By Brendan Emmett in Ottawa
Ottawa, we have arrived.
The weather has been great to Team East recently, as it was another perfect day in the nation’s capital.
Up at Nepean Point, I met a couple from Vancouver. They were a great example of how Blue Jays mania has spread coast to coast, speaking of how fans there have been travelling south to invade Seattle “just like the good old days … when Joe smoked one.”
I’ve had a lot of people share stories about these “good old days” of the early 90s. So it was kinda fun when I saw a younger crowd at the Real Sports in Ottawa for the game Tuesday night.
There, I met Spencer (in the Jays hat) and his group of buddies who attend Carleton University.
None of these guys are older than 21, so they’ve never been alive to see playoff baseball in T.O. Yet they still love the team and watch the games together. They’re part of the new generation of Blue Jays fans, and when talking to them about this season, I got the simple but profound statement, “nothing could be better right now.”
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out my boy Jamie Smith, who somehow is on business in Ottawa at the same time as me. Of course we’re gonna find a way to watch the game together.
Jamie and I have played over eight baseball seasons as teammates forming a tandem up the middle between shortstop and second base (a Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley-like partnership). We’ve discussed Blue Jays baseball countless times — tops on the list is our admiration for amazing glove work, which Blue Jays infielders have spoiled us with throughout the years (see: Tony Fernandez, Roberto Alomar, Orlando Hudson, John Macdonald, Ryan Goins, etc.).
It’s off to another day in Ottawa Wednesday — Devon White is in the building again! Let’s boogie.