3 Great Innings of Baseball . . .

. . . followed by 6 lousy innings of baseball.

That summarizes the quality of play during the Phillies-Rockies game yesterday.  But the energy during those first three innings - before Kaz Matsui's 4th inning grand slam off reliever Kyle Lohse sucked the life out of the ballpark - was unlike any I had ever experienced.  Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff home run, and the crowd was so loud I didn't even hear the fireworks or the ringing of the huge Liberty Bell.  And then his 3rd inning two-run triple . . . wow.  A baseball crowd unlike any I had ever experienced - even better than the Yankees-Red Sox game I attended at Yankee Stadium a year ago . . . Whodathunkit?  A great baseball crowd in Philadelphia?  Yes, it is possible.

This was my first ever Phillies playoff game, and it might be my last in a long time.  Despite the loss, it was a great day, one I'll remember for a long time.  My dad and I have been going to baseball games for as long as I can remember, and since high school it has been "our thing," our time to get together, to talk, to be together, to share in something together that connects generations - he wore his father's Phillies jacket when he came down to RFK two weeks ago to see the Phillies play the Nationals . . . Thanks Dad.  It was a great day.

And then to top it off, my best friend Josh met us for dinner following the game at Nifty-Fifties, our old high school hangout.  What memories we have together.  I might not be able to handle those spicy cheese chicken nuggets like I used to, but it was still awesome.  Thanks Josh for making the trek . . .

The Phillies didn't have a good day, but I did.  And that's all that really counts.