--- Dave Strassel <dewey2412@...> wrote:

> if you dont want to wait in line then you should
> come
> up to daytona for a game. In some of the sections
> we
> have waitresses to bring what ever you want

That's a wayyyyy bit of drive, but I might do it.
Maybe take in some games up along the east coast. I'd
like to go see the Brevard as well, but I've got no
idea how to get there!

We have one guy that comes around at the Miracle
games. I tip well, so he always make sure to stop by
and see that we are taken care of. There was NO ONE
working the seating in Jupiter, which I found strange.

I know that Jupiter is drawing a bigger crowd, but
they also use hospitality employees while the Lee
County puts booster clubs/groups in to work the
concessions. I've found the local groups hustle more
cause they really want to earn their money. The paid
employees get the same amount irregardless of how fast
they work.

So...maybe I hit Jupiter on a bad night and it's not
always like that. The facility is nice, although the
architecture kind of reminds me of Disney, if that
makes any sense. Parking wasn't a problem once we
figure out were we were going. (Only one wrong turn!
Yeah!) and we got good seats for a walk up sale.

The Shark was cute but his fin kept falling off his
back. Forget the velcro, just sew the thing on. And
of course, it's just a suite. We've got a real live
Golden Retriever for a mascot! You can't fake those!

The concession lines prior the game were pretty bad
and just got worse as the night went along.

I went to game one of the World Series at the Florida
Marlins the year they won the pennant and the lines
were not that long!

Additionally, several of the people in the section
next to ours had small children (ages 3 to 5) which
they did not police at all and which ran up and down
the steps, hanging on the rails, etc. I was seriously
afraid for them. I ALWAYS bring a mitt to the games
and it doesn't matter if I wear it or Mike wears it,
but it's there for a good reason. We were not under
the mesh and one of these youngsters could have gotten
hit with a stray ball at any time and seriously hurt
by it.

(We attended a regular season Marlin's game and the
guy sitting in front of me borrowed the mitt for a
game. He used it catch a ball that likely would have
hit me in the face and he not reached for it!)

So far I've only caught one Miracle ball myself, but
I'm glad I had that mitt on when I snagged it! Even
with the glove is STILL stung.

The ushers at our park will have a word to say to the
parents of any kids who are not being policed, and
they've chased several youngsters out of the high
traffic zone that wandered in. Better off they try for
balls in the high stands if they don't have gloves.

While we do have some youths (9 through 12 or so) that
run around the park a bit, I've taken to bring spare
MLB baseball cards with me...the ones I don't collect.
Usually by the end of the game I have them all within
one or two rows and I'm more then happy to explain to
them the strategy of the game. They are eager
learners, as they all play, and I guess their folks
just don't have the time to tell them what's going on.
Maybe they are too busy socializing?

One of the best road trips we ever made was to the old
WPB Expos. It had been a rainy week and rained all
afternoon and seats were soaking wet. The usher
stopped us for our tickets. He had a towel and he
took us right to our seats and wiped them down for us!
Now THAT is service!!!!

:)

I guess will give the Hammerheads another shot in
July, but if it's as bad as the last time I was up I
think I'll stick to Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasotta and
Charlotte for my road trips.

Dianna

Bladesline Online
A Florida Everblades E-zine
www.bladesfans.com

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