The Brooklyn Baseball Blog

An Epic (ly bad) Performance

2011-08-03T00:17:00.005-04:00

It’s an annual occurrence akin to the spawning of the salmon, the tortoise migration to the Galapagos islands, or Yankees fans coming out of the woodwork when the team makes the playoffs and saying they are “die-hards” – it’s the full-timers vs. part-timers softball game at MCU Park. Duke vs. North Carolina, Mets vs. Phillies, Ohio State vs. Michigan….they have nothing on this rivalry. Imagine if you will, working 60 hours a week for minimum wage and being staked with all of the monotonous tasks that your superiors just won’t want to do but having to take it all in stride because well… you are an intern and therefore are at the bottom of the food chain. But on softball day the interns get their chance to blow off steam and take out their months of frustration on their supervisors…in theory.

Why in theory? Because for the first time in the history of slow pitch softball there was a shutout. No, seriously it happened. The full-time staff , led by starting pitcher Steve Cohen and his blazing fastball kept the interns off balance. Just to recap, in case you may have misread the previous sentence, in a nine-inning game of slow pitch softball a group of 20 something’s failed to score a single run off of a pitcher whose likeness was captured in this artist’s rendering.

Here is a quick run down of things that have happened since the last time there was a shutout in slow pitch softball:

The universe was created (The Big Bang)

Dinosaurs roamed the earth

Dinosaurs Died

Dinosaurs Came Back to Life

Well, you get the point. But bluntly, it was pathetic. The intern squad has as many hits as LFO (don’t act like you don’t remember that song.

Now here are some highlights of the game:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ricky “Crazy Legs” Viola. In previous blog entries, Ricky waxed poetic about his lightning quick speed. On Monday afternoon we all saw, what he already knew…he is the fastest man alive. Ricky, everyone’s favorite POP Wednesday salesman, was the table setter for the full-timers legging out a pair of triples each time scoring or driving in a run. He was mocked for his defensive shortcomings in the field but without his gazelle like speed…nay, gazelles wish they were as fast as Ricky Viola…who knows what the outcome would have been (okay, we still would have won, they scored no runs)

NEAR DISASTEROUS MOMENT: So I was playing third base and there was a pop up into foul territory on the third base side. Now we were playing on the back field, not on the MCU Park field, so foul territory is limited to say the least. As I drifted over in foul territory I ran pretty much full speed into the dug out fence. It pretty much looked just like this.

PLAY OF THE GAME: The Interns lone scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning but thanks to Ian “The Rifleman” McFate and Randy “You Shall Not Pass” Lauwasser the interns were rebuffed. With two outs and a runner on second base there was a bloop single to right field that Ian collected after a diving attempt by Josh Mevorach came up just short, and fired a laser beam to the plate where Randy was waiting and blocked the plate perfectly while slapping the tag a la Ivan Rodriguez.

BEST PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE: “Fanny Alexander” Gary Perone. Replacing a legend is never easy. Replacing a guy who thinks he’s a legend, and is still haunting you with smack talk months after leaving the Cyclones is even tougher. Gary performed admirably at shortstop in place of Dave Campanaro, who used to roam the blogosphere as well as shortstop for the full timers, playing a flawless game at short. But in typical blog style we can’t let Gary feel good about himself. So prior to the game when Dave was made aware of Gary stepping into his role as shortstop, he commented that it was like when Manny Alexander took over for Cal Ripken…but only if Manny Alexander was 5 feet tall, had a bubble butt and jimmy dean sausages for fingers.

BEST 0’FER: Well not really for him, but the rest of us truly enjoyed it. Chris, better known as Texas, talked more smack than “The U” in the 80s prior to the game, but following an 0’fer and an error or two at shortstop Texas spoke about as much as the beloved longhorn mascot Bevo.

SHOCK AND AW-FUL: Ryan, who is a frequent contributor to BC.com, was a close second when it came time to voting for an MVP for the full-timers. He only lost out to Ricky because, well, he played for the intern team. Ryan looked like the only baseball he had ever played before was on Playstation. Some of us actually questioned if perhaps he was allergic to the material that the softball was made out because he seemed to avoid the ball at all costs. Balls hit shallow, he went back on, balls hit deep he charged…it just didn’t make sense. Although he was the best dressed player on the field by far - representing with his STJ Swag even down to his red socks - it couldn't hide the giant E that followed him everywhere he went.

Steve Cohen: A Portrait in Courage

2011-05-13T15:28:00.001-04:00

So last night the Cyclones front office staff took a field trip of sorts to the American Cancer Society's Pink & Black Tie Gala. It was a great event that raised a ton of money in the fight against cancer. It was also a special evening because one of the honorees at the dinner was our very own General Manager, Steve Cohen. The ACS honored Steve and the Cyclones for their efforts in giving back to the community through initiatives like the Take Your Base Walk and this year's Big Pitch. After a stirring speech in which Steve channeled his inner Eva Peron (Not to be confused with Gary Perone), the ACS gave Steve a plaque and very well done portrait of himself to commemorate the occasion.

So this morning when everyone arrived in the office, in place of one of the photos of a former Cyclone that hangs throughout the office we were treated to this:

As you can imagine Steve's choice in artwork has been the talk of the office this morning (mostly because its eyes follow you wherever you go). It's even given us some inspiration for other artistic expression around the office:

The Coh-na Lisa

The Coh-Stanza

Coney Island Gothic

The Cohen-er Spanial

Allow Me to (Re)Introduce Myself

2011-01-21T16:22:00.001-05:00

To borrow the words from another great Brooklyn-ite, Mr. Sean Carter, or as he is known to his friends, Jay-Z, allow me to reintroduce myself! My name is Billy, and quite frankly I’m not that different from Jay-Z. I grew up in Brooklyn…I’ve been to a Nets game…well, maybe on second thought we’re not as similar as I thought we were.

So I have been tabbed with the unenviable task of taking over as the blogmaster of the Brooklyn Baseball Blog. My predecessor, Dave, left me with some VERY crooked shelves, an office that looks like it should have been on that Hoarder’s show on A&E, and blog entries that have been legan…wait for it…dary!

I feel sort of like when Manny Alexander started at shortstop in place of Cal Ripken. Or in honor of Dave, when Mike Marshall started at 1B for the Mets on Opening Day instead of his beloved Keith Hernandez. So I could pick up where he left off and make jokes about Gary and his appendages, or talk about Kevin’s award winning smile … but I’ve decided to take the high road and like Robert Frost, I am going to take the road less traveled.

I figured I’d start off by explaining who I am and how I got here. When I graduated high school in 2001 I was lucky enough to join the Cyclones as an intern, and after each of my four years in college I instinctively returned to Coney Island like a Pacific Salmon. I was hear for Edgar Rodriguez’s home run on Opening Day 2001. When the team clinched the playoffs and Ross Peeples was doing the Cha-Cha slide on the field, I was there. I was here Miguel Pinango’s almost no-hitter. Put plainly, I’ve seen my share of Cyclones games.

Then at the end of the 2005 season I headed to State College for the inaugural season of the State College Spikes on the campus of Penn State University. Talk about a culture shock. I had never seen a horse without a jockey on its back, and then all of a sudden I found myself living between a stable of horses and a hog farm with pigs roughly the size of a SUV. I had made it 23 years of my life without knowing what cow-paddy bingo was, and within two weeks in Central PA I was a regular. But the tailgates were fun and I was introduced to the Penn State Creamery so all-in-all it wasn’t THAT bad.

So after two seasons with the Spikes – and one trip to the Orange Bowl for the Nittany Lions – I returned to New York and worked with the Mets for the last three years. Growing up in Bay Ridge, the Mets were my team, so working for the orange and blue was a dream job of sorts. I got to meet people like Tom Seaver, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza – players whose jerseys I wore with pride when I was growing up, but when Steve came calling with an offer I couldn’t refuse…I had to come back to Brooklyn.

So here it is. The first entry of the Brooklyn Blog 2.0. And doesn’t everyone always love something new? What’s that? Spinoffs are always terrible? Ah well…things could be worse. I could be Gary. (sorry buddy, gotta give the people what they want!)

Jack Voigt Said to Say "So Long," Not "Goodbye"

2010-12-03T13:46:00.005-05:00

They come and they go, Hobbs. They come and they go.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve used Max Mercy’s line more times than I can count as players, coaches, managers, mascots (remember Pedro the Pelican?), and colleagues have indeed come and gone.

Now I’m the one doing the going, and wanted to post one last blog entry on my way out.

Some have feared/anticipated my Final Blog Post, worried that I might mention Mahoney’s homicidal dreams, Gary-ality, Steve’s ongoing battles with technology, Ricky stalkeriffic tendencies, Alexa’s electronic dog collar, KJ’s paralyzing germ phobias, and things of that ilk…but I’m not going to do that.

It’s been a great run, and I’ve laughed harder and had more fun than most people should be allowed to while doing their jobs.

I’d especially like to thank those of you who have followed this blog, and been a part of the craziness associated with it. The Blog started out as an online storage shelf for the front office’s inside jokes, and over the years has evolved into a space for the team’s personality to peek out from behind the curtain, and get you in on the fun with us.

I used to convince Steve that just about anything was fair game for blog posts, and quell his anxiety by telling him “don’t worry, no one’s reading this thing besides us.” The truth is, over 50,000 visitors have been a part of our blogalicious efforts, and your feedback, responses, and reactions (even those of shock, horror, or disgust) have kept this thing going. In the minor leagues – especially here at the Cyclones – it’s all about having fun, and not taking yourself (or the rest of the world) too seriously. Hopefully, this blog has helped pull in that direction.

Soon, there will be a new person (or people) filling up this space, and I’ll join you on the other side of the blogosphere, as a reader of the Triple-B, instead of a writer (although I already have some nefarious plans to log on and stir the pot from time to time!).

Until then, thanks again for reading, responding, and being a part of the insanity.

Now cue up some Boyz II Men and hit the lights…

-- Dave

Today, you ride!

2010-12-02T16:10:00.000-05:00

Editor's note: I cannot be held responsible for any punctuation (or lack thereof) to follow, any misspelling, or any misuse of the word "seen." This unedited post was written in its entirety by our own Gary J. Perone:

Well it is official; the blog master will be leaving us today or tomorrow (who knows). I feel it is fitting that I address the blog for the first time, since I have always been the BUTT of all jokes! (figured Dave would have said something like that)

The Wordsmith, the Self Proclaimed Genius who looks like Brad Pitt who once declared his body a temple is leaving after 10 seasons. With just a few originals left from our inaugural season (IN ORDER: STEVE, KJ, SHARON, and MYSELF), Dave has been the lifeline and heartbeat to anyone who has ever heard of the Brooklyn Cyclones, he has been the guy who has worked with every player who has worn a Brooklyn Jersey, every ticket holder who receives a letter, and he has entertained us with his witty promotional ideas and pranks. He is widely respected by the organization, the New York Penn League and Minor League Baseball.

To know Dave is to Love (or Hate) him. I remember when Dave first started with the team he walked into the trailer, and said “Where do I sit”; of course everyone looked at each other and did not answer him back, so Dave and I became Bunk Desk Partners until we moved into the Stadium. We had a little history before I would see him years later, Dave attended Bishop Ford and played baseball and came on our trip to Florida when we played in Baseball City back in the day. His father was my High School teacher or whatever he did at the school, so sharing a desk with Dave and going through this experience with him was exciting (a little too close for comfort) but fun. Especially since we were both big Mets Fans…

Over time we have shared our views, good times, bad times and talked about how we loved pulling tarp, picking up fireworks, standing in the rain in section 21, and of course the Best First Baseman in Baseball Conversation, His being Keith Hernandez, mine of course being the “TOP FIRST BASEMAN RATED BY MLB NETWORKS PRIME 9 SHOW IN THE 80’ s Donnie Baseball”, roommates when we went to the Winter Meetings (Because Steve was afraid to put me and Kevin in the same room) and the personal list goes on and on. And of course him always finding a way to give me the business on this very blog and during lunch… not in a bad way of course!!

He has also had some memorable moments, like taking batting practice off of Mex, (that was great he was like a little kid), playing 24 hours of baseball (going to the hospital), dressing up like his favorite superhero, justifying that it is normal to have a joust on the field after a game, playing bocce ball with Steve and his favorite Cyclones Manager TJ, watching his intern take back a "silver spoon" to Gargiulos, seeing that same intern (Jay) in a big blow up plastic Old Navy Beach Ball, watching the guy take out the toilet bowl from the trailer and Marty saying “ Hey I used to go to the bathroom in that thing”, the Flabaga Story at John’s Deli, the trip to Tri City where we were rained out for three days, and we bought a whole wardrobe for 2 cents at Steve and Barry’s, taking the Boys to MTV, working with 86 Mets, and seeing the team that he has nurtured for the last ten seasons become one of the most talked about team in Minor League Baseball.

