in the late 70's and early 80's, again though I'm not a big NHL fan so I don't really remember the games.

 

NASL (I think it was the NASL):

 

Back in the late 70's and early 80's I used to go to Washington Diplomats games all the time. The Washington Diplomats were a professional soccer team.

 

MLB:

 

I've never actually been to an MLB game though I did see former MLB players play, or should I say MLB legends. In the early to mid 80's there were a few baseball games organized called "Crackerjack Old-Timers' Game"

 

1982: The Crackerjack Jack The Crackerjack Old-Timers' Game, RFK Stadium in Washington. To give the old guys a break, the outfield fences are cut to Little League dimensions, practically. For the National League old-timers, Hall of Fame lefthander Warren Spahn starts the bottom of the first. For the American League geriatrics, Hall of Fame shortstop Luke Appling leads off. Spahnie delivers something doing an imitation of his once-famous screwball. Old Aches and Pains doesn't need the cut fence: at age 75, Appling swings and the ball disappears - all the way into the left field seats. "Oh, thank you, Spahnie! Thank you, Spahnie!" Appling hollesrs happily as he rounds the bases...with Spahn playfully chasing him all the way, whacking him on the behind with his glove.

 

The above mentioned home run by Luke Appling landed not far from my seat, when that game was over I worked myself down onto the field and actually chased Joe Demagio for an autograph but he was too far away and made it inside before I could get to him. Security took no notice of this 13 year old kid running around on the field either lol.

 

The only other big sports I've been to were college games, I've been to many Maryland Terrapins Basketball and Football games and when I was playing little league football for St. Bernards Catholic CYO 120lb team we even had some of the University of Maryland coaches come and help our coaches as we prepared for the CYO championship game (which we won 7-0 in overtime to make us totally undefeated for the season) lol.

[Goose 0]

Stardate:213789.9

 

 

I havent been to college games and the only pro ones i have gone to is baseball.

 

I have gone to 4 Mariners games in Seattle and one in New York.I also went to game 5 between Oakland and Boston

[poguemahone 0]

I can't begin to count the number of baseball games i've been to.

I went to see Portugal vs. Tunisia in 1996 (soccer), DC United vs. Tottenham Hotspur in March this year (soccer), Man Utd vs Barcelona back in August (soccer), Baltimore Blast vs Dallas in 1990 (Indoor Soccer) and I think I may have gone to see the Baltimore Skipjacks play before (Old Minor League Hockey Team)

Never been to a American Football game or Basketball game.

[subcommanderbeavis 0]

I've attended several dozen Houston oilers games (during the 70's,and 80's),and twice as many Houston Astros/Atlanta Braves match-ups(mostly in Houston).On the college level,I have been two three or four Arkansas men's basketball games.I keep meaning to go and see the Titans,but never have gotten around to it.

[BigRedManiac 0]

I've seen more than 40 Cardinals home games,and half that many Phoenix Suns games (both my dad,and myself are huge sports fans and attend games together).I have been a Cardinals season ticket holder for 3-years now,and it takes something major to keep me from going to the games.I even attend spring practices and scrimmages when I can,prior to the regular season,as well as pre-season games.I have a ton of Cardinals collectibles,autographed by many of the present-day and past players,and coaches.

I think one of the greatest moments of my life was sneaking onto the field one day and running from endzone-to-endzone,imaging that I was running one back for the winning touchdown B) (of course,this was during a weekday,right after the Card's relocated from St.Louis).I was so thrilled to have an NFL team to cheer for.

I have also been to Diamondback MLB games,and Phoenix Suns games.I like football the best,though....am also an NHL fan,and would like to see some Coyotes games one of these days.Just haven't gotten around to it yet!

B)

Edited October 16, 2003 by BigRedManiac

[Captain_Smiley 0]

The only professional sports games I have ever attended were 3 San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers games in '93.I remember Darryl Strawberry blasted the longest homerun I have ever seen in the 1st game of that series.That ball seemed to sail right out of Candlestick Park (a great old ballpark,I hate 3Com Park B) ).

I have been to many,many college sports events,as I am close enough both to Fresno State and Fresno City College to either walk or ride the bus to games,and both college's have great sports programs (particularly FCC).I mostly watch football,baseball,and Fresno State women's baseball (one of the country's best teams,won the national title a few years back).Basketball,I like,but I hated Jerry Tarkainian,and wouldn't watch his Fresno State teams.Now that we have a "real" coach in Ray Lopes,I've been to a few games.

Also,I still go to many of my old high school's football and baseball games.

B)

[Takara_Soong 4]

Professional sports I have seen in person, ah the memories!

 

Professional Baseball - Years ago I went to some Toronto Blue Jays games when on vacation in Toronto (pre-Skydome)*. I have been to 1 Montreal Expos game years ago while on a high school trip (that was exciting - that was during the Andre Dawson, Gary Carter, Tim Raines, etc. days). I went to one Triple A game in Calgary but I haven't been to any of the Double A games of the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

 

Professional Soccer: I went to a number of games of a professional team that was in Calgary but the league only lasted 1 year I think and I can't even remember the name of it (Winnipeg wasn't in it so I cheered for the Calgary team).

