Happy Dependence Day

 

"Sad Rascal" awaits the incoming tennis balls.

I was back with the Renegades tonight for a great evening of baseball, fireworks, family, and laughs.

I loved seeing over 5,400 people in the stadium tonight, including members of my own family, including Sean, of course.

Fireworks aren't really my thing but I was content to watch fans enjoy the show even if it meant I didn't leave the parking lot until roughly 90 minutes after last pitch because traffic was so horrific. At one point, I stood on the field with some of the Renegades interns while everyone picked up the tennis balls that were thrown on the field in one of the myriad games that are played to garner prizes.

Rick Zolzer ("The Zolz") and I work pretty well in unison as "co-public address announcers" and, while I don't think much of myself in that capacity, I think we can get even better.

Incidentally, you can hear a sample of me on the PA in this tweet.

Of course, I think of myself as a broadcaster first. Public address announcing is a different skill set and it involves paying attention to the game in ways that I'm not used to. While I have a scorecard, I find myself flinching to track balls and strikes as I normally would. In this case, I'm using it as a checklist to know where the game is in the batting order.

So I'll keep tonight's note short as I just walked in a few moments ago after departing the ballpark at 10:30. Basically, it was an hour door-to-door.

In the booth before the game, we jokingly called tonight "Dependence Day" since tomorrow, of course, is "Independence Day." While I have no intention of going full jingoistic on you, I found myself observing the spectacle tonight and feeling like I'm fairly proud to live where I do. 

Yes, I know what you're thinking, but at the end of the day, where would I rather be? Sure, I love the UK but would I want to give up living here? Would I want to go to Canada?

Respectfully, I appreciate those other places but I like living here. I recognize the disgusting flaws. I do.

David Ben-Ezra and I in the public address booth. Yes, I'm wearing a cape.

Before I close, I promised Lori (my cousin's wife, who also works for the Renegades) that I would don a kids' cape for a game (her grandson's cape to be exact). I made good on the promise tonight, repping Captain America. I even walked out of the booth wearing it. Why not? It's about having fun.

Many of you will wake up and read this on July 4th. May yours be filled with hot dogs, burgers, smiles, music, and whatever other freedoms you can have.

I'd go to Waffle House if I could. What's more American?