YCS Dallas-area on-location reality sports tour (i.e. Vinnie goes to a Rangers game)

Although it has no bearing on you readers, I've spent the last two weeks in Dallas for my work. That being the case, however, Mike's been prodding me to go on a binge of Dallas sports activities--go to a Rangers game, go to a Mavs game, pretend to watch an FC Dallas game, drive by the Cotton Bowl, hang out with Tony Romo--and then write an on-location-type piece about it.

Well, as expected, I've done exactly one of those things, but to indulge Mike, I'll do a quick little write-up about my day at Rangers Ballpark don't-call-me-Ameriquest-Field in Arlington.

My overall impression: very excellent place to watch a game. It reminds me a good bit of watching a game at Miller Park--new ballpark amenities and atmosphere without the theme park feel and Wrigley Field knock-offs.

I sat in the third row of the bleachers on the rightfield side, just between the grass lawn and the Rangers bullpen where I spent the game chattin' it up with some big old Texan criminologist/psycoanalyst and his son fom Seattle wearing one of those newsie hats. (Freeze frame the hightlights of the Teixeira home run and you just might see us!) Compared to the $XX.xx I'd pay for bleachers at Wrigley, the $15 ticket + $6.00 for my delicious Coors banquet beer (long, long, long-shot grasp for corporate blog sponsorship) was a bargain for what I felt was an excellent spot in the park. And I didn't even have to pay for parking thanks to the free shuttle from Sherlock's Pub and Grill in Arlington (smaller-scale grasp for sponsorship).

The young second-year kid Cameron Loe on Texas and A.J. Burnett treated us to a nice little pitcher's duel; Michael Young hit a clutch (Sorry!) homerun; and Japanesefirstname Otsuka nailed down the save for an exciting Rangers victory. The one thing that irked me was Otsuka's introduction to the sound of "Hell's Bells"--long known as Trevor Hoffman's signature music--but oh well.

On the shuttle back to Sherlock's, I caught sight of the new under-construction Cowboys stadium, which, as far as I can tell, will be large, made of steel and concrete and stuff, and aided by the use of cranes and other large machinery. I also learned of the less-than-shocking Roger Clemens signing from the guy in the seat next to me.

In conclusion, I have no idea where I was going with the post other than to satiate Mike.

Oh, and in totally unrelated information, my delivery guy just told me I have a signature like a famous person and Hollywood, "Tom Cruise-like" look about me, so I'm thinking of trying my hand in acting or finally cutting that album.