Ally Barrera - Intrepid Journalist

Yesterday was pretty thrilling for me for two reasons. First, I went to go see Inception for the second time -- this time by myself and NOT sitting in the second row of the IMAX theater (which I thought I would never have to do that again after my Star Trek IMAX incident). I have to say that Inception is better the second time around, but I can explain all of that in a future post. Don't want to risk spoiling the movie for anyone that hasn't seen it yet. The second reason that made my day above-average was that I had the chance to go to the Dodgers game on a KCAL assignment. I was supposed to be at the stadium by 6:30, meet the photographer, then pretty much just sit in the press box watching the game until we get postgame sound in the clubhouse. As far as KCAL tasks that could be done, this one was the best.

I was particularly excited about going to this Dodgers game because 1) I got to go to Dodger Stadium, which seems like one of those baseball parks you HAVE to visit if you are at all interested in sports; 2) the Dodgers were playing their NL West rivals the Giants and two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum was pitching for them (Tim is a Washington boy, booyah!!!); 3) I get to sit in the press box, so I might see some important columnist or even the legendary Vin Scully; and 4) it's all pretty much free thanks to my press credentials. Let's get this thing going!

I left for Dodger Stadium right after my movie and some lunch-hour Menchies (best fro yo evahhhh) which was around 3:30. It's best to leave early, as traffic in LA can be quite unpredictable. As it turned out, the traffic at that time of day was actually not bad at all. I followed my Google Maps directions to an entrance to the stadium and got in line behind some cars -- at 4:15. Just a wee bit early. There was a chain-link gate blocking the entrance, and it wasn't going to be moved until 5. So I talked with my mom and my grandma for the next 45 minutes while I had to keep my car running as sitting there with no A/C would have been unbearable.

Finally, it was 5 and the stadium workers pulled back the gate and started letting cars through. It didn't take for my car to reach the front of the line since I got their so damn early, and when I reached the kiosk, I flashed my KCAL badge and asked where I pick up my Dodgers credentials. The attendant shot me a confused look and yelled for her supervisor to come over. The supervisor told me that I had come through the wrong entrance and then gave me this list of directions to get to my proper entrance. Well, I'm so happy that I waited in this entrance line for over an hour. The supervisor had to help me cross four lanes of traffic so I could turn around and right myself.

On my first attempt of following the supervisor's directions I got lost. I called my mom, bitched about it, settled down, and she eventually helped me find my way to the correct entrance. I got checked off a list and was told where to park. As I made my way and eventually settled into my parking lot, I was given a pretty awesome view of the LA skyline (which I could actually see through all the smog!). I got to the ballpark and picked up my credentials and decided to phone my photographer to see where he wanted to meet. No answer. Until about 6:30 I was playing phone tag with KCAL and my photographer until finally he called me back to say, "Yeah...KCAL had me come back early today soooooo I'm not getting any sound tonight. I guess you can just hang out there and watch the game."

Upon hearing this, I was stoked. Not only did I not have to do any actual work, but I got a cool seat in the press box and got to watch a Dodgers game for free. I made my way to the press box and found the designated KCAL/KCBS seats, including Jim Hill's own personal chair (which were right next to the organ lady). I sat back and started to enjoy the game. I probably enjoyed the game more than Tim Lincecum, who gave up 3 runs in the first inning.

I forgot how boring it is to watch a baseball game live. It's not like watching on TV when you have commercials between innings and constant talking by the play-by-play people. The game trudged along, with a hit batsman there and a coach ejection there. Finally, we get to the top of the 9th inning and the Dodgers are winning 5-3. Everything seems pretty much wrapped up. Even the reporter sitting in front of me, a blogger for LA Times Sports, had finished writing his article but the 7th inning and was just waiting to hit publish after the last out was recorded. Dodgers brought in their All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton. Things were promising. Then somehow, the Dodgers pitching staff seemed to collapse. Three different pitchers threw in the 9th, and the Giants came back to win 7-5. While those in the press box were a little peeved witnessing the Dodgers' sixth loss in a row, I planted a mischievous smile on my face because the LA Times blogger in front of me was all pissed because he had to write his story all over again. That's what happens when you write you story before the game is over, fool!

Now, since I had driven all the way down there and had sat through an unbearably boring 3-hour-plus baseball game, I figured that I could tag along with the other reporters down to the clubhouse for some postgame interviews. I followed closely behind two reporters that seemed to know where they were going and eventually found the clubhouse. Everyone filed in to Coach Joe Torre's office and I whipped out my reporter pad and a pen and pretended to take notes that seemed as if they were going to get published somewhere. I didn't care if I was just taking down notes to take down notes, but I got to see Joe Torre and some of the other Dodgers in the locker room. I could name drop all of the players that I saw, but it really wouldn't matter as most people who read this blog have no idea who any of those players are. Though I will say that I did see one of the player's bare ass as he was slipping his jeans on. Ay-ohhhhh!

Oh, the life of an intrepid reporter.