It has been said by many people that one of the most exciting things to ever happen in there life (outside of getting married, having children, or winning money on a scratch off because we need the money) was Bringing Baseball Back to Brooklyn in 2001. As we get older things change and people change, however to experience that MAGIC was truly amazing.

Is he a genius? Maybe to his daughter. But to me and millions of fans who have been associated with this organization since the inception, he is a person we call mentor (Billy, Jay, and the countless others), innovator (great promotions, Bellies and Baseball, OK Jersey Sure?), son, brother, husband, great father and most of all friend.

While he has taken more shots at me, then the Nets have taken all season, he will be sorely missed.

While we close another chapter in the book of Cyclones history, Dave will forever be a person who made this place what it is today.

In the words of Fonzie, “Today You Ride” . We wish you, your family, and whatever your dogs name is the best of luck…

-- Gary

Bowling & Brainstorming

2010-11-03T13:13:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, we held our annual off-site brainstorming/planning session, with this year's meeting taking place at 300 New York.

For those that don't know, 300 is a state-of-the-art bowling alley/meeting space/entertainment venue, and it proved to be the perfect spot for us. In addition to a really productive exchange of ideas, 300 also gave us a chance to unveil a secret from one staffer's past. More on that later, but first let's talk business and get you behind the scenes of our meeting.

As we do each year, we first looked back at 2010, and discussed what worked, what didn't, what we did well, what we need to improve on, what we'd like to expand on, and what we can eliminate. The general consensus was that 2010 was one of our best promotional efforts, with high-end giveaways (like the Ike Davis upside-down bobble and Jersday Thursdays), and creative themes (like "Jersey? Sure!" Night and our Salute to The Office). Our Season Ticket Holder BBQ was one of the highlights of fan interaction, our new weekend parking policy was a success, our "everyone runs the bases" promotion was a bit hit (and will be expanded in 2011), and our Friday and Saturday night fireworks shows remain strong staples of our schedule.

We spent a large chunk of time talking about inter-office communication, and how improving it will make the overall Cyclones experience better for everyone, trickling from the staff down to the fans. This is something we talk about every year, but this year I think we made some real headway towards implementing improvements in practice, not just in theory. At the heart of the communication discussion was the overriding philosophy that every department is affected by -- and dependent upon -- every other department, and that effective communication among the front office will make everyone's jobs easier and their efforts, ultimately, more successful. It sounds really simple, but if you've ever worked in an office, you know sometimes it's easier said than done.

Here's an image we all looked at and talked about, illustrating what I just outlined above:

After a quick bite to eat, it was time to really focus on some specifics for 2011. In many cases, I can't go into too much detail until we 100% finalize some of the ideas and are ready to formally announce them, but I can give you some general bullets (in no particular order) to provide a small sampling:

We've got some new community programs lined up that will have the Cyclones making a bigger impact throughout the borough off the field than ever before.
We talked about a couple of specialty jersey designs that we think will really excite people.
There will be post-game autograph sessions on certain dates, and we'll invite fans onto the field to meet the Cyclones.
We've made some enhancements to our giveaway item process, and Season Ticket Holders, in particular, will be very happy with what we have planned.
As I mentioned, "everyone runs the bases" will be bigger and better, as we open it up to Tuesday, Wednesday, AND Thursday games!
We're going to try to institute a series of focus groups this winter to bounce some of our ideas off fans before we implement them, and listen to your ideas and get your thoughts and feedback on what you like, don't like, etc.
There will be bigger discounts and more benefits for youth league teams, groups, and group leaders.
And in my big teaser for this blog post (sorry, but we have to keep some surprises up our sleeves), an idea was sparked for what I think has the potential to be our most fun-filled theme night ever -- one that I personally can't wait to dig into, and one I think you're absolutely going to love!

Again, that's just a sneak peek. The 2011 season is going to be a great one, and we're all really excited to get things in motion. If you haven't already done so, you can check out the 2011 game schedule and start penciling in some dates on your calendar!

Now, about that secret.

After the meeting, we all laced up our shoes and hit the lanes for some bowling. As you can imagine, there were varying levels of skill and ability. ~~Mickey~~ Miggy and Randy were kingpins who had clearly spent many hours tossing turkeys in The Bronx and Milwaukee, respectively. KJ unleashed his always-bubbling-just-beneath-the-surface anger with every throw, sometimes ricocheting the ball off the gutter so hard that it bounced back into the pins. Steve got low like his boy Flo-Rida, and followed through with a silky smooth delivery. Alexa and Sharon bruised every male ego in the room by tossing strike after strike. Mahoney stomped to the line and gave it a lefty launch. And Berman, Ian, and I battled it out for the lowest score (which would have been great if we were playing golf).

But one bowler stood out from the rest.

From his graceful approach to his picture-perfect mechanics to his pin-pulverizing results, it was clear that this was not Gary's first time marking the maples.

In fact, with his fingers, physique, and deadly accuracy, he was sort of a dead ringer for another famous bowler with prehistoric prowess:

But as we all marveled at his innate -- almost preternatural -- bowling skill, there was something Gary was keeping inside. A secret from his past that he locked away with equal parts pride and shame. Little did we know that he was not, as it appeared, born to bowl, but that he instead had spent countless hours honing his abilities to become the master bowler to whom we all now bore witness. With a little prodding, the truth was revealed. Gary wasn't just any old bowler...he was the former captain of the Bishop Ford High School Bowling Falcons!

I know, I know. It's pretty hard to imagine this guy as a high school bowler. But I assure you, it's true. In fact, thanks to some arduous research, I even unearthed this long-lost image, capturing the infamous 1991 event, in which GP's fingers got stuck in the ball and Lenny Kaplan heroically raced to his aid to help pull it off:

Kaplan was given a key to the city and Perone never again set foot inside Gil Hodges Lanes.

So there you have it. Gary's God-given ability, the sacrifices he's made for the sport, and his high school bowling career is now all public knowledge. I, for one, think we're all a little bit better for knowing.

-- Dave

Pop Sensation

2010-11-01T16:57:00.003-04:00

I'll admit it...we were starting to feel a little left out.

Steve and I -- the Martin and Lewis of minor league baseball (I'm Dean, obviously) -- were becoming the forgotten men in the Cyclones front office, what with Mahoney winning NYPL Man of the Year honors and Gary being hailed as MiLB's next Branch Rickey.

But thanks to an invitation to be presenters at this year's Winter Meetings in Orlando, we'll finally have our one shining moment. And in the Sunshine State, no less!

Steve and I will be leading a round-table presentation at the Bob Freitas Seminar that we've tentatively titled:

PROMOTIONS THAT “POP”: Capitalizing on pop-culture trends to create promotions that will engage your fans and win you awards (or get you sued, fired, or both).

In three 30-minute sessions, we'll be talking about the creative process and implementation that has gone into the development of some of the promotions in recent years that have incorporated pop-culture trends to garner national media attention -- "Baracklyn," "Jersey? Sure!," the Ike Davis upside-down bobblehead, etc. (Click here, here, here, or here if you need a refresher on the buzz that surrounded some of these nights.)

We'll talk a little bit about what made these nights successful, what we wish we did differently, how other teams can incorporate some of the more effective elements, how we come up with these groundbreaking, innovative, cutting-edge, some would say "genius" ideas (hint: usually by accident), how we make the promotions media-friendly to maximize exposure, and even unveil a few of the pop-culture related ideas we've had that we eventually decided were too over-the-top even for us! (Maybe I'll share here after the presentation.)

So if you're planning on attending the Winter Meetings (December 6-9), check us out. If you're not, we'll tell you all about it when we get back!

-- Dave

Hand Model

2010-10-20T10:27:00.000-04:00

Remember George Costanza's all-too-brief hand modeling career? (It was The Puffy Shirt episode for those who need a refresher.)

Well, it seems that our own Gary Perone's giant hand has also gone Hollywood!

I just hope ~~Jimmy Dean~~ Gary is getting some hefty royalties for the use of his oversized digits (at the 1:20 mark):

-- Dave

Bow-TIE Pasta

2010-10-19T17:06:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since the last blog post. I apologize. But really, there's not much to write about in late September/early October (read all about The Cyclone of Life if you don't believe me.)

Today, however, we played our annual Pasta Bowl game against the boys from Gargiulo's, and while the performances were nothing to write home about, they at least give me something to blog about.

Much like the 2002 MLB All-Star Game, this contest between superstars resulted in a controversial tie. In fact, the similarities between the two games are eerie. In '02, the game was called because the major leaguers ran out of multimillion dollar athletes, since they didn't want to overuse their finely-tuned arms and bodies. Today, the game was called because Steve couldn't lift his arm above his waist anymore and Jake had to leave to go to his second job. Almost the exact same circumstances!

All in all, we were pretty pathetic. We probably had about seven or eight combined hits in 10 innings (technically, I had three of them, but one was a pop-up to short that no one touched and the other two went a TOTAL of two and a half feet). Our first basemen made five errors, Miggy couldn't throw out an 11-year-old kid (twice), Berman and Mahoney were taken out by a well-hidden sniper (Mahoney rounding third, and Berman in the on-deck circle), I got hit by a ball while running the bases and trying to be slicker and quicker than my creaky 34-year-old body will allow, Jake purposely got into the worst rundown in the history of rundowns, Ian threw jump hooks/shot puts from the outfield, Steve gave up perhaps the hardest-hit home run in MCU Park history, and Ricky thought we were all just playing a really long game of hot potato.

Three and a half hours later, both sides just basically gave up, because it seemed like no one would ever score again, and we were all just too tired to care anymore.

On the positive side, the Gargiulo's crew brought some outstanding food, so it was all worthwhile.

-- Dave

Award Tour

2010-09-16T11:07:00.009-04:00

On Wednesday, Darrell Ceciliani went to Citi Field for the 2010 Sterling Award ceremony, and I was his chauffeur/photographer/documentarian/manservant.

It was an amazing day, with all the award winners getting to take batting practice, shag fly balls, meet with big leaguers, and then be honored in a ceremony before the game. There were six Cyclones/former Cyclones in all, and it was great to catch up with them. They all have amazing memories from their time in Brooklyn.

Darrell would probably kill me if I didn't mention up front that he hit a home run at Citi Field -- a blast to right-center field that cracked off the Wise Snacks sign and drew some oohs and aahs from the executives and coaches around the cage.

Foreshadowing, courtesy of the Home Run Apple

In the cage at Citi Field

The home run swing

Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Wilmer Flores each took their hacks as well, while Mark Cohoon -- Pitcher of the Year, and still one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet -- was told not to go near a bat under any circumstances!

Nieuwenhuis

Flores

Afterward, Mets General Manager Omar Minaya met with the guys, congratulated them, and posed for a quick picture with Cohoon, Nieuwenhuis, and Darrell. "This is the future of the Mets right here," he said with his arms around them. "You guys continue working hard and you never know what will happen. Two years ago, Ike (Davis) was in Brooklyn and now he's up for Rookie of the Year." It was a pretty awesome exchange that brought a big smile to each of the players' faces.

Cohoon, Nieuwenhuis, Minaya, Ceciliani

Minaya congratulating Darrell on a great year

Next came the actual ceremony, with our own Warner Fusselle emceeing. The award winners each donned personalized Mets jerseys, all wearing the number 10 to honor Darrell Ceciliani and his record-breaking season in Brooklyn. Or, because the year is 2010. I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone, so I'm going with the former. The jerseys were "dirty," according to Darrell. I immediately checked for stains, but apparently, when you're 20 years old, "dirty" means "awesome" (or "rad," "fresh," or "mint" for those of us who grew up in the 80s). Also, I was confused, because I thought that "dirty Jersey" meant something else entirely.

As Warner read each player's accomplishments to the crowd and highlights were shown on the ballpark's video scoreboard, the player came up to the podium, accepted his award and posed for pictures. When it was Darrell's turn, Warner gave a little extra love to the home team, and gave a more detailed description of how electric and exciting DC was this year. Then, I'll admit that I had some goosebumps when he roared into the mic "Get ready, Mets fans, there's another Darrell (Darryl) coming to Queens!" That was dirty. (See what I did there?)

All the winners: Duda, Cohoon, Gee, Nieuwenhuis, Flores, Puello, DC, Rodriguez, and Tapia

Former Cyclones Nieuwenhuis, Cohoon, Flores, and DC

Darrell accepting his award

The "dirty" jersey

Finally, the players all threw out a ceremonial first pitch. I begged Darrell to skip his in the dirt, because I thought it would have been funny if one of the organization's best players couldn't reach the plate, but he ignored me and fired a strike, as did all the award winners (where's the fun in that?).

