I had intended the previous RFK post to end comically, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. After I started talking (typing) about RFK's Indianapolis speech, I couldn't regress into satire. So, I will just rant for a minute or two (depending on how quickly you read) in another post (this post).
Later that evening, after exploring the bowels of Arlington, my brother and I attended a Washington Nationals game (that's baseball). They were playing the Cleveland Indians in an interleague match-up. After coming from Arlington I was much maligned to see the Nationals play. Why, you may ask? It is for two reasons: 1) the Nationals yearly compete with the Royals to be Major League Baseball's worst team (stiff competition) and 2) the Nationals play in one of the ugliest stadiums in the Majors. The archiect was rumored to have looked at his cereal bowl one hungover morning and instantly developed the idea that became this stadium. Why would this make you mad, Wyatt? The Nationals suck. Big deal, you're a Cubs fan! It makes me mad because the name of this ugly stadium, the stadium that houses the NL's worst team is Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.
As you can tell from my last post, I am enamored by the legacy of RFK and I can think of 1,204 better tributes to his name then this stadium. If you're a fan of RFK, ever read a history book, or can spell his initials, it should make you sick as well. RFK had a legacy of inspiring onlookers, while his "memorial" stadium makes onlookers throw up. RFK had a legacy of getting things done, triumph over evil while the Nationals have a legacy of being just as bad as that team that moved from Montreal.
The game we went to see proved to be a typical Nationals game, albeit with more excitement. The Nationals were winning 3-1 until the 9th inning. Victor Martinez came up with two men on. I decided to get into the game and I put on my rally cap. Literally, as soon as I did so, Martinez hit a three-run homer (yes, Zach and Jackie, I am taking credit for Martinez's home run). Thanks to my effort, the Nationals were now losing 4-3. But, wait, even the Nationals can stage a comeback one in a while. The Nationals loaded the bases with one out thanks in part to a pinch-hit double by Nook Logan. Lopez came up and hit a sharp bouncer to the pitcher. The force-out is at home, so he throws it to Martinez, the Indians catcher. For some reason, Nook "This is why I'm on the Nationals" Logan rounded third very ambitiously and allowed Martinez to easily pick him off at third. It was a game ending, unconventional double-play. And you could hear RFK saying "you've got to be kidding me." There are a few things that Nook forgot: 1) You never want to end an inning at third, 2) especially when your best bat in Ryan Zimmerman is coming up next and 3) I can't really think of a third. It was a disappointing loss, to say the least, and it made the ride back on the Metro will all 42, 000 fans in attendance really awkward.
My point is: Let's be careful what teams we put into stadiums named after famous Americans. Once the Nationals moved in they should have renamed it the Bob Hope Memorial Stadium because the Nats are a joke. Luckily, a new stadium is on the way. A new home for the Nationals! The only question left is: What will they name the new stadium? If the name resembles RFK Stadium in that the object of the title does not resemble the teams performance then I am pulling for: Volvo Stadium, because a Volvo is as dependable as it gets and the Nats are well . . . pretty much have the metaphorical safety standard of a clown car.
Excuse the rant. Was it necessary? Of course not, but I did it anyway.
-Wyatt Earp
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