Beautiful Fall Day In Philadelphia

Posted Oct 26, 2008 by Rod Challenger, News Channel 8

Updated Oct 26, 2008 at 05:03 PM

After last night’s rain, today is a perfect fall day here in Philadelphia. There’s not a cloud in the sky and it is cool and crisp. The parking lots at the Phillies’ stadium started filling early with tailgaters enjoying the autumn weather. Across the street, the Eagles played host to the Falcons in an NFL game. And tonight, at one of the arenas in this sports complex, The Who is in concert. In all, it’s quite a Sunday in this part of South Philadelphia. 

We’ve encountered very few Rays fans at the ballpark. Those who were here last night said they were swore at, pushed and treated rudely by some of the fans. They also said other fans were apologetic about the behavior of some of their fellow Philadelphians.

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Impressions Of Philadelphia

Posted Oct 25, 2008 by Rod Challenger

Updated Oct 25, 2008 at 04:44 PM

It’s cool and rainy in Philadelphia. The leaves in southeastern Pennsylvania have past their peak fall colors. Many have already fallen and are piling up in the streets.

This is an old town with old buildings. Many look like they were constructed at the turn of the century. The first urban renewal project in the nation began here in 1904, before Tampa or St. Petersburg were more than settlements. Workers tore down buildings that were old and run-down then. The path that was cleared back then is now the Benjamin Franklin Parkway connecting city hall and the art museum made famous in the “Rocky” movies.

And some of the buildings Ben Franklin constructed in the late 1700’s are still standing.

They started building the Philadelphia City Hall in 1898. It’s the largest building housing a municipal seat of government in the country.  And of course, the city is the cradle of independence with historic buildings from the days in the late 1700’s when this colony became a nation. The Phillies and Eagles stadiums are in sharp contrast to the age of the rest of the city. Both are modern, new sports facilities.

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See Games 4-7 Free on Big Screen in Ybor

Posted Oct 24, 2008 by Dennis Joyce

Updated Oct 24, 2008 at 04:53 PM

As many as 250 people can watch World Series Games 4 through 7 on the big screen in Ybor City. For free.

Muvico Ybor 20 has obtained permission to show the game at one of its screens in the Centro Ybor complex, 1600 East 8th Ave., said Jodi Pine, Muvico spokeswoman in Fort Lauderdale.

“If you don’t have tickets to the game, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen,” Pine said.

Seating will be first-come, first-served. Game 4 will be Sunday and Game 5 Monday, both in Philadelphia. If a Game 6 or 7 are necessary, they will be played back in St. Petersburg.

Just like the stadium, the Muvico theater even sells beer. Cocktails, too.

Muvico Ybor 20 has also shown live Tampa Bay Lightning games in the past.

Games 4 and 5 will also be shown for free on an outdoor screen in downtown Tampa. Learn more here.

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It’s Good To Be The Champs

Posted Oct 24, 2008 by Steven Girardi

Updated Oct 24, 2008 at 03:48 PM

The rewards of victory keep rolling in.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, making good on his bet with local mayors during the Tampa Bay Rays-Chicago White Sox playoff series, has sent a bundle of Wilson Sporting Goods athletics equipment to St. Petersburg.

On Saturday, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and other local officials will turn over the goods to Little Leaguers at Oliver Field at Campbell Park, 601 14th St. S.

About 50 Little League players in uniform and representatives of the Florida District 5 Administrator for Little League Baseball International will be on hand to accept the equipment about 2 p.m.

You can add these treasures to the haul from last week, when Daley sent down Polish sausages and other Chicago-style delicacies after the Rays victory over the White Sox.

Baker and others donated the food to residents at Pinellas Hope, a Pinellas County transitional housing center at 5726 126th Ave. N.

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Catching A Flight To Philly? Good Luck

Posted Oct 24, 2008 by Rod Challenger

Updated Oct 24, 2008 at 03:25 PM

It’s an old joke: How do you get to Philadelphia?

Win the American League Pennant and face off against the National League champion Phillies in the World Series. That’s one way if you’re the Tampa Bay Rays and a lot harder than being a reporter and jumping on a plane.

But it still hasn’t been easy for me to get there to cover the excitement that goes with following our local team.

First, I had to catch a 7:25 a.m. flight from TIA. That meant getting up at 4:15 on the morning after the Rays finally finished off the Phillies in game 2 of the World Series around 11:30 the night before at Tropicana Field.

With little sleep, and no time for breakfast, I of course left what passes for my Florida winter coat hanging by the front door. And it’s going to be cold in Philadelphia, about as cold as we ever get in the middle of winter in Tampa Bay. Federal Express should deliver my jacket by noon tomorrow.

And the TSA confiscated my spray can of deodorant (it was a 6 ounce can and they only allow 3 ounces) even though it had passed through previous screenings unscathed.  Fortunately, I probably won’t sweat much in Philadelphia. Its cold there, remember.

Because this was a last minute booking, I was unable to get a non-stop flight. That meant changing planes in Atlanta, never a pleasant experience even in good weather. It was raining in Atlanta and that meant delays were likely.

Sure enough, I changed terminals and then walked to the gate (the farthest one from the shuttle stop) only to find that the plane for Philadelphia wasn’t at the gate.

No, it hadn’t left without me. It hadn’t arrived yet from its departure point of Memphis. With the bad weather, air traffic was backing up at the Atlanta airport.

The plane finally got in and I boarded it one hour and 20 minutes late.

Because the plane was late, the airline put on passengers who were waiting for another flight. That meant several passengers had the same seat assignments. More delays as the flight attendants sorted out the mess.

Then the pilot got into the act and announced that because of the extra passengers, the plane was overweight. The ground crew had put on fuel based on the weight of the original passenger load and when more passengers and baggage were added, the weight of the plane, fuel, passengers and baggage exceeded the safe limit to take off.

They didn’t tell us how they solved that problem, leaving me to cross my fingers when we finally took off that the plane has light enough to get off the ground.  Two hours and 20minutes late, the plane to Philadelphia took off.

While I waited for the plane to get in for Memphis, the gate attendant implored everyone not to leave the gate area because she would board the plane and it would leave immediately. That meant not getting any lunch.

And in today’s airline world, there was no lunch on the plane either.

So, I’ll be arriving in Philadelphia tired, late, hungry and cold. But believe me, I’m not complaining. I get to see the Rays play the Phillies in the World Series.

I hope my jacket doesn’t encounter similar problems on the way to Philadelphia.

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