ArenaBowl XVIII Adventure, Part III
Guest Writer
Friday July 9, 2004
Part 3 of 3
Sunday, June 27 (continued)
It`s finally over. The arena emptied quickly when the home team failed to come up with the miracle finish to tie the game. I was disappointed, and tried to make my way to the lower deck. There were too many people waiting for the escalators, so I chose to head back through the doors to another 200-level section and watch the post game there. It was then that I decided to play scavenger in the upper deck for programs, cards, towels, and ticket stubs. I wasn`t the only one.
In the end, when the clean-up crew advised me that the upper deck had been officially closed, I had about 10 good condition game programs, about 15 of the football card things they gave out, one clean U.S. Army rally towel (the rest were soaked with spilled beverages) and about 8 ticket stubs.
The downside was that I had to carry this back the few blocks to the hotel. This didn`t seem like much, until I realized it`d be about another hour or so until Fran would be back from the post-game interviews and media moments so that I could stow this and join everyone at the pool in Hotel San Carlos for some after game discussion, and subsequent drinking, before finally heading to the airport to return home.
So, I did what only an out-of-towner would do. I went for a nice hour-long walk in downtown Phoenix on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I was in all-black, carrying about 10 pounds in game memorabilia and my jacket. I could`ve substituted it for wearing a parka and ten pounds of fresh-out-of-the-oven baked potatoes and would`ve felt about the same.
Finally, I made it back to Hotel San Carlos and met up with Pitizenlyn from the ArenaFan message boards and was told I could stow my stuff in her room. After being told of the location of a Circle K (a convenient store in the southwest), I went for another walk. This time, a much shorter walk at only four blocks away.
One thing to note about Phoenix, in case you`ve never been there. There`s no grass. It takes a little getting used to seeing an open area by the bus stop near the Hotel San Carlos where all you see is rocks and dirt. In the east, you would`ve thought they were doing construction. But not there, that was the courtyard.
After getting a calling card from the Circle K and some much needed liquids, I walked back and made a call from a pay phone to my parents to let them know that everything was fine and still expected to be headed to Pittsburgh on time. I also got the number of my boss so I could call in Monday morning from Chicago to let them know that I was going to be running late.
I arrived back at the Hotel San Carlos where I met Fran again and enjoyed a few dips in the pool and talked a lot about the game, and Arena Football in general with those there. Pitizenlyn took the loss hard, and I felt bad. I`ve been a fan of the Rampage since the 2000 season, and have liked the smaller city teams including the Rampage, since I first started watching the league. But, I never actually got to grow up with a team in my same city the way Phoenix fans have.
To think, the Arizona Rattlers will be starting their 14th season next year. But still, I would trade my position in with the Rampage to be where the Rattlers have been this year. From 3-5 to 11-5. A ten-game winning streak, and an ArenaBowl appearance at home. Still, it would hurt. I was truly rooting for Arizona to win. Not that they deserve to win. They didn`t. Neither did San Jose. Both have won it all in the past. Both have hosted ArenaBowls. Both have winning histories and great teams. I wanted Arizona to win because I couldn`t wish a third loss on the dedicated fans of the Rattlers.
It may take a few years, but I do think the Rattlers` fans can look back and truly realize how great a run they`ve had, even if it hasn`t resulted in a win yet.
At around 10:00 p.m. the party had wound to an end for me. It was time to head to the airport once more for the return flight. We stopped at Circle K so that Fran could buy some Smirnoff Ice for the pool party and I wanted something to drink before subjecting myself to airport prices or waiting for the chance to get it in the airplane when I had hoped to sleep.
I said goodbye to Lyn, her daughter Kiffany, and Fran, and entered the terminal once again. This time, the line to get the ticket was much longer. It was at least 40 people deep when I arrived. By the time I had gotten to the counter there were now about 40 people behind me. When I approached the gate, I realized this wasn`t a 737 that I would be on this time. This was a 757 that was flying from Hawaii and already had quite a few people on it, and was now going to be loaded with people making the Phoenix-to-Chicago leg of their trip. So, of course, another full plane.
I didn`t ask, so therefore I received a middle seat on the trip to Chicago Midway. I didn`t mind. I planned on sleeping anyway. There was a little turbulence, but nothing severe. I did manage to sleep a few hours before finally arriving in Chicago.
Monday, June 28
At around 6:00 a.m. Chicago time, I bought some breakfast of French toast that was much cheaper than my supper there the night before. I ate at the food court, and then went to call work to let them know I was going to be late. My boss didn`t believe I`d go straight from the airport to work. Nevertheless, he accepted my reason for being late as valid.
We left for Pittsburgh under bad weather. No major turbulence, but we had to fly through heavy rain before finally getting above the clouds. This time, I couldn`t see the ground. Just the clouds below us. For as far as the eye could see, waves of clouds like an ocean. Again, the PIT-CHI leg was under booked and I had an entire row to myself so I easily had a window seat.
We began the descent at about 10:00 a.m. I finally got to see the northwest Pittsburgh suburbs from the air. So many times I`ve driven on Interstate 79 or the Parkway West, but never got to see how small it all appeared to be. We crossed Shippensport and got to see the nuclear power plants along the Ohio River. Then over Neville Island where the new Robert Morris University ice hockey teams will be playing this fall, across I-79 again at the hairpin turns right by the Ohio River bridge. Down over Robinson Town Centre. We made a pass over Carnegie and the southside, surely over my apartment building. Over my office building, and finally coming up from the south to the runway at Pittsburgh International.
I was a little dismayed that my trip had finally come to an end. Less than 48 hours before, I hadn`t even planned to go. And now, it was all finished. Nothing more than a memory at this point, but one trip well worth the $680 I finally tabulated it to be. I got to my car, drove out and paid the parking fare for two days and drove down the Parkway West east into Robinson. I got off on the Steubenville Pike and headed down around some construction work to my office. Luckily, or unluckily depending on your viewpoint, my cologne bottle leaked in my bookbag somewhere between Phoenix and Pittsburgh. It`s not strong cologne, so it wasn`t overpowering, but at least it did cover up the fact I spent the better part of the morning in a cramped airplane after walking around downtown Phoenix with no shower since then.
I parked at work and switched from my shorts to work pants. Grabbed my I.D. and badge and went into my office.
My boss thinks I`m crazy. Most of the people at work think I was crazy. I did all that for a football game. An Arena Football game, no less, to them. When I arrived at work, less than 8 hours earlier I was in Phoenix. And now, I was at work. I worked until 10 p.m. before finally heading home after the long weekend.
I was asked by a co-worker, who happened to also be an attendee at the first ever ArenaBowl held in Pittsburgh, if I would go if I had it to do over again. I answer, “In a heart beat.”
This weekend was great. This is what this sport is about: a great game, great fans, and memories.
To everyone I saw this year, to everyone I saw last year, and to all those that want to attend an ArenaBowl, I hope to see you all next year for ArenaBowl XIX, hopefully in the northeast.
`Sykotyk` is this author`s pseudonym. He prefers not to give out his real name, especially on the Internet. He has been an Arena Football fan for many years since at least 1994. He`s a fan of the Grand Rapids Rampage since 2000 and attended his first ever AFL game in 2001 in Grand Rapids, MI. He currently lives in the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since 2003 after living about 30 miles south of Erie, Pennsylvania for most of his life.