Results tagged ‘ Rockpile Ranter ’
EY’s are Good Guys
4-21-13
D-Backs vs Rockies Game 3
The first bobble head game of the season and it’s a good one. You’d be hard pressed to find a Rockies fan who doesn’t love Eric Young.
EY has a place in Rockies franchise history that will last forever. Young hit the first Rockies home run at Mile High Stadium back in 1993.
What’s cool about that is EY wasn’t exactly known as a home run hitter.
Today was autograph Sunday as well. I was on the field and the only player to stop by my little area was Adam Ottavino. I didn’t have any pictures of Adam as of yet so he autographed a baseball for me.
Nice guy!
This is my friend Marianne aka R-Luv. She’s an original Rantic and it’s been a while since I’ve run into her at game. Good to see you R-Luv!!
The weather today was not too bad. Definitely not warm, but a long sleeve shirt or light jacket was plenty.
Eric Young was present on his bobble head day. His youngest son threw out the first pitch to his older brother Eric Young Jr. I think the world of both EY’s and for me this reunion was just fun to watch. Eric Young and Eric Young Jr. are both fan friendly and about as humble as they come.
Nice pitch from the lil guy known as “The Mayor”.
This was Game 3 of a series in which the Rockies won the first two.
Juan Nicasio starting pitcher.
I love following foul and home runs baseballs into the crowd. Peoples expressions are priceless.
Didn’t run into the Rox Addict all game, but did find him doing his thing when I was cropping a picture.
Ever wonder who the Jackass is who starts “The Wave” when the Rockies are batting? It’s this guy below, if you see him you have my permission to smack him in the head.
My favorite alien!
This is Dan’s friend Brian catching Tulo’s homer on the bounce.
Congrats brotha, you’ve just experienced what I’ve yet to.
D-Backs come from behind in the 9th, score two runs and the Rockies lose this one 5-4 but take the Series.
I’m “D” the Ranter…8 more bobble heads to go.
Whole Lotta Luv for the Talking Glove
4-13-12
Back in 2011 I was sitting in the pavilion with my friend Marianne and my boy Hunter watching a Rockies/Dodgers game. A few feet behind us was a drunk Rockies fan who was endlessly heckling Tony Gywnn Jr.
I shot some video and posted it because I was impressed with the way Tony handled himself plus I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. By the end of this game we had all had enough of the heckler (who sounded like Gilbert Godfried), screaming in our ears.
Here’s a link to the blog entry I wrote about it…Tony Takes the Abuse…Then Lets Loose.
Yesterday my YouTube account came to life with non-stop emails and comments on this video. This video has received over 314,000 hits so far.
Someone posted my video on Reddit
Go figure? Anyways, here’s the video:
Click HERE to read write-up of the game almost two years ago.
The article mentions how Tony made the game ending catch off of Charlie Blackmon. I remember that catch, it was impressive. What was even more impressive is after he caught the ball he turned around, smiled, tipped his cap to the heckler and strutted off the field. The write-up even mentions the heckler..Very cool!
It seems almost every sports blog and funny video website in the country has picked up this video. I saw the video on the MLB fan cave and in Yahoo Canada EH!
What kind of sucks is not one of them mentions the guy who filmed it or my blog the Rockpile Rant.
I’m “D” the Ranter…Stay away from me Yo!.. I’m Viral 
Spring is my Thing
1-27-2013
Spring Training in Arizona.
For some of us, there is no regular season without a trip south just to check things out.
Knowing that sometime in March I’ll be traipsing through the backfield at some team’s facility scouring for baseballs or innocently(wink wink) wandering into a restricted area fill my winter time thoughts.
I know it will be warm and I’ll be wearing shorts, sunglasses and sport’n my trademark Ranter hat.
Plus Arizona has In and Out Burger joints :)…Yeah!
Daydreaming about spring training is what gets me through the Colorado winter. I know for a fact I’m not the only one who daydreams about the southwest sun and cacti.
