Big Al's Detroit Tigers opening day adventure

Met the brother-in-law at 9:45, found out our tickets were quite good, lower deck, section 117. Head out in the bro-in-law's Jeep, will the rain hold off?

Realize I forgot to eat anything. That's not good.

Get to Nemo's around 10ish. Drink first beers. Canned beer at that. Bud Lite. Ugh.

At 11:30 we hop on Nemo's school bus shuttle. Only go as far as Grand Circus Park, as they weren't allowed to get any closer. Damn. My extremely bad back starts to twinge. That's not good.

Walked to a large tailgate being held by the friend of a friend of a friend, taking place at the lot directly across the street from Comerica. Chip in a few bucks, drink keg beer. My back begins to hurt. A LOT. Have pain pills, but don't think it'll be a good idea to take with the beer that's already consumed.

Headed to the game around 12:50, spent 10 minutes in line waiting to use bathroom. Atmosphere is quite festive, as it's the point of the day where most fans have had their drunk on for a few hours.

Found general area of seats, spent 10 minutes waiting in line to buy beer. Labatts, yum!

Finally made it to the seats during top of the 1st inning. Began to drink the 4 beers we had just bought.

Game commences. Looks like we'll make it through the afternoon rain free.

Bro-in-law goes to buy more beer in the 4th inning. Back still hurts, though I'm numbing it with beer. Labatt's again, I'm cool with that...

Tigers extend lead to 3-0 with Cabrera going deep, crowd goes nuts. It would have been quite fine if it had rained at this point. Everyone would have been happy.

Need to use bathroom in the top of the 6th. Men's room line is longer than life itself. That's not good.

Finally make it inside men's room. For some reason, bathroom doesn't have radio call, only hear PA announcer and fans groaning. That's not good.

Miss an inning plus, along with Verlander's flameout.

Get the gist of what happened in the 6th, then continue to drink beer, as back hurts like Hell

Grilli entering the game. That's never good.

Vocally curse the baseball Gods for Grilli's existence as Royals tie game. Same curses for Lopez, as gives up the lead.

Guillen goes deep in 8th, crowd goes batshit crazy. We buy the last 2 remaining beers left from vendor, as we expect extra innings.

Todd Jones enters game. That's not good. We expect the worst, wonder what we are going to do with the beer.

What? Jones with a clean 9th, extra innings! Problem solved, we drink the beers.

It's a mixed blessing, though. My back is not happy with this turn of events.

Thanks to the beer, have to use facilities...again. At least the line is shorter. Damn back is killing me. At least I'm able to follow game as Dan Dickerson is finally being broadcast on restroom speakers.

Back to the game, but miss most of the 10th. God damn lines.

Top of the 11th, Bautista in for his 2nd inning. He has good stuff, even flirts with 100 on the scoreboard radar, hitting 98-99. Walks leadoff man. Christ, that's never good.

Bautista gives up go ahead run on a Pena Jr. dying quail. Hopes are dashed for an opening day win. I can see the fishwraps and their "OH MY GOD. BULLPEN SUX! PWNED BY ROYALS!" headlines now...

Tigers rally in 11th, Clete Thomas with a gapper, doubles to start inning. Hopes are raised, crowd gets their second wind!

I HATE small ball. I HATE giving up outs. Despite my derision, and the fact Inge is swinging the bat well, Leyland has him sacrifice bunt. Thomas to 3rd, 1 out. I can understand the thinking, even if I don't agree with it, as Renteria and Polanco are due up.

Renteria K's. DAMMIT! The groan from the crowd could be heard Downriver.

Last chance for Tigers, chance for Polanco to avoid an 0-6 day, and keep the game going. Hits the ball hard, but Gordon makes a nice play at 3rd, throws out Polanco. Shit, game over.

KC wins, 5-4. We chill for a bit, finish beer as crowd thins.

Head out of Comerica, look for Nemo's bus, but it's nowhere in sight. See bus for Hoot's, close enough!

Get dropped of at Hoot's, gimp my sore backed ass up the block to Nemo's. Grab a burger and a beer.

Inhale the burger, drink half the beer, decide I'm beered out. Back is screaming.

Tell my bro-in-law it's time to get the Hell out of Dodge, as my back says "No mas! No mas!" (Yes, my back occasionally screams in Spanish)

Head back to my sisters, get back around 6:30.

Finally dropped off at home around 7:30, totally exhausted with back sore as Hell. You try lugging yourself around Detroit when your arthritic back keeps screaming, "What in the fuck are you doing?!" (Sometimes you got to play with pain, opening day is one of those times...)

Flip on TV, see FSD is rebroadcasting the game. Don't feel like reliving it, off it goes.

Hop online to read Tigers blogs, check email and blog traffic. See SLR got a Deadspin and Epic Carnival link! Both blogs busy! I thank the blogging Gods.

Realize I forgot to set my fantasy lineups for the day. See that 3 of my bench players went a combined 6-12. It's too late to do anything but curse the fantasy baseball Gods. My baseball luck sucked all damn day.

And that was my fun, yet quite painful, Detroit Tigers opening day.