Kansas

Recently I spent five days in Kansas really six because i decided to do side trips to places I never got to see when I use to live here. I spent five years in Kansas from age 10ish to about 15 or 16 when I moved out to Arizona. To me these were the best years for me I don't know if its because of the years of age that make it so memorable or the memories I had. I did have bad days in Kansas and bad moments but now I look back and I can remember the negative but I remember more of the positives of Kansas. Kansas is where I found my love of watching sports I followed Philly because part of my family is from there but always had the Royals in the back of my mind. I remember Carlos Febles, Kevin Appier, Jeff King, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye and I forgot the rest I use to have those SGA cards that they would give out. First game I went to was Kansas City Royals vs the New York Yankees I forgot the year and the score but this was when Kaufman Stadium wasn't even renovated when it had public troughs in the restroom where you would pee in (I'm pretty sure it wasn't old Busch stadium). In the time I was there I got to see the Athletics and the Indians. I never forgot Kaufman Stadium it was beautiful and I always thought it was better than Chase Field and old Busch Stadium not as good as CBP in Philly though. We lived in a neighborhood that had a dead end or a cul-de-sac in that cul-de-sac the neighbors would always have parties whether it was barbecue or just having a get together. It was great you got to know your neighbors and everyone was friendly that wasn't just the neighborhood either it translated into everyday life in Kansas yes there were assholes there are assholes everywhere but they're were a lot of nice people, a lot of people you could talk to and mingle with who were nice and friendly. In Arizona you don't get that everyone is pretty much closed off there seems to be more assholes here especially on the roads.

I generally didn't associate with a lot of people I was quiet didn't really talk to anyone but the people I did associate with (never hung-out with them after school or youth center) they were great people to talk to and hangout with. I ran into jerks but I steered clear away from them for the most part. The weather it was 4 seasons I hated the snow in Kansas it was harsh lots of black ice. In the summer time you had to deal with tornado's. Tornado's I'm not going lie are scary, i freaked out when I drove up to Wichita I went through the turnpike I decided to turn off at an exit to a hotel, as I paid my 50 cents into the machine the wind was blowing like crazy you bet I was scared. When I lived there I found out how powerful just a weak f0 or f1 tornado can be it flipped over a 5 ton trailer and destroyed a trailer park, it was a mile from where i lived and we had two stories and I felt the foundation of the house shake freaked me out so much I ran down to the basement. Anyways, I've always had a fascination of tornado's and when a tornado is in the area you know it I don't know if its because of instinct or fear but there is a different feeling in the air kind of like an energy and it gives you a rush. I remember being in Flagstaff when they had three tornado's form (weak ones) and I was walking on campus and literally no one was walking outside I was the only one and I loved the energy and the rush its weird I know.

I also remember as I was just becoming a Philly fan we use to drive the four hours to old Busch Stadium to see the Phillies I remember the game that Kent Bottenfield won I believe he did get a shutout it I think I was upset that I didn't see Randy Wolf pitch he was one of my favorite pitchers besides Schilling of course. I remember I was upset to see Schilling and Rolen couple years after I remember how the Phillies fans all over booed Rolen because he said he was happy to be traded and it was like heaven (which is understandable because he's from that area and the Phillies just flat out sucked). Then we saw the years of Bowa and the underachievers, we saw the likes of them getting a star in Jim Thome (enjoyed him). And seeing the relieving prowess of Rheal Cormier, the mediocrity and the average joes of Robert Person, Eric Milton and Kevin Millwood, the disappointments of Brandon Duckworth, Jason Michaels, Dave Coggin etc. Ahhh

Old Busch Stadium was nothing to write home about it was a cookie cutter stadium and was as much as a dump as Veterans Stadium. The only good thing about was the skyline of the ballpark which included downtown St. Louis including the arch. I cherish those moments and that why I remember it. I always hated how the Phillies never came to Kansas City to play the Royals well surprise surprise after I moved I found out that finally the Phillies would go to Kaufman Stadium to vs the Royals too little to late. 

Drove 18 hours none stop took some detours which made it a bit longer. When i got to Kaufman Stadium to watch the Royals and Twins play I had about 30 hours of no sleep. At this time I could not check into my hotel because it wasn't ready at the time so smart me says "why not see a ballgame". I get there and its interesting and weird something I don't remember seeing back when I lived here before and haven't seen in Arizona they were tailgating before the Royals game in the parking lot. As I walked to Kaufman stadium everything was familiar the trees the lots everything, even when I walked through the concourse I could see some updates but they had left it as is for the most part since I had left. I took some pictures sat in my seat got my SGA which was a Kansas City Monarchs hat. I watched majority of the ballgame and started to doze off in the 8th or 9th not because it was boring but because I was super tired. Even though I was tired I enjoyed every bit of that experience and I was glad to see the game since they were going on the road after that particular home stand.