Rantics, I see your FACEBOOK posts
Spring Training for the players is intense at times but for me it’s how I decompress from life. I’ve stopped setting goals for myself and I plan to focus on having a good time. Setting goals creates pressure and as I just mentioned that’s not what I’m shooting for. The goal if any is to relax, have fun, hang with baseball friends, make some new friends, catch some baseballs, watch 3 World Baseball Classic games, wander the back fields of random spring training facilities, and take LOTS of pictures.
Then tell you all about it because that’s what the Number #1 Rockies MLBlogger for the last 6 years does
As far as autographs go I plan to bring some of my pictures along and hopefully get a few of my favorites signed. I have no idea of what to get autographed at the WBC??
Maybe a WBC bat or jersey?
I feel like I crank out some of my best blogs during Spring Training. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m relaxed or because I’m more focused by not being distracted by my normal routine?
I guess stuff is just more fun to write about when you had a blast doing it.
Same as last year I’ll be hang’n with my partner in crime the Rox Addict and there’s usually never a dull moment with us two exploring a ballpark or a restricted area
We’re sort of a Dynamic Rockies Blogging Duo of sorts.
This year will be my 6th year attending Spring Training in Arizona. So in tribute to that here are some links and a few pictures from my Spring Training adventures in years past.
The Mobile Blogging Unit and Hi Corbett Field. I loved that place.(2009).
Snagg’n Behind Enemy Lines for the First Time. (2009)
Snagged my Holy Grail at Maryvale (2009)
A Geezer and A Canadian Open the New Stadium (2011)
Rockies win that first game in the new stadium 8-7.
I End up with One…But Damn it was Fun (2011)
Two Dudes from Ned in a Stadium of Red (2012)
Next Time Put Up a Sign (2012)
Mike the Rox Addicts first game ball: (2012)…He Snagged the ball Green hat and all
Baseball memories.
I figured out why I chase baseballs.
As a kid some of my fondest memories were going to hockey games with my pops. We had a local farm team and my thing was I liked to try and snag a puck or two when I was there. This was way before they used nets and pucks would often fly into the stands and kids would scramble for them. I guess chasing baseballs takes me back to a happy place in my childhood.
We all need something like that.
I’m “D” the Ranter
Spring Training brings out the kid in me. Six weeks till I get to play.
See you kids down there
Bronco Cheers Turn Into Frozen Tears
1-12-13
Alternative title was:
Whadaya Know…Joe Can Throw
Layers food and adrenaline are how you deal with extended periods of cold when tail-gat’n.
Some might say booze helps. We all know it doesn’t really, but it does make being out in the cold a whole lot more tolerable. Plus if ever there was a right time and right place..Today qualified.
COLD..I like my cold with snow. No snow today. I heard a rumor this was the coldest Broncos home game since 1972. I believe it, I’ve never been cold at any sporting event like I was cold at this game. During the game unless you had club level seats there was nowhere to go to warm up.
By halftime my Coke was frozen in my cup…No joke!
Sitt’n here writing this blog entry a day later, I’m in shock, my head hurts, my bones are still cold from 7 hours in the elements and I can’t for the life of me wrap my head around this season being over.
WTF happened?
Where was my man Champ Baily? I figured he’d be money this game.
Why did the Broncos take a knee with time on the clock?
Why did Moore let Jacoby Jones get in front of him? (Worst Play Ever)
Was it something I did or didn’t do. Was it my new Jersey?
What happened to this being Peyton’s house? Denver Defense?
I felt like I did my part.
It just didn’t seem like the same team I watched win 11 straight games before today. For sure the Broncos didn’t look like a SuperBowl bound team.
I’m totally kerfuffled.
I start to wonder does Manning have a post-season jinx?(He’s now 9-11) Was it the combination of the pressure and the weather? Was his neck bugg’n him? I know when it’s cold out my back just plain hurts.
Begrudgingly…Props to the Baltimore Ravens! What a game plan on both sides. That’s all I’m gonna say about that. Best of luck to ya Ray Lewis(Snitch).
K and I showed up about 3 hours early each with about 5 layers of clothes and multiple hand and foot warmers. Underneath everything I was wearing my new Broncos jersey.
It’s the one I won for the winning the Bud Light Bottle Race back in December of 2011. Long story short they it took them 11 months to send the first jersey and it was a size 56 XXXL. I had requested a 52 XXL.
