Lochhead on Drawing with Italy

By Mike Takeuchi

New Zealand's Tie with Paraguay, didn't allow UCSB's Tony Lochhead and the All Whites to Advance. But it did give them three points in the World Cup Final, which is unprecedented for the country of merely four-million people. They also tied defending champion Italy. Tony talks about that big upset.

When the final whistle sounded Sunday confirming New Zealand's shocking 1-1 tie with defending champion Italy on Sunday, along with several local fans, most of the four million people in defender Tony Lochhead's country celebrated like there was no tomorrow.
The win, prompted the normally understated New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert to say that the result “stopped the nation.” Lochhead concurred with Herbert, who not only coaches the former UCSB standout on the national team, but also on the Wellington Phoenix of the Australian League, the only professional soccer team based in New Zealand. Shortly after the match, the 28-year-old took the time to express his thoughts to the News-Press.
“People are buzzing right now about football,” Lochhead said. “That is all everyone is talking about (at home) right now.”
He then went on to describe key moments in the match.
The All Whites stunned the Azzuri seven minutes into the game when a long free kick from Simon Elliot glanced off a falling Fabio Cannavaro to Shane Smelts, who pushed the ball into the net for the match's first score. It would be New Zealand's only shot on goal all day, but it gave his countrymen hope for an upset. But Lochhead said his teammates didn't share that thought.
“It was still so early into the game and Italy is such a good side that I don’t think you could ever get too far ahead (of ourselves into thinking about winning),” he said. “It was an amazing feeling when that ball went into the back of the net, though.”
Italy, took advantage of a slight tug from Tommy Smith on Daniele De Rossi inside the penalty area to gain a disputed penalty shot. Vincenzo Iaquinta converted to tie the score in the 27th minute and left the two teams knotted at halftime.
“Obviously we were disappointed to let them get a goal even thought it was a little suspect,” Lochhead said. “But if you had said to us we would be 1-1 at half time with the World Champs in the World Cup, we would have taken it. So it was more about focusing on the next 45 minutes.”
While the All Whites could not organize a run at Italy's goal, the Azzuri threw everything they had in a desperate attempt to get the three points for the win. The All Whites proved game as the defense turned away several chances, while New Zealand goalkeeper, who is Lochhead's teammate on Wellington, stopped three shots-including a diving right handed deflection in the 70th minute off the foot of Riccardo Montolivo that seemed destined for a goal.
“It was a busy day in the office for us tonight but I felt like we did well to contain them,” Lochhead said.” They have some pretty talented players who play in the top leagues in the world. I thought Pasty had a great game and he came up with some great saves especially in the second half.”
With time winding down and a tie a possibility, New Zealand closed ranks tighter.
“At this point of the game we were just trying to come away with the draw,” Lochhead said. “(They) were pushing to get that winning goal. We were just making sure our shape was solid and trying to make it as difficult as possible for them to play through us.”
The plan worked and as the whistle blew, the 78th ranked team in the world stunned the defending champions.
(This is) Such an amazing feeling- a huge result for our country!” Lochhead said. “People were going crazy after the first result that we got. They are now going absolutely nuts now. Hopefully we can capitalize on all of this and lift football onto another level.”

UCSB's Tony Lochhead before he makes his WC Debut

As he walks through the darkened tunnel into the bright lights, the question will soon become known and the wonderment will cease-only to be replaced by a level of play he and many others have never seen before.

Just as Landon Donovan, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, and a few dozen others did in the days before him, former UCSB men's soccer player Tony Lochhead will find out the answer if he and his team are as good as the worlds best soccer teams in the World Cup.

The 28-year-old and his teammates will represent New Zealand in the Cup for the first time since 1982 when they play Slovakia early this morning in their opening match at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. A few days before the first day of the tournament, he said he was very excited.

"I want to do well on the field, but I also want to enjoy the moment of being apart of the worlds biggest sporting event because it's not everyday you get to go to the World Cup," Lochhead said.

"Overall the team is feeling pretty good fitness wise because we have had a good training camp (in Austria). We have worked hard to make sure we are all on the same page."

The former Gaucho, who played from 2001 through 2004's College Cup finals reaching season, is back at full strength, after having surgery to repair an injured groin muscle following his Wellington Phoenix (Australian League) season. He said that he was good to go.

