Bay Area

6.2.92 While it may be "easy to grin when your ship comes in and you've got the stock market beat...", it's not so easy to sit for 12 hours straight on your way to San Francisco. While I'm sure we listened to "Nevermind" and "Ten", I'm even more sure we didn't listen to "Ropin' the Wind"....

As we crossed the Bay bridge into Frisco, we were looking forward to a little R&R when we settled in for the night at Stucker's house. While enjoying our pizza and Freska's, we honored our gracious host with the new Pearl Jam CD - doing our best to spread the grunge theme throughout America on our No Worries tour. Our agenda tomorrow consisted of a little 2 on 2 at the Stanford University basketball court with our good buddy Smooth Al.

After shredding the $15 parking ticket that was placed on our Bravada overnight (something to do with blocking the street cleaners), we proceeded to our scheduled game. Jase and Smooth beat Sem and I two games to one. That didn't stop us from checking out the Cardinal Baseball "Sunken Diamond" however. Amazing what money can buy....

The "No Worries" tour allowed us to follow the Red Sox from Seattle down to Oakland where we had the privilege of watching Slusarski dual it out with John Dopson. (I'm pretty sure most remember those two Hall of Famers). While 31,000 strong attended this day game, we were more enamored with the sunshine than anything else. (You understand that the rumors of it raining all the time in Seattle are totally true). We sat in the second to last row behind home plate (thanks Athletics Organization!). While Troy Neel made his Major League debut (after being called up from our hometown AAA Tacoma), the hero of the game was Mr. Jose Canseco. He hit his 11th homer of the season in his first at bat, and his 12th of the year on the next. But his teammate did his best to one-up the party by delivering his 20th of the season later that inning. If you assumed Walt Weiss, I'm sorry. This time it was Mark McGwire - aka Big Mac.

On the next pitch, Dopson beaned Jamie Quirk, allowing us to witness a bench-clearing rumble.

One note about the stadium, there is a LOT of foul territory - therefore, it was a long walk back to the dugout for a dejected John Dopson (may he rest in peace). Oakland won this duel 7-6. (Note: for the few of you who still attend games at what is now called "McAfee Stadium", the guys in referee uniforms are trying to sell you beer, hotdogs and peanuts)

We spent a little time in Walnut Creek after the game to chill at the El Cantina with our good buddy Greg. You need to understand that he was getting married six weeks down the road and needed a little time with the guys to let it all hang out, so to speak. By the way, the Bulls beat the Blazers for those of you keeping score......next up, bring on "the Masher"!