It was returned back to the Broncos and just in time for this game I received my customized size 52 XXL Players Jersey. Thank you Broncos!!
I was extremely pleased with my Nikon camera for holding up in the single digit temps.
Here’s the game from a fans point of view sitting there freezing his ass off.
5th level front row.
Here’s Lee stepp’n on Champs hand to start the game off.
Holliday starts to work his way down field.
Quick look…No worries.
Damn he caught up quick…No worries I got this.
That’s how you start a game!
Feeling invincible.
A fired up Champ Baily..Before the cold set in.
Champ about to get beat bad.
I feel ya Champ…Gett’n old sucks.
What’s up with the Broncos fan wearing a Manning jersey cheering the Ravens extra point?
Tight end Joel Dreesson, starting to turn a nice pink color.
This gets ugly.
Decker gett’n manhandled.
Hit hard and the ball is loose.
Graham eyes it.
It’s his.
At this point in the game my stomach started to feel a lil queezy.
The Ravens kept changing the momentum of this game. As much as Broncos fans were cheering and making noise, it was in vain. This bird soared into the end zone.
Stomach still queezy now my toes were gett’n cold.
Manning with a sweet pass to Stokley.
Stokley with a sweet catch for a TD!
Flacco to Rice…Waaaay to much of that during this game.
Ray Lewis giving Stokley some luv.
Manning to Moreno.
Flacco Sacco.
Von pressuring Flacco. I wanted to see more of this.
Bronco Luv!
Yeah Von!
Unfortunately that pissed Flacco off.
This is seconds before Broncos fans Superbowl dreams get crushed. Flacco worms his way into position.
Winds up.
Throws a Hail-Mary.
Why Moore is where he is…Is beyond me?
One helluva catch.
The rest explains itself.
The extra point was good and so were K and I.
I hadn’t felt my toes in about an hour and my fingers couldn’t work my camera anymore. K and I decided it was time to go.
We missed nothing.
There will be NO Superbowl for Denver this year.
If Manning is gonna make (sometimes extremely cold)Denver his home for the next couple of years, the folks that can may wanna consider putt’n a retractable lid on ‘ole Mile High.
This way we can keep Manning’s hands warm and his head in the game.
Manning’s play was obviously affected by the weather. I get that, but how do you fix that? 78,000 of us witnessed first hand Manning rapidly degrade as the temperature went from damn cold to nut shriveling.
This is a sad day for Broncos fans.
Let me just say…You gotta be hardcore to be a Colorado Sports fan.
I’m ”D” the Ranter…Still in Shocko from Flacco.
Broncos Do the Deed… Secure the # 1 Seed
Chiefs vs Broncos…Game 16
The last regular season game of the year. There were only two things Krista and I wanted to see happen today. A Broncos win, and news of the #1 seed in the AFC.
DONE
I love this feeling. Being a hardcore Rockies fan winning is a strange concept to me. Winning 11 in a row is way more than anyone anticipated at the beginning of this season.
After almost 15 years of the Broncos owning a lollipop factory, finally they don’t suck anymore.
Folks..Hold your head high…Being a Broncos fan carries some weight again. Even the Rockies Rally Squirrel jumped ship and now lives near Sports Authority Field.
I figure since Rockies fans don’t tail-gate the scraps here must be plentiful. Krista and I did a little Hill-Gating with Mike the Rox Addict before the game. We shared a few of Colorado’s finest and started making plans for our Spring Training trip in 2 months
Hill-Gating is partying on a hill next to where other folks are Tail-Gating. Admittedly not a great word but it’s my word. How many words do you have?
Von Miller
Leslie with his own brand of Chop.
This Superbowl run is for you Champ.
PFM pre-game.
Flyover
Love the broncos Toque that Champ is wearing.
Don’t know what a toque is? Let me help you.
In Canada, toque, or tuque (pron.: /’tu:k/), is the common name for a knitted winter hat, or beanie. The Canadian English term was assimilated from Canadian French tuque. Toque first appeared in writing around 1870.
