Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

Today's Hidden Gem: Indians sweep Tampa Bay Rays

Ok, I am using today's Hidden Gem as a personal tribute to my Tribe! I know we also have another team in town who is holding their own. We'll get to them at a later date!

I'd like us all to bask in the warmth of the Cleveland Indians sweeping the ALCS Champion Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-game series. I knew they could do it.

You are only as good as your last game (or your last newscast) and we have the New York Yankees blowing into town for yet another 4-game series.

Honestly, I thought they would do it 2 weekends ago.

I was on furlough a few weeks ago and decided to hop on a flight to see my best friend for a few days. True, the magnetic force really pulling me toward Tampa was the fact that the Indians were playing the Rays. Sorry buddy! The Indians blew the Rays away in game #1 back on May 14 and then they imploded.

They were in every game, got a number of awful calls by the umpires (2 of which MLB and the Umpiring crew came out and said they made the WRONG calls) but could not close the deal.

I saw the fire in their eyes. There was bad blood brewing between this new rivalry. I knew they'd both come out fighting when back in Cleveland. And they proved me right.

What is so great about this most recent 4-game sweep is two-fold. The Indians came back from a 10-0 deficit on May 25. They also came back from a 5-0 deficit on May 27. Plus, the Cleveland Indians did the VERY SAME act one year ago. Back on July 10-13, 2008 our Cleveland Indians swept the Tampa Bay Rays in another 4-game series.

I, being very superstitious, take some credit for that sweep. I went to the Cleveland Metropark Zoo and touched the Sting Rays at their cool exhibit. I tried touching every ray and wished the Tribe would beat the Rays. Well they did.

I guess it just works for the home team.

When I was in Tampa a few weeks ago, I did the same. I touched the rays in their petting pool and whamo, the Rays beat us.

Now I know.

I don't mean to seem like I am taking this entry lightly or fawning too much over my Indians. But, I am. Life is too short, and in today's times, life happenings can be so horrendous/serious/and oftentimes grisly.

We all have to learn to enjoy the little things in life. Savor every sweet moment. Try to make a new memory every single day.

2 weeks ago when I was in Tampa, I saw the Indians lose. Tropicana Field is definitely NO Progressive Field. If you travel as much as we do to other ballparks, you will learn that we are blessed and lucky here in Cleveland with Progressive Field, The Q, and Cleveland Browns Stadium. So many others (not all, I LOVE Fenway) are dumpy and plain.

But even though the Tribe lost a few weeks ago, those 48 hours were tremendous. I was with my dearest friend in 92 degree temps, watching MY Tribe (win or lose), savoring every special moment, making new memories, seeing the positive in every instance.

We can learn a lot from our sports gurus and their cliches:

• play every game as if it's your last
• play hard
• win or go home
• play in the moment
• stay focused
• focus on today
• every at bat counts
• run hard, run it out
• press on
• never give up
• total team effort
• battle out there, battle back
• you got to be ready to hit the curve

We have to learn to grab life by the horns and ride it 'til you fall off! And then, heck, get right back up there and press forward and onward!

Bring on the Yankees!

Go Tribe! (Go Cavs!)

Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

Today's Hidden Gem: Progressive Field!

Ok, so you are saying, Progressive Field is definitely not hidden! Everyone knows about it. You are correct, my friend. However, amazingly enough, there are still loads of Clevelanders who have never set foot inside Progressive Field.

Progressive Field is my home away from home. If I could attend every single Indians' Game, I would. Unfortunately a necessary roadblock, my career, blocks that dream, for now! One day, hopefully I will be living the easy life at Progressive Field from April through October.

I've chosen Progressive Field as this week's Hidden Gem for a number of reasons, really.

For one, hot off the presses, Progressive Field was just named the #1 ballpark in the Major Leagues by SI.com. Sports Illustrated conducted an online survey of thousands and thousands of baseball fans and Progressive Field won hands down as the number one ballpark!