 

Professional Football: I have seen my beloved Winnipeg Blue Bombers play in Winnipeg (had season tickets for 3 years when I could afford them), Calgary and Vancouver. I went to a few BC Lions games when on vacation in Vancouver when I was really young*. And on a VERY SERIOUS NOTE, the first person who makes any crack about the CFL not being professional football shall feel my wrath!!!!!! (I AM NOT KIDDING!!!! That old saying about "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" applies to sports too!)

 

College/University Sports: Let's just say that in Canada, university athletics are not held in the same esteem as in the States. We have university sports but the importance of sports at that level is very low on the priority list of things to fund by our universities when compared to academics.

 

Major Junior Hockey: I went to a few games of the Wranglers, a predeceasor of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. I went to games that the Wranglers played against the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Winnipeg Warriors (now the Moose Jaw Warriors). The Canadian Hockey League consists of the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The players range in age from 16 - 20 years old (there are provisions for a couple of 21 year olds on each team called overage juniors). The CHL is arguably the second best hockey league in Canada after the NHL.

 

Professional Hockey: Winnipeg has a team in the American Hockey League called the Manitoba Moose and I have been to a couple of their games (former boss had season tickets that I got to use from time to time but that was when the Moose were in the International Hockey League). The AHL is a farm team league for NHL teams but I think the hockey you see in the CHL is better.

 

And last but not least, my beloved Winnipeg Jets - where to start. When I lived in rural Manitoba I was able to go to a couple of Jets games. We moved to Calgary just after the Flames arrived and I was fortunate enough to get tickets to games either through relatives, standing in line for HOURS (for standing room seats in the Calgary Coral or for the very few tickets available in those days to the Saddledome) and later through connections on the Jets themselves [i had a player get me tickets and after he was traded, I was so entrenched that the team got me tickets and NO I WAS NOT A GROUPIE (that came when I moved back to Winnipeg - JUST KIDDING)!!!!! I was the head of the Calgary Chapter of the Winnipeg Jets Booster Club lol]. I saw the Jets play in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Los Angeles. My last year in Calgary I went to every game the Jets played in those cities as well as all but 1 of the 9 playoff games the Jets were in that year (I missed one game because it would be too expensive to get last minute airline tickets and I wouldn't have been able to get there in time by taking the bus - damn it takes almost 24 hours by Greyhound to travel between Edmonton and Winnipeg). Once I moved back to Winnipeg I had season tickets the first year and for the next number of years I "worked" (unpaid but got in free) at the games either selling programs or 50/50 tickets. That was a blast! I worked one season at the Saddledome in Calgary (the first season it opened) mostly working at a popcorn stand. Got some amazing autographs that year!!!

 

And that is my long, long post answering the question.

 

*

Click for Spoiler:

My parents separated when I was 10. I spent the month of August with my Dad each summer and we always went somewhere for a trip. My Dad is retired from the Canadian Pacific Railway so we went to Toronto and Vancouver almost every year for a number of years on the train because of his discount.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Er, too few to mention. B) TV has always been there for all my sports viewing pleasures.

[Takara_Soong 4]

Er, too few to mention. B) TV has always been there for all my sports viewing pleasures.

I enjoy watching sports on television too but for me, nothing can take the place of being there. Some of the most amazing feelings that I have experienced occurred at sporting events I attended.

 

I was at the 1987 Canada Cup semi-final game in Calgary between Canada and the USSR (Red Army team). Mike Bossy scored the winner in overtime and the place erupted!!! Mike Bossy's Goal Try to ignore the stupid music in the clip and just listen to that crowd. There wasn't a single person sitting at that moment in the Saddledome. The cheers went on for what seemed like forever! When people finally left the building there was cheering in the streets, horns honking, flags waving. I have never felt anything like that before or since. It was truly amazing.

 

I also worked at a playoff hockey game between the Jets and the Edmonton Oilers in 1990. The Jets were the first team to have playoff white outs (fans wearing white) and they were an incredibly awesome sight. This picture gives you an idea - EVERYONE wore white (there is an area where it looks red but that's a red spotlight being shone on the crowd). Anyway, in this game against the Oilers, Dave Ellett scored in the second overtime to give the Jets a 4-3 win and the crowd was sooooo loud. I have never heard anything that loud in my life!!!

 

Click for Spoiler:

[A l t e r E g o 9]

B) B) That's great Takara!

 

I have had experience with "crowds". 15 or so years ago Def Leppard played to a packed stadium here, I was on the field about half way between the stage and the control booth. The crowd was the biggest I had even been a part of and wow, were they into the show; I looked back and saw over 1OO, OOO arms all > B) ing in unison. What a sight!

[Yellow_Dragon 0]

As a kid I attended numerous James Madison Dukes football games.That's still my favorite college team,though I have not been able to either watch or listen to their games for many years now.More recently,I have attended some Arena Football League games in Bossier City,Louisiana....but that was a couple of years ago,too.I don't attend very many sporting events,at least not the kind one must pay to attend.I watch a lot of softball and flag football at public parks,and some high school football.