For Friday nights Cubs game against the Giants, Rich and I werent in 416: Wed scored bleacher seats instead. So while other seatmates held down the fort in the upper deck, I headed to Wrigley early to soak up the atmosphere.Four hours before the ridiculously late first pitch (8:15? MLB, youre killing me.), Wrigleyville was pretty calm but different. Outside-the-park action shifts during the postseason.A significantly larger-than-usual police presence led to rumors that President Barack Obama would be visiting the game. One of my security guard pals complained that a seat was being wasted on a White Sox fan. I pointed out that Michelle Obama, our first lady, grew up a South Side Cubs fan, and that gives him some Cubs cred.The ballhawks on Waveland were out, though they predicted little out-of-the-ballpark action, because The Giants got no hitters. The freelance T-shirt salespeople had reduced in number. During the final homestand, the Cubs and Major League Baseball initiated a lawsuit against the T-shirt sellers for copyright infringement and selling pirated goods. So those guys -- with their ubiquitous shouts of Ten-dollah T-shirts! All T-shirts ten dollahs! were few and far between, selling a much-reduced inventory.The parking-spot salespeople were doing brisk, and much more profitable, business. Due to the scarcity of places to leave ones giant suburban SUV in densely populated Wrigleyville, many home and condo owners rent out their garages or parking spots -- and increase the demand by parking their own vehicles on the street in the morning, taking up a spot that might otherwise be free. Prices skyrocket with the postseason: One friend of mine reported that last year during the division series, her usual $45 dollar spot a few blocks from the park went up to $175. One guy on Clark Street was asking $80 for what had been a $40 spot in the regular season.Then there are the scalpers. Theyve been back in force since late last season, but now you cant walk 10 feet without hearing someone ask, Got extra tickets? Got any extras? or Who needs tickets? The irony on Friday: The team itself still had tickets for sale at the box office, presumably returns from tickets held back for the Giants and VIPs (Maybe Obamas unclaimed seat?). After a quick stop at Nisei (to let them know about the tickets, in case some otherwise shut-out regular wanted a last-minute seat), I went into the park early and got the rally towel. Im not sure which franchise started this tradition, but can we punish that team somehow? Take away a few draft picks? Why teams would give people something to wave around blocking other fans view is a mystery to me.Val Capone was not in her usual spot up in 211 but was stationed under the Old Scoreboard, surely the most scenic spot in the park. I conferred with her there and chatted with Hot Doug Sohn, whose gourmet, named-for-Cubs sausages are one of the highlights of the bleachers. I recommend the Dave Rosello.While we were talking, I noticed the Cubs pulling a fast one, another political moment even if the president never showed. The team had offered the mayor, all members of the Chicago City Council and Illinois state reps and senators the chance to buy a pair of tickets to postseason games. Several aldermen, including adamant Sox fans, declined, but most accepted. The citys ethics board ruled that the Cubs would have to put the names of the politicians who accepted on the videoboard, because the value of the tickets exceeded the $50 limit on gifts. This, cynics suggested, would at least give the voters a chance to boo.The Cubs did indeed post their names -- over an hour before the first pitch, when the park was mostly empty and fans werent watching. I may have been the only person booing.Ah, Chicago, City of Clout.As any ESPN reader surely knows by now, the game was a masterpiece, a Johnny vs. Jon pitchers duel for the ages. Cueto and Lester were both sharp -- Cueto arguably sharper except for one mistake pitch to Javy Baez that barely made it into the left-field basket against a moderate wind (had the breeze been fractionally stronger, Baezs home run trot out of the batters box wouldve been just an embarrassingly long single). The Legend of Grandpa Ross just kept growing, as he got two of the first seven Giants outs by catching Gorkys Hernandez stealing and picking?Conor Gillaspie?off first. The last time a catcher had a pickoff and caught-stealing in the same postseason game? Cubs Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett in the 1935 World Series.In the stands, postseason baseball, unfortunately, brings out the football spectator in many baseball fans. Lots of shouting and heckling. While