Ceremonial first pitch

It was really a great experience and a tremendous honor for all the award winners. I know Darrell had a blast (and yes, we know, we know, he hit a blast, too).

Congratulations to all the award winners (especially those that played in Brooklyn). Cyclones fans will be following many of their careers, and rooting them on as they make their way towards the major leagues. After all, when you're a Cyclone, you're a Cyclone forever. Brooklyn's proud to say we saw them first!

-- Dave

A Truly Sterling Performance

2010-09-15T13:30:00.002-04:00

Look up the word "sterling" in the dictionary and here is what you'll find (after several less apropos references to British currency and thickness of silver):

ster·ling /ˈstɜrlɪŋ/ Show Spelled[stur-ling]: thoroughly excellent:

In recognition of thoroughly excellent (as opposed to totally excellent) performances each year, the New York Mets name a Sterling Award winner -- emblematic of the team MVP -- at every level of the organization's minor league system, as well as an overall Sterling Player of the Year and Sterling Pitcher of the Year. (Click here to see all the winners.)

This year, Brooklyn's Sterling Award is none other than our record-setting centerfielder, Darrell Ceciliani! Ceciliani's .351 average was the the highest single-season mark in franchise history, and he became the first Cyclones player ever to win the New York-Penn League batting title. Darrell set a variety of offensive records this year, in addition to his .351 batting average, also establishing new franchise highs with 95 hits, 56 runs, and 12 triples. If not for a groin injury that held him out of action for a week, Darrell would have extended those records even further, and likely would have set a few more marks, as well.

And, oh, by the way, he hit a team-best .474 in the postseason, with six runs, two doubles, two RBI, and four stolen bases in five games. In Game Two of the Championship Series, Ceciliani refused to go down without a fight. The Cyclones had just five hits in the final game of the season, and Darrell had three of them.

If you've been to a game, you know what Darrell's like on the field...a gritty gamer with both speed and power who will do anything and everything it takes to win. He can hit a home run, he can bunt for a hit, he can go from first to third, he can lace a ball in the gap, he can move the runners over with a ground ball, he can draw a walk, he can steal a base, he can make a spectacular play in the outfield, etc., etc., etc.

What you may not know is that he's barely 20 years old from tiny little Madras, Oregon, had never been to New York before this summer, and despite being the youngest player on the team, has become one of its leaders.

Off the field, he's a fiery ball of energy -- always laughing, yelling, joking, singing, dancing, and playing pranks. He might have more fun at the "office" than just about any player I've seen wear a Brooklyn uniform.

It probably has something to do with this:

When I was a kid, baseball was just a lot of fun. I worked on my family’s ranch, so I didn’t really play on travel teams or anything like that. Baseball was a way for me to have fun and hang out with my fiends. It wasn’t until my junior or senior year (of high school) that I started to feel like it was something I could be successful at, and then I started to get pretty serious and competitive. Now that I'm a professional, I take the game very seriously, and I work as hard at it as I possibly can...but I still think of it as a game, and a fun way to hang out with my friends!

With a .351 average, 95 hits, 144 total bases, 12 triples, 21 stolen bases, and a walk-off home run, I could end this post with countless photo or video highlights, capturing DC's MVP-esque season.

I'd rather leave you with these:

And, oh, by the way...did I mention he likes to dance?

Congratulations, Darrell, on the Sterling Award and one of the best seasons in franchise history...you deserve it! A big thank you goes out to you from all of Brooklyn for making this an unforgettable summer!

-- Dave

Third Time's a Charm

2010-09-14T14:05:00.004-04:00

I guess no one called weather.

For the second straight night last night, Game Two of the NYPL Championship Series was postponed -- this time thanks to some of the heaviest rain I've seen in a long time.

As Darrell Ceciliani would say (in an over-the-top, loud, annoying, nasally, hick voice), "It was rainin' sideways, cousin!"

The tarp was on the field, lightning was in the air, there was a waterfall in the dugout, and Hamilton Bennett was building a boat and setting sail for the high seas.

Take a look:

Now, before the rains came, HB told me that he had drawn a "rain turtle" on the warning track, who would push away any bad weather:

Apparently, no one told the turtle:

While ~~taking cover from the wrath of Poseidon~~ sitting in the dugout, though, I was able to witness two very funny things. First off, HB's old friend Scotty joined us, and decided to do a home run trot/tarp slide. Instant classic.

Next, I was privy to the best seat in the house for a game of "rain delay ball toss." The teams scribbled messages on a baseball, and threw it from one dugout to the other...kind of like passing notes in class. The funniest exchange came when one of our guys drew a tic-tac-toe board and made a move, then tossed it to the Tri-City side. The ball came back with the following message:

"Does this count as Game Two?"

No, Valley Cat, it did not. The real Game Two will take place tonight at 7pm (barring another flash-flood/semi-natural disaster).

Great seats are still available, so get your tickets now, and come on down to MCU Park!

-- Dave

Deja Vu

2010-09-12T15:23:00.000-04:00

OK, we've been here before. Down a game and staring elimination in the face.

Last time it was Jamestown, this time it's Tri-City.

Different team, but we're gunning for the same result.

We're 32-8 at home this year, and once again, there is no tomorrow.

LET'S GO CYCLONES!

-- Dave

On The Road

2010-09-11T18:26:00.003-04:00

We're on the road to Tri-City for the Championship Series and the excitement in our van is at a fever pitch!

-- Dave

On to the Championship Series

2010-09-10T11:49:00.000-04:00

As you can see in the picture above, we won Game Three (again, in thrilling fashion -- the Jammers had bases loaded and no one out in the top of the ninth) and have advanced to the NYPL Championship Series!

We'll be taking on the Tri-City Valley Cats, who edged out Connecticut by half a game to win the Stedler Division, and then played an exciting series against Batavia that included an extra-inning walk-off home run and a 1-0 Game Three win.

The Cyclones and Valley Cats met in the 2004 postseason, with Brooklyn falling two games to one (I still think there was some shady business with the tarp that led to us facing the league's best pitcher twice in a three-game series...but I'm not bitter or anything).

A bunch of us will be making the trip, so I'll post an update from AlbanySchenectadyTroy tomorrow.

We're back home on Sunday and, if necessary, Monday, so make sure you get to MCU Park to cheer Brooklyn on!

Get your tickets NOW!

-- Dave

Game Three

2010-09-09T14:46:00.001-04:00

After an absolutely thrilling win in Game Two, we've forced a deciding Game Three. That means win and you're in. Lose, and you're going home.

The team came from behind again and again last night, showing the fight and the heart that led them to the league's best record.

Now, they're facing elimination again -- or a berth in the championship series.

It reminds me of when Tony Tijerina was our manager, and on Opening Day, he wrote "Today is the most important game of the year" on the board. He left it there the whole year. The message was clear...don't look ahead, don't look back, just focus on what's in front of you. Every day. One game at a time.

Tonight is the most important game of the year.

-- Dave

Apollo Said It Best

2010-09-08T17:24:00.000-04:00

THERE IS NO TOMORROW!

Let's go Cyclones!!!

-- Dave

Against the Wall

2010-09-08T13:10:00.002-04:00

That's the problem with these best-of-three series...you lose one game -- one measly little game -- and you're immediately facing elimination.

Last night, the Cyclones traveled to Jamestown to take on the Jammers and fell behind by five runs early. The team fought all the way back (and fought through a nearly-two-hour rain delay) to tie the game at 6-6 in dramatic fashion in the top of the eighth inning, but Jamestown scored a seventh run in the bottom of the inning, and that was all she wrote.

There are plenty of little things that could have gone differently on Tuesday and swung things in our favor (some around the office are even floating "curse conspiracies"), but the bottom line is that here we are, the best team in the league (and that's not bias talking -- the standings and leaderboards agree), playing two must-win games if we want to continue this fantastic season.

Lucky for us, both those must-win games will be played here at MCU Park, where we have a 30-8 record, the most passionate fans in baseball on our side, and we've been able to pull off more than just a little bit of magic this year.

Great seats are still available, so come on down to Coney Island tonight (and hopefully tomorrow) to cheer on your Cyclones!

It ain't over until Brooklyn says it is!

-- Dave

Playoffs? Playoffs? Yes, Playoffs!

2010-09-04T13:06:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a foregone conclusion for quite some time, but as we close out the regular season, the Cyclones are now gearing up for the Playoffs.

As you know, anytime anyone anywhere mentions the word Playoffs, the worldwide unwritten contract dictates that someone must imitate Jim Mora or embed his infamous rant in their blog. Far be it from me to break the rules:

The New York-Penn League Playoffs (you just did it, didn't you?) start on September 7th, and we'll face the Wild Card team on the road on Tuesday, then host Game Two and, if necessary, Game Three on Wednesday and Thursday -- with both games at 7pm.

Right now, Williamsport is leading the Wild Card race, and I have to admit I'm rooting for them. Not because of any on-field match-up or anything, but simply because Williamsport is only three or four hours away. The team they lead by a half a game? Jamestown. About seven hours away. No thank you. For the next two games, I am officially the world's biggest Crosscutters fan, and i think about 15 Front Office members and 30 or so players would probably agree.

No matter what, though, we'll be home on Wednesday night to take on someone, and you can get tickets now! In addition to the chance to see a possible championship run for Brooklyn, the first 1,000 fans will receive great Playoff T-shirts, thanks to our friends at U.S. Gas & Electric.

See you on Wednesday!

-- Dave

Hi, I'm Outside And It's Raining...Can You Tell Me What The Weather's Like?

2010-09-03T15:24:00.006-04:00

So here's how the whole rain/weather/tarp thing works: we subscribe to a satellite weather service (from here on out referred to as "Weather") and they tell us what Mother Nature intends to do to us over the next few hours to several days.

At least, that's how it's supposed to work in theory.

How it actually works in practice is a completely different matter.

I had always assumed that when we call Weather (that's a term you'll hear about 40-50 times a day on days there's even the slightest chance of rain. "Did you call Weather?" "I'll call Weather." "What did they say when you called Weather?") there are hundreds of operators sitting in a room with interactive maps, like a scene out of 24, War Games, or Apollo 13. I assumed that the guy on the other end of the phone when we call Weather had some kind of exclusive access to a Doppler-5000-type of satellite that can pinpoint any directional change in storm fronts within a 1,000 mile radius of us. I assumed these things because Steve and Ponte (our groundskeeper) treat the word of Weather like it's coming from the Big Guy In Charge of Weather, himself.

However, more and more, I'm beginning to think that the guy on the other end of the phone when we call Weather is a 19-year-old named Herman, sitting in his underwear in his mother's basement playing Halo or something and pulling up weather.com on his dad's Commodore 64 every time we call.

I also think it's a little absurd that we stand around outside and call someone in another part of the country who's inside to have him tell us what the weather is.

Thanks to today's fake Hurricane panic (after "bracing in the Northeast for Earl's fury" we got about 17 drops of rain), Steve and Ponte were burning up the phone lines all morning, calling Weather. Here's a brief sampling of how it played out:

7am: Steve calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

7:05am: Ponte calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

8am: Steve calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

8:05am: Ponte calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

9am: Steve calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

9:05am: Ponte calls Weather to check on the day's weather. He is told that it will probably rain and be windy.

10am: Steve calls Weather to check on the day's weather. There is no answer.

11am: Ponte calls Weather. He is told that the impending storm might miss us altogether. Or we could get hit hard by it. Or anything in between.

12pm: Steve calls Weather. The person on the other end does not speak English.

1:30pm: Steve alerts the office that we will be "peeling back the tarp" so Ponte can work on the field.

1:30pm-2:30pm: Ponte works on the field.

2:30pm: Steve gathers everyone to take the tarp off the field.

2:31pm: It starts to rain.

2:32pm: Walking alongside him to the tarp, I tell Ponte "It's raining." He says "Let me call Weather." I explain to him that we are actually outdoors, and can see, hear, and feel the rain drops. He insists on calling Weather.

2:33pm: Ponte calls Weather. He is told that it is not raining.

2:34pm-2:45pm: I relentlessly mimic and mock Steve and Ponte calling Weather ("Hi, Weather? This is Steve in Brooklyn. I'm outside and it's raining and windy. Can you tell me if it'll be raining and windy in Brooklyn today?").

2:46pm: Ponte says Weather told him there was a "big green thing sitting right above us." I ask if he thinks it's an alien invasion, the Incredible Hulk, or a fire-breathing dragon. He tells me "on the radar." (Hmmmm...like the kind you find on weather.com...interesting.) Ponte continues, unfazed (or unaware that I am making fun of him), saying that Weather also told him "if we're not getting anything, it might miss us," and "he really can't predict anything." So to recap this latest call with Weather, if you're outside and it's not raining on you, it's probably not raining in your area. Also, no one can predict the weather.

