Friday January 1, 2010 will mark the day I had the most fun I have ever had at Fenway Park. I am a hockey fan to the core, so I am a little biased, but the Winter Classic at Fenway was better than any Red Sox game I have ever been to. I’ve seen them all too. The Game the Sox came back and beat Tampa bay two years ago? I was there. The game Don Zimmer and Pedro Martinez had a dust up and the benches cleared twice? I was there. The Winter Classic was so much better than anything I have ever seen there. It truly was a once in a lifetime event that was so special it’s hard to describe just how cool it was. I will start at the beginning.
I took the 7:25 train into North Station to meet George over at the hotel by the Garden. I was texting him updates from the USA vs. Canada World Junior game from New Year’s Eve and we were commenting how we felt like kids on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa. I could barely sleep I was so excited, but the 7:25 train was perfect. It gave us plenty of time to have breakfast, meet Steve Begin’s wife and the commander of the ground crew for the B-2 flyover. He was a super nice guy, and he took the time to tell us all about the plane, where it was coming from, and more importantly, which direction it would be coming from. After a nice breakfast, and some picture taking with said commander, it was off to the Green Line for our trek to Fenway.
The first thing that struck me as I walked into the North Station T stop, I mean other than the overwhelming smell of pee, puke, and hot poop, was the amount of Flyers fans. I have to give it to those guys, they represented well. There was almost as much orange and black as black and gold on the train ride over, and it was a theme throughout the day. Apologies to Flyers fans for this next comment, but I hate the Flyers, and for the most part, they have the worst fans in the league. I have seen them all in my tenure as a Bruins fan, and 2 year season ticket holder, and it’s true. They are awful. So, you can imagine my surprise when every single Flyer fan I talked to on New Year’s Day was not a total prick like usual. I am not sure if it was the event or what it was, but tip of the cap Flyers fans, for once you were cool to hang with.
Once arriving at Fenway, at 9ish, a full two hours before gates opened, we went to the Fan Fest they had across from Yawkey Way. It was a cornucopia of vendors, and ice sculptures and a bunch of crazy crap for the kids. Oh, also, a shit load of Flyers fans. Seriously, I think it was 60-40 split. Boston/Philly. One particular Flyer fan lamented there wasn’t enough Flyers gear in the retro fitted for the Winter Classic souvenir shop on Yawkey Way. My favorite Bruins fan for one second aptly pointed out it was a Bruins home game, and perhaps they should clam up. He was my favorite until he asked us if we were going to get a Let’s go Red Sox chant started, and was met with 5 blank stares like he just asked us the square root of 2,000,756, and it was only then I noticed his 22 jersey was not Shawn Thornton, but Shean Donovan. Yeah. He’s cut.
After we had enough of the pro shops, we were kicked off Yawkey Way, and walked around the building. We dropped the two younger boys off at their gate, which was where our original seats were supposed to be, and wandered around the entire building to get to our gate. We happened by the entrance to where the Bruins bus was to arrive, and decided after waiting about 10 minutes we were getting a little too meat slapperish, and moved on to stand in line at Gate D. Normally in lines there is a lot of lamenting how the line sucks and so forth, but not on this day. There was talk of hockey, and excitement on how good, or bad the seats everyone had were going to be.
I never doubt George as earlier in the week the Bruins had released 300 tickets to the season ticket holders. We were lucky enough to score three in Pavilion Box 18, which is the section where the Coca-Cola sign is in left field. We were able to donate the original seats we had, Section 33, right below our seats to his two youngest boys. It cost him a pretty penny to get the whole family in, and myself an extra hundred bucks, but it was worth every single penny, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Once inside, we found our seats, and were greeted by the nicest usher ever. I didn’t catch his name but he was a great guy. Our seats were kick ass. No doubt George did a fantastic job. Now it was just a waiting game until the game was under way.
As the fans started streaming in I again took note of how many Flyers fans there were. A husband and wife team came to our section and asked Mr. Nice Usher if there were any open seats. He took this ludicrous request in stride and said nicely, no, I think it will be full, but there are some standing room only sections over there. They left, but not before lamenting how he was a 30 year season ticket holder for the Flyers, and he felt that entitled him to some special treatment at a Bruins home game. I will address all the complaints about the event at the end. That was one of my favorites.
As the time ticked towards 1, the excitement was building. We were in a section with people that were there mostly for the event, as evidence by the gentlemen next to Brad that kept calling the Flyers, the Phillies, and later on when the first frozen fight happened George, Brad and I were the only three people standing and cheering. In a way, I guess I was better as they weren’t all rowdy and at each other’s throats (did I mention there was a lot of Flyers fans) but on the other it sucked because we were on the end and the non fans got up 75 times to go get something, or stop right in front of us to take pictures at the end of the game. Not so much a complaint, as a byproduct of being at a special event somewhere. Big ups to the guy in front of us who noticed the B-2 coming. I managed to get a couple of really good pictures as the stealthy mother went right over our heads. Very nice touch.
Finally, the game was on! After the Bobby’s shook hands at center ice, and the Dropkicks played the game had begun! It didn’t take long for the first frozen fight to happen, and at first blush it looked as if Daniel Carcillo smoked Shawn Thornton. After watching it about 30 times, I think Carcillo landed a nice punch, but it looked to me like Thornton was off balance after switching hands. Either way, it was great to see a fight in the Winter Classic! I could have done without Carcillo’s grandstanding in the box, but I give him high marks for not violating the code and slugging Thornton when he was down and prone.