Day after I took a stroll on vine street and got to see the Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues museum awesome to see. Also on my visit i got to see the Kansas City Federal Reserve as well. Across the street was the WW1 museum although I did not tour that museum I got to walk the steps of it to get a great skyline of the KC Metro area and took some awesome pictures.

Anyways I found myself going back to St. Louis on an impulse in an attempt to turn a negative into a positive I bought a ticket for new Busch Stadium in a course of a day I thought it was dumb for me to go so I tried to sell it back, no luck. I decided to go and I thought I was going early I arrived in St. Louis and saw the stadium first hand it was beautiful I decided to park thinking the arch was not that far of a walk that wasn't the case it was a 46 minute walk. So plan B I walk around the stadium to see whats there. And by god the stadium was beautiful every bit of it was and I was just viewing it from the outside. Then I find ballpark village and across from the ballpark they had a Midwest live entertainment spot very unique venue it had bars on both sides some restaurants and a bar on the second level. I had been abstain-ant from alcohol at this point but I couldn't resist I had to have a beer. Ordered a shock top and drank a beer from the second level on the edge looking back totally worth the experience. I find the Cardinals museum I go in its even better so much history that I could you won't be able to take in on the first visit. After about two hours I get to the end of the museum, I stood in line and I got to hold the world champion rings from 2006 and 2011 they were heavy. Then with gloves I got to hold Stan Musial's bat which was awesome. Just like when I was a child I was only able to see the game then I had to go home.

Funny thing is they gave an SGA out a St. Louis Blues shirt and it was cool because they had 3 st louis players (Pietrangelo, O'Reilly, and Maroon) and Berube or chief  at Busch Stadium. They rode the Stanely Cup around the ballpark for all to see I got sort of a close up because I was in the bleacher seats I'm not a Blues fan but it was an awesome experience. I hope one day my Flyers get to do that at CBP or Kansas City gets another hockey team and they get to do that in Kaufman Stadium.

It was an awesome experience and I'll always hold a place in my heart for Kansas and the Kansas City area. The trip back reminded me how much I miss being in the Kansas City area and to appreciate all the color that land had as opposed to beige in Arizona. Even though I've lived in Arizona for 15 years I will never call it home I will never miss it. Arizona has never been a place I've ever cared about if I ever leave of course I'll miss the weather and how its 80 degrees in December but there is nothing here that holds dear to me and that will never change. 

Recently I spent five days in Kansas really six because i decided to do side trips to places I never got to see when I use to live here. I spent five years in Kansas from age 10ish to about 15 or 16 when I moved out to Arizona. To me these were the best years for me I don't know if its because of the years of age that make it so memorable or the memories I had. I did have bad days in Kansas and bad moments but now I look back and I can remember the negative but I remember more of the positives of Kansas. Kansas is where I found my love of watching sports I followed Philly because part of my family is from there but always had the Royals in the back of my mind. I remember Carlos Febles, Kevin Appier, Jeff King, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye and I forgot the rest I use to have those SGA cards that they would give out. First game I went to was Kansas City Royals vs the New York Yankees I forgot the year and the score but this was when Kaufman Stadium wasn't even renovated when it had public troughs in the restroom where you would pee in (I'm pretty sure it wasn't old Busch stadium). In the time I was there I got to see the Athletics and the Indians. I never forgot Kaufman Stadium it was beautiful and I always thought it was better than Chase Field and old Busch Stadium not as good as CBP in Philly though. We lived in a neighborhood that had a dead end or a cul-de-sac in that cul-de-sac the neighbors would always have parties whether it was barbecue or just having a get together. It was great you got to know your neighbors and everyone was friendly that wasn't just the neighborhood either it translated into everyday life in Kansas yes there were assholes there are assholes everywhere but they're were a lot of nice people, a lot of people you could talk to and mingle with who were nice and friendly. In Arizona you don't get that everyone is pretty much closed off there seems to be more assholes here especially on the roads.

I generally didn't associate with a lot of people I was quiet didn't really talk to anyone but the people I did associate with (never hung-out with them after school or youth center) they were great people to talk to and hangout with. I ran into jerks but I steered clear away from them for the most part. The weather it was 4 seasons I hated the snow in Kansas it was harsh lots of black ice. In the summer time you had to deal with tornado's. Tornado's I'm not going lie are scary, i freaked out when I drove up to Wichita I went through the turnpike I decided to turn off at an exit to a hotel, as I paid my 50 cents into the machine the wind was blowing like crazy you bet I was scared. When I lived there I found out how powerful just a weak f0 or f1 tornado can be it flipped over a 5 ton trailer and destroyed a trailer park, it was a mile from where i lived and we had two stories and I felt the foundation of the house shake freaked me out so much I ran down to the basement. Anyways, I've always had a fascination of tornado's and when a tornado is in the area you know it I don't know if its because of instinct or fear but there is a different feeling in the air kind of like an energy and it gives you a rush. I remember being in Flagstaff when they had three tornado's form (weak ones) and I was walking on campus and literally no one was walking outside I was the only one and I loved the energy and the rush its weird I know.

