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About Jon
Thank You For Not ...

1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

You'll Never Watch Alone
2007-03-29 13:01
by Jon Weisman

When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm there's a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll never walk alone.

Perhaps a little insecure about baseball's fading prestige among major sports, the Dodgers have apparently guaranteed that their games will be on at least 25 television sets in Southern California.

I tease ... you read.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have established a network of 25 local bars and restaurants where fans can gather to watch Dodger games all season long. To kick off the Home Base Network, five of the locations will host viewing parties with special Dodger guests when the team opens the 2007 season in Milwaukee April 2 at 11:05 a.m. PT.

"With so many Dodger fans getting excited about Opening Day, there is no better way to kick off the season than to create gathering spots across the city of Los Angeles," said Dodger Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office Marty Greenspun. "We're excited to be able to partner with so many local restaurants and bars in taking Dodger Baseball out into the community."

Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, Yankee Doodles in Santa Monica, Yankee Doodles in Woodland Hills, Hooters in Burbank and Hooters in Pasadena are inviting fans out to watch the season opener with the owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with several former Dodgers as well. Here is a complete listing of the Opening Day festivities:

Barney's Beanery, West Hollywood -- Jamie and Frank McCourt, Tommy Lasorda

Yankee Doodles, Santa Monica -- Kenny Landreaux, Wes Parker

Yankee Doodles, Woodland Hills -- Ron Cey

Hooters, Burbank -- Steve Garvey

Hooters, Pasadena -- Fernando Valenzuela

Representatives from the Los Angeles Dodgers will be on hand at each location to give away tickets and other promotional items.

For the uninitiated, the difference between Barney's Beanery and Hooters is, like, zilch. Really. Update: No, not really.

* * *

Tonight, powered by the Freeway Series opener and five reruns of The Office plus Andy Barker P.I., I will attempt my long-overdue update of the sidebar. This includes the blogroll: If there are any blogs you think belong, please feel free to let me know in the comments.

Blogs must have been in operation for at least 30 days to qualify. Offer not valid in Vanuatu.

Comments
2007-03-29 13:10:43
1.   D4P
Hooters, Burbank -- Steve Garvey

QED

2007-03-29 13:12:29
2.   Greg Brock
Liverpool supporters will not approve of this co-opting of their song.

But I do!

2007-03-29 13:16:07
3.   DXMachina
1 - They make it so easy.
2007-03-29 13:16:46
4.   Jacob L
Wow, those are some cheesy bars!

I must admit, however, that I'll have some pangs of regret about attending opening day in person, rather than hanging out with Fernando at Hooters.

2007-03-29 13:18:00
5.   D4P
Fernando won't be the only thing hanging out at Hooters...

FOLKS!

2007-03-29 13:18:08
6.   Jon Weisman
Another new post up top above this one. I'd keep the comments here on topic, and the general chat in the post above.

1 - Yeah, that's a better button than mine.

4 - That's road opening day, you know.

2007-03-29 13:18:14
7.   screwballin
You'd think they might try a few in OC, to challenge that other "LA" team.
2007-03-29 13:19:14
8.   ToyCannon
Wow, that song has a heck of a history.

Not looking forward to opening day against Sheets. We could start the season with a whitewash. When healthy I think he's the 2nd best pitcher in baseball headed into 2007.

2007-03-29 13:26:02
9.   Jacob L
6 Oh yeah. So what's my excuse now? Work?

Also, is there anywhere that they actually list these 25 bars? I don't know that there's anything corporate/sleazy enough in downtown LA, but I'd be curious.

2007-03-29 13:28:20
10.   Jacob L
8 I didn't read the wiki post on "You'll Never Walk Alone" that Jon linked, but I'm sure it noted that it was the "bride/bride's father" dance at my wedding. I believe we used the Jerry and the Pacemakers version.
2007-03-29 13:33:20
11.   Bob Timmermann
I always kid my girlfriend that I'll take her out to dinner on her birthday to some place in Pasadena. And I always say we'll go to Hooter's.

