Election Postmortem (part 4)

Read this article about The Urban Archipelago, It's the Cities, Stupid, from Seattle's The Stranger. It's really a good analysis about the recent election and how the Democratic party can build its base. It gives some hope.

Carolina 37 San Francisco 27

Now that my hometown Seattle Seahawks has been moved from the AFC West to the NFC West, they will play a game against the 49'ers here in San Francisco every year. I will go to these games because I can buy a set of four tickets from Shahana and Carl, who are Niners season ticket holders. Every year except those years in which the Sunday the Hawks and Niners play here in San Francisco falls on the same Sunday afternoon as the Head-Royce School Upper School Open House, a requirement of all teachers. Therefore, my second choice was this afternoon's game against Carolina, who went to (but lost to the New England Patriots) the Superbowl this past January.

Incoming records of today's teams (W-L)
Carolina (1-7)
San Francisco (1-7)

This truly had the makings of a dud of a game. But as I foreshadow the fact that the game was far from being a dud, I will come right out and say that it was a truly exciting and eventful game. There was drama at nearly every turn in the second half. To read about it go to a game recap. The professional sports writers will do an infinitely better job of conveying the excitement of the game than I ever could.

So who did I go with? Here they are...

Chris D., Jimmi W. and Gary S.

Me, Chris D., Jimmi W. and Gary S.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about attending this game, other than the game itself, was to look at the stadium at Candlestick Point, known to most as Candlestick Park. Other names in the past years have been 3-Com Park and now Monster Park.

The park was built in 1960 as the lynchpin enticement to the owners of the New York Giants to move that team to San Francisco. The biggest selling point? The ample parking in the vast parking lots. It was state of the art 45 or so years ago, but today it is a stadium truly on its last legs. It has none of the amenities of newer parks, and worst of all, it is in a HORRENDOUS neighboorhood in San Francisco. To get to the park, you have no choice but to drive through Bayview-Hunters Point, which you do NOT want to be lost in at night.

Here are some pictures of it from the outside.

Candlestick Park from afar upon approach

Here's a couple shots of the inside, notice the severe lack of luxury boxes.

Candlestick Park

Candlestick Park's playing surface with the Junior Niner cheerleaders doing a routine to "Our lips are sealed" by The Bangles.

The weather was perfect, the game exciting and the companions first-rate. A great afternoon.