Next Year Starts Off Rainy

**Holy Cow!! Opening Day was awful!!!

Okay, just the weather. Everything else was fine. Bars were packed at 5am throughout Wrigleyville, radio and tv kicked off their coverage of fans getting ready for the big day. Beers were flowing, food was eaten, a good time was had.

The perfectly-quaffed Andy Avalos and I were tucked inside the crush of people at Harry Caray's Tavern. Kudos to the staff, Grant DePorter, Dutchie Caray and the whole gang who know how to do Opening Day right. Good atmosphere and a fun crowd, everyone was in a good mood. The staff at that hour is not used to anything close to the kind of rush we saw. They were excellent.

I interviewed Ernie Banks for the first time. Wasn't a spectacular conversation, but I always think of my dad when I talk to guys like him and Billy Williams and on the other side of town Moose Skowron, Billy Pierce and Bill Melton. I just think about what it was like to be a fan of those guys in a different time. It bothers me how difficult it is to imagine what it was like when sports stars were just regular guys.

Finally at 2:32 PM CST, first pitch at the Friendly Confines. For those who sat thru the rainy raw and cold mess inside Wrigley...God bless you! I'm a hearty sports fan, but that wasn't something I would do in April (even on Opening Day).

Ted Lilly was sparkling. When the Cubs finished off the 1-hit shutout, maybe 25,000 remained in the stands. Many left after Garrett Atkins harmless roller slipped between Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot on the left side of the infield. Can you blame them?

Did you go to the game? Did you hit the bars? Did you hang out with Andy and I at Harry Caray's Tavern? Let's hear your stories of Opening Day!

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