The joke being:
1) her birthday is New Year's Day when almost every restaurant in Pasadena is closed
2) however Hooter's is open for football fans.

She threatens to agree and then not show up and leave me alone in Hooter's, a place I would find very disturbing to visit.

2007-03-29 13:38:58
12.   still bevens
This is a great idea tho. At the very least it will prevent idiot local reporters from going to Sonny Macleans in Santa Monica to try to talk to 'Dodgers fans' and then get a bunch of horrible quotes from Red Sox fans that they use on air.
2007-03-29 13:39:02
13.   Marty
Lasorda at the Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood eh? Considering the sign that used to hang over the bar, it makes a kind of sense.
2007-03-29 13:39:45
14.   Curtis Lowe
11- You got something against owls?
2007-03-29 13:40:28
15.   still bevens
13 Hahah. No kidding. I don't think most folks know the history of that sign and that revered establishment.
2007-03-29 13:41:29
16.   Jon Weisman
13/15 - I don't have the energy for that one.
2007-03-29 13:44:50
17.   Marty
There's now a Barney's Beanery in Pasadena too, right across the street from Hooters. They could have a Dodger game face-off.
2007-03-29 13:46:05
18.   GoBears
For the uninitiated, the difference between Barney's Beanery and Hooters is, like, zilch. Really.

I've never been to a Hooters, but I can't imagine their beer selection is anywhere near as good as B'sB's. Though, in all honesty, most of the good stuff is in bottles, not on tap, and I have a better selection at home (yes, a whole room devoted to the storage of hi-quality beer) for a fraction of the price.

2007-03-29 13:46:42
19.   GoBears
17. There's on in Santa Monica too, though I've only been to the WeHo one.
2007-03-29 13:50:20
20.   D4P
18
Out of curiosity, do you rent or own? And how close are you able to live to campus (on an academic salary)?
2007-03-29 13:50:43
21.   ToyCannon
I haven't been to Barney's in something like 15 years and never before midnight.
2007-03-29 13:51:31
22.   Jon Weisman
18 - I admit it. I may have broken rule 7.
2007-03-29 13:52:32
23.   Bob Timmermann
My girlfriend and I went on our first dinner together at Barney's in Pasadena.

It was well before midnight. And it wasn't particularly bosomy.

2007-03-29 13:55:35
24.   D4P
And it wasn't particularly bosomy

Present company excluded, of course.

2007-03-29 14:02:00
25.   Marty
Bob, the Barney's Beanery in Pasadena just opened a few months ago. Are you referring to the Barney's LTD further west, or do you have a new girlfriend?
2007-03-29 14:02:33
26.   GoBears
20. We own now, a small house only a few miles south of campus (Rancho Park). But we could only afford it because (1) we saved a huge percentage of our income for nearly 20 years, (2) my wife brings in a real paycheck (compared to my state employee compensation), and (3) we have no kids to pay for or save for. Even 2-income couples with kids can't really afford to live in the neighborhoods with decent schools (and there are only a few of those).

UCLA loses a lot of 40-something faculty who can't afford to put their kids in private school, and whose public school choices at the high school level are just awful (grade schools are better these days). The age structure of most departments has a huge hole in the 40-55 range, with lots of older folks whose kids are grown, and lots of younger ones whose kids are little or who don't have any kids.

2007-03-29 14:04:59
27.   Franklin Stubbs
Granted they had to pick bars....but yikes. I'm still not comfortable with Barney's Beanery with their raging homophobic past. Though I suppose their new owner has tried to make amends for that.

http://www.inlamagazine.com/916/features/916_gayla.html

How about the Shortstop in the shadows of Dodger Stadium? that is a perfct location for events like these....