After a scoreless first in which it looked like both teams were pretty content to feel each other and the venue out, the Flyers drew first blood when Tim Thomas temporarily lost his mind by shoving Scott Hartnell in the back as Danny Syvret was shooting a puck on goal. Timmy was seeking payback for Hippy Hartnell running him moments before. There was no call, but should have been, and Timmy doled out his own brand of justice at the wrong time. Truthfully, there should have been a penalty called on Timmy, but it would have been washed out by the goal anyway. At the time of the goal, the thought process for Bruins fans was, oh, it’s early. They’ll get it back.
Cardiac Doctors could have made a killing on Friday at frozen Fenway, because the it’s early, they’ll get it back feeling went away and was replaced by, no friggin way the Bruins aren’t even going to score once in the frigging Winter Frigging Classic. After a rousing Sweet Caroline was sung by Dennis Leary, Lenny Clarke, and 40,000 people, the Bruins finally got on the scoreboard with a little more than 2 minutes to play. Mark What Time is Matlock Recchi does what he does and best and goes hard to the net for a tape to tape pass from Derek Revere Beach Seagull Morris to tie the score. Pandemonium. All the stress and wondering went out the window and was replaced by a wall of sound the Grateful Dead would have been proud of. It was like no other goal celebration I had ever heard, until Marco I HATE SCORING Sturm, or as the boys at Hub Hockey call him, Sturmface scored the walk off goal in OT. Pandemonium. X2.
The game could not have been more perfectly scripted without getting Hollywood involved. I am so lucky I was able to get seats where I did, but either way, it was a special day at Fenway. I have read a ton of stories about bad site lines, and overpriced tickets, and to those reports I say, what the hell did you expect? It’s a hockey game at a baseball stadium. A once in a lifetime game at that. If you thought you were getting a good seat in the bleachers, or anywhere down low, you were crazy. Over the years the Winter Classic at Fenway will take on a Woodstock effect with 300,000 people claiming to be there. For those of us that were there it was a truly special day that wouldn’t have been ½ as special at Gillette Stadium. I’m sure the view was terrible down low, but the experience of being in Fenway Park on New Year’s Day to see a Classic Winter Classic cannot have a price tag put on it.
GoonBlog’s Full 2010 NHL Winter Classic Gallery:
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I agree whole heartedly, The winter classic is the 1st real game ever played at Fenway. Sounds like an awesome time. Great review.
It was unreal. Top 5 best days ever.
post pictures of the plane!!
“Jealous” does not begin to describe it. And I am, of course, referring to J. Henry’s uncanny ability to wear baseball caps.
great post Chris, you really gave life to the game, I was watching the game with folks from Philly (but unlike the people you saw these people were good). Dude those Marines didnt look cold at all, fuckin bad ass fellows
I knew exactly what you meant Ref!
Hammer, they stood there at attention for at least 30 minutes and didn’t move. It was impressive. Unreal being there. Once in a lifetime.
I had an amazing time at the game, my one wish was that it was held at night, once the sun went down and we were under the lights it was so much easier to follow the game and see the puck from centerfield. It couldn’t have happened at a better time because that was when the game became super exciting as well. The aforementioned marines were all seated in front of us after the ceremony, they were in folding chairs right behind the bullpen. After receiving a sounding ovation from those of us in the bleachers, they took their seats and cheered on the B’s sans coat or gloves. I guess after spending months in the Afghani desert sucking on 120 degree sandstorms, a little New England chill doesn’t bother you too much, men amongst men.
On a side note, I think Curt Schilling sums up the difference between Boston and Philadelphia fans perfectly here in his interview before the game.
http://www.motionbox.com/videos/0097d6b31a19e7c28f?utm_campaign=play-page&utm_medium=player&utm_source=survivinggrady.com
Greg,
Happy New Year! I heard the guys in Centerfield chanting USA! USA! Good work. Let me ask you: What were your expectations as far as being able to see the game, and did you think the price you paid (I assume you went through the Bruins) was outrageous? Love to hear from someone that sat out there.
Same to you Chris, the view was as to be expected, technically we were elevated at center ice but as the ice went from first to third, we were pretty far away. The only issue I had was that the jumbo-tron in left field faced home plate, you couldn’t see it in the outfield, if they had a second one facing center, it would have been perfect. I knew going in it wasn’t about seeing the game, the $125 price tag on the ticket was for the atmosphere, I did enjoy the fact that everyone in section 37 stood for the entire game and went ballistic during Thornton’s fight.
I know that they had considered Harvard’s football stadium as a venue for this game, I think that the Bruins should lobby to have a game there each year, obviously not on New Year’s Day, but maybe a Saturday or Sunday afternoon game in February or early March. The stands there are 10 feet off the field and all seats would face a rink between the hashes at mid field. I think bringing the game back to it’s roots is a wonderful and essential idea to grow the sport in America, it’s unfortunate that Fenway was charging between $10,000 and $30,000 for local high schools to have games played on the ice, it would have done wonders for the sport at the youth level.
Thanks for keeping up the good work Chris, I look forward to reading your posts.
I like the thought process, but I think it’s impossible to do. This was a NHL event. If Boston were to do it yearly, they’d need the NHL’s ice making/maintaining equipment, plus they’d need the NHL’s blessing. I think you will see 2 outdoor games next year, as the event has grown in popularity.
Hey Chris nice review Georgie always comes thru for us i’m glad I didn’t kill u web sturm scorer I lowered to a five for lol
Pretty good one from 22 the other night,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNcU62wdHRQ
He had much to say this morning on his weekly call-in to Toucher and Rich, don’t know if you heard it Chris but had some comments about Carsillo grandstanding after the fight, mentioned he used to do the same thing when he was younger playing in front of 2000 fans but grew out of it. Said he’d remember it next time they played Philly. If you missed it I’m sure the podcast is on the sportshub’s website.