3:00pm: Steve tells the office that he talked to Weather, the "storm" has missed us, and we're in the clear for tonight's game.

Once again, it has been proven that meteorologists are today's snake-oil salesmen, weather reports are completely untrustworthy, and when we call Weather we're probably interrupting Herman and his buddies in a rousing game of Dungeons & Dragons.

Either way, the good news is that it looks like we're still on track for a 7pm game tonight, despite all the hype about Earl washing us out to sea. So come on down for another great night of Cyclones baseball!

Of course, weather can change on a dime, and no one can really predict it, anyway.

We better call Weather again, just to be safe.

-- Dave

The Mayhem Is Upon Us

2010-08-31T18:17:00.003-04:00

It's officially Hamilton Bennett Mustache Mayhem Night, which means it's time to unveil the mustaches we've been cultivating around the office.

First, our Staff 'Stache Picture:

And now some close-ups:

HBMM Night is here! Let the mustache reign supreme! (And let's all shave as soon as the last out is made!!!)

-- Dave

En Fuego

2010-08-25T16:02:00.005-04:00

I'll tell you one thing. You just never know what you'll see when you show up for work each day with the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Today, for example, I saw people light a baseball field on fire. For real.

The field is still a bit waterlogged, so in addition to raking, rolling, applying Diamond Dry, and raking some more, Mahoney suggested that we pour gasoline on some of the particularly wet spots and try to "burn it out." (I like to picture him using a William Wallace Scottich accent when he says that.)

You can't really see the look of fear in Steve's eyes in that second-to-last picture, but believe me, it was there.

Steve and I are very similar in lots of ways, but here's where we differ. While he spent the entire time outside praying nothing out of the ordinary would happen, I spent the entire time praying for the opposite.

Not that I wanted anyone to get hurt or anything. I just wanted to see something crazy happen (mostly so I could write about it on the blog). I'm not going to lie. When Mahoney, Randy, and Jesse were raking, I was sort of hoping we'd see something like this (again, without anyone getting hurt, of course):

I wasn't that lucky.

There are still a few hours before gametime, though, so I'll keep my fingers crossed!

-- Dave

Good News, Bad News

2010-08-24T09:36:00.002-04:00

The good news? The air conditioning in our office is working for the first time all year!

The bad news? It's 65 degrees outside today.

-- Dave

Full Time vs. Intern Softball

2010-08-23T09:03:00.000-04:00

OK, I'm going to put it out there right up front. We lost. fair and square. Probably for the first time ever.

However (and you knew that was coming), I will also say this...the intern team is filled with 19 and 20-year-olds, several of whom play baseball or softball in college or in summer leagues, and they beat us by one measly run. Their two best players were a guy who plays for a Division I college team (but ended his internship last week), and a grizzly-looking slugger I've never seen before (so I'm pretty sure he's not an intern), and they still barely beat us by thismuch with a run in the ninth inning.

Our squad is filled with thirty-and-fortysomething greybeards who pick up a bat and glove basically once a year to take on these whippersnappers (some looked like this was the first time they'd ever picked up a bat or glove), and they still only beat us by ONE RUN? Come on. I think that shows you who the better team on the field was that day. The best team just doesn't always win.

Not much else to say in terms of game recap.

Jake the Snake was our MVP, using his freakishly long Tickler arms to make some, ahem, fantastic catches in left field. He also belted a home run onto the boardwalk to tie the game in the 8th inning, but then charged in on a line drive that was hit approximately 300 feet behind him in the 9th, so I guess it all evens out.

In a shocking development, Mahoney also kept his Ripkenesque streak alive by almost coming to blows with at least one intern for the ninth straight year, so congratulations are in order for his record-breaking performance.

We'll have to do a better job of hiring interns next year. And by "better job," I mean choosing only the most unathletic looking of the candidates. Either way, it'll be a whole new crop next summer, and by then I'll be telling them again that the Full Timers are undefeated.

As long as you don't spill the beans, they'll never know the difference!

-- Dave

Things Are Getting Hairy

2010-08-22T11:26:00.000-04:00

In my 10 years with the team, I've done lots of things -- and been affected in lots of ways -- in the name of Cyclones entertainment and promotions.

I've worn way-too-tight tights (and pulled tarp in them) on Superhero Night. I've been yelled at by Steve for having knights and horses joust in centerfield on Medieval Times Night (even though he's the one who approved it). I've put on a pink ape costume and shot t-shirts into the crowd (and have been alternately cheered and booed because of it). I've dressed up as a T-Bird for Grease Night. I've gotten death threats because of our Baracklyn Cyclones Night. I've shoved a dozen fried dumplings down my throat for a pre-game eating contest. I've slid headfirst across the tarp in the pouring rain. I've gotten angry emails because I used the term "barefoot and pregnant" for our Bellies & Baseball Night or "Cyclones Skin 'Cats" when talking about us beating Tri-City. I've played baseball for 24 straight hours (and then gone to the hospital the next day).

You get the point. I've been through quite a bit for Brooklyn baseball.

However, our current endeavor may be the toughest challenge yet.

If you don't know (and how could you not, at this point?) Wednesday, August 31st is Hamilton Bennett Mustache Mayhem Night, in honor of everyone's favorite mustachioed Brooklyn reliever. There will be all kinds of mustache-related merriment, including free tickets, free stick-on 'staches, and more. Read all about it.

Here's the hard part, though...my colleagues and I are all growing out our own mustaches to add to the mayhem. Now, when we're all here at the ballpark together that's one thing. It's sort of like a bad uniform -- if everyone's wearing it at the same time, you can kind of get away with it, or at least hide in the crowd. Unlike my Batman costume or my Danny Zuko get-up, however, my mustache stays with me when I leave the ballpark.

When I meet new people, I can feel them zeroing in on my top lip. Mothers pull their children just a little closer when I pass them on the street. I find myself explaining by burgeoning Selleck-style 'stache the instant I greet anyone.

It's almost become an extension of my name ("Hi, I'm Daveidontusuallyhavethismustacheiworkforacrazyminorleaguebaseballteamandijusthavetodoituntilaugustthirtyfirst. Nice to meet you.").

My wife hates it. My daughter hates it. My dog hates it. I hate it.

But Hamilton Bennett likes it, so there's that, I guess.

I do owe the guy for catching 2,117 ceremonial first pitches (so far) this year, working 348 kids/men's/women's/kosher camps, and for scaring the Lucky Charms out of him on Irish Night.

Come August 31st, we're even.

-- Dave

Heavy Hitters

2010-08-16T11:49:00.004-04:00

Schedule makers of the NYPL, why have you abandoned us?

The Cyclones have not played a home game in six days, and we have to wait two more days for the end of the All-Star break before the team returns home. Normally, I'd be cherishing the opportunity to catch up on work, return some phone calls, and all the other boring stuff we do when the team is on the road. But this is too much. After a hectic six-game homestand, this abrupt break in the action has caused a black-hole-sized void.

And in the attempt to fill that void, I've been noticing a subtle shift in the office that everyone seems to know about, but no one wants to say out loud. We've (almost literally) become our own elephant in the room.

The Front Office has always gravitated around lunch (and on game days, dinner), but our focus on food has gotten out of control in recent days. It's almost as if every member of the staff is trying to fill the emptiness in their hearts without the Cyclones in town by filling their bellies, instead.

I haven't said anything until now, but the madness must stop! I've had an egg roll, chicken and broccoli, a hot roast beef sandwich, a Big Mac meal, a Nathan's dog with bacon and cheese, and two pepperoni slices...and that's just today!

And I'm one of the light eaters!

The effects have been staggering. Take a look:

We NEED the Cyclones to return home, and bring their exciting brand of first-place baseball with them before it's too late. Thankfully, the team will be back in just a few days to take on the arch-rival Staten Island Yankees. Then we'll have to battle through another five games on the road, but we close out the year in thrilling, playoff-chasing fashion with 10 home games in 13 days, so we'll all be running around the ballpark again, and hopefully things can get back to normal.

Until then, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the one member of the front office who has held strong in the face of temptation. This lone wolf has fought off the gluttony that has enveloped the rest of us, and has even taken to a military-themed workout regimen, and the results speak for themselves. In fact, while the rest of us may have let ourselves go, GP has actually shed a few LBs and, in my humble opinion, has never looked better. He's leaner and meaner now than ever before, and I commend him on his efforts!

We'll see you back at MCU Park on Wednesday, when the Cyclones return to action, and then again down the home stretch, when we've got 10 great games to close out the 10th season.

Here's hoping somebody locks up the fridge 'til then!

-- Dave

2010 "Best Of" Promotional Awards

2010-08-15T17:11:00.000-04:00

BEST NON-GAME DAY EVENT

Total Nonstop Action at MCU Park

Friday July 2, 2010

On Friday July 2nd, MCU Park and the Brooklyn Cyclones hosted Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. Over 5,500 fans packed the stadium for TNA’s biggest U.S. show ever! Stars like Jeff Hardy, Team 3D, and Kurt Angle all thrilled the crowd with exciting wins and in the main event of the night, TNA Heavyweight Champ Ron Van Dam retained his title with an action- packed win over AJ Styles.

After the main event, Heavyweight Champ Ron Van Dam, stayed in the ring for over two hours, posing with his championship belt and his loyal fans.

"I've wrestled all over the world," said Jeff Jarrett, a wrestling legend and the founder of TNA. "From Australia, to India, to Japan, and everywhere in between. I can honestly say that there's nowhere in the world that has fans like New York!"

Prior to July 2nd, the Cyclones had TNA star Velvet Sky to the ballpark to throw out a first pitch and sign autographs on the main concourse for fans.

The Cyclones also had Team 3D visit MCU Park to promote the wrestling event. Brother Devon is a Coney Island native, which added to the event's buzz and excitement. Team 3D threw out a first pitch, signed autographs on the concourse and interacted with the players before the game.

Furthur Concert

Saturday June 25th and Sunday June 26th

Two of the founding members of Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, brought their new band, Furthur, to MCU Park for a two-day sold-out concert on June 25th and 26th. Over 25,000 fans packed the ballpark for two four-hour shows that literally had fans dancing in the aisles as well as on the field. A spectacular pyrotechnics and fireworks display followed each show.

On June 21st the Cyclones also incorporated Furthur Night into the promotional schedule, and the team wore special tie-die jerseys to honor the Grateful Dead style. The jerseys were among the most popular of the year!

1st Annual Craft Beer Festival

Saturday June 12th

On June 12th, MCU Park and Aramark Food Services hosted the first-ever Craft Beer Festival. Over 300 people attended the event and enjoyed samplings from over 40 breweries, live music and food! In addition, the event introduced the Cyclones brand and ballpark to a new non-sports-related market.

The people in attendance were able to walk around the concourse while tasting beers from all over the world, sit in the picnic area and listen to live music, including the U2 Tribute Band Unforgettable Fire, or were able to sit back in the stands and watch the final stadium preparations, we were seven days away from Opening Day!

BEST THEME NIGHT

"Jersey? Sure!" Night

Wednesday July 21st

The Cyclones capitalized on the pop-culture phenomenon of MTV's Jersey Shore with one of the most publicized promotions of the year. The show is extremely popular among Cyclones staffers, with some even giving themselves JS nicknames or trying to imitate the cast of the show -- General Manager Steve Cohen also goes by the names "Stevie Sweetheart," "DJ Stevie C," "Co-Co," and "The Perspiration".

The Cyclones used a play on words to create "Jersey? Sure!" Night, based around a replica jersey giveaway, featuring a fist-pumping Sandy the Seagull, the team's mascot. Staffers and players got in on the fun by dressing up as, or styling their hair in honor of the Jersey Shore style.

The Cyclones gave away 2,500 limited edition fist-pumping Sandy the Seagull jerseys. During the game, the team also ran between-inning promotions themed around the Jersey Shore and GTL (Gym, Tan and Laundry) lifestyle. The Cyclones partnered with Equinox Gym and Brooklyn Tan to give out prize packs to the winners of the promotions during the game as well as for lucky seat drop-ins.

Dugout Dance Battles – Contestants “battled” to techno beats on top of the dugouts between innings for a chance to win prizes (and fame).
GTL Giveaways – In honor of the GTL lifestyle ("gym, tan, laundry") the Cyclones partnered with a local gym, tanning salon, and Laundromats and gave away GTL gift certificates throughout the night.
Baseball Blowouts – A special station on the ballpark’s concourse level allowed fans to have their hair styled like a good fastball – high and hard. Stylists from a local salon were on hand to give the hair-raising transformations a professional touch.

All throughout the game the Cyclones played techno, fist pumping music to keep the energy pumpin’.