"My fitness is pretty good since I have played the last two (exhibition) games which has been a good test," Lochhead said. I feel like I (got) better with every game in terms of fitness. Right now, I'm just trying to focus on the job at hand we have three tough games against three quality teams"

In a group that includes defending champion Italy, as well as tough teams Paraguay and Slovakia, the 83rd ranked team (only host South Africa and North Korea are lower) is not considered a contender to make it to the knock-out round.

"It is always going to be tough for us but we have the belief," Lochhead said. "Playing against quality teams means you have to be switched on that much more or you can get punished. Which also means you have to work that much harder. But the team is quietly confident. We have three guys up front that are dangerous and can score for us."

The team will be particularly be relying on defender Lochhead and his defensive mates to hold the line to help give strikers Chris Killen, Tim Brown, and Shane Smeltz a chance to score. His team had mixed reviews of the four exhibition matches against Cup qualified teams, the All Whites won one, a 1-0 victory over Serbia near their training grounds in Austria. The three games were losses- a 2-0 decision against Mexico on March 3, a 2-1 game to rival Australia on May 24 in Melbourne, and a 3-1 loss to Slovenia, a team that is in Group C along with the United States.

The team's first opponent resembles the last of these and it is all on him and his defensive teammates, he said.

"They are a very similar team," Lochhead said." They play with a 4-4-2(formation) and are good on the ball, and the outside fullbacks like to bomb, so they can be dangerous if they are given too much time and space. So we will make sure we are solid defensively and we feel like we are creating enough chances in the games to score."

Lochhead said that his country has shifted their attention away from their popular rugby counterparts, the All Blacks, and onto them.

"The interest in football has definitely increased and we are the top story at the moment-which is great," he said. "With a good showing, hopefully we can build on this even after the World Cup."

The team's foundation begins to build today.

US Soccer Team Announced

U.S. HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY NAMES 23 PLAYERS TO REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES AT THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA

U.S. Opens World Cup Against England Live on ABC on June 12 at 2 p.m. ET

CHICAGO (May 26, 2010) — U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named the 23-man roster that will travel to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The team departs for South Africa on May 30, and will play their opening match of the tournament against England on June 12 in Rustenburg live on ABC at 2 p.m. ET.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (All-Time World Cup Roster Appearances)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (2010), Marcus Hahnemann (2006, 2010), Tim Howard (2006, 2010)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (2006, 2010), Jonathan Bornstein (2010), Steve Cherundolo (2002, 2006, 2010), Jay DeMerit (2010), Clarence Goodson (2010), Oguchi Onyewu (2006, 2010), Jonathan Spector (2010)
MIDFIELDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (2002, 2006, 2010), Michael Bradley (2010), Ricardo Clark (2010), Clint Dempsey (2006, 2010), Landon Donovan (2002, 2006, 2010), Maurice Edu (2010), Benny Feilhaber (2010), Stuart Holden (2010), José Torres (2010)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (2010), Edson Buddle (2010), Robbie Findley (2010), Herculez Gomez (2010)
Detailed Roster

“We have been working for almost four years to reach this point, and we are grateful to all the players who have been part of the process. There is a tremendous amount of respect for the efforts and professionalism that everyone has put into building this team,” said Bradley. “It’s important in any team building process to get to the final 23, and clearly there were some tough decisions to make. We are confident that this is a group of players that will work together and be committed to doing whatever it takes to be successful. We feel the roster has a good balance of players who have been a part of previous World Cups, those who have gained great experience in qualifying and Confederations Cup and some newer faces that have proved they belong. We are extremely excited to play the final Send-Off match in Philadelphia and then begin the great challenge of playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.”

The U.S. squad carries a variety of World Cup experience into South Africa, as fifteen players have been named to their first World Cup roster. Meantime, six players have played in a World Cup game, with midfielder Landon Donovan leading the team with eight appearances – all as a starter – while DaMarcus Beasley has six World Cup caps to his credit. That duo and Steve Cherundolo are earning a place in their third World Cup.

A total of 92 players received at least one cap under Bradley during the four-year cycle as the team compiled a 35-19-6 record. Additionally, 43 players were used during the 2010 qualifying campaign, 19 of whom made the final roster. Those players accounted for 29 of 42 goals scored in qualifying, including Jozy Altidore’s team-leading six goals.

Donovan is the leading capwinner on the roster with 121 international appearances. The USA’s all-time leader in goals (42) and assists (42) is one of two players with a World Cup goal in the books, along with Clint Dempsey. The Bronze Ball winner from the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup is coming off a banner year, having become the first American player to reach the final of a European cup competition.