The fashion is said to have originated with the coureurs de bois, French and Métis fur traders, who kept their woollen nightcaps on for warmth during cold winter days. Such hats are known in other English-speaking countries by a variety of names, including beanie (American), watch cap or stocking cap; the terms tuque and toque are unique to Canada and northern areas of the United States, close to the Canadian border.
Now you know.
First play Quinn hands off to Charles.
Quinn gets a taste of some Mile High grass
Touchdown Moreno!
With Manning at the Helm…
Broncos straight up kick the Chiefs ass 38-3..Total Domination!
On a final Broncos note..Six years ago on Jan 1 2007 cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed on New Years Day, at 24 years of age…Sad
Here’s a video tribute to Darrent.
It’s been a year folks. Lots of ups and down in our Colorado Sports world. Blogging gained absolutely no credibility in 2012 and as such a lot of sporting events are trying to restrict what type of cameras can be brought into a Stadium or Arena. They are shying away from anything with a detachable lens.
Anyone that knows me knows I don’t sell my pictures. They are online for all to view and enjoy. There’s not a lot of people out there that do what I do quite like I do it. If you know me you know….I’m not “in it” for the money.
Shit… Being ”in it” costs me money.
I rarely watch sports on TV because I love being there. That feeling of being a small part of something bigger, camera in hand waiting to catch that “perfect picture” whatever it may be that day.
Props to Coors Field and the Rockies and Sports Authority Field and the Broncos for not restricting my camera usage. I’m glad they realize I’m on their side. The Nuggets and the Pepsi Center are a different story.
Spring Training Road Trip will be early March 2013 for the Rox Addict and I.
My Spring training trip is shorter this year because we purchased a mountain ranch a month ago..
You’d think the perfect name for the ranch would be the Rockpile Ranch right? For some reason my wife doesn’t share my enthusiasm for that name. Since we’re at 9200 feet elevation the wife decided we’re gonna call it the…
“HIGH C RANCH”.
I’m “D” the Ranter.
Press Pass for the Ranter in 2013
From Krista, Hunter, Mylee , Elway, Nugget, Bronco, Karma Kitty and I…
Happy New Year and a prosperous 2013 to you…”D“
Cry me a Philip Rivers…Broncos Deliver.
11-18-12
Chargers vs Broncos
The Chargers have had the Broncos number at home for years. With the P-F-M 1000 firing on all cylinders I had a feeling that things would be different this game. Today Krista and I took our tailgat’n serious and showed up about 3 1/2 hours pregame. As it has been for every home game for the last two years the weather was perfect.
By the time we got to our seats we had missed the sky divers and the flyover. No worries. We were feel’n fine
Prader kickoff.
Willis McGahee before and after his knee injury…That sucks.
Von Miller gets set.
Boom!
Knocks the ball loose.
In your face Rivers!!
Broncos recover. Von Miller had 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
Dude’s a beast!
Decker airborne for a TD!
Yeah Boy!
With that TD Decker became only the third Bronco to catch at least eight touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.
I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as usual. I’ll blame it on the unusually long pregame tailgate experience
By the way..Mikes Harder really is a bit harder..WOW
Broncos get the sweep of the Chargers at home with a final score of 30-23. Next up…Chiefs at Arrowhead. That should be a no-brainer.
I’m “D” the Ranter…What’s that 5 in a row now? After all the crappy post-Elway years, it feels like football is back in Colorado and it feels good to be relevant again.
I expect I’ll be gett’n a bill for Broncos post-season tickets soon.
Bring Your Sign…It’s Helmer Time
9-20-12
Ok, this Rockies season was a bust and it’s quite possible we could achieve the 100 loss mark.
Just wondering how your still feeling about the lack of our homeboy Tom Helmer and his enthusiasm for the Rockies?
I don’t know about you but it seems to me the Rockies and Poot Warts need Helmer now more than ever.
Nothing against Joel Klatt pictured below.
Thursday is the last regular season game at Coors Field and Mike the Rox Addict and I plan to bring our “Bring Back Helmer” signs and just as we did the first game of the year we’re going to show our support hopefully pre-game and post-game.
What we need are Helmer supporters who can make signs and show up with arm power to hold them up.
If you miss Tom and feel it is essential that Poot Warts rehire him, get your ass up, grab a sharpie, find a chunk of cardboard and go to town with your sign making skills.