I also remember as I was just becoming a Philly fan we use to drive the four hours to old Busch Stadium to see the Phillies I remember the game that Kent Bottenfield won I believe he did get a shutout it I think I was upset that I didn't see Randy Wolf pitch he was one of my favorite pitchers besides Schilling of course. I remember I was upset to see Schilling and Rolen couple years after I remember how the Phillies fans all over booed Rolen because he said he was happy to be traded and it was like heaven (which is understandable because he's from that area and the Phillies just flat out sucked). Then we saw the years of Bowa and the underachievers, we saw the likes of them getting a star in Jim Thome (enjoyed him). And seeing the relieving prowess of Rheal Cormier, the mediocrity and the average joes of Robert Person, Eric Milton and Kevin Millwood, the disappointments of Brandon Duckworth, Jason Michaels, Dave Coggin etc. Ahhh

Old Busch Stadium was nothing to write home about it was a cookie cutter stadium and was as much as a dump as Veterans Stadium. The only good thing about was the skyline of the ballpark which included downtown St. Louis including the arch. I cherish those moments and that why I remember it. I always hated how the Phillies never came to Kansas City to play the Royals well surprise surprise after I moved I found out that finally the Phillies would go to Kaufman Stadium to vs the Royals too little to late. 

Drove 18 hours none stop took some detours which made it a bit longer. When i got to Kaufman Stadium to watch the Royals and Twins play I had about 30 hours of no sleep. At this time I could not check into my hotel because it wasn't ready at the time so smart me says "why not see a ballgame". I get there and its interesting and weird something I don't remember seeing back when I lived here before and haven't seen in Arizona they were tailgating before the Royals game in the parking lot. As I walked to Kaufman stadium everything was familiar the trees the lots everything, even when I walked through the concourse I could see some updates but they had left it as is for the most part since I had left. I took some pictures sat in my seat got my SGA which was a Kansas City Monarchs hat. I watched majority of the ballgame and started to doze off in the 8th or 9th not because it was boring but because I was super tired. Even though I was tired I enjoyed every bit of that experience and I was glad to see the game since they were going on the road after that particular home stand.

Day after I took a stroll on vine street and got to see the Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues museum awesome to see. Also on my visit i got to see the Kansas City Federal Reserve as well. Across the street was the WW1 museum although I did not tour that museum I got to walk the steps of it to get a great skyline of the KC Metro area and took some awesome pictures.

Anyways I found myself going back to St. Louis on an impulse in an attempt to turn a negative into a positive I bought a ticket for new Busch Stadium in a course of a day I thought it was dumb for me to go so I tried to sell it back, no luck. I decided to go and I thought I was going early I arrived in St. Louis and saw the stadium first hand it was beautiful I decided to park thinking the arch was not that far of a walk that wasn't the case it was a 46 minute walk. So plan B I walk around the stadium to see whats there. And by god the stadium was beautiful every bit of it was and I was just viewing it from the outside. Then I find ballpark village and across from the ballpark they had a Midwest live entertainment spot very unique venue it had bars on both sides some restaurants and a bar on the second level. I had been abstain-ant from alcohol at this point but I couldn't resist I had to have a beer. Ordered a shock top and drank a beer from the second level on the edge looking back totally worth the experience. I find the Cardinals museum I go in its even better so much history that I could you won't be able to take in on the first visit. After about two hours I get to the end of the museum, I stood in line and I got to hold the world champion rings from 2006 and 2011 they were heavy. Then with gloves I got to hold Stan Musial's bat which was awesome. Just like when I was a child I was only able to see the game then I had to go home.

Funny thing is they gave an SGA out a St. Louis Blues shirt and it was cool because they had 3 st louis players (Pietrangelo, O'Reilly, and Maroon) and Berube or chief  at Busch Stadium. They rode the Stanely Cup around the ballpark for all to see I got sort of a close up because I was in the bleacher seats I'm not a Blues fan but it was an awesome experience. I hope one day my Flyers get to do that at CBP or Kansas City gets another hockey team and they get to do that in Kaufman Stadium.

It was an awesome experience and I'll always hold a place in my heart for Kansas and the Kansas City area. The trip back reminded me how much I miss being in the Kansas City area and to appreciate all the color that land had as opposed to beige in Arizona. Even though I've lived in Arizona for 15 years I will never call it home I will never miss it. Arizona has never been a place I've ever cared about if I ever leave of course I'll miss the weather and how its 80 degrees in December but there is nothing here that holds dear to me and that will never change.