Saturday From The Big Apple

I am happy to report that I survived the arctic winds at Yankee Stadium last night as the Yankees won Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) by defeating the Los Angeles Angles 4-1 as a result of a stellar pitching performance by CC Sabathia and sloppy play by the Angels. It was as cold and nasty as I anticipated but, thankfully, it stopped raining after the first inning. Yes, I was cold and uncomfortable but it was something I could handle. It is also rather amazing how much you can endure when your team is kicking butt. Hopefully, the weather for tonight's game will be somewhat better.

As you loyal and faithful readers know, in the last posting I gave a “shout-out” to Erik to alert him about the possibility of abuse from the guys seated around him for Erik’s unfathomable decision to leave the stadium early in Game 2 of the ALDS. Well, unfortunately, Erik (who claims to be a diehard reader) failed to read the post so he was totally surprised and unprepared for the intensity and depth of the abuse he received, some coming from people sitting as far away as 3 rows. True Yankee fans are tough. We were vile and relentless and continued for the entire game. Erik, in an effort to regain favor, made a promise on the lives of his wife and children that he would never ever leave a game early, regardless of the score or other circumstances. Hope you have learned from this Erik - seeya tonight.

Now, on to what Billi Pod’s entertainment schedule is for the next 10 days --

Saturday - 10/17 - 3:30 - watch Gators vs. Arkansas - CBS

7:30 - Yankees vs. LA Angels @ Yankee Stadium. Game 2 of the ALCS. (full price ticket)

Sunday - (assuming Game 2 isn’t rained-out) - 3:00 - “The Thickness of Skin” - Off Broadway. “In what ways are we responsible to help our fellow human beings? Laura chooses to help the displaced and out-of-work Eddie. A relationship blossoms and blurs the lines of charity and manipulation. Meanwhile, Roanna and Michael are struggling to understand their son Jonathan, who's on the cusp of adulthood, and his friendship with their eccentric neighbor, Imogen. Laura and her family must decide to what lengths they will go in order to 'help' their fellow man.” ($9.00 TDF ticket).

7:00 - “Nightingale” - Off Broadway. This is the press blurb for this show which has received excellent reviews: “Tony Award and Academy Award nominee Lynn Redgrave stars in her new play inspired by her need to create a life for her maternal grandmother, a woman she barely knew. Nightingale is a play about a promising woman stymied by society and all but erased by history, a touching personal tribute and a resounding song for all those people whose voices we've lost, or never known.” (discounted TDF ticket).

Monday - 4:13 - watch Yankees vs. LA Angels @ LA. Game 3 of the ALCS (Fox)

Tuesday - 7:57 - watch Yankees vs. LA Angels @ LA. Game 4 of the ALCS (Fox).

Wednesday - at the moment I am trying to decide between a concert by The London Philharmonic Orchestra @ Lincoln Center and staying in to watch The Dodgers vs. The Phillies in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS). OK, now, no snarky emails - I know how dumb this sounds, but ...

Anyway, after “whatever” is over I will go to the Theater District to meet up with and host Michele Purcell, of Bartow, FL, and her two friends for an after-theater dinner at my favorite restaurant, Angus McIndoe. They will be seeing “Billy Elliot.” Michele is the widow of attorney John Purcell who was one of my law school classmates. Michele’s two daughters live in The Big Apple and have each established successful careers. I will give much more detail in a later posting.

Thursday - 7:57 - watch Yankees vs. LA Angels @ LA, Game 5 of the ALCS (if needed - Fox).

Friday - open at the moment (gasp).

Saturday - 4:07 or 8:07 - Yankees vs. LA Angels @ Yankee Stadium. Game 6 of the ALCS (if needed - full price ticket)

7:30 - Gators vs. Mississippi State - (ESPN).

Sunday - 8:07 - Yankees vs. LA Angels @ Yankee Stadium. Game 7 of the ALCS (if needed - full price ticket).

Monday - 10/26 - 8:00 - “The Starry Messenger” - Off Broadway. “Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick and Oscar-nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno star in this new work, written and directed by two-time Oscar nominee Kenneth Lonergan. The Starry Messenger follows an astronomy teacher whose carefully circumscribed world is upended by an unexpected encounter that changes everything.” (discounted TDF ticket)

This show is in early previews at a theater on my block and I am really looking forward to seeing it. I hope Matthew Broderick makes a bounce-back from his tepid performance last year in “The Philanthropist.”

If the Yankees make it to the World Series, then Game 1 will be at 7:57 on Wednesday, October 28th @ Yankee Stadium, and, of course, I have tickets to each of the 4 home games.

OK, my loyal and faithful readers, it is now time to post this and then turn on the TV to watch the Oklahoma/Texas game.

So, in respect to my son, Bill (who can't bring himself to say either Go Gators or Go Yankees), I will close by saying - GO SOONERS!!

Billi Pod

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”