Poot Warts can tune out our chanting, but it’s difficult to mute a big ass sign?
WE NEED SIGNS!!
It’s the last game of the year…It’ll be months before you even think baseball again…Lets make a day of it and show support for the “HOMEBOY”.
Do you own one of the famous “Helmer is my Homeboy” shirts? Make sure you’re wearing it Thursday.
Then when we’re all done we meet at the Blake and talk about what a great day it was.
Shout out to the “Homeboy” maybe he can make an appearance??
Leave a comment below if you’ll be there with sign in hand or wearing one of those classic Helmer shirts.
I’m ”D” The Ranter… Please…Bring Helmer back before the Cowboy starts frosting his tips.
Joel Klatt can’t Dance.
Stout…You Rock Brotha!
Rockies…Let’s steer clear of the 100 loss mark ok?
See you Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday…”D”
Manning’s No Geezer…Just a Crowd Pleaser
9-9-12
Broncos vs Steelers Game 1
Ready as we’ve ever been, Krista and I showed up at 2pm to get our tailgate on.
Even showing up 4 1/2 hours before the start of the game we were still couple of hours late for the party. We played catch-up soaking in everything by just walking around enjoying the moment. The first regular season game is a HUGE deal in Denver and this is our second year as Broncos season ticket holders so we still kind of learning the ropes.
P-F-M jerseys were in full effect.
Today was Krista’s birthday. Pretty cool way to spend your birthday I’d say.
The Mile High “Crack of the Game”.
The new era of Manning.
I had nothing against Tim Tebow whatsoever… Because above all…I like winning.
Shot of the coin flip.
Orange is back and that’s a good thing!!
Almost caught two balloons thanks to a wind shift.
You’d think with balls of steel they’d drop quicker or you’d hear some sort of clanging noise?
P-F-M in “His” house.
Traditional flyover.
Let’s begin the picture show.
Big Ben on his ass. The way it should be!
Two-point conversion denied
Props to Porter for being the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Final Score
Broncos 31….Steelers 19
I”m “D” the Ranter…As I mentioned earlier, I like winn’n that’s why I’m grinn’n.
This season’s gonna be fun….”D”
Regular Fan…Not This Man
6-8-12
Rockies vs Angels Game 1
I tried to be just a regular fan.
I went to two games without my camera. As much as I liked the fact that my backpack was lighter and I had two free hands,.. I felt like a space traveller without a spaceship. Even back before I had a decent camera I wandered Coors Field holding my crappy camera snapping pictures of everything.
I guess after time it just become part of you or in my case me.
I fregg’n love inter league play, especially at Coors.
Teams that don’t visit Coors Field often really soak in the experience of the mile high ballpark and that equates to a good time at batting practice. Today was a perfect example. Albert Pujols was enjoying himself so much today that he took an extra round of BP. That worked out well for Jersey Geoff and I. We were well aware that fact Albert had been up to bat for a long time and we figured eventually the big guy would have to hit one our way. Not long after that conversation Albert hit one right to me. Nice easy catch right on the pavilion wall.
Shortly after Jersey Geoff got his.
Anyone that knows me knows that this is why I do BP. How many people in the world can say they’ve caught a home run ball right off the bat of Albert fregg’n Pujols?
If you think about it, not even pro ballplayers catch home run balls. They catch them before they’re home run balls. I suppose every now and then a player is robbed of a home run so I guess that’s catching a home run ball but you see my point.
The chance of me ever getting Albert to sign that ball is slim, but this ball gets a special spot in my collection. The Pujols ball was my third catch of the day. The first was a straight up catch given to a little girl behind me and the second was a ground rule double I gave to my friend Ruth who was attending her first Rockies game of the year.
Today was the hottest game of the season for me. Temperature was 88 but felt like 100.
First pitch of the game.
Trout seconds after he was caught…By a pitch. He seemed to be ok…Scary though!
Trying to get a peek.
Todd Helton toss-up.
Hunter knocks one onto the concourse. That was one of two of his homers for the evening.
WOW
Huge Rockies fans…Ruth and Scott.
