Sportsball
Two strangers, passing in an airport, both wearing the same color of laundry, each having watched their favorite team win on tiny televisions broadcasting the same game on different flights traveling from opposite ends of the earth, exchange high fives.
Sports are the great unifier, and my favorite thing is spending time at events big and small.
my phone goes flying during final out of the 2022 Mariners-Blue Jays Wild Card Series
Favorite events I’ve attended…
MLB at Rickwood Field: Giants vs. Cardinals — June 20, 2024
Major League Baseball, in its first regular season game in the state of Alabama, dedicated a game to the Negro Leagues in what was easily the greatest sports experience I’ve ever had.
#10 TCU vs. Southern Miss — November 23, 2003
Southern Miss prevents TCU from earning a BCS berth and takes control of Conference USA West on ESPN primetime.
Sounders vs. Red Bulls — March 19, 2009
Seattle Sounders’ inaugural MLS match and the first franchise win. This was the game that turned me into a soccer fan.
Lazio vs. Roma — February 26, 2006
Derby della Capitale is the most intense environment I’ve ever experienced at any sporting event. Flairs on the field. Fights in the stands. Got frisked by the Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza at the gate.
Seahawks vs. Packers — January 18, 2015,
2014 NFC Championship: Down 19-7 with 3 minutes left, Seattle wins in overtime to head to Super Bowl.
Reds vs. Mariners — June 22, 2007,
Ken Grifey Jr’s first game in Seattle since leaving the Mariners.
Kraken vs. Predators — October 14, 2021: The first franchise win for the Seattle Kraken and my first Kraken game.
#1 Florida vs. Auburn — October 13, 2001
Unranked Auburn hits a 44-yard field goal in the rain with 10 seconds left.
Brewster Whitecaps vs. Harwich Mariners — July 3, 2016
My first Cape League game. An insanely unique experience featuring the top college players, wooden bats, free entry, and free ice cream each time you return a foul ball.
Mariners vs. Red Sox — August 22, 2014
Mariners score 5 Runs with 2 Outs in the 9th Inning to beat the Red Sox 5-3.
Braves vs. Dodgers — October 23, 2021
2021 National League Championship Series, Game 6: Braves win the National League pennant.
2022 ALDS Mariners vs. Blue Jays — October 8, 2022
2022 American League Wild Card, Game 2: The Mariners, down 8-1, come back to win 10-9.
2022 ALDS: Mariners vs. Blue Jays — October 7, 2022
2022 American League Wild Card, Game 1: Alex Manoah gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings, matching the total he allowed in six September starts.
Notre Dame vs. Boston College at Fenway Park — November 21, 2015
2015 Shamrock Series: A college football game at Fenway Park.
Dublin vs. Galway — November 22, 2015
2015 AIG Fenway Hurling Classic: A hurling match in a baseball stadium that just hosted a college football game 12 hours prior.
Tigers vs. Red Sox — October 13, 2013
2013 ALCS, Game 2: David Ortiz game-tying grand slam.
#24 Southern Miss vs. #6 Houston — December 3, 2011
2011 Conference USA Championship: Southern Miss wins the conference championship, prevents Houston from earning a BCS berth, squashes Case Keenum’s Heisman hopes, and does it all nationally televised on ABC.
Sounders vs. Crew — October 5, 2010
2010 U.S. Open Cup Final: Seattle wins second consecutive U.S. Open Cup with a record crowd of 31,311.
Seahawks vs. Cowboys — January 6, 2007
2006 NFC Wild Card Game: Seattle wins after the infamous botched field goal snap.
Mariners vs. Yankees — September 18, 2009
Ichiro Suzuki hits a 2-run walk-off homer against Mariano Rivera.
Sun Belt Baseball Championship Game — May 26, 2024
Four lead changes, 7 home runs, 25 runs scored, 29 total hits, and a Southern Miss championship.
Venues visited…
How I count a venue.
I have a self-imposed rule that I only “count” a stadium or sports venue if I attend an event at that stadium. Sadly, this keeps me from counting stadiums I walk into or get a tour of.
However, this rule also leads to some fun results, like attending a college football game at Fenway Park or a soccer game at Yankee Stadium.
Active vs. Inactive
A venue is considered Active if it still hosts the sport or league in question.
For example, Legacy Arena in Birmingham is an Active arena, but it no longer regularly hosts ECHL hockey games.
At the same time, Legacy Arena regularly hosts college basketball games, so it is Active for college basketball. Make sense?