SIS - Redsfest 2k8 - Red Reporter

SIS - Redsfest 2k8

by jch24 on Dec 13, 2008 5:13 PM EST Comment 49 comments

Hi, hello, and welcome. I just got back from Redsfest, and boy are my arms tired.

The highlights:

- I met up with Caleb and finally met JD. Gracious and smart, and his lovely wife even put up with my son's ranting about where to get the Bronson Arroyo Topps card.

- There was a ton of stuff to do for all ages as usual.

- A kid who looked to be about ten sang the hell out of "Don't Stop Believin'" on the main stage karaoke, garnering a standing O from Cowboy, Votto, & Marty.

- I successfully defended my fastest pitch title only because I ran unopposed

. - We came away with a king's ransom of crap and all I spent was $20 to sign the boy up for "Reds Heads", the kids fan club. Oh, and as we signed up for Reds Heads the girl made it clear that I should stick around, but couldn't disclose why. Ten minutes later Jay Bruce made an impromptu appearance and signed for the kids, my son now has what could become a very valuable hat. :)

- The aforementioned BA card was part of an eight card set, you had to go to stations around the center to collect each card.

- I saw NoHo signing autographs the same day as he was non-tendered. I was unaware that he had been immediately re-signed, so I found this hysterical at the time.

- I got a great pic of CTrent "live blogging". Good times. He flipped me off immediately after the pic was taken. :)

The lowlights:

- I got to see Pops for all of two minutes as I was leaving, and missed Ash as well. Sorry guys, I had to get out of there to feed the boy and get home.

- I threw embarrassingly slow on the speed pitch, I blame the notoriously inaccurate radar guns and their mounting position (heavily biased in favor of RHP).

- The crowds were at times a pain in the ass, I think the walkways could be a little wider and better planned.

- I did NOT spring for the 425 CoPat used bat. I couldn't do it. But I bet if you get down there near closing time you can grab one half off. He, Harang, & Javy had the most bats in the bin.

Here are some pictures for the visually stimulated (yes, they all pop a new window):

Jay Hova signing my son's hat

A baby Reds fan complete with red mohawk. Cute as hell.

The CoPat bat

NoHo signing. Did I mention that he was at the premium "Season Ticket Holders Only" table?

CTrent live blogging. The dry erase sign cracked me up.

There were a lot of people there.

Lots of free stuff.

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thanks, great report

Trent said Jay Bruce’s hair was long. It’s not as long as I expected, judging from your photo.

Your photo of Trent is better than the one the Post had. Would’ve been better if you got the flipoff. ;-)

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Dec 13, 2008 6:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

His hair was a lot longer than I expected....

…considering how he looked last season. It wasn’t awful though, it was more of a “I’m a high school punk/emo kid” length. :)

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 13, 2008 7:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Bruce said his hair hasn’t looked like this since high school. Or so Trent reports.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Dec 13, 2008 7:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

damn i wish I would have had a working cell phone

Did you go to the Hot Stove report/press conference thing? That was me asking Walt about the use of statistics and how the Reds use them…or don’t use them.

Eric Davis looked awesome in his black fur coat.

www.crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com

by xjjeep90 on Dec 13, 2008 6:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

LOL

He was being mobbed, I sooooooo wanted a pic.

I didn’t catch the press conference bit, I was busy on the Topps card scavenger hunt. It was funny – my son didn’t care half as much about getting the best younf player in MLB’s autograph as he did about finding the elusive Ryan Freel card. (yes, he was on the set….good stuff)

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 13, 2008 7:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ooh ooh, what did Jocketty say?

Did he ask you about your mom’s basement? Did he whack you in the face with your slide ruler? Did he ask about me?

We’’re in process of trying to a guy with a trade record of working with pitches

by Slyde on Dec 13, 2008 9:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He said

“You can never substitute good scouting for statistics.” Something about how much information is out there on computers…blah blah blah…. “You can use good scouting and stats to back up your scouting”

Bill Bavasi was visually perturbed since his replacement is doing what I asked about in Seattle.

The guy with the microphone in front of the camera didn’t even know what sabermetrics was.

www.crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com

by xjjeep90 on Dec 13, 2008 9:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would seriously pay you for that Bruce 32 string bag.

That looks like it was all a lot of fun. I’ve never been to any sort of fan convention, but if I did, I would probably just be like Chris Farley in the old SNLs: “Hey Cowboy, do you remember when you said EdE wasn’t clutch OOOMMMMGGGG I totally thought that was soooo funny”

So congrats on being a good role model for all of your kids. And good job keeping your kids away from Pops.

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Dec 13, 2008 7:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Actually we saw Pops on the way out

He’s good people. It’s Justin and his jailbait tendencies I worry about. :)

FWIW, you can get one of those Bruce bags by going here and joining up your inner child for $20. :)

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 13, 2008 8:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I confess

I thought of Justin when this story broke. ;-)

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Dec 13, 2008 8:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

since when did i take red menace's place as the sexual predator on the board?