As much as I detest “The Wave” at least Rockies fans were doing it at the appropriate time.
As usual it didn’t work.
Rockies lose to the Angels 7-2.
For some reason the Angels are crazy good during Inter league play.
Baseball isn’t always Cracker Jacks and home runs. Sometimes it’s just plain ugly. On that note here’s the…
Coors Field Crack of the Game
I’m “D” the Ranter and I think I just Vurped a little
Chipper Holds Class…Braves Kick Ass
5/5/12
Braves vs Rockies Game 2
Today’s adventure started out early. Hunter and I headed to Groove Chevrolet in Littleton to support MVP Sports and Colorado sports Artist Kyle Banister who was helping host a Wilin Rosario autograph session.
When we arrived it was still early on in the session and not many folks had arrived yet. I was able to shake hands with Wilin, get one of Kyle’s Rosario prints autographed, and get a picture of Wilin autographed for Hunter.
Wilin was kind enough to pose with us for a picture. I asked Wilin what his favorite part of being a Rockie this season and his face lit up and he said:
”Everything man, the fans, the players, I love it.”
What Wilin doesn’t know at this point is once you shake the hand of the Ranter..Good things begin to happen.
Wilin is a really nice guy and Kyle drew an awesome print for this autograph session. As we were leaving we ran into Amy, Eric, Gary and Alannah X who were hang’n round enjoying the free lunch after getting Wilin’s autograph.
What I love about Kyle’s artwork is when you step back a few feet it comes to life.
Whenever I think of the Braves I think of my buddy Andy from Spring training. As much as I’ve taken abuse from him about the Rockies, I give it back too. I enjoy the Braves in town because it usually results in a good batting practice and today did not disappoint.
For a change of pace I switched up gloves. I had a small amount of play from the Rockies today but each time the ball would drop short or fly over my head. However, once the Braves took over the field I knew I had picked the right part of the pavilion to be standing. My first ball was a toss-up that bounced short of the first row. I was able to snatch it up on the second bounce. My second ball was hit hard and I knew it was going to land in the tunnel. I headed for the tunnel, turned back and was positioned for a perfect tunnel catch. At the last-minute another dude reached into the tunnel from the pavilion and deflected the ball. It went into the tunnel and through the door. I ran in and snagged it.
At this point I’m glad I’ve snagged two balls but I still hadn’t caught one on the fly this season. This was grinding on me hard. Finally with about ten minutes left of BP Dan Uggla hit a homer that had my name on it. I took a few steps to my left and made a perfect catch. I can’t tell you how glad I was to get that first one out-of-the-way.
Today was Cinco De Mayo or as I heard a Rockies fan say Drinko De Mayo
Here are a few pre-game pictures.
My mission today was to get pictures of Chipper Jones last time at Coors Field.
Cuddy’s Grand Slam..A nice shot into the pavilion.
Jamie Moyers first hit as a Rockie.
Yeah!!
I told you once you shake the hand of the Ranter good things happen. This is one of two Rosario homers tonight.
Here’s not only Chipper Jones but Chipper as his bat is starting to shred. First time I’ve gotten a shot of a bat breaking this particular way. Chipper was money tonight and had a career high 5 RBI’s.
Here’s what Tracy had to say about Esmil Rogers:
“With Esmil, it’s back and forth,” Tracy said. “A good day, a bad day, a good day, another bad day. Which guy’s coming? Which guy’s going to show up? That’s what we have to sort out and get to the point where we know a consistent guy’s going to show up on a regular basis. That’s where we’re failing, right?
Major group duck!
Jim Tracy and his thoughts about the loss:
“That’s the worst game of the year for us. From the sixth inning on, we didn’t pitch at all. We had a 6-0 lead after two innings, and once we went to our bullpen no one that we ran out there threw with any consistency whatsoever. When you’ve scored 17 runs in the first two games of the series and you haven’t won one, it gives you a pretty good idea of where we’re failing.”
It’s tough to watch Jamie pitch so well then watch a nice lead slip away.
Final Score: Braves 13 Rockies 7…Ouch that’s two now.
I’m ”D” The Ranter and I’m thinking I need to shake hands with all of the Rockies.
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