For those of us living in Cleveland and making frequent visits, this comes as no surprise.

The categories rated by fans were:

• the quality of the team on the field
• affordability
• food
• tradition
• atmosphere
• fan IQ
• hospitality
• promotions
• traffic
• the neighborhood

Responses came from season ticket holders as well as fans who attend at least five games a year.

Indians' Vice President of Public Relations, Bob DiBiasio, said "it's a wonderful honor. It speaks volumes to the team effort that goes into entertaining our fans to the best of our abilities."

Progressive Field has only been around for 15 years. However, every year there is something new added to keep the fans coming back for more. If it's not the promotions and gifts given out to adults and children alike, it's the amenities. In 2004, a new scoreboard was erected with an immense video display. The Batter's Eye Bar has become the hotspot before, during, and after the games. Last year, Nostalgic Heritage Park opened to honor former Indians' Players. Fans were able to purchase pavers to be a part of history. And this year, along with some delicious, new foodstuffs, the right field Party Deck and Champions Suite were unveiled.

On a cold, rainy day, there is absolutely no better place to view the game then from the Terrace Club, front and center behind the warm glass. The Terrace Club has only the top chefs in the nation serving a menu fit for a king.

Believe it or not, there are many hometown people who have never set foot inside. I know it seems hard to believe, but it's true. This year, we have to get those folks inside Progressive Field!

For 455 straight sell-out games, it was absolute mayhem. Then when the streak ended, a slight let down, but you have to look at the glass half full. So many folks who could not attend before were able to share the experience.

We are lucky enough to have season's tickets. We've had Indians' season tickets since 1988 at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Going to so many games, we are lucky to meet a slew of out-of-towners in just to see our ballpark. We've come across business men in town for seminars who steal away to catch a game or two. We've met die hard fans who follow their beloved team to Cleveland from New York, Boston, Toronto, St Louis...We've even met those warriors visiting every single major league ballpark (one of our goals!).

And we hear the same thing time and again. This is one of the prettiest, nicest, cost efficient, and most enjoyable ballparks to watch a game.

Last year, we sat next to the dreaded Boston Red Sox Fan. He was in town for the entire series. He could not believe how much cheaper the whole experience was. Right off the bat he said the seat he was sitting in alone would have cost him triple at Fenway. The beer about 3 dollars more and so on....

We, too, have visited numerous ballparks around the nation. And, it's true. Can't beat watching a game at Progressive Field. We were at Camden Yards, which many say looks and feels a lot like Progressive Field. We were sitting in Club Seats which supposedly were one of the top seats available. Well, their value was high end but so were the seats. Nose bleed USA!

The entire experience is usually a win-win situation. You can either take an RTA rapid from various locations and then it's a short jaunt from Tower City or there are dozens of parking areas around the ballpark.

If you have a handicapped person, you normally can park in the garage adjacent to the field and there are wheelchairs available at the gate to transport wherever you need to go inside the ballpark.

There is usually not that bad of a restroom wait.

There is food for anyone and everyone, and the cost is better than most other ballparks.

There is something for everyone --young and old. Slider be-bops around entertaining the children as well as kid's land and a food stand for the young ones. The children also love the hotdog derby where life size hotdogs race around the field with their eye on the finish line. There are contests throughout the entire game for adults to win free giveaways.

And the young players give 100 percent day in and day out. You can tell they want to be there. They want to play hard. They want to win. Even the other day when CC lost 1-0 to the Yankees, it was a great pitcher's duel. CC pitched a great game.

The players are very accessible before the game signing autographs for fans as well as after the game by the players' parking lot, where many players do stay and sign autographs for the children.

Win or lose, you will not leave Progressive Field disappointed. Your entertaining visit will leave you wanting more...

If you are one of the locals who has yet to visit Progressive Field, please get to a game this season. You will not be disappointed and will find out why Progressive Field is this week's Hidden Gem.