As I noted from the get-go, I didn’t know if my original list of top 5’s would survive the week, today was supposed to be an internet related post, but decided on a different subject today!
For you non-sports fans, come back over the weekend, tomorrow will be my top 5 places I’ve been to with Elisabeth (romantic huh?). So for today, my Top 5 sporting events I have attended seemed to be a fun one to think about. So, the rule, I had to actually attend the game to have it qualify (in other words, not just see it on TV).
Without further ado, here is the list:
Honorable Mentions: 1992 Kentridge wins State Championship in basketball (the year after I graduated). With Elisabeth, M’s Win game 114 in 2001 to tie record (later to win 116) and Yankees/Red Sox, July 5, 2008.
Five: Cubs vs. White Sox, Wrigley Field, May 18, 2007. This set the stage for #4 a year later. As a “build memories while we can” surprise (no worries, neither of us is dying, but you know what I mean… right? My wife said this sounded too morbid). I surprised my Dad by giving him a trip to Chicago to take in a few stadiums together. We were able to see Yanks/White Sox at US Cellular Field the day before and then after Wrigley’s day game we drove to Milwaukee for a night game between the Brewers and Twins. What a day, what a three day trip. Wrigley Field was incredible and my Dad and I had such a fun time interacting with the fans around. Great game too as the Cubs come from behind for a 6-3 victory.
Four: Red Sox vs. Twins, Fenway Park, July 7, 2008. Not a big Red Sox fan, nor am I a Twins fans, however, I am a HUGE baseball and baseball park fan! The experience of Fenway Park is worthy of a top 5 by itself, but to take it in with my dad and my brother created a great family memory. Manny Ramirez, just weeks before being traded to the Dodgers wins it with a late-game single for the 1-0 victory.
Three: Rainiers vs. ???, 2008. Don’t remember who the Tacoma Rainiers played, I do remembered we won the game, but want stands out to me about this game was that it was with my two daughters, it was a blast and we made it through all 9 innings! Talk about a great daddy-daughter date! A friend of mine (Brad) IM’d me early in the day stating he had a few extra tickets for a youth event he was doing that night. Within a few hours we were on the road where we enjoyed hot dogs, dip-n-dots and nine innings of baseball! The girls cheered so loud with each home run!
Two: Seahawks vs. Packers, Monday Night Football 2006. Attended this sn0w-bowl with the Heider boys and Marc Gronholz. What a great game and how incredible that on a Monday Night Football game we had about 3-4 inches of snow fall during the game! The Seahawks won the game 34-24!
One: Game 4, Mariners vs. Yankees, October 1995. Without question, game 4 of the Mariners and Yankees in 1995 stands out as the best sporting event I have ever attended. When Edgar Matinez came to the plate in a 6-6 tie in the 8th the crowd of over 57,000 had already been on their collective feet for most of the game. Though we were not listening to it, I could in my mind hear Dave Niehaus screaming “Get out the rye bread and mustard grandma, it’s grand salami time” as Edgar crushed a grand slam en route to an 11-8 Mariner victory.
I was a Youth Pastor in Roseburg, OR at the time. Elisabeth and I had just gotten engaged three weeks prior and she had flown up (from school in SoCal) to celebrate with our family and begin the wedding planning process. My brother had tickets to all the playoff games and when he invited me to the game it was a difficult choice to make because we had come up to Seattle to celebrate with family but needed to get back to church by Sunday morning (small town, not good for the Youth Pastor to be gone so early in his job). So, when I saw that Elisabeth was willing to have me go (gotta love that fiancee) to the game and sacrifice sleep for us to get back to Roseburg (5.5 hours south), I jumped at the opportunity.
I remember after that home run turning and yelling something at my brother and he screamed back. To this day, I have no idea what he said and I have no idea what he said, it was just that loud!
Okay, I need to stop, because I am beginning to re-think this list and am remembering games I attended that probably should be on this list… So, have you been to some good ones? What is your best sporting event you have attended? Has anyone else been to any of them that I have been to?
Grace,
Brian
Five: The Bourne Series
Four: Fletch.
