There are several historic streaks in sports today. The University of Connecticut Lady Huskies have just completed their second consecutive NCAA undefeated season, putting their current win streak at 78 wins in a row. While that is a majestic streak in its own right, two members of the MyHoustonLife staff set out to continue their own historic streak this past Monday –consecutive Houston Astros Opening Day attendance.
Laugh if you’d like, and yes, it is highly likely that there are those mystical fans who may have extended their own, much longer, Opening Day streaks this week, but soon you will see why this specific streak is note-worthy… this streak my friends, nearly ended.
The time, 4:05 PM Monday afternoon –two hours before the first pitch of the Astros 2010 season, two hours before the end of, The Streak. So I will go ahead and admit this now, I was perfectly content with watching Opening Day from the comfort of my couch. I was at peace with the end, the end of the streak. Fate (well, jrojas) however, would intervene.
4:06PM: My phone vibrates to life. Its jrojas. A tinge of frantic can be heard in his voice. “Dude, I don’t know what we were thinking! Opening Day, we gotta go! Do it! Tickets! Get them!” *click*
Really?! He wants to get tickets two hours prior to a sold out game? This is nuts… Let’s do this!
4:30PM: A few quick clicks through the Astros’ ticketing website and it becomes apparent that the game is indeed sold out. Sadly, this will probably be the only sold out game of the year for the Astros… give it a week or two and we’ll be able to walk up to the box office and buy whatever ticket we want.
By the way, anyone else notice the new “market value” priced tickets? Those will be great in a few weeks when the Astros won’t be able to give away tickets, but on Opening Day? “Market Value” is ridiculous! $65 for field level seats that are originally $40 bucks?! No thanks.
This is where we click refresh… click refresh and pray.
4:55PM: *BOOM* There they were, two seats, section 114, row 14… DUGOUT seats! Sign me up. Prayers answered. See you at will call!
7:00PM: Third inning, Astros down 3-0 already and the Tim “The Freak” Lincecum looks to be in Cy-Young form —this guy’s virtually unhittable. Astros’ ace, Roy Oswalt, still shaking off some offseason rust. 
Time to take it all in *deep breath*. Hello baseball season, we’ve missed you. The Rockets are playing out their last couple of games and are already looking to next season, no playoffs. Really, this is the beauty of baseball. It’s a slower game, America’s game. No fastbreaks. No two-minute drills. Even in a quick-paced pitchers duel like tonight (thanks to Lincecum mowing down Astros hitters like a lawn and Oswalt finally dominating like we know he can), baseball lends plenty of time to gather some much needed reflection and thought.
Cool Spring night. Minute Maid roof open. Slight breeze blowing in from left field. Raucous crowd. Love it.
8:15PM: 7th inning stretch. A tradition across baseball everywhere. Astros still losing but its ok. Check out this lady’s jersey! Can we say jealous?
“Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks…”
Agreed. Time for ballpark food!
8:20PM: Yes. The aromas of ballpark food. Hot dogs smothered in chili and cheese. Nachos, smothered in chili and cheese. Bratwursts! Smothered in chili and er… nevermind. Its opening day. Got to go with the classic.
Note: This chili cheese dog holds double significance as it will take part as evidence and test subject in an argument that has raged between jrojas and myself for the better part of two years now. Who serves the better chili cheese dog, Minute Maid Park or Toyota Center? I know. Blasphemy right? How could a basketball arena serve a better dog than a baseball park? Well believe it! Look for a new upcoming article from MHL called VERSUS! Our first battle? You got it. Arena chili cheese dogs. Look out for it!
9:15PM: Astros down 5-0. Top of the ninth. The crowd is headed for the exits. One day I would love to see a Houston crowd stick it out to the end of a game. Any game. The home team could be winning, and people start leaving early. The home team is getting blown out, people bolt for the exits. Guys, the traffic is going to suck nonetheless. Stick around.
Bottom of the ninth. Plenty of empty seats in the stands now. This is how this place is going to look the remander of the season unless the Astros go against all predictions and start winning this season. They’ve done it before. It’s game one of 162… there’s plenty of room for optimism.
Astros plate two runs! No shut out tonight boys!
Rally over. Game over. Astros lose 5-2 to the San Francisco Giants.
By the time of this posting, the Astros will have lost again –3-0 in game two of the three game series with the Giants. There is a high possibility that the Astros could go winless in their first three series this year, we have the Phillies (National League Champs) and Cardinals (Central Division Camps) coming up.
A victory will be celebrated however, the streak continues. In a couple of years we will be able to say that we have not missed an Astros Opening Day in a decade, and we’ll look back on this particular Opening Day and celebrate the loss.
Astros attempt to avoid getting swept by the Giants tomorrow afternoon in the first day game of the season. Take off of work early and head to the ballpark and cheer on the home team! Get your tickets here.
Were you at Opening Day?? Tell us about it and upload your pics to our Facebook fan page! We love to hear from you!
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