The defense is backstopped by goalkeeper Tim Howard, the Golden Glove winner from the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup who allowed less than a goal per game in 13 appearances in 2010 World Cup qualifying. Team captain Carlos Bocanegra – whose 12 career goals give him second place on the all-time scoring chart for U.S. defenders – is the third most capped player on the roster with 77 appearances. Oguchi Onyewu has made his return to action following a seven-month recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon suffered last October in the team’s final qualifier, a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica. Jonathan Bornstein, whose stoppage-time goal in that game gave the U.S. first place in CONCACAF qualifying, along with Jay DeMerit, Clarence Goodson and Jonathan Spector, have the chance to appear in their first World Cup.

In the midfield, Donovan’s dominance shone in the final round of qualifying, where he contributed to 12 of the 19 goals scored. His five goals overall tied for second place along with Dempsey and Michael Bradley, who also shared the most appearances in qualifying with Donovan (15). Bradley is joined in the center of the park by fellow 2008 Olympians Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber and Stuart Holden. Edu and Beasley earned a Scottish Premier League title with Rangers in 2010, while Feilhaber earned his place in U.S. Soccer lore by scoring the goal in the 2007 Gold Cup final against Mexico that gave the U.S. a chance to shine in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Holden made his first appearance for the national team less than a year ago, scoring a goal in his debut against Grenada in the opening match of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Ricardo Clark scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win away to Trinidad & Tobago in qualifying, while José Torres is one of two players on the roster to ply his trade in Mexico.

The strike force is led by Altidore, who has eight career goals in 24 appearances and is the youngest U.S. player in modern history to score a hat trick. A trio of forwards – Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley and Herculez Gomez – did not appear in World Cup qualifying for the United States. Buddle, who had not appeared for the national team since 2003, became the 92nd player to collect a cap under Bradley when he assisted on the first goal against the Czech Republic on May 25 in East Hartford. Gomez, who entered camp after becoming the first American player to lead a foreign league in scoring when he scored 10 goals for Puebla in Mexico, recorded his first goal for the full team against the Czechs.

Overall, players representing clubs from 10 different countries will be heading to South Africa. A record 19 players on the roster play professionally for clubs outside the United States. The average number of caps earned is 34, compared to 44 in 2006. Likewise, the team is slightly younger than four years earlier, the average age slightly under 27 years old while in 2006 that number was closer to 28.5 years of age.

The U.S. will play their final home match before departing for South Africa when they face Turkey on May 29 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (tickets), where more than 45,000 tickets have already been sold. ESPN2 and Galavision will broadcast the match live beginning at 2 p.m. ET. ESPN will have a 30-minute pregame show beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. The United States will play one final friendly before the tournament begins, this time on South African soil when they face Australia on June 5 at Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

The U.S. Men's National Team has been drawn into Group C with England, Slovenia and Algeria for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The U.S. will open its sixth consecutive World Cup finals tournament against England on June 12 in Rustenburg, and will follow that game with matches against Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria.

Kevin Brown Summits the Ultimate Mountain

By Mike Takeuchi

(Note-Due to Kevin's wishes for privacy during his final days, I could not explain the exact nature of his illness. Unfortunately he passed away today November 13, 2009. He was a great guy and will be missed terribly by myself and many in the community.) MT





Dear Kevin,



I know your son Ryan and your dad Larry just picked up an award from the Athletic Round Table Luncheon last Monday for being their Sportsperson of the Month. But while they appreciated the gesture, some people you know (myself included) think that you deserve so much more.

First, your son Ryan thinks you are the greatest and bravest not so much for climbing the seemingly impossible big walls of El Capitan , but just for being a wonderful dad to him and his sister Rachel and a great husband to his mom Lori. Your dad said that over the years, you have touched a lot of lives in your years on this earth and that he is very proud of you.

Your family isn’t the only one who recognizes the gift that you have given to people. As a healer and athletic trainer, you were par excellence, bar none, Dr. Bill Gallivan said. Bill said that from the San Francisco 49ers, to the Olympic athletes, the golfers from pros like Fred Couples and Don Parsons, you were nothing short of an amazing teammate. But he added that you seemed to do your best work with the high school and youth athletes of the community.

Bill said that you were a pleasure to work with and a fabulous guy to share the sidelines with. He added that patients loved you because you always went beyond healing just their physical injuries and that he wished more caregivers used your approach.

