Opening Day stories from those who attended?

[monty57]

That's awesome, Hawing... I found myself in the picture.

 

Other than about an hour and a half wait in line to get into the parking lot, everything was great. I agree with those that say the drunkenness was down, as I really didn't see any obnoxious behaviour. The lines to get into the bathrooms in the park were bad, but since I wasn't drinking, it didn't bother me too much. Someone with a lot of beer in them could've missed half the game waiting in line.

 

Overall, a good day... except for the Brewer loss.

[owbc]

We had no problems. We got into the preferred lot from National Ave around 12 PM with no line. Everyone around us (TB 416) was respectful. A few people did not show up until the 4th or 5th inning, but that is typical for any game. The amount of drinking also did not seem to be that much more than on a Friday or Saturday game in the summer, at least in our area.

 

Everything was fine last year as well.

 

The last year that it was really bad was 2008, when they still had the large groups coming from the bars.

[Patrick425]

I seem to go every year without an issue. Shocker: there's DRUNKS at opening day?! Bout as surprising as drunks showing up to Summerfest.

 

I find so long as you go with your own crowd and mind your business, it's largely a non-issue. Seeing there's at LEAST 60,000 people floating around the park, what can you expect but a % to act, well, drunk?

 

If you really think its that bad, try a NASCAR race. Those I've gone to make opening day in Milwaukee look like a bar mitzvah.

 

I'm not trying to be the turd in the punchbowl here, but I think the day is overwhelmingly as good or bad as you want to make it. It's good to hear that it appears most here had a problem-free experience this year.

 

And if you really dead-set on taking small children, spend the time to seek out and secure family section tailgating and seats...the world is not going to change because we decide to take our kids out of school (maybe not this year) to go to a baseball game.

 

The vast majority act human in my experience. Planning for the others is an unfortunate but predictable reality.

 

 

I'm not intending to come across as an ******, but I think some are as over the top about the behavior as those actually acting over the top.

 

In a nut-shell I had a great time again this year.

 

respectfully,

James

James,

 

I don't think anyone stated that they didn't expect drunks at opening day. I just stated that it's a reason I don't go to opening day any more (and another person stated that they are reconsidering whether or not they want to attend in the future). Not my kind of crowd. I prefer to go when there are more people that are actually interested in the game than in how many beers they can consume in a 4 hour period.

 

Minding your own business in no way assures you that you will be able to avoiding drunks invading your personal space. Two incidents that occurred at the last opening day I was at basically made my decision never to attend another opening day again. We were in the parking lot just sitting, minding our own business, enjoying some brats and beverages and this group near us decides they want to play Frisbee. Fine. However, before long they are literally standing 2 feet in front of our chairs as they are playing catch with the Frisbee and at times the Frisbee is coming right at us. I asked them if they wouldn't mind moving and their reaction was flippant..something like "relax, it's opening day". Then during the game, I go to the concessions and there is a group of loud, obnoxious drunks behind me. Soon, they are surrounding me and trying to skip me. These are annoyances I don't need when all I am trying to do is enjoy a day at the ball park.

 

As far as bringing kids to the game..It's not like I'm bringing my son to a bar or a Nine Inch Nails concert. It's a ball game! You act like it's no place for children. Yes, because baseball and kids should never go together.

[swab]

There was a pretty big incident over by me after the game. Someone threw a table in front of some cars leaving and then refused to move it. Someone got out of their car to move it and the people who threw it there were quite logically (or not) upset. After being slighted in this manner, one of the more clever individuals (who appeared to be pretty deep into his cups) from this group decided to stand in front of the cars while he finished consuming his mug of beer. This didn't go well and the driver made the next regrettable decision by driving ahead directly into the guy. The guy climbed the hood while the driver floored it. After falling off the hood, the driver got out and was soundly beaten around the head and back by the Mr. Mug. The passenger attempted to intervene and was also punched repeatedly for his trouble. The fighting subsided, however not to be outdone, Mr. Mug kicked the car a few times and also managed to kick the side mirror from the passenger side of the car. He then took off running. The cops never showed (I had called them) and the car left without further incident. All in all, it was pretty scary. Someone managed to tape it all on camera...oh and Mr. Mug dropped his hat. Some random guy picked it up and remarked "free hat, awesome" before leaving. Quite the spectacle, I must say. I might have to start heading to the game after Opening Day from here on out. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[jrodbrewcrew]

Not my kind of crowd. I prefer to go when there are more people that are actually interested in the game than in how many beers they can consume in a 4 hour period.