Three: The Passion
Two: Hoosiers. This is one of a few films that has made me cry–not because it was sad, but tears of joy as the boys run the picket fence and Jimmy hits the shot! Go Hickory! For Gene Hackman this was his best film–he probably should have called it quits right then so he didn’t have to become the voice of Lowes commercials for the rest of his life. Anytime this movie is on TNT or some other cable station I have a hard time turning it off! Great story, free from smut and just a great feel good flick!
One: Shawshank Redemption. My wife hates that this is on my list, let alone my top pick. If she were to create a list of her most hated films, this may make the top 5. Shawshank Redemption simply put, has a great (though morbid) story line, fantastic acting and for whatever reason it feels very real. I know one reason my wife does not like this has to do with the portrayal of the “Christian” warden (who in the end does not behave very Christ-like). I understand that the worlds view of many Christians is that they are “legalistic” hypocrites. Unfortunately there are many out there who are exactly that. So, my own hope (not so much as a reaction to this film, but more about life in general) is that I (and we) can present grace in such a way that does not invite people to a list of rules but a vibrant relationship with Jesus where we desire to live the life He has set as an example and share with our mouths about the kingdom to come!
Five: Gordon Biersch, Pacific Place, Seattle, WA. This is one of my local favorite places, and because it is local it makes my top five. Great variety on the menu, plus I have a few great memories with my wife, family and dear friends. It served as the “birth place” for my Lead Team this year for the YMV’s as well. My favorite dish here has been the Fettucini with Sun Dried Tomatoes, but the burger takes a very close second. I am especially fond a certain wheat beverage they serve to people over the age of 21 as well (with lemon).
Four: In-N-Out Burger, California, Arizona and Nevada (and a specific one would be the one on Lyons Ave. in Santa Clarita). Wow, a fast food place makes the list! Well, it’s not any fast food place, simply the best fast food burger you can get. I remember many a late-night burger run during college, this served as the ideal alternative to dorm food. My favorite is a Double-Double with both regular and grilled onions, fries and a Strawberry Shake.
Three: JaK’s Grill, U-District, West Seattle and Issaquah, WA. JaK’s has three locations in Seattle, and it probably makes the list based on food/cost/location. Because the food is so good, because the cost is pretty reasonable and because the three locations all offer different ambiance I bring this one into my third position. We go here once-a-year for Elisabeth’s birthday. Though I have had a better steak (at Ruth’s Chris), this steak compares, but comes with a large salad, bread, fresh steamed vegetables and your choice of starch (all for cheaper than just a steak at Ruth’s Chris). My favorite is the large Sirloin with baked potato (all the fixin’s on the side) and salad with ranch on the side.
Two: Marriott Breakfast Buffet, Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii. By FAR the best breakfast I have had at a restaurant, and this is saying something because I love going out for breakfast. We love going to 67 on the waterfront and it nearly makes the list, but it is dwarfed in comparing it to the breakfast we splurged for twice on our honeymoon (and once when we were speaking at a camp in Maui). Way too many choices, short order chefs making any egg dish you can think of and THE BEST fresh squeezed orange juice I have ever had. I even remember the passion Iced Tea my wife gets. My favorite is to get a bunch of fruit, a few great danishes, lots of crisp bacon, breakfast potatoes (with onions) and have the chef make me a wonderful three-egg omelet with ham, onions, peppers, cheese and tomato.
One: Casa Guadalajara, Old Town San Diego. A San Diego must for me! I love Old Town, but I love this restaurant even more. This outdoor restaurant has the beautiful ambiance, great chips, great salsa and the best mexican food I have ever had. San Diego is one of the best places to visit because the weather is so very consistent and this plays such a factor in grabbing a bite-to-eat at Casa Guadalajara! Even if there is a line, there are women out front making and serving fresh tortillas to those waiting. I have been able to treat a few friends to this place when on scouting trips for missions, they agree it is the best-mex they have ever had! My favorite is the Chicken Fajitas with plenty of spice in each bite.