2007-03-29 14:09:26
28.   still bevens
27 I dont think they would welcome all the official attention. I think Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs owns it and I dont see him working hand in hand with the Dodgers organization for some reason. hehe. Besides they only have like 2 TV's in there. Needless to say I will be there tomorrow night if anyone wants to buy me a drink before the game.
2007-03-29 14:12:11
29.   TellMeTheScoreRickMonday
20 - I own. And my house would make the list of establishments showing every game, as well (except for those weekends when we're out of town). And the beers are cold.

Seriously, I'm going to make sure that Busby's in LA also shows every game.

2007-03-29 14:22:50
30.   D4P
26
Thanks. We will most likely fit into the "2-income couple without kids" category.
2007-03-29 14:28:41
31.   Disabled List
For the uninitiated, the difference between Barney's Beanery and Hooters is, like, zilch. Really.

It's all in the attitude. Barney's Beanery is one of my favorite bars in all of LA. It has the feel of a great grind joint, and even though it's been co-opted by West Hollywood hipsters, it's still authentic enough. The one is Santa Monica is acceptable, too.

Hooters is just sleazy, and the girls aren't even as hot as they are at Barney's.

I'll give Drew McCourt some credit, as far as marketing ideas go, this ain't a bad one.

2007-03-29 14:36:33
32.   Franklin Stubbs
28 - i understand your idea, but they do give discounts to people with Dodger ticket stubs. I remember the comebacks two years ago with some loser fans who had left the real game early. BELIEVE IT!
2007-03-29 14:55:06
33.   Jacob L
28 32 Well, they certainly show every game there, and its also a big hangout for the concession workers, particularly on weekends.

Also, the El Compadre next door is turning into a pretty good gameday scene. I think the food is good there. At least better than the Hollywood location. Its nice that there's now at least a couple places really near the Stadium. Walking distance, even, if you're feeling perky.

2007-03-29 15:00:21
34.   Hythloday
33 - Perky is Hooter's bailiwick I think.
2007-03-29 15:20:53
35.   Bob Timmermann
25
It was the other Barney's.
2007-03-29 15:51:54
36.   grumpy3b
ummmm...I think Matt White needs to buy a rund for "the house..."
2007-03-29 16:04:29
37.   Linkmeister
"Offer not valid in Vanuatu."

You got something against Pacific Islanders (of which I'm one, at least by virtue of geographic location, I'll remind you)?

2007-03-29 16:13:12
38.   DadofMondy
I found the link for the Home Base Network.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/homebase_network.jsp

There's no OC locations, and only 2 places in southwest LA county (both in Long Beach).

What is the reason for this? Could the 'gers only get a guarantee to show the games in places with a large fan base?

2007-03-29 16:17:55
39.   DadofMondy
dammit. southeast LA county is what I meant.
2007-03-29 16:20:33
40.   DadofMondy
fine. ONE in OC, one in Ontario, one in Thousand Oaks.
2007-03-29 16:46:03
41.   Jon Weisman
37 - Just a nefarious attempt by me to attract the big Vanuatu-googling audience.
2007-03-29 16:49:54
42.   Linkmeister
Grins. Sly, Jon, sly.
2007-03-29 17:23:22
43.   NPB
It might have been fun to go to Hooters with Steve Garvey in, say, 1980.
2007-03-29 17:30:49
44.   TomJPhil
I'd submit a vote for the Dugout to be added to the blogroll. On the list of sites I check everyday.
2007-03-29 17:42:14
45.   Jacob L
38 So to answer my own question from earlier, there is nothing dowtown. Also the inclusion of Rudolfo's in Silver Lake is great for the Dodger fan/drag queen crowd. And I mean that in all sincerety.
2007-03-29 17:45:05
46.   Jon Weisman
44 - URL? Is that different from Dodgerdugout.com?
2007-03-30 11:16:33
47.   be2ween
Folks would let me stay up for the Jerry Lewis labor Day telethon. I'd try to stay up as long as I could... I mean Jerry stayed up the whole way through, right?
And then he'd pull out the song at the end.
AWESOME SCHMALTZ! Schmaltz it up, Blue, errr, McCourt!

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