One of those athletes you trained, Gavin Feuer, may just make that jump to the pros some day. Gavin, a senior pitcher for the Santa Barbara High baseball team was thankful for the safe haven you provided for him. He also noticed that you would often treat those who couldn’t afford it. Because of this and many other things, he unfailingly trusted you to do the right thing.

The biggest lesson he learned was how you taught him to turn weaknesses into strengths was not just for the gym, but equated to life on the outside. He will be forever grateful of that.

Other than your family, your good friend and climbing partner Kevin Steele probably knew you best. Perhaps it was bivouacking thousands of feet above the ground, along the walls of El Cap, or maybe it was discovering new routes on the Full Moon Dihedral as a world-class climber, or teaching him something you were great at, surfing or maybe it was even standing beside him at his wedding, Kevin Steele knew he could trust you with his life. That says a lot about a man.

I’ll always appreciate the warm treatment and assistance you provided without charge in whatever ailed me. You were a one-man welcoming committee that was always eager to share your experiences or a good story.

I’ll never forget the time you walked across the dining room at Petrinis to say hello to my family and then went back to yours. With eyes bright, you shared a secret with your kids with a look of pure happiness on your face.



We all just wanted to congratulate you Kevin. By virtue of your love for your family, earnestness and passion while pursuing your profession with the truest of hearts, you have become dear to us all. And in the process, you have summitted a mountain that is as high as 100 Mt. Everests stacked up one on top of the other. And we are all looking up and proudly watching as you plant your flag in triumph.



Note, there is a nice “appreciation thread” for Kevin Brown filled with spectacular photographs by Kevin Steele on Supertopo.com.

Nicest Guy on the Yankees Almost Makes Me Want to Root For Them

By Mike Takeuchi
(Photo by Yankees Team Doctor Chris Ahmad)

On the Anaheim Stadium field. while stretching between the serious Jorge Posada and locked-in Alex Rodriguez, Mick Kelleher bore the expression of an 18-year-old rookie who couldn't believe his good fortune.

The funny thing is, even after 36 years in the Major Leagues as a player and coach, maybe he hasn't. And that's partly why many local baseball fans were hoping that the universally recognized nice guy will finish first, even if he is part of the Evil Empire known as the New York Yankees

Kelleher, a Santa Ynez resident, is the Yankees' first base coach and infield instructor. After 11 years as a player, and 25 as a coach, it will be his first trip to the Fall Classic.

Despite not yet reaching the pinnacle of his sport, the energetic 62-year-old has enjoyed a bounty of honors — from the respect of his peers, to an endearing nickname that will forever be immortalized in Chicago Cubs lore. He is also a widely respected infield coach, whose pupils have included future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.

Just prior to Game Four of the ALCS, and shortly after being given a warm welcome from Angels coach Ron Roenicke, he leaned on the railing of the visitors' dugout and shook his head in wonder.

"I don't know how to explain it," Kelleher said. "I've been very fortunate to have a career in the game I love. I love the lifestyle, the travel, and mostly the people."

Gary Woods, also a former big leaguer, said there was nothing to wonder about. They met during the early 1970's when Kelleher moved to Santa Barbara with his wife Renee, and soon became workout partners and close friends.

"There is not a finer person in Major League baseball," Woods said. "That, and the fact that he is simply the best infield coach in the game, have given him a life that he loves and deserves.

"As a player, he may not have been blessed with the most talent, but I can't think of a player that gave any more of themselves."

Kelleher broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972, then played for the Houston Astros, the Chicago Cubs, the Detroit Tigers and, finally, with the Angels, with whom he retired in 1972.

While lacking power (.213 career average, zero home runs), he more than made up for it with fielding (.975 percentage) and toughness.

Woods, who also played for the Cubs, pointed to one memorable fight on Aug. 7, 1977 when his friend took on the toughest player in the game — and won. In an already brawl-filled game with San Diego, the Padres Dave "King Kong" Kingman was plunked by Chicago pitcher Steve Renko. Angered from the play, Kingman took out Kelleher hard at second base during a double-play attempt. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Kingman barreled straight into the 5-9, 170-pound Kelleher — who proceeded to jump on King Kong's back and pummel him.

"He looked like a little monkey on King Kong's back," Woods said with a laugh. "But damned if he didn't get the best of Kingman."