Honorable Mention: Anahola, HI, this really is a tough one to keep off the list, and also a really hard on to put on the list. I learned way too much on this trip two weeks ago (July 23-Aug 2, 2009). I posted about those learnings
Five: Skagway, AK, my first rural mission trip certainly ranks among the top five. I remember my first scout trip, flying in (via Alaska Air) to Juneau, spending time with my friend, JR at his church (Auke Bay Bible Church) and then heading out in JR’s Cessna 172 aircraft (4-seater). The scout trip itself may have put this trip in the top 5. We literally landed in Skagway with zero contacts. We parked the aircraft, walked to town and picked up the phone book (this was before the internet was what it is today).
Tie for Four: (A) Rockaway Beach, OR, this trip in the year 2000 was the one I feel I really learned to let go and let others. In each of the other towns to this point my wife and I were the leaders (and only leaders) on our specific team. In Rockaway Beach we had a young intern, Wescott, with us. It was here in Rockaway that I really discovered a passion for mentorship and seeing others succeed in leadership. The ministry setting in Rockaway and partnership with leaders such as Guy, Mike and Molly are things that I will always remember.
Three: Julian, CA, I will never forget my scout trip and meeting Pastor Rick Hill. In the early winter in December of 2005, we sat at the Julian Pie Co. and I shared my hope and vision for what could happen in his very town in the summer of 2006. He looked at me with a smile on his face and said, “this is a great vision, Brian, and I’m thankful that you will do a VBS, that’s a great avenue, just know that the Youth Outreach probably won’t work… we have never had more than six people at any youth event” This simply excited me, whereas for Rick he just concentrated on our team coming as his VBS team. On the first night at the football field we had about 10-12 (he was floored), by the end of the week we couldn’t keep Rick from smiling as he witnessed first-hand nearly 40 students on the field and another 25 coming back to his church to sing songs of praise! Oh, the Pie alone may have given Julian at least the fifth spot!
Two: Mineral, WA, for about 27 years First EPC of Renton, traveled to Mineral, WA to put on a VBS for the church in this Mt. Rainier foothill. For my six summers as the Youth Pastor (years 21-26) I was part of the tradition. We used Mineral as our second mission (and really pushed this as a great entry level mission). Eventually we needed to add Morton, WA as a town (because the Mineral team became too large). The following year we added Onalaska, WA as a third town on the “Mt. Rainier Mission” I loved serving in these towns, we added “youth outreach” to each of them while continuing to serve through a VBS in the morning.
One: Pine Valley, CA, when I scouted PV in January of 2006 I KNEW this was a place we needed to bring a team. The only problem, the Pastor was not in town and though I tried calling several times I never got a reply. So, we scouted and found other places. Well, our sign-ups grew and we needed another town to service the Cuyamaca Mt. Mission of 2007. In April when I scouted again, I drove through Pine Valley again, and again, the Pastor was out of town, no answer, no returned call and we moved on to other communities, even landing one. But for whatever reason I KNEW we were supposed to be in PV. About one month before our Cuyamaca Mt. Mission trip the Pastor, Joe, returned my calls and we hit it off immediately. Because there had been poor communication with the last town I had gotten we decided to pull the plug on that one and go to PV. I was supposed to be taking my team on a return trip to Julian, but for whatever reason I KNEW I was supposed to go to Pine Valley.
Five: Cheers. This is a surprise entry to me actually, as I thought about this show with the criteria that I set, I can honestly say this is one of the DVD series I would pick. Cheers had a great run as a show, and even spun off a show, Frasier, that had an equally strong run. This show had a couple classic openings that I still chuckle about just thinking about them. And you gotta love Norm!
Four: The Office. No doubt this is the one show I expect will make a run up the charts over the years; however, it is still young and needs another year or two of consistent awkwardness to propel its way up.
Three: 24. Jack Bauer could kick any other character’s back side, but as a whole there are still two shows that top it. Two of the seasons of 24 (of the seven so far) have been a little weaker, whereas a couple seasons would compete with Prison Break for the best one year ever.
One: Seinfeld. Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine take the cake. I find myself quoting way too many episodes to not put it in the number one slot!
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