The night was highlighted in an article on StadiumJourney.com

The Office Olympics Night

Wednesday August 4th

On Wednesday, August 4th the Cyclones hosted Office Olympics Night. The Cyclones' front office members found ourselves discussing last night's episode of The Office, or the “Tuesday night marathon” way too often, and we realized that many of our fans could probably relate to similar situations. Wth that in mind, we decided to host an “Office Olympics Night” which included the following activities.

Morning Coffee Race
Flonkerton (When you race with paper boxes on your feet)
Blind Folded Egg on a spoon race
Wastepaper Basketball
The Office Trivia question game

On the same night as The Office Olympics Night the Cyclones were part of a Minor League Stadium Crawl, done by New York Magazine. Being judged on the Facility itself, Quality of play, Promotions, Adorability and miscellaneous the Cyclones scored a total of 32 points -- the highest rating given to any local team.

Click to read article

FDNY Night

Friday, July 23

Every year, the Cyclones host FDNY night, to honor New York’s Bravest. With the new naming rights partner of our ballpark being Municipal Credit Union, which serves over 350,000 civil servants in the New York area, we decided each year to create a bobblehead of our mascot, Sandy, dressed as a “Civil Servant Worker” (FDNY, NYPD, EMS, and Dept. of Sanitation).

In 2010 we chose to go with Probie FDNY Sandy. The bobblehead was the first time that we ever put Sandy in another costume and portrayed him as anything but the Cyclones Seagull. Fans of all ages loved this bobblehead, and they are already looking forward to next years Civil Servant Sandy Bobblehead.

We also had the team in special jerseys that night, further honoring those men and women that help to keep the community safe. The jersey was created with the help of the Cyclones staff and the FDNY Captain in order to ensure authenticity. At the end of the game we raffled off 15 of the jerseys, with a portion of the proceeds going to the FDNY.

Upside Down Ike Davis Bobblehead Giveaway

Monday, August 2

This season, the Cyclones produced and gave away one of the most unique collector's items ever -- an upside-down Ike Davis bobblehead!

Davis made his pro debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones on June 26, 2008. The highly-touted first-round pick out of ASU doubled in his first at-bat, and proceeded to notch at least one hit in his first 15 straight games. Less than two years later, Davis is now starring at first base for the New York Mets, and has become something of a cult hero, thanks in part to three specific catches he's made that have all had a similar stuntmanesque theme. Each time, he has flipped over the dugout railing to catch a foul ball in spectacular fashion.

The high-demand Cyclones' bobblehead depicts the Brooklyn alum making just such a catch, and stands 7" tall.

BEST IN-GAME PROMOTION

Step Up To the Plate

Every home game

This year, the Cyclones created a successful new element to our sponsorship packages called Step up To the Plate, which is sponsored by New York Community Bank (NYCB). NYCB was looking for a different avenue of publicity here at MCU Park for the 2010 season, and Step up To the Plate fit their needs perfectly.

Step Up To the Plate allows the Cyclones and NYCB to give four free tickets to fans, and the opportunity to bring the lineup card to home plate with Cyclones Manager Wally Backman (or another coach, depending on the night), the opportunity to say “Play Ball” after the National Anthem, and the chance to get the line-up card autographed by Manager Wally Backman at the end of the game. On most nights NYCB provides us with a child from either Autism Speaks, Boys and Girls Club or Tuesday’s Children. Otherwise, we are able to pick a child from the crowd at random and give them a once in a lifetime experience.

We are 27 games into the season and all participating families and children have all enjoyed this promotion and the experience of being on the field and able to interact with the players and coaches. Not only do the fans love it, but so does our coaching staff. Before each game either Wally or Coach Fuentes are excited to meet "the kid" who will accompany them to the plate. This promotion has been a great success for the Cyclones as well as New York Community Bank and the participating charitable organizations involved.

Face Your Fears

2010-08-06T15:00:00.002-04:00

Everyone's afraid of something. OK, not Matt Murdock, but everyone else. Lots of people are afraid of heights (Frank Russo), some people are afraid of snakes (Wally), and some are afraid of sharks (me, unless I have my trusty shark repellent handy).

Cyclones pitcher Hamilton Bennett is deathly afraid of, um, Leprechauns.

Well, ol' HB made the mistake of sharing his fears yesterday on Irish Heritage Night, when we had Bay Ridge's own Scotty the Leprechaun here for the festivities. Of course, i saw this as an opportunity to ~~terrorize Bennett in any way possible involving Scotty~~ help Hamilton face and overcome his fears, making him a better man in the process. So, when the time came for Scotty to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, Bennett looked at me like a drowning man looking for a life preserver, and I...gave him the thumbs up, a pat on the back, and big "go get 'em."

I have seen some things in my life, but I don't know if I've ever seen fear in someone's eyes like I did in that moment. To his credit, Bennett soldiered through. He didn't want to cause a scene or throw off the pre-game timetable, so he gingerly put one foot in front of the other, crouched behind the plate, caught the first pitch, and hesitantly posed for a picture:

Afterward, he was still shaken up, and couldn't -- or wouldn't -- take his eyes off the little green guardian of the gold pot.

Fine. Ha ha. The game starts, Scotty's off the field, and everyone goes on about their business, right? Wrong.

Our hitting coach, Benny DiStefano went to high school with Scotty, and when he found out about Bennett's fear, he decided to take things one step further (or one step too far, depending on who you ask).

I got word that I was to escort Scotty into the clubhouse during the ninth inning so that he could hide inside Bennett's locker!

Even now, I can't stop giggling like a schoolgirl when I think about it. Scotty climbed in, and told me to cover him up with the clothes, pillows, and equipment in Bennett's locker. He was loving it! "I've done some crazy, ahem, stuff," he told me, "but this has to be up at the top of the list."

Bennett was the last one in the clubhouse and by this time everyone was in on it. Wally made an announcement that everyone needed to turn in their road uniforms for the upcoming trip, and when Bennett walked over to the locker, Scotty popped out!

HB literally went running for the hills, and Scotty, now in his glory, chased after him! Through the clubhouse, onto the field, and into the bullpen they went until Bennett finally shook him and went into hiding. A full THIRTY MINUTES later, Bennett was still on the field, afraid to come back in the clubhouse. And of course, he blamed me. It wasn't until I swore on everything I hold dear that Scotty had left the building and convinced him that I was just following orders that he came back inside. And even then he was a little unsure.

Now, it should be noted that Bennett is perhaps the most fan-and-front-office-friendly player on the entire team, which makes me feel a little bad about the whole thing. However, even he admitted that it was one of the best pranks ever and that he'd be laughing, too...if it hadn't happened to him!

Hopefully he's willing to forgive and one day he'll look back on it and see the humor.

After all, a little terrifying leprechaun interaction can be good for your career. Look what it did for Rachel:

-- Dave

Brooklyn's Best Friend

2010-07-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

So, there's this thing called Facebook. Have you heard of it? Of course you have. Unless your name is Kevin Mahoney, you already have a Facebook account, have connected with old classmates, ex-girlfriends, former teachers, childhood neighbors, that kid you used to play football with, and tons of people you barely remember or tried to forget. Everyone in the world is on Facebook. Except Kevin Mahoney.

For those of you out there who may be unfamiliar (Kevin Mahoney), here's how it works: You set up a home page, post information about yourself, and then look for "friends." Or they look for you. "Friends" are what make the world of Facebook go 'round. Some people have thousands of FB "friends" (Katie, Brandy), and others keep a tight circle (Kevin Mahoney, 0).

In general, though (unless you're Kevin Mahoney), the more "friends" you have, the better. It means more info and invites coming your way, and it gives you a bigger audience for those times you want to share your thoughts.

Enough with the tutorial, already. Here's where the Cyclones come in.

With our new contest, titled "Brooklyn's Best Friend," having the most FB "friends" can also mean winning great prizes, like $100 in Cyclones Cash, a $500 donation to your favorite charity, lunch with Cyclones players, 50 Field Box Seats to a game in which you'll be honored, and -- best of all -- your own Cyclones baseball card and your own Cyclones-designed bobblehead!

It's an exciting social-networking experiment that helps us spread the word about Cyclones baseball, and helps you get once-in-a-lifetime swag!

Check out the contest, and get going! It officially gets underway on Monday, July 26th!

Start telling everyone you know that you want to become "Brooklyn's Best Friend," and you need their help to do it.

Unless, of course, you're Kevin Mahoney.

-- Dave

TNA Lives Up To Its Name

2010-07-02T23:01:00.011-04:00

Wow! They don't call it Total Nonstop Action for nothing!

The TNA Live! show on Friday night was awesome! I haven't followed wrestling for a while, but I think I might be officially back into it after watching tonight's show. High-flying, hard-hitting, non-stop action all night long.

Team 3D smashed a guy through a table, Jeff Hardy tossed his body around with reckless abandon, Kurt Angle showed off the skills that make him a gold medalist, and an old favorite of mine, Rob Van Dam, capped the night off by defending his heavyweight belt!

Almost 5,500 rabid Brooklyn fans charged up the whole ballpark, and made it the biggest U.S. show in TNA's eight-year history!

Check out some pictures:

-- Dave

TNA! TNA! TNA!

2010-07-02T17:32:00.011-04:00

Tonight is the highly-anticipated Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling event at MCU Park! It's going to be awesome -- one of the largest outdoor crowds ever for a TNA event!

Baby Alexa and I snuck into the ring before the gates opened to settle some differences:

My size, stength, and pure athleticism had her beat, but the ref was knocked unconscious and couldn't get the three count. Then she blatantly and illegally used the ropes to choke me out. The Iceman would be proud; I never tapped out...but I did pass out from the pain. When I woke up, she had her hand raised and was awarded the belt! A complete miscarriage of justice!

The real action begins in a few hours! More pics to come...

-- Dave

Furthur, Faster

2010-06-30T15:13:00.008-04:00

If there's one thing I love, it's time-lapse video.

Sure, it makes you question your place in the world -- and in the relative history of the universe -- by condensing hours upon hours of blood, sweat, and tears into mere seconds on YouTube. But it looks really cool doing it:

-- Dave

Furthur and Furthur

2010-06-27T23:28:00.012-04:00

After weeks (months?) of misspelling the band's name, the two-day Furthur concert finally arrived at MCU Park this weekend. Phil Lesh and Bob Weir -- of Grateful Dead fame -- brought their new band to the ballpark, and brought two nights of sold-out crowds with them!

I have to admit, I came into this with some negative bias. My only experience with the Grateful Dead involved my college baseball coach blaring endless jam tapes for 12 hours straight as we drove 35 guys in two 15-passenger vans (do the math) to Nowheresville, North Carolina for our spring trip while I tried to drown Jerry Garcia & Co. out with Metallica or Tupac on my headphones and not think too hard about my non-teammate friends enjoying themselves on a beach in Cancun. So, you could say I was decidedly not a Deadhead.

The concert at the ballpark was pretty cool, though. I worked on Sunday night, and heard Saturday was just as good. A completely different crowd of people in the ballpark, and a very unique vibe.

Furthur clearly touched all the people who were here. The mass of people on the floor, in the seats, and on the concourse was dancing and singing (and dancing some more) for over four straight hours! They were having a great time, and were all so passionate and energetic about the music it was almost impossible not to enjoy yourself, no matter what your musical taste. For Furthur/Dead fans, it was a little bit of heaven.

Check out some pictures:

When all was said and done, almost 25,000 people saw the two shows, and made it a truly unforgettable experience at the ballpark.

A big thank you goes out to everyone who attended. Stay tuned for more great events at MCU Park all summer!

-- Dave

A Good Day

2010-06-24T22:06:00.006-04:00

When you work in minor league baseball, there are good days and there are bad days.

There are days when fans yell at you because you forgot the periods in J.B. Brown's initials. There are days when the rain camps out over the ballpark and you pull the tarp seven times in 95-degree thunderstorms. There are days when a last-second lineup change means you have 30 minutes to re-do all the paperwork you spent the last six hours doing (during "Going Green" week). There are days when the game lasts 26 innings. There are days when the national anthem singer forgets the words. There are days when the Game Program is delivered and the first page you open contains a typo that jumps out at you, despite the five rounds of proofreading you did. There are days when nothing seems to go right.

And then there are days like this:

TNA Knockout Velvet Sky of the Tag Team Champion (and aptly-named) Beautiful People threw out a first pitch and signed autographs to promote the TNA Live! event at MCU Park on July 2nd.

You know how they say in golf that one great shot makes up for 99 bad ones and keeps you coming back for more? Today was one of those days.

Great seats are still available for TNA at MCU Park on July 2nd. Get your tickets now!

-- Dave

Opening Day

2010-06-20T17:49:00.002-04:00

June 25th, 2001 seems like yesterday. hard to believe, but last night we held our 10th Opening Day in franchise history!

