'They Did It'
I'll say this -- I didn't expect to love Citi Field. I didn't expect to love the architecture, the attractions, the amenities. But I did.
More than anything else, Citi Field felt right. With the possible exception of the Caesar's Club that me, the Hound, Sip, and a friend of Sip's walked through on our way out, Citi Field feels like what a Mets ballpark should feel like.
It's possible this doesn't all translate on television. I got a text message from Nails a few innings in, bemoaning the architecture and its nod to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the colors of the wall and their nod to the New York Giants, and the overhang in right and its nod to Tiger Stadium. Where was the nod to Shea Stadium? To Mets history?
The truth is there's very little to remind you of Shea Stadium. They've got the new apple out in center field (the old, rotting apple can be found somewhere near the bullpen, but I didn't see it yesterday); behind the Jumbotron in center, at the Shake Shack, sits the old skyline silhouette that once topped the scoreboard at Shea. And that's about it.
I'll say two things about it. The first is that a lot of the things I expected to bother me a lot, don't. Take the color of the seats -- why couldn't they paint them orange, blue, green, and red like old Shea? The outfield walls -- why aren't they blue? The truth is, when I was there yesterday, neither bothered me. The color of the seats definitely didn't; I looked twice at the walls but ultimately I was fine with them.
The other thing I'll say is that comparisons with Shea really aren't fair. Shea was our home, and people like me, Sip, and Nails will always love it. But the experience of watching the game there just cannot compare to Citi Field. At Shea you essentially had two options for watching the game -- from your seat or on a television while on line for food.
At Citi Field you have complete freedom. After the first inning, the Hound and I took a little stroll around the ballpark, and ultimately went to an eatery out in right center field. We got our food, went to a nearby table, watched the game, talked, and ate. We didn't have to watch from our Excelsior Club tickets anymore, we could watch from behind the bleachers in right field. It was a really nice option to have.
* * * * *
There's a certain breed of Mets fan for whom embracing Citi Field will feel like blasphemy, but that's silly. Shea Stadium was a great old place, and the memories aren't going anywhere. But as Tim Riggins recently said, it's time to make some new memories, and if you're a Mets fan, holding Citi Field at arms length is just self-defeating.
The good news is that when you're there, you get it. That was my experience at least. As I walked around the promenade some time around 6:15 yesterday, a hint of exhilaration in my step, I found myself feeling relieved. The new ballpark felt great, but I was only just discovering it. "They did it," I said to myself, and hurried on my way.
- A.F.O.M.G.
More than anything else, Citi Field felt right. With the possible exception of the Caesar's Club that me, the Hound, Sip, and a friend of Sip's walked through on our way out, Citi Field feels like what a Mets ballpark should feel like.
It's possible this doesn't all translate on television. I got a text message from Nails a few innings in, bemoaning the architecture and its nod to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the colors of the wall and their nod to the New York Giants, and the overhang in right and its nod to Tiger Stadium. Where was the nod to Shea Stadium? To Mets history?The truth is there's very little to remind you of Shea Stadium. They've got the new apple out in center field (the old, rotting apple can be found somewhere near the bullpen, but I didn't see it yesterday); behind the Jumbotron in center, at the Shake Shack, sits the old skyline silhouette that once topped the scoreboard at Shea. And that's about it.
I'll say two things about it. The first is that a lot of the things I expected to bother me a lot, don't. Take the color of the seats -- why couldn't they paint them orange, blue, green, and red like old Shea? The outfield walls -- why aren't they blue? The truth is, when I was there yesterday, neither bothered me. The color of the seats definitely didn't; I looked twice at the walls but ultimately I was fine with them.
The other thing I'll say is that comparisons with Shea really aren't fair. Shea was our home, and people like me, Sip, and Nails will always love it. But the experience of watching the game there just cannot compare to Citi Field. At Shea you essentially had two options for watching the game -- from your seat or on a television while on line for food.
At Citi Field you have complete freedom. After the first inning, the Hound and I took a little stroll around the ballpark, and ultimately went to an eatery out in right center field. We got our food, went to a nearby table, watched the game, talked, and ate. We didn't have to watch from our Excelsior Club tickets anymore, we could watch from behind the bleachers in right field. It was a really nice option to have.
* * * * *
There's a certain breed of Mets fan for whom embracing Citi Field will feel like blasphemy, but that's silly. Shea Stadium was a great old place, and the memories aren't going anywhere. But as Tim Riggins recently said, it's time to make some new memories, and if you're a Mets fan, holding Citi Field at arms length is just self-defeating.
The good news is that when you're there, you get it. That was my experience at least. As I walked around the promenade some time around 6:15 yesterday, a hint of exhilaration in my step, I found myself feeling relieved. The new ballpark felt great, but I was only just discovering it. "They did it," I said to myself, and hurried on my way.
- A.F.O.M.G.
posted by A Friend of Mr. Glass' at 9:51 AM
3 Comments:
This is encouraging to read. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I have the same reaction when I finally make it back east and catch a game, but this makes me feel a bit better. The stadium looks horrendous on TV with Steve Phillips talking endlessly about how nice the GM's office that he designed is and how fast the press elevator is. I really don't care about the experience of the photographer for the Bergen Record.
Anyway, good to read this and hope you're right.
I love the place. It's cozy, and becoming home. It's quickly becoming my favorite ballpark. (As if anything reasonable that houses the Mets wouldn't)
I walked all around Thursday night. i was in the park for six hours, just viewing the place from all over. It's nice.
I have not been there yet but the brick wall behind home plate bothers me. wild pitches bounce right back to the catcher almost all the time. Yeah I kinda do miss the blue walls but I like the depth of the outfield plus the high walls. It exposes a team's defense.
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