That's the point I was trying to get across. I've grown out of the stage where I attend an afternoon game and feel the need to polish off a 12 pack. I've also grown out of the stage where I want to see people acting stupid. There are doing to be drunks at every game. Period. But, I would rather go to a game where I can tailgate without incident, get my $10.50 Bloody Mary, enjoy my helmet full of cheese fries and enjoy watching the Crew. To each their own, I guess is the best way to go on this issue.

 

 

[pmallon]

Pretty much what everyone else said, except for a couple of stories. Saw on fight in the parking lot after the game, one guy got his nose smashed up pretty good and his buddy must have fell or got pushed into the trash, and had a gash on his palm that pretty much gushed blood like a fountain.It got broken up and of course the one buddy of the group who never got into the fight, because he was all of a buck fifty tried to get the guys who were bleeding all of the place to go back. His exact words were "If you want to do this, let's do it". The other guys started walking back with the little guy of course behind the both of them. If the little guy would have just gotten punched I'm sure none of it would have happen. Also, he brewers always have those trivia questions that people have to answer in between innings. The first is the time warner triple play where they put three brewers up and give you three random facts to guess who they are. The players were Kottaras, McGhee, and someone else. Two of the hints were that he went to Fresno State, and led all rookies in RBI last year. The Guy answered Kottaras. As bad as that may be the Air Tran question where you can win tickets was way better. The question was something to the effect of where did Braun hit his 100th career homerun. The choices were Arizona, San Francisco (I think), and Dallas. The guy picked Dallas!! And they say opening day is for true baseball fans, ha!

[Legacy25GT]

Yesterday was the first time I'd ever been to opening day and I thought everything went well.... except the parking at least at the north lot. We had a general parking pass and arrived around 10:20, and some friends (who had a preferred parking pass) were going to come around 11:00, parking near the home plate side of the stadium and walk to the north lot where we'd have the grill heated up ready to go. We came in on wisconsin ave and found it bumper to bumper for probably a mile. After taking 25 minutes to go a block, I got out of the car to scope out the situation. I was able to look into the north lot and see that it was about half full. At the intersection where people were coming from the east and west on bluemound to get into the north lot were a couple of police officers telling everyone without a PREFERRED parking pass to head to state fair. I asked him, "Are you sure we can't get into the general lot with a pass?" and he said he was told to let preferred passes though only. I knew that was wrong, so I went back to the car which moved half a block in the time I was gone. We ended up getting on highway 41 at wisconsin ave and ended up taking a round about way to get to the canal street entrance where they were a bit more organized.

[RockCoCougars]

As far as bringing kids to the game..It's not like I'm bringing my son to a bar or a Nine Inch Nails concert. It's a ball game! You act like it's no place for children. Yes, because baseball and kids should never go together.

There are two places that I would never bring my kids- Las Vegas, and Miller Park on Opening Day. That's just the way it is, but there are 80 other games that I can take them to.

[temke]

there are two left fielders in the picture...

[Legacy25GT]

there are two left fielders in the picture...

that's nothing compared to what happened to our new centerfielder

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/jrfroe/centerfield.jpg

[gypcasino]

his buddy must have fell or got pushed into the trash

How fitting...

[packfan79]

This was my fifth opening day and all in all it was pretty tame considering how nice the weather was although the 1:05 start and being on a Monday may have something to do with it. We got into the preferred lot by the sausage house at about 9:30 after getting turned away around 9. Leroy Butler was doing a radio show out there and Doug Melvin came out and did an interview and some of my friends got pics taken with him.

[littledoc83]

1. I had an issue just getting into the parking lot. They were screening cars as they turned around the left hand corner to come into the general parking lot entrance road. The officers there were asking to see tickets before you could go in. I had chose the print at home method and then never received the e-mail to print from. I contacted the brewers ticket office and they told me it was their mistake and that the tickets would be waiting at will call. The officer didn't want to seem to believe me.... argued my case for prolly 3-4 minutes before he finally let me into the parking lot. I forgot they did that on opening day... note to any others who may use will call on opening day.... bring a printed off receipt if at all possible to avoid the hassle.

 

2. Agree that I seen far less "incidences" this year than the past couple years.

 

3. Sure hope the anti-clutch hitting doesn't become a trend.

 

4. Beautiful weather can not be stated enough.

 

5. Noticed the new pasta cart... seemed odd to me for a baseball game.

 

6. Got a chuckle out of a Ohka jersey sitting right in front of me.

[pretendastronaut]

6. Got a chuckle out of a Ohka jersey sitting right in front of me.

 

 

 

Oh ya, there was an Ohka jersey in my section. If you weren't in 212 then there were at least 2 of them.

[ewizabeff]

We got into the Giants (Molitor) lot at about 9:10, no problems anywhere really. It was mom's first opening day and she had a blast.