No Deadspin Worthy Drunk Photos Here

September 22, 2006

Nationals group shot (Prelude, Part 1) Ok, I’m finally home! I had a happy hour to go to, so after arriving home, showered and headed out again. Now I can satisfy the suspense I left everyone in at the end of this morning’s post and fill in the rest of the details. Pardon any typos – I’m reallllly tired! Funny, last night I asked Austin Kearns if the team was going to suck and lose tonight against the Mets since half the team would probaby be hungover. He kinda laughed and said, “Nah!” and guess what? They won 3-2! Atta boys! I’ve been kicking myself all day after I realized Brandon Harper was in attendance (when I looked closely at the group photos) and I didn’t mingle much and get a chance to talk to my new favorite backup catcher. I spent most of the night hanging back by the bar and cornering players I ran into there. Or basically anyone who would chat with me.

Ok, I left off with our heroines swinging in the low funky Space Odyssey 2000 chairs and blushing after buying Cordero, O’Connor, and unsure-of-guy a round of drinks. We purposely tried not to look at them – you know, playing it cool or something. Unsure-of-guy walked past to go to the (weird) bathroom and kinda smiled as he went past. I wished I could figure out who he was, but without uniforms and hats on, that proved a little difficult. O’Connor and Chief wouldn’t even look our way, but this guy did a few times (ok, ok, I couldn’t help but watch a little!). While he was occupied behind the wall we sat in front of, some guy from the bar came over to us. I had been distracting myself by watching the Mets/Marlins game on the TV attached to the pole on our table. The Marlins had just pulled ahead 4-2. The guy asked me who was playing, so I told him. He asked who was winning, and feeling like I was being quizzed, replied that Florida was. “You like baseball, eh?” Umm, yeah, you could say that! I explained we were there for the Soriano ceremony.

The guy said he was an athlete… well, used to be an athlete.. well, ok, he played football and basketball in college, but no baseball. He then asked us to guess his age. I guessed 42 and felt bad when he looked shocked. Turned out he as 41! Ha! He introduced himself as Will and then asked why we were sitting in the corner of the club looking all depressed. Huh, I hadn’t thought we were, but we were definitely being wallflowers. He asked what would make the night perfect? I started to answer “getting the chance to chat with the Nationals,” but he started in on another story and I stopped mid-sentence. He told us the action and socializing was going on over where he was at the bar and to come on over and he’d get us drinks. So we wandered over after unsure-of-guy walked by and gave a little wave, to which I shyly waved back, still wishing I could figure out who he was.

We realized occupying the corner was quite boring, and decided “why not?” on joining this guy and his friends at the bar. They seemed connected – said to add us to his tab and introduced us to his friends. One of them looked VERY familiar, but I still can’t quite place him. Unfortunately, I only got a photo of one of them, but not all four. A commotion stirred outside and DCSC pointed me to the window. I could see a tv video camera out there, but couldn’t get an angle to see what was going on. I learned later it was Soriano’s arrival and short press bit that apparently aired on TV. He whisked in with an entourage and suddenly everyone crowded onto that side of the bar started filing through a previously closed door into a private room. We tried to go with our newfound friends, but were told we needed wristbands. Hmm.. isn’t that what I RSVP’d for? We all filed outside to the bouncer and keeper of the sacred wristbands, only to be turned back because we had drinks in our hands. One of our newfound friends told me to hold his drink while they all and DCSC went back outside. I stood there feeling stupid and thinking I should be out there since it was MY name that was supposed to be on the list (so I thought). Meanwhile, I ran into unsure-of-guy and explained that we bought the drinks because we knew they were Nationals and just wanted to show our appreciation. I assured him we were not hitting on them, but I refrained from asking who he was. He seemed appreciative and was nice after admitting that yeah, they thought we were hitting on them, before he disappeared through The Door.

I finally made the split-second decision to set the guy’s drink on a table (briefly hoping it wasn’t something really expensive) and wandered out where DCSC informed me no one by my name was on the list and the party was private, set up by someone. Our new friends tried cajoling and wielding influence to get the sacred wristbands, but they wouldn’t budge outside. So dejected, we all came back in. We watched as people came through The Door back into the main area to walk over to the bathrooms. Jim Bowden and his fiance danced their way across the room right in front of me. I debated talking to him, but talked myself out of the idea. DCSC and I gave each other the look, realizing the trip may have been for naught. I felt tricked after being assured by the person I phoned to RSVP that we would definitely get in, particularly after I explained we were driving from DC to attend.

DCSC and benefactor Have no fear! Our new friends became our benefactors as they appealed to someone else inside the club and the rope was lifted to allow us to pass through The Door. Woot! We were in! No freaking way! We were in! There they all were, dancing and smiling! Wow! Our important friends encouraged us to walk up to the platform Soriano reigned from and get our picture taken with him, offering to work the camera. Luckily, the photographer on hand offered to take the camera off their hands when they couldn’t work it, and snapped a couple photos himself. Awesome! I mumbled something to Soriano about what a great year he’s had with the Nationals and good luck working out an agreement for the future. Ha! He nicely obliged and posed for the photo.