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 13, 2008 8:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would say it was...

…since Dec 2, 2008 3:19 PM EST.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Dec 13, 2008 8:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

little miss sunshine anywone?

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 13, 2008 9:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

typos aren't funny when they are intentional

Think of me what you will...I gotta little space to fill

by chandrathan on Dec 13, 2008 10:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

actually that one wasn't intentional

i was watching the uc/x game and didn’t pay attention to what i was writing.

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 14, 2008 12:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Even you Cy...

would find me charming. I promise.

by Pops Daniels on Dec 14, 2008 12:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Question

- I threw embarrassingly slow on the speed pitch, I blame the notoriously inaccurate radar guns and their mounting position (heavily biased in favor of RHP).

Are you really Bobby Livingston?

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 13, 2008 8:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

he pitches to the level of his competition

Since he was with his son he maxed out in the 40 mph range.

What was the winning speed last year J? I know you got me by 1mph, lol.

by obc2 on Dec 13, 2008 9:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't good

I wanna say somewhere in the 50s. I hate those setups because the gun is almost always on the right hand side of the cage and at an odd angle. Every time I’ve thrown directly at a gun mounted/held behind the target (you know, the way they’re designed to work), I’ve done considerably better.

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 14, 2008 10:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the conspiracy of the right

handed

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 14, 2008 11:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i know exactly what you mean man

just like scissors, notebooks, and condoms, speed pitch competitions arent made lefties.

jingle bells Batman smells
Robin laid an egg
the Batmobile lost its wheel
and the Joker got away

by Charlie Scrabbles on Dec 14, 2008 11:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like you had a good time

sorry I missed it. If I had known JD would be there, I would have made more effort. I have a dental claim from 2006 that he still owes me for.

We’’re in process of trying to a guy with a trade record of working with pitches

by Slyde on Dec 13, 2008 9:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

first one ive missed

bittersweet. And if I knew ED was there in a fur coat…….damn. I could have asked him who he was backing for the Heisman. “All three, man. All three.” Meh, I never could get Eric to commit to a multiple choice answer.

by obc2 on Dec 13, 2008 9:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eric Davis and his fur

www.crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com

by xjjeep90 on Dec 13, 2008 9:55 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Man, I am kind of anti-fur.

But I cannot be against this.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Dec 13, 2008 10:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

YES

That pic doesn’t do it justice. That coat was friggin’ sweeeeet.

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 14, 2008 9:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

damn. It must be awesome to be the coolest cat in the room wherever you go.

Even JD can’t hold a candle to ED.

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Dec 14, 2008 12:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Johnny Cueto at the Kids Only Table rocking the dreads

www.crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com

by xjjeep90 on Dec 13, 2008 9:58 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

The Brain Trust

www.crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com

by xjjeep90 on Dec 13, 2008 10:01 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

god help us

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word."-Andy Jack

by justin007000 on Dec 13, 2008 10:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

flag'd

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Dec 14, 2008 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Axis of evil?

People Don't Kill People. Burning Couches Kill People.

by crolfer on Dec 14, 2008 7:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I heard Caleb and JD were there, and hunted high and low….nothing, alas.

by Pops Daniels on Dec 14, 2008 12:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

And

I spoke to C. Trent and liked that cat very much.

by Pops Daniels on Dec 14, 2008 12:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't make it to Cincinnati, alas

Instead I went to Estadio RFK where DC United was having their annual equipment sale. I picked up game worn jerseys from Devon McTavish and Rod Dyachenko from 2007.

Admit it, you’re jealous.

by Brendanukkah on Dec 14, 2008 2:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Did you catch...

Bronson’s “off-color” comments during the kids’ Q&A session?

by Deaner on Dec 15, 2008 9:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Nope

What did he say?

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Dec 15, 2008 9:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He basically ranted about a painter who made his house look bad.

People Don't Kill People. Burning Couches Kill People.

by crolfer on Dec 15, 2008 1:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A Reds House Painter?

Somewhere, Mark Kozelek is composing an extended, hushed but emotional lawsuit.

by Brendanukkah on Dec 15, 2008 1:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Nicely done

by Pops Daniels on Dec 15, 2008 3:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Arroyo...

called Jeff Keppinger “Jewish” for being cheap and said that Brandon Phillips didn’t know anything about hockey because of his skin color. Keep in mind, he said he on stage while hundreds of kids were asking him questions. The other people on the stage with him: Keppinger, Chris Dickerson, Phillips, Marty and Jeff Brantely looked stunned, as did most of the adults in the audience.

by Deaner on Dec 15, 2008 7:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs