I’m writing this from up in the press-box at Chase Field, as I’m guesting on a web-chat hosted by Fox Sports Arizona [please feel free to swing by and pose a question or two]. It’s the second time I’ve been up here, having done one during the Diamondbacks’ last home-stand, when they were playing the Braves.
View From The Press Box
It’s a little hard for someone like myself, who is a die-hard fan first, and a writer second, to behave entirely in accordance with press-box protocol. This is basically to exhibit no emotion regardless of what happens in the course of the game. I probably breached this rule “somewhat,” shall we say, during the Atlanta series, after an outfield collision led to an inside-the-park home-run which won the game for the home team. I imagine the phrase “W00t!” is not one often heard in the press-box.
At least the phrase “Act like you’ve been here before,” is now accurate. It’s a lot more crowded - both in the park generally, and the press-box - than it was for the Braves game. There was only 19,138 at that one: tonight is expected to be a sell-out at Chase, or close to. And it’s on ESPN too, though given the Yankees have the best record in the major-leagues, and the Diamondbacks are among the worst, maybe national TV is not necessarily a good thing for Arizona.
I don’t think it’ll be easy to restrain myself - the traveling contingent of fans just started up the first “Let’s Go, Yankees!” chant of the night, and the temptation to boo was almost overpowering. All told, I think this press-box thing is fun to do occasionally, but losing the ability to boo, cheer and heckle just takes away too much of the fun of watching the game. I’m happier remainin a fan first and writer second.
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