It was a great night -- we set a new OD attendance record (9,888 fans), got our ninth OD win in 10 tries (Wally's second of the season...he's on pace to go 76-0), Steve got burnt to a crisp and was almost run down by a float in the Mermaid Parade but made sure all the right cars got into the parking lot (and all the wrong ones stayed out), and everyone seemed thrilled that another season of Brooklyn baseball was underway.

It started -- as it has in every season since TJ introduced the idea -- with our players lining the steps at the front gate to greet the fans as they walked through the gates at the newly-named MCU Park. It's a pretty cool experience, with fans introducing themselves to the new team, and vice versa. It really gives our players their first glimpse of the passion and loyalty that they're about to enjoy for the next few months. To a man, they always come away from it marveling at how intense Brooklyn's love is for this team.

In the weeks and months to come, you'll meet some of those players here on the blog, and hear from Wally. Thanks, as always, for your support. This season is going to be one of our best ever!

-- Dave

Beer, Here!

2010-06-14T11:19:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, MCU Park hosted its first-ever Craft Beer Festival, with samplings from over 40 breweries, and live music. The event was a lot of fun. Over 300 people attended, and everyone really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The weather, the beer, and the music, were all great.

I'm not the world's biggest beer connoisseur, but it was interesting to talk to some of the brewers, hear their passion for what they do, learn about the ingredients and the processes that make their beer different, and debate with friends about which brands we liked and didn't like.

Beyond just the taste of the beers, I also loved looking at how each brand was marketed. The look, the logos...even the taps from which they were poured were all so distinct. As someone who works with ads and designs, I'm always interested in how businesses market their products, and how effective they are. Since I couldn't tell you the difference between an I.P.A. and a case of Natural Light (that was before the Beer festival...now I know, and if you don't, that's just another reason you should have been here), I found myself drawn to the logos and names of the beer first, and the taste second.

Take a look at some images from the event. I'll divulge my personal favorites after these pictures:

Each attendee got a small plastic mug, with which you could sample three ounces of the beer of your choice. Gary had a full-sized mug, but his elephantitis sausage fingers just made it look small:

Josh Young kicked off the music on the concourse level. Many of us at the Cyclones know Josh from his work as a concert promoter, but we were surprised to hear him on the microphone with his guitar. He was really, really good!

The musical main attraction was The Unforgettable Fire, a U2 tribute band that sounded so much like the real thing, it was scary. They even looked like U2, from Bono's shades, to Edge's ski cap, to Adam Clayton's blond hair and baggy pants:

Of course, I don't think the real Bono has ever taken requests for an encore, then had his mic turned off by Larry Mullen, Jr., and almost come to blows over it, but I haven't seen them live since the Elevation tour in '01, so I guess you never know. ("One more song!" One more song!")

OK, so my personal favorites were Hell or High Watermelon (a wheat beer by 21st Amendment Brewery) and Wacko (a summer seasonal from Magic Hat):

The Hell or High Watermelon not only had the coolest logo and name, but it was light and crisp, and had just a hint of watermelon flavoring. Nothing too overpowering, but enough to make it stand out.

Wacko, as you can see above, was red. That really made it stand out, and you had to try it just for the heck of it. Turns out, it is made from beets (I asked the brewer if they were from Schrute Farms, but she didn't get the reference. I also told her it had a taste that can't be "beet," but she didn't seem to appreciate that one either. I have a feeling neither line was very original).

All in all, a great success for our first-ever Beer Festival. We've already taken notes and suggestions on how to make the next one even better.

Thank you to all who attended. If you weren't here, you should have been. We'll give you another chance next year!

-- Dave

Whatcha Gonna Do?

2010-05-24T14:51:00.020-04:00

I first got into wrestling back in the good old days, when my main man the Junkyard Dog was thumping anybody in his path and the Hulkster was asking a burning question that forced me to contemplate my intestinal fortitude and the path I would choose when faced with the most daunting of challenges or limitless of opportunities (I'll ask you that same question in a few paragraphs).

Since then, I've gone from JYD to DDP, watched Hulk go Hollywood, and run with the Wolfpack. In recent years, I've had an on-again, off-again relationship with the sport, but I was definitely excited by our announcement that MCA Park would play host to Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling on July 2nd.

Clearly, I'm not the only one. Tickets went on sale this morning, and the phones and interwebs have been blazing. The July 2nd TNA show is going to be one of the biggest nights of the summer -- a megastar wrestling show followed by fireworks on the Coney Island seashore!

So, really, there's only one question you should be asking yourself. One question in the debate that is raging inside your mind. One question whose answer will tip the scales in favor of an unforgettable summer experience, or against it:

Whatcha gonna do, brother? Whatcha gonna do when TNA comes to MCU and runs wild on you this July 2?

-- Dave

P.S. "Get tickets" was the correct answer to that last question. Do so here.

Head Over Heels For Ike

2010-05-19T10:41:00.010-04:00

Ike Davis made his pro debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones on June 26, 2008. The highly-touted first-round pick out of ASU doubled in his first at-bat, and proceeded to notch at least one hit in his first 15 straight games. Less than two years later, Davis is now starring at first base for the New York Mets.

Davis has become something of a cult hero among Mets fans (and, of course, the Cyclones fans who saw him first in Brooklyn) thanks to being a homegrown prospect with home run power and a major league dad at home (Ron was an All-Star pitcher for the Yankees).

That cult hero status has also skyrocketed because of three specific spectacular catches he's made that all have an incredibly similar stuntmanesque theme:

On August 2nd, Brooklyn will pay tribute to the former Cyclone, with an Ike Davis bobblehead giveaway! This isn't your run-of-the-mill bobblehead, though. This one is special. The Cyclones' Ike Davis bobblehead depicts the catch(es) that have become the big lefthander's calling card on defense, as he flips over the railing and into the dugout!

We think you'll flip for the bobblehead, too! Here's the sketch art we've submitted:

We'll give you more updates and mock-ups as we get them, but you can get your tickets NOW to make sure you're not shut out from this unique collector's item. The first 2,500 fans in attendance on August 2nd will each get one, so make sure you get to the ballpark nice and early! It's going to be one of the hottest items of the summer!

-- Dave

That's What She Said

2010-05-13T15:07:00.006-04:00

Armed with bobbleheads and vaguely inappropriate humor, one group of workplace misfits has infiltrated pop culture for the better part of the last decade.

No...not the Cyclones. I'm talking about The Office!

Anyone who has ever worked in an office can relate to something about the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin (a division of Sabre). The high-strung accountant, the poorly-hidden games of solitaire, the malfunctioning copy machine, the boss who's just a little "off" and thinks of himself as an undiscovered stand-up comedian/improv entertainer (not us, Steve...no one here can relate to that at all). It's so real that it's ridiculous, and so ridiculous that it's real.

That's why, on August 4th, the Cyclones will host a Salute to The Office, and celebrate office workers and the workplace shenanigans that make being a 9-to-5er so great (and, sometimes, so awful).

We'll be playing Office Olympics games between innings, collecting beet donations throughout the game, airing your best workplace stories, challenging you to trivia contests, and offering prizes (like free tickets) to anyone named Michael Scott or anyone who shows up dressed like Dwight Schrute.

So sharpen your pocket protectors, and start practicing your paper airplanes. It's going to be a fun-filled night like you've never had before. (That's what she said.)

Learn more about August 4th's Salute to the Office

-- Dave

The Blogosphere is Buzzing

2010-05-10T15:15:00.003-04:00

This is why Buzz Bissinger hates Will Leitch (and all other bloggers, for that matter, including me).

The venerable author of Friday Night Lights (great show, by the way...you really should be watching it) berated the founder of Deadspin a while back on HBO's Costas Now. (Don't just take my word for it without doing any research...read the NY Times article.)

Among other things, Bissinger argued that "blogs are dedicated to cruelty, they’re dedicated to dishonesty, (and) they’re dedicated to speed.” He also castigated the medium's authors for “not letting the facts get in the way” of writing whatever they want. Ol' Buzz couldn't have summed up this blog better if he tried.

This space is, has been, and always will be (unless I get fired and it gets shut down tomorrow) one big inside joke between Cyclones fans and employees.

We didn't really hire Eric Byrnes so he could be a ringer on our softball team (although, Eric, if you're reading this, the offer's still out there...we need a centerfielder). Steve didn't really get lost in Prospect Park or tap dance in the rain while making up words to songs from Wicked. Gary doesn't really wear size 7X boxers. Alexa didn't really wear an electronic dog collar. A bunch of staff members didn't really play baseball for 24 straight hours and wind up sending half the office to the emergency room. I don't really look like Brad Pitt's younger, in-better-shape, long-lost twin broth...OK, I'll admit that every example from that last paragraph actually was true, except for the Byrnes thing, but I'm sure there's been lots of fake stuff, too.

The point is...well, there really isn't much of a point. And I guess that's the point! This blog is simply fun and (hopefully) funny. Don't take it too seriously. And by "too seriously," I mean "even remotely seriously at all."

And above all else, don't report anything you see in this space as real news! Except for the part about me looking like Brad Pitt. That can be a cover story, if you'd like.

-- Dave

Ringer Alert!

2010-05-06T14:32:00.008-04:00

BREAKING NEWS! The Cyclones have hired former MLB star Eric Byrnes as a Media Relations Assistant. In addition to his 11-year playing career, Byrnes has a wealth of media experience, serving as a postseason analyst for FOX and ESPN.

On a completely unrelated note, he'll share an office with me on the "dark side" of the building, and will therefore be eligible to play for Team West Wing in the upcoming softball challenge.

Steve's just happy 'cause we won't have to pay him.

Read all about our new staff member

I have a feeling he's going to fit right in:

-- Dave

UPDATE: Eric Byrnes, 11-year MLB player, making $11 million dollars a year, is not actually volunteering with the Cyclones and sharing an office with me for no pay so that we can plug him in as a ringer on our office softball team. Some people took the joke a little too literally.

Beer Fest!

2010-05-06T11:05:00.009-04:00

On Saturday, June 12th, MCU Park will host the first annual Craft Beer Festival! From 4-9pm that day, you can sample some of America's finest craft beers and listen to some great local bands. Learn more, or get your tickets here. In the meantime, Assistant GM Kevin Mahoney checks in with his take on the event:

Steve has been formulating a plan to host a Craft Beer Festival at the ballpark for a few years now, and after lots of time, effort, energy, and obstacles, it's finally going to happen.

Several weeks ago, Steve put Baby Alexa and me in charge of the Beer Festival planning. Actually, Alexa is really the one in charge, but she is not old enough to drink yet. So, several tasks were given to me -- the guy who has a, shall we say, "fondness" for the beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains (most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize, and rice are also widely used), and flavored with hops. Coincidence? I don't think so.

There is one slight problem, though. I have a ~~slightly insane obsession~~ strong loyalty to one specific brand of beer that I refer to simply as The King. I have even been known to leave an otherwise enjoyable establishment (or an expensive VIP table at an exclusive Vegas hot spot) rather than try a new brand, but for the first annual Craft Beer Festival, I'll make an exception. Maybe I'll even find something I like better! (OK...there's no chance of that, but I'm trying to be open-minded.)

So join me at MCU Park on June 12th, from 4-9pm, to sample over 40 phenomenal craft beers, mingle with friends in a beautiful ballpark on the Coney Island seashore, listen to live music, and have a great night.

Stop by and say hello if you see me. I'll be the guy that looks like this anytime I try something other than Bud.

-- Kevin

Alexa's Shocking Past

2010-05-05T14:13:00.004-04:00

I'll admit that from time to time I have a tendency to ~~make up outright lies about~~ embellish cetrain aspects of my colleague's lives. But this one is actually true. Really. I found out today that Baby Alexa, in her younger days, really did this. For "fun." Really.

One of the most down-to-earth, together, responsible, intelligent people I know put an electric dog collar on her neck and went past the invisible barrier. For fun. Multiple times. Really.

Unfortunately, no video has been discovered (yet), but I imagine it went something like this:

I am dumbfounded.

I am lost for words (and that's not easy).

I am (wait for it...) shocked!

The good news for you is that Alexa is the one in charge of fun & entertainment during the games. So if there's a rain delay or a downturn in the action, I know what I'll be suggesting she do to get the crowd going!

-- Dave

We Talkin' 'Bout PRACTICE!

2010-04-30T09:43:00.018-04:00

Well, that didn't take long. I told you someone would do something silly enough to make fun of soon. I just didn't think it would be the very same day. And I didn't think it'd be an entire office.

In anticipation of an interoffice softball game against the clearly superior West Wing in the next couple of weeks, the Ticket Office held a practice session after work yesterday. Practice. For an office softball game. Practice. For slow-pitch softball. Practice?! We talkin' 'bout PRACTICE!