a unified Cueeeee-tooooo chant may indeed be audible to the player you want to rattle, if youre 10 rows up in the center-field bleachers, Gillaspie will not hear you when you shout Gillaspie! The White Sox think you suck! Everyone in the park stood at the end of the first, second and fifth innings, when Lester had two strikes on the batter, and of course everyone was on their feet for the entire Aroldis Chapman ninth. One backwards-baseball-cap bro in the row in front of us stood pretty much the whole game, except when he was making beer runs, which, thankfully, was every other inning or so.Baseball is a game of routine plays, and Im of the school of thought that believes maintaining a calm, Zen approach is the best way to enjoy the game. But in a ballpark as electric as Wrigley Field was Friday night, its tough to be nonchalant. Things will only get more extreme if the Cubs advance.A nice problem to have for sure. Andre Dawson Jersey . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Koji Uehara Jersey . The visitors took a deserved lead in the 16th minute with midfielder Yohan Cabaye curling the ball beyond Adrian from inside the penalty area. https://www.cheapcubs.com/380t-joe-maddon-jersey-cubs.html . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Benito Santiago Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. Victor Caratini Jersey . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. This is good or evil; fairytale or nightmare.Thats how the AFL grand final appears to the average punter.In the good corner, the Western Bulldogs: downtrodden, blue-collar battlers from suburban Melbourne, seeking just their second premiership, and first since 1954.In the evil corner, Sydney: the silver-tail Swans, perennial finalists who steal star players from rivals, chasing a sixth flag - and third in 11 years.Every sport needs heroes and villains. And the AFL showpiece delivers them.Its not Sydneys fault that everyone - bar their own supporters - want them to lose.The same fate would have befallen any club who played the Bulldogs in the decider.The underDogs are in their first grand final since 1961. The Swans are contesting their fifth since 2005.And the Swans, with Hawthorn and Geelong, have shared nine of the past 11 premierships - neutral fans cherish a break.The outsiders, the underDogs, have come from seventh in this finals series. The favourites, the Swans, finished top.The underDogs play with dash and dare, attacking in a style which captivates the neutral supporter.The Swans strangle opponents with an often dour defensive-first mantra. Respected? For sure. Loved? Nup.Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge gives his underDogs licence to get off the leash. Swans coach John Longmire tightens the chains.But thats the off-field narrative. Of course, this premiership will be decided on the field.In the Sydney corner, there are shining stars everywhere.Theres Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett - two players Sydney pinched from rivals on multi-million dollars deals.Do the underDogs have players capable of controlling them? Particularly Franklin.dddddddddddd He has been there, done that with Hawthorn, and looms as the ace in the grand final pack.Theres Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy - Sydneys premier midfielders who are prolific ball-winners who rarely have their colours lowered.Theres renowned Swan defenders Nick Smith and Dane Rampe; theres the brilliance of Isaac Heeney and Gary Rohan, who can run like the wind and swing a game in the blink of an eye.Just how can the underDogs contain them?By doing what they have done all through this finals series.Play on the edge. Attack the ball and opponents with the ferociousness of, well, a starving Bulldog eyeing its next meal.Stick to their system. Its a system which Beveridges Bulldogs have deployed with magnificent effect in these finals with stunning triumphs - on the road against West Coast; ending Hawthorns reign; pipping Greater Western Sydneys upstarts, again on the road.The underDogs will turn to their game-busters who, in number, fall well below Sydneys.But top Dog Marcus Bontempelli has risen to every challenge - is there a better 20-year-old footballer in the land?Also emerging are terrier midfielders Luke Dalhaus and Tom Liberatore. Then theres Jake Stringer.Hes no Franklin just yet. But if he gets on fire, theres no stopping the devastation.Much depends on how the underDogs handle the early heat - Sydneys past two finals have been won by quarter-time.The opening looms as decisive. Can the good hold sway against the villains? Or will the fairytale rapidly turn into a nightmare? ' ' '