Kelleher also laughed when asked about the story.

"I may have won the fight on the field, but after he got the best of it because I had five bruised ribs, a wrenched neck, and a severe charley horse on my left leg, and we were both suspended," Kelleher said. "The funny thing is, Kingman signed with the Cubs the next year and it was bygones."

The fight earned Kelleher the nickname "King Kong Killer," along with t-shirts in his honor, and the eternal adoration of longtime Cubs fans. This approach and toughness also earned him a job when his career ended. Jack McKeon, who would later win a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2004, told Kelleher to call him when he was done playing.

"When you're a player you only think about playing as long as you possibly can," Kelleher said. "You literally have to take it one day at a time and I was fortunate to have played for 15 years. When I was done playing in '83, I called him and got a job as instructor with the Padres."

Sprinkled among stints with the Padres, the Cubs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he also coached first base, he worked with a young Jeter while serving as the Yankees roving fielding instructor from 1996 to 2002, and was the first base coach with the Tigers from 2003-2005. In 2006 he returned to the Yankees as an instructor and was named first base coach last year after Tony Pena was promoted to bench coach.

It reunited Kelleher with Jeter.

"Even when he was young, we knew Jeter was a player — heck he had 200 hits in his first full season," Kelleher said. "I didn't have to tell him much then, and I definitely don't have to say much now. But I'm here if he, anyone needs me. I keep an eye on them, but everyone has their own style of work.

"It's hard for players to see what they are doing wrong. That's what coaches are here for, helping the players adjust immediately. That's what it's all about."

After his season ends, Kelleher will move back here to a place he settled with Renee and raised their now adult daughter, Britanny, while making such close friends as Bill Pintard, manager of the Santa Barbara Foresters. Pintard, who also serves as a scout for the Angels, named his daughter Kelby, which is Kelleher's nickname.

He was able to spend time with Kelleher in Anaheim during the recent series, while others such as Woods and Joe Howell have been trading yucks by phone.

The Santa Barbara High baseball team is also looking forward to some quality time with Kelleher.

"It's flattering that he will come out and bother to work with us before leaving for spring training to work with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez," Dons coach Fred Warrecker said. "Over the last 10 years, he has taught us many things, the latest being Break on the Ball or B.O.B. — in which everyone is moving prior to the play.

"If it's good enough for the Yankees, it's good enough for Santa Barbara High, so we do it every day."

That same enthusiasm was evident last Tuesday, as Kelleher bounded from stretching, to infield practice, to pitching batting practice. As he was on the field, Howell extolled his friend by phone.

"Outside of the field, you wouldn't have any idea that Kelby was a ballplayer," Howell said. "In fact, one time he broke his nose playing basketball and he couldn't convince the lady that his insurance was the Major League Baseball Players Association because she didn't believe that he was a player. But that didn't stop him from playing with a bunch of lawyers as our ringer."

"Anybody that knows him has seen that same pure heart that had him last so long in the Major Leagues, is reflected by anyone who knows him. When my son Ben wanted to have a baseball themed birthday party, Kelby not only came dressed in his Padres uniform, but he made me wear one of his uniforms too.

"Even though the pants were high waters and came up to my calves, I outweighed him by some 50 pounds, and had no baseball skills whatsoever, he almost convinced me that I pulled it off. That's Kelby."

e-mail: irontak@yahoo.com

Oh Brother Where Art Thou?

Dodgers and Angels Need Brother Antonine's Divine Intervention

By Mike Takeuchi

Anaheim-With both Los Angeles teams on the brink of elimination, the Dodgers and the Angels may want to call upon some divine intervention from Brother Antonine Correa. The former porter at the Old Mission, who passed away 15 years ago, was an avid Dodger fan and was friends with Angels manager Mike Scioscia during his playing days as the Dodgers catcher.

If he is looking down from up above, he may have enjoyed seeing his favorite team and favorite player managing another being so closed to a trip the World Series. But with the current state of both, he may be fretting as he once did in front of the television at the Old Mission.

As a child, I knew Brother Antonine, who was this writer's art teacher at San Roque School in the mid-1970's, quite well. He was a man with great passion who bluntly recognized this writer's lack of future as an artist at an early age. Yet he still left me with a fondness for him because he was the first adult outside of my own parents to give it to me straight.

And boy, did he love his baseball.