I'm not sure if I should salute their competitive spirit or ridicule them. I've decided to go with the latter.

Thanks to a certain high-profile scouting connection I have with the Brooklyn/Staten Island Greater Scouting Bureau of Professional Scouts of the Tri-State/Metro Region's Associate Division of People Who Scout, I have acquired top-secret scouting footage of yesterday's T.O. softball practice, which I will now share with the world:

I have to admit...the sheer speed and ferocity of the athletes involved made it hard for the naked eye to even capture most of the action. So I've slowed this one down:

Keep practicing, T.O. You're gonna need it!

-- Dave

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder?

2010-04-29T09:51:00.005-04:00

I know, I know...it's been a while. I'm sorry. Between Silver Sandy, "Tickets on Sale" ads, Facebook, the media guide, dominating Pictionary performances, and the fact that I barely know anyone that works here anymore (the small pox epidemic hit us hard), blog content has fallen by the wayside a bit.

But that all ends today. It's time to get this well-oiled machine back on track, and get you back behind the scenes with the people that make it all happen (as soon as I figure out who's who).

I am officially declaring the "Great Blog Content Drought of '10" over and done. Wally Backman will be in town this weekend for the kick-off of tickets going on sale, we have a softball game lined up (and lots of smack talk going on) between the West Wing and the ~~mysterious beings on the other side of the building~~ Ticket Office in the next few weeks, and I'm sure someone will do something silly enough for me to make fun of in no time at all.

So stay tuned, because the Blog is coming back strong (and no one will be safe from its wrath)!

-- Dave

Welcome to The Vortex

2010-04-13T16:48:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been in a crowded room and there's one particular voice that your ears just seem to zero in on? When that happens, you're stuck in The Vortex, and you can't get out. No matter what you do, that one voice is all you can seem to focus on. You're trapped, and there's simply no escape. It echoes in your head, ringing 'round and 'round, and if you don't get away (or find a way to shake it), it'll slowly drive you insane.

Those of us in the Cyclones' West Wing have been lost in The Vortex since...oh, say, early February or so.

And now, we'd like to welcome you to The Vortex:

-- Dave

Vote for Your Favorite Cyclones

2010-04-01T13:57:00.002-04:00

We unveiled the nominees for our 10-Year Team today, and have invited fans to vote for their favorites.

Everyone has their personal favorites for different reasons, and it's always fun to look back at some of the good times we've all shared as we look forward to our 10th season this summer.

Who's your favorite player, and why? Did you watch Ross Peeples dominate the NYPL en route to the team's lone championship? Did your child get an autograph from Bobby Malek? Were you cheering for Brad Holt when he set the strikeout record? Did you guess that Ike Davis would be a major-league prospect?

Every player on this list has made his mark on Cyclones fans in one way or another. We'll be celebrating the 10-Year Team throughout the season, and might even incorporate them into some surprise promotions, so cast your vote today, and let us know who you'd pencil into the lineup for your personal all-time team!

-- Dave

Clue(less) Committee

2010-03-09T11:34:00.008-05:00

As you know, we're running a Silver Sandy Scavenger Search each week, in which we hide a bobblehead at a secret location somewhere in Brooklyn.

We're only in our second week, and there's already been a bit of friction caused in the office. The first week's clue was derided as "too easy" (which it probably was), and spawned the creation of the "Clue Committee" (which consists of one member...we'll call him the Cluemaster).

The second week's clues were deciphered in a whopping TWO days, and the Cluemaster is now boasting about his "success."

He considers himself an evil genius rivaled only by the inimitable Edward Nigma.

Here's the problem...his clues made no sense. All they did was spell out the answer in two days, instead of letting someone actually figure out the clue in one. Take a look:

Week One

Coney Island's "sweet spot" (Williams Candy)

Week Two

Float like a butterfly... (sting like a bee)
Eating one a day keeps the doctor away (apple)
"Apple" + "Bee" = Applebee's

OK, so what happened here was that Week Two's clues were just as easy, but they needed to be joined together for anyone to be able to get it. Clue #1 by itself was not difficult to decipher...it was impossible. Cyclones fans were flocking to Gleason's Gym and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, searching for Monarch Butterflies or Muhammed Ali!

Using the Cluemaster's theory, Week One's clues should have been "thing you sign before you die" and "popular brand of pet food."

What will Week Three's clues be? "Starts with the first letter of the alphabet," "followed by the 16th letter of the alphabet," and so on until it's finally spelled out?

The real pros give you a clue that can actually be figured out, even if it takes a brilliant (or crazy) mind to do so...take a look.

I am weightless, but you can see me. Put me in a bucket, and I'll make it lighter. What am I?

A hole.

Now that's a riddle!

Maybe I'm just bitter because I was banished from the Clue Committee after Week One's debacle, but riddle me this...if you were strapped to a bomb and waiting for Batman to save you, wouldn't you want there to at least be a chance he'd find you on the first day?

-- Dave

"Jersey? Sure!" Jersey

2010-03-05T17:00:00.010-05:00

We finalized the design for our July 21st "Jersey? Sure!" giveaway jersey, and it looks great!

This is definitely going to be one of the hottest items of the summer!
.

-- Dave

Turnin' 2

2010-02-25T15:18:00.002-05:00

I thought Alexa was the big Jeter fan in the office, but I'm pretty sure Steve just joined his foundation.

-- Dave

Silver Sandy Scavenger Search

2010-02-22T09:49:00.004-05:00

You know we love alliteration. So, we bring you the Silver Sandy Scavenger Search!

Each week, starting March 1st, we'll hide a Silver Sandy bobblehead at a secret location somewhere in Brooklyn. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to follow our online clues out in the real world and find the Silver Sandy before anyone else. (We won't make your mission "impossible," but we aren't going to make it easy, either.)

We'll be leaving a trail of breadcrumbs at brooklyncyclones.com, on Facebook & Twitter, in our electronic newsletters, and here on the Blog.

Weekly winners can earn things like tickets, autographs, caps, t-shirts, first pitch opportunities, and more. And each weekly winner will be entered into a drawing for a special Grand Prize at the end of the contest!

So bust out your secret decoder rings, magnifying glasses, bloodhounds, or any other detective equipment you might have in the back of your closet. Starting Monday, March 1st, it's time to start sleuthin'!

-- Dave

Freezin' for a Reason

2010-02-19T12:00:00.004-05:00

When Brian The Intern (BTI) was just an intern, he did silly things like try to drink a gallon of milk in an hour. Now that he's Brian The Full-Time Employee (BTFTE) he's moved on to bigger and better things...

On Saturday, February 27^th Elizabeth Lombardi and I will be throwing ourselves into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean as part of the 2010 Queens “Freezin’ for a Reason” Polar Plunge. We encourage anyone and everyone to come out and cheer us on as we try raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics.

Anyone who would like to join our team and take a dive into 30º water (or take the easy way out and make a donation) can do so by registering on our Polar Plunge page. All proceeds will go to the Special Olympics.

As some of you may be aware, I am always up for a challenge, and this time is no different. Well, it's a little different. This time I plan on actually finishing what I start! And of course, it’s for a very good cause. If we are able to raise $2,500 we will be forced into the freezing waters. But at least we'll feel good about raising the money!

You don’t have to freeze your baseballs like us, but we do ask that you help in any way you can. Look for a video of the event in a future blog.

Thanks everyone for your help!

--Brian

Going Big With a Mini

2010-02-17T11:29:00.003-05:00

I know, I know. It's been a while since the last post. I apologize. Between snow, and holidays, and a lack of anything I thought you might find interesting, the Blog has admittedly taken a back seat.

Let me also apologize in advance for the fact that this entry might be seen as "salesy" and would therefore go against the Blog's mission statement (which doesn't actually exist, but if it did, would mention something about inside jokes, pot-shots at co-workers, and not using this space to straight-up sell things).

BUT (and I'm talking a GP-sized "but," here)...this year's Mini Plans are on sale now, and are seriously too good to not talk about.

Each Mini Plan consists of a themed five-game pack, and costs just $16 per game for a Field Box Seat -- the best seats in the house. That alone would be a pretty good deal, but that's not even the start of it.

Every Mini Plan comes with FREE FOOD at every game, and a FREE CAP for every plan you buy. Add that to the giveaways, fireworks, and special appearances at each of the games in your plan, and I dare you to find a better value.

I went to the movies last night, in fact, and it cost me $15 a ticket, and then I paid another $15 for stale popcorn and a flat soda. Then I got to listen to some dope next to me giggle like a fool and answer his cell phone for three hours. For half the price -- half the price! -- I could have watched Cyclones baseball, caught a t-shirt shot out of a cannon by a pink ape, been noogied by giant seagulls, gotten a free replica jersey, a free cap, a free hot dog, a free soda, free chips, danced on the dugout, run around the bases after the game, and had an all-around great night out. There is simply no comparison.

Mini Plans are themed, and feature things like fireworks, weekend dates, multiple jersey giveaways, games against rivals, and more!

Check out the 2010 Mini Plans

If you love great entertainment, great baseball, saving money, getting free stuff, spending time with your family, and popping the bubbles on that safety-packing stuff (OK, maybe not that last thing), there's a Mini Plan with your name all over it.

Get yours today!

-- Dave

Didn't Get the Memo?

2010-01-29T16:16:00.005-05:00

Have you ever walked into work to find that you're wearing practically the exact thing as someone else? I'll bet you a million bucks (or the $3.72 in my bank account) that at some point in the day at least three other people at work said some form of the following:

"Did you guys call each other this morning?"
"Do you always plan your outfits together?"
"I must have missed the memo."

High-larious. Really. Super creative. I've never heard that one before. It's like when you ask if it's Friday today, and the comedic genius on the other end snidely responds "all day." Love that one, too.

Well, today I wore the same thing as Steve, and had to deal with precisely those types of comments. Fine. But then Steve himself seemed to be reveling in it. I think he was proud that he had the same sense of style (for one day) as someone 20 years his junior.

Well, Steve, in the immortal words of Big Willie Style:

-- Dave

Valentine's Day Surprise

2010-01-28T15:09:00.000-05:00

This Valentine's Day, give your loved one what they really want...a 7-foot, mute, pear-shaped seagull! Hey, at least he'll be bearing gifts!

That's right, one lucky winner will give his or her even luckier sweetheart a "Valentine's Day Sandy Surprise" when the Cyclones' mascot swoops in to profess some holiday love. (For the record, I still think my original tagline was catchier.)

Sandy will deliver a hug-a-gram, one dozen long-stem roses, a box of chocolate, and (best of all) four Field Box ticket vouchers to your valentine on Friday, February 12th.

All you have to do is explain (in 250 words or less) why your sweetheart deserves this wonderful surprise from everyone's favorite bird. Entries are due by Tuesday, February 9th, and must include your name, email address, and daytime phone number. A Cyclones representative will contact you if you are the winner.

Please email your entries to community@brooklyncyclones.com

Good luck

-- Dave

Jersey? Sure!

2010-01-27T10:47:00.000-05:00

It had to happen. A minor league team had to take advantage of the endless entertainment and comedy potential surrounding the hottest pop-culture phenomenon of the year. And, of course, it had to be the Cyclones!

On Wednesday, July 21st, the Cyclones will host "Jersey? Sure!" Night, and ~~poke fun at~~ pay homage to the GTL lifestyle. Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first entry for Promotion of the Year!

Here's the official press release:

“JERSEY? SURE!” NIGHT IN BROOKLYN
Gym, Tan, Laundry…Cyclones

Brooklyn, NY – Yo, Brooklyn, we have a situation.

On Wednesday, July 21, the Brooklyn Cyclones will be hosting "Jersey? Sure!" Night – paying homage to a pop-culture phenomenon and giving away limited-edition collectible jerseys. The high-quality mesh jersey will feature the Cyclones logo on the front and a picture of the team’s mascot, Sandy the Seagull, in a fist-pumping pose on the back, with the words “Jersey? Sure!” at the top. The first 2,500 fans in attendance on July 21st will receive a jersey.
In addition, the Cyclones are offering a try-out to a popular MTV star. WFAN’s Boomer & Carton recently discovered that prior to his newfound celebrity, in an effort to “impress the ladies,” Jersey Shore’s Mike (“The Situation”) Sorrentino falsely told people that he was a back-up third baseman for the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Cyclones are now inviting The Situation to make his dreams come true by taking batting practice and ground ball drills with the team.

