Game Report: Dodgers 15 @ Phillies 5 - Chase Utley Returns

There are things you expect - Chase Utley Getting a Standing Ovation, and there are things that your happy to see but don't really expect - Chase Utley's Ovation extends for a second beat, and he needs to settle the fans so the game can start or Chase Utley hits a Home Run in his return.

Then there are thing that you wonder if they would ever happen - Chase Utley gets a Curtain Call as an opposing player

And Then there are miracles - Chase Utley and Ryan Howard turned back time.

Utley Hit a Grand Slam and got a second curtain call, at this point what was a game at moved into theater. It was watching "the Natural' unfold in real life.

Later Ryan Howard would hit a moonshot Home Run into the Phillies Bullpen, after narrowly missing one earlier in the game.

It was as much fun as a fan can have in a 15-5 Loss.

The Philllies may have been down 10 runs, but for a few hours it felt like 2008 again. The crowd was good size, Everyone was excited and engaged - and I felt eight years younger, Now that's a miracle!

Snapshots

 Chase Utley in Blue :(

Warm Ups

Utley and Ryan Howard Pregame. I think Howard is saying "well if you hit a Home Run, I am going to have to hit one too.."

Just a few #26 Jerseys

Utley signed a number of autographs pregame. The fans were four of five deep down the Left Field line. Good Guy Awards go out to Corey Seager and Chris Taylor who also were spotted signing for the fans.

Fifth Beatle?

Ryan Howard MopTop

Last night was Beatles Night - in celebration of the 50th anniversary of an appearance of what turned out to be the bands US Farewell tour.

Field Report
Our friends over at the Phillies Room were also at the game and they have their own field report which can be found here.

Sources and Links
Chase Utley Player Collection Index
Baseball-ref
Beatles Bible

2014 Phungo #43 Ringo Starr - Beatles Grammys

Tonight the Grammys are on TV. Team Phungo will probably drop in for bits and pieces. I am still a pretty big music fan even though I rarely download or buy CDs and don't get to nearly as many concerts as I would like but I still sort of pay attention to what is happening out there.

2014 Phungo #14

Tonight the Beatles are getting a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys - not sure they need the recognition or a reintroduction. I am pretty sure every generations rediscovers the quartet on their own at some point. Regardless it will give old-heads like myself a chance to reconsider the Beatles catalog once again. 

Last spring Team Phungo spend some time in the UK and trekked out to Liverpool to check out the Lads old neighborhood and ventured on a Beatles tour. The one we chose visited the Childhood homes of Paul and John. It was a history lesson on 1950s/60s England as much as it was an insiders look at icons. 

The Phungo card above is one of a series of sculptures set upon a chain hotel in the Beatles district. There is one for each of the Fab Four. John Lennon has the prominent corner spot, while Ringo here is down the street a bit. I am pretty happy with the way this Phungo card came out. I sort of went with a Yellow Submarine color scheme and I think the card captures that era/theme. 

There are a couple of other non-baseball subjects in 2014 Phungo, I hope to get to post some of the other onse in the future. 

Grammys 

I never got into awards shows much, but the advent of Twitter has made the awards season more fun - There are a lot of creative folks in the baseball world, some of them are very funny and quite snarky. Hopefully there will be a few chuckles this evening

More UK
If you want more info on our UK trip click here

Bucket or Chuck-it: Team Phungo on the Road - Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool

You may have noticed there hasn't been a post here in a few weeks, that is because Team Phungo has been abroad travelling across the United Kingdom.  We were fortunate enoughed to be invited to a friends Wedding in a castle outside the Scottish town of Stirling. It was a great idea and a good time was had by all involved.

Bucket or Chuck-It

BuckChuck is yet another attempt at a review feature I want to add to Phungo.  Bucket refers to something being bucket list worthy, while Chuck-It is the opposite - stuff that really doesn't need to be on your bucket list (something like building a full 660 Topps Wal-Mart Paralllel set)

To start of BuckChuck I am going to look at our trip to the UK - I hope to return to some of these items in more detail eventually but who knows

Scotland
Inverness - Bucket - cool little down on northern tip of Loch Ness, appears to have a vibrant night life.

2013 05 25 Loch Ness Sunset (10:23 pm)

Loch Ness - Bucket - I don't know any of my European Geography, but this lake is huge, there is also a significant cool factor in checking out the home of an iconic real or mythical creature.
Nessie Shops - Chuck-It - stuff for the amatuer tourist.
Highland Club, Ft Augustus - Bucket - Monastary on the bottom side of the lake.  Rented out a few suites with friends and had a great time.
Glascow - Bucket - like Inverness a lively town with a decent music scene and some noteworthy cultural landmarks
Stirling Castle - Meh - Ok I am adding a third category, Meh.  Stirling Castle is interesting but I don't think it is necessary.  Regardless an enjoyable afternoon can be spent in Stirling
Weather - Meh - mixed a little colder and ranier then I would of liked

England
Manchester - Bucket - great town. I have no concept of how bit Manchester is, but it had entertainment value that rivals a town the size of Philadelphia.

Cavern Club with John Lennon Statue - 2013 06 01

Liverpool - Bucket - All Beatles all the time. Had a great afternoon here checking in on the early haunts of the fab four

Travel
Destination Wedding Europe - BUCKET and BOTTLE IT - if you have the resources and are fortunate enough to get invited to a Dstination Wedding, I strongly urge you to consider it.  
Driving in the UK - Chuck-It. Other side of the road, Shifting w/ the left hand, and roundabouts, it is the hat trick of driving hassles
UK Gas Prices - Chuck-It - 1.33/Litre - Dothe math and you will find out that petrol here is practically free
GPS in the UK - Bucket - If your driving I highly recomend it, and check out how your insurance works when travelling abroad.
UK via train - Bucket - great scenery, efficient, care free
Citizen M Hotel - Bucket - rooms may seem a bit tight to some but staying in these newer Eurostyle hotels was pretty cool.
Vittles Scotland/UK - Bucket - with a little resarch there is a lot of intersting stuff to find here. Big Bonus big push for everything natural/organic
Libations Scotland/UK - Bucket - they have ALWAYS craft beer here
Sundays in Europe - Chuck It - I can never figure out what places are going to be open on a Sunday when travelling abroad.  Most of this is ok, except figuring out the whole eating thing.
US Airways - Meh - Didn't have an issue this time through, but they how me for to many shoddy experiences in the past - they were adequate.  
Jet Lag - Bucket - Parts of Scotland are as far north as Alaska - the sunset goes on forever and twilight remains till near 11 pm.

Movies - When travelling I get to see a lot of stuff I may not ever watch otherwise....
This is 40 - Bucket - good enough or an inflight movie - and cameos Philadelphia Flyer Scottie Hartnall.
Identity Thief - Chuck-it - not even good enough for inflight
Jeff who lives at home - Chuck-it - not good anytime ever
Spies Lies and Naked Thighs - Meh - Late 80s Harry Anderson/Ed Begley Jr Vehicle - this was pretty bad and we didn't make it thru the whole movie but it may have some unintentional humour.
New Girl reruns - Bucket - show is better than I had thought originally

Trading Cards - Unknown - but I got a few packs of stickers (UEFA I think) and we will be checking them out.

Hope to get some more pix up and more details on the above eventually.  Had a great time abroad, but am glad to be back home.