"I remember meeting him when we came up to Santa Barbara with our Dodger Caravans (a traveling group that included players and then manager Tommy Lasorda to communities outside of Los Angeles) ," Scioscia said. "And each time he would come up, he made sure to stop by and talk about the team. He really knew his baseball."

His longtime colleague, Brother Timothy Arthur chuckled at the recollection of his friend planted in front of the television during baseball season.

"I don't think he missed many Dodgers games on television," Brother Timothy said. "I remember him always saying that although he couldn't play the game, it didn't stop him from loving it."

Although he did not have an acumen for baseball, he was multi-talented according to Father Maurus Kelly, a priest at the Old Mission.

"As porter at the Mission, Antonine was tremendous," Father Kelly said. "Whenever we had visiting clergy come, he went out of his way to schedule activities and outings for them and took care of the logistics. But his biggest talent was art..

"He did a lot of stitchery here and became quite reknown for it. His art is hanging in churches across the country and around the world. He also made vestments for the priests here and abroad. Eventually he started making vestments for certain bishops to wear. He was really unselfish when doing this. Antonine was more than willing to commit himself to anyone that needed any help."

And that included the Dodgers. After several visits with Scioscia via the Caravan and on his own, the two traded notes and Scioscia sent pictures and Dodgers memorabilia. Brother Antonine responded by making Scioscia tapestries.

"When he gave me the first cloth, I was literally blown away," Scioscia said. "I was amazed at his talent, but really touched that he took the time to make them for us. I still have them."

Scioscia said the two then talked about the commonality of the beauty of sport and art. Over the years, Brother Antonine made more of his artwork and gave them to the Dodgers players.

"Antonine was able to combine two of his passions and bring joy to others by sharing them," Brother Timothy said.

And now that the Dodgers and Angels are one albeit troublesome round away, would he have changed his allegiances to the Angels for Scioscia?

"I don't know, but I hope so," Scioscia said.

His old friend was more certain.

"I think he would have been happy either way," Brother Timothy said.

Dodger Fans Retrained?

October 15, 2009


Los Angeles- They didn't leave.


It wasn't surprising that the Phillies beat the Dodgers on Thursday night 8-6. They aren't the defending World Champions for nothing. And it wasn't a shock that try as they might, the Dodgers couldn't perform a miraculous comeback in a sport where three out of ten is considered a success (I stole that line from Torii Hunter).

What was shocking is the fact that though their team was down, the 56,000 Dodger fans didn't leave en masse. In fact, a great majority of them were there on the final pitch, even after Casey Blake grounded into a double play in the bottom of the ninth.

Where the Angeleno faithful are notorious for arriving after the third inning and leaving before the end of the seventh, they may have been actually trained to stick around this year. Until recently, there really hasn't been much to stick around for since Mike Piazza left. Even with the four consecutive home run miraculous finish against San Diego three years ago didn't teach Dodger fans to stay until the final out.

But this year, where Andre Ethier seemingly hit a walk-off home run every other game, and the Mark Loretta single that clinched the Division Series last week, people have been taking part. The best part about the excitement is, that the fighting seems to have ceased, or at least slowed down. Although data is not released, one anonymous security guard said that violence at the Stadium is indeed down.

Sitting in the auxiliary press area in the reserve seats behind home plate, which incidentally much better than being in the actually press box. I enjoyed observing the fans almost as much as the thrilling game. Perhaps because we are slightly segregated from them, but close enough to watch and listen. There were the usual insidious chants of “Phillies Suck!” and other comments which seemed to have come straight from “Dumb and Dumberer”. But for the most part, they were in the game, supporting their team. (BTW Observance of fans would be a grad student's dream of a sociological experiment).

One can almost forgive the towel waving, a ripoff of the Steelers Terrible Towels and even the Homer Hankies of the Minnesota Twins Metrodome. After all, it may have helped the team win the clinching playoff game as Cardinals Matt Holliday lost the ball into the lights (and maybe towels) of Dodger Stadium. It beats those thunder sticks. My wife Munch's ears are still ringing from the ALCS in 2005.

Maybe it's me that has the problem. Have I become a snob much like the Patton Oswalt played character in the poignantly painful movie “Big Fan”? When I have gone to a game as a fan, other than applause for a good play by either team (people do look at me strangely when I do) and conversation with my seat neighbors, I am largely silent. Maybe I should go a little bonkers some times. It probably helps with the stress level. Just don't make me do the Wave. But two things I will most definitely do, come on time, and wait until the last out is recorded.