I used to hit Dodger Stadium a few times in the Spring or Fall when I was in college up in LA. I've been back once since O'Malley sold it off, that was two seasons ago. I cannot believe the transformation that it has gone through when I see it now on TV.
- The stadium is aqua. I see people wearing aqua Dodger caps. Everything is aqua. If you cut Tommy Lasorda, does he bleed aqua? I guess Dodger Blue wasn't that important after all.
- I miss the radar gun guy. The guy smoking a cigar and wearing a Panama Hat that had a seat directly behind home plate. When they built the new seats there was no need for his services any longer. Panama Hat dude probably wanders Chavez Ravine searching dumpsters for half eaten Dodger Dogs.
- The foul territory has shrunk. That was always kind of fun, because every ball was in play. If you swung at a third strike and the catcher let the ball get by him, you could turn it into a triple.
- Chavez Ravine smells like a toilet. Dex and Jon can confirm this. We drove up to see the Padres play a couple years back and as we waited to pay for parking at the entrance we discovered the awful truth. Chavez Ravine smells exactly like an overflowing Port-o-potty. It was horrible. We were eating fruit roll up at the time and Dex wrapped fruit roll up around his nose to try and mask the smell of feces with the sweet smell of rolled fruit. It didn't work.
- The Dodgers sold out to advertisers. I think Dodger Stadium was the last to keep advertisements out of their ballpark. They had the 76 ball in the outfield but that was just about it. Now they are just like the rest of us. So many ads that it looks like you are playing a game in the Sunday paper. I can't imagine that Dodger Stadium will have it's name much longer.