“We thought this would be a fun way for us to incorporate one of the hottest trends of the year into our already-unique entertainment,” said Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen (who also goes by the nicknames "Stevie Sweetheart," "DJ Stevie C," "Co-Co," and "The Perspiration"). “We still think the Coney Island shore is the best in the Tri-State area, but we’re willing to give Jersey its due…at least for one night.”
In addition to the jersey giveaway and The Situation’s try-out, the Cyclones’ “Jersey? Sure!” Night will feature:
Dugout Dance Battles – Contestants will “battle” to techno beats on top of the dugouts between innings for a chance to win prizes (and fame).
GTL Giveaways – In honor of the GTL lifestyle ("gym, tan, laundry") the Cyclones have partnered with a local gym, tanning salon, and laundromat and will be giving away GTL gift certificates throughout the night
Baseball Blowouts – A special station on the ballpark’s concourse level will allow fans to have their hair styled like a good fastball – high and hard. Stylists from a local salon will be on hand to give the hair-raising transformations a professional touch.

We're working on the jersey design now (think "Affliction" meets giant seagull), as well as some other fun details that we'll share once they become official. Steve is already sweating the small stuff (hey, they don't call him The Perspiration for nothing) but this should be a fun, good-natured, tongue-in-cheek night that draws a big crowd and some media spotlight. We're all looking forward to it, and we hope you are, too!

-- Dave

YOUniform

2010-01-20T09:34:00.006-05:00

We've announced a very cool opportunity for young fans -- the chance to design your own uniform that the Cyclones will wear on the field!

The YOUniform contest (get it? Because you make the uniform. We love wacky wordplay around here) will also raise money for a great cause, as the team's jerseys will be auctioned off throughout the game in which they're worn, with proceeds going to Camp Brooklyn. Camp Brooklyn was founded by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz to give children from low-income homes an opportunity to attend a sleep-away camp at no cost to the camper.

We're asking students from 5-16 years old to create a jersey design with a baseball and/or Brooklyn theme. We'll choose the top five designs and then post them on brooklyncyclones.com to let the fans vote for their favorite.

The winner will receive a Cyclones prize pack, a framed jersey signed by the 2010 Cyclones, and will throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the game in which their YOUniform will be worn!

It's a great contest for a great cause, with great prizes for the winner! Design your own YOUniform, and get in on the fun!

Check out the rules, and get an entry form here

-- Dave

A Perfect "10"

2010-01-05T15:41:00.005-05:00

Not since Bo Derek has a "10" been this closely scrutinized!

2010 marks the 10th season of Cyclones baseball, and as such, we have created the logo above to commemorate the landmark campaign. (Let's get this out of the way early...it's the 10th season, not the 10th anniversary. Count it out on your fingers if you're mathematically challenged, like me.)

Keep in mind from here on out that when I say "we," I really mean KJ. Several of us have had input along the way, but it's really KJ's baby. It's his creation, and I think he did an amazing job with it.

Now, the production of this logo was no easy task. The 10-year mark will be everywhere the Cyclones are this summer, so we needed it to be perfect. It not only had to be eye-catching and cool-looking...it had to convey a message and represent our brand, as well.

The final product does it all for a variety of reasons. Let's start at the top and work our way down. The Brooklyn script evokes the borough's storied past, while the "Cyclones" in the tail injects the present and the future. The blue, red, and gold color scheme is that of the traditional Cyclones uniform, and the colors that dominate the Coney Island landscape. The logo's primary shape represents a baseball diamond, while the background imagery depicts the Coney Island skyline that is infused into the fabric of the ballpark and the team itself (and vice versa). The sunburst behind the skyline gives the logo depth from within, and symbolizes the continuing rise (or dawn) of Brooklyn baseball. The big, bold number 10 is the unmistakable focal point of the image, and the banner containing the word "seasons" ties in a carnival feeling that again hearkens to Coney.

See? There's more to this puppy than just a pretty face.

The process was not an easy one. There were lots of eyes and lots of opinions on it, and the logo went though countless iterations, tweaks, and wholesale changes before we eventually arrived at the one we now have.

As a loyal reader of the blog, we'll give you an exclusive extra -- the opportunity to check out some of the versions that didn't make the cut. You'll see some completely different directions, and some of the evolution of similar ideas. We liked several of these as well, but for a variety of reasons, they just didn't have the right fit or feel. Take a look:

In the end, I think we came up with a winner. The final product is one that we're all thrilled with, and we hope you like it, too. You'll be seeing a lot of it this summer, as we celebrate the 10th season of Cyclones baseball!

-- Dave

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Not-So-Secret Santa

2009-12-23T13:45:00.018-05:00

One of the front office traditions (that we can print) is our annual holiday lunch, complete with a "Secret Santa" gift exchange.

I should explain that in addition to sharing the joy of the holiday season, we also exchange insults and do all that we can to embarrass each other. Hence, the sentiment that leads to one of the party's highlights...the Newbie A Cappella Performances.

Each year, any new full-time staff members are required to sing a song in front of the rest of the group, and the musical renditions range from mildly entertaining (B-Mac rapping Ice Ice Baby) to downright humiliating (a 6'6", 340-pound Will doing I'm A Little Teapot).

This year, Baby Alexa and BTI graduated from the ranks of interns to join the full-timers (which now officially makes him BTFTE, but that doesn't have the same ring), and we've been joined by newcomer Matt Slatus. Brian regaled us with The Dreidel Song, and though he did a much better job than Cartman, it was a bit unsettling that he needed to read the words off a sheet of paper. What a meshugeneh. Matt then belted out a version of Take Me Out to the Ballgame that would have ended up here if we were in Chi-Town. And finally, Alexa did Nicky Pizza proud by turning Dominick the Donkey into a raucous singalong.

Next up came the gift-giving. With Ricky serving as Santa's helper, our "secret" gifts were doled out to the appropriate parties. I air-quoted the word secret because although it originally started out as a random drawing, it seems that people just kind of pick who they want these days, or put a name back in the hat if they don't want that person. I have to tell you... I'm all for this type of target marketing. It really makes everyone happier in the end.

I don't remember everything that everyone got, but some of the highlights included hand sanitizer for KJ, a not-so-limited edition of Return to Glory for me, pint glasses for Mahoney and Pat, Vlad giving his son a razor, and Steve getting Michael Scott's World's Best Boss mug (we think he gave it to himself, but no one really knows for sure).

And then came the coup de grace.

For those of you that don't remember, the highlight of last year's shindig was when, due to a name-selection snafu, Gary was told this.

I drew Gary's name this year, and originally planned to again give him nothing...in the name of tradition, of course. Then, after rooming with Captain Underpants in Indy, I decided to go a different route. I (cough, cough) noticed that GP could use an upgrade in undergarments, so I decided to be a good Samaritan and help him out. I had to guesstimate the size, of course, but I'm pretty confident that I was on target (size 7X).

See for yourself:

Just to be on the safe side, we did some actual tests, with as close to the real thing as we could get:

Needless to say, he was thrilled with the gift. He didn't say much -- he seemed awestruck, really -- but I could tell by the look in his eyes that I had given him exactly what he'd asked Santa for. It's a pretty amazing feeling to know that you've given someone the perfect gift. Something they want so badly, they don't even dare to imagine their dreams might come true. Those are the holiday moments that warm the cockles of my heart. I kind of feel like a more generous version of Ty Pennington. You're welcome, GP. You're welcome.

All in all, another wonderful holiday celebration in Cyclones Land.

Here are some more pics:

And speaking of The Office, ours will be closed from the 25th through the 3rd, but we'll be back on the 4th, and ready to roll for our 10th season. We have some cool announcements coming your way in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.

Until then, enjoy the holidays, and have a safe, healthy, and happy New Year!

-- Dave

Happy Holidays

2009-12-18T12:55:00.002-05:00

Winter Meetings Wrap-Up

2009-12-11T09:40:00.012-05:00

I decided to put the last few days' worth of stuff into one giant post, rather than braving the molasses-slow network that is the Embassy Suites Business Center...

On Tuesday, we had our New York-Penn League meeting, which is sometimes filled with unique and interesting tidbits from around the league. This was not one of those times. After a scintillating start to the meeting ("Do I have a motion to adopt the minutes?" "So moved." "Is the motion seconded?" "Second."), each club gave a brief update/recap of the 2009 season (apparently, it rained last summer...I hadn't noticed), followed by a look ahead to 2010 ("we're looking forward to the 2010 season").

We were then briefly addressed by the president of Minor League Baseball, Pat O'Conner, which provided an oasis of interestingness, but then we got back to things like umpires uniforms and schedules. (Sidenote: we were informed that umps will be using "hand-held lightning detectors" this year, which were described as "inexpensive." I spent the next 10 minutes imagining an umpire standing on the mound, holding a fork in the air, waiting to see if a lightning bolt would hit it.)

Next up was a recap of the league's finances, contributions, etc. The charts on the projection screen were approximately this small (actual size), so I couldn't make out one single letter or number from my vantage point 50 feet away...but the overall message was that the league is in good shape (I think).

The NYPL as a whole drew over 1.75 million fans again last year, and has done so in every year since 2003. Pretty impressive for a Short-Season league. Granted, I haven't personally been a part of any other leagues, but I have to say that I think this one is filled with well-run teams and talented executives, from top to bottom. A really good group to be involved with.

Last but not least, the league awards were doled out, and the Cyclones received the Vincent J. McNamara Award as the league's outstanding club. But you already knew that.

After the meeting, we hit the Trade Show floor to check out some new promotional items, inflatable games, staff shirts, food, tarp covers, seat cushions...anything you can possibly experience at the ballpark is being hawked on the Trade Show floor. It's pretty cool, and traditionally my favorite part of the week. Some fun stuff in store that I'll leave up our collective sleeve until a later date.

On Wednesday, we had another NYPL meeting, during which Steve gave a presentation on the league's Charitable Foundation, and Kevin ran the nitty gritty of the Power Point presentation. (Pretty sure the "nitty" was his computer help, and the "gritty" was when he followed up the good will of the report by almost coming to blows with Oneonta GM Andy Webber...who was, admittedly, asking for trouble when he politely requested that an email of the presentation be sent to him. The gall of some people!)

We then discussed an exciting initiative the league will be taking this year to form an all-time team (more on that, too, at a later date), and then listened to a couple of pitches from vendors, before adjourning.

That afternoon, we gathered the crew from St. Lucie to form our traditional "pack," and headed to a popular Indianapolis restaurant called Harry & Izzy's for the inaugural "60/40 Dinner." It's partially owed by Peyton Manning (as is, I believe, every building, person, dog, cat, and horse in Indianapolis) and is renowned for its world-famous shrimp cocktail (which, incidentally, is slathered in a freshly-ground horseradish sauce that burned like wildfire through my nasal passage and singed my frontal lobe...and may have sent Gary to the hospital with an enlarged uvula). A good time was had by all.

Later that night, The Pack attended the MiLB Gala at Lucas Oil Stadium, home to -- you guessed it -- Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis ~~Peyton Mannings~~ Colts. It was a really great venue for the Gala, and included tours of the stadium. The Brooklyn contingent of The Pack took a tour that led us through the bowels of the stadium and onto the field:

The tour also led us to the highest point of the stadium, where I was amazed to find a completely foreign concept to me...a press box from which you can actually see the field! Huh. Imagine that:

It's really a great-looking stadium, and the tour was a fun perk. (I also used it as an opportunity to ask the guide if everyone in Peytonapolis got excited when the Giants came to town, because they got to see the "good" Manning. You know, the last one to win the Super Bowl. Elijah. She gave me a death stare and ignored me for the rest of the tour.

All in all, a good Winter Meetings trip, although somewhere a little warmer in the heart of the winter might be a good idea. Maybe someplace where dreams come true and we can all get a bit goofy. Just an idea.

-- Dave

Winter Meetings, 2009

2009-12-07T11:46:00.004-05:00

With December comes the Winter Meetings -- baseball's annual executive get-together, packed with seminars, roundtable discussions, a trade show, awards, banquets, luncheons, and dinners. The 2009 edition has teams from around the country on a pilgrimage to Indianapolis, IN, where they apparently have a football team or something. (You literally can't go more than half a block without seeing a picture of a colt, a horseshoe, Peyton Manning, or Peyton Manning riding a colt while playing horseshoes. Sidenote: I've made it my personal goal to ask at least 10 Indianapolites if they can help me figure out Eli's brother's name. "Not Cooper. The other one." I might not make it home.)

Steve, Mahoney, Gary, and I made the trek this year, and got off to a bit of a rough start on Sunday (this is my bed, this is my air conditioner, and this is my roommate). After arriving at the airport and spending 20 minutes watching our cab driver unsuccessfully but repeatedly slam the trunk on our luggage (he just needed an Allen wrench and some WD-40, according to Steve), the Meetings got underway on Monday morning with a few seminars, followed by the Opening Session (or a tour of the chicken samplers from the guys in the local mall food court, for those of us that opted out).

Next up was an awards luncheon, recognizing various honorees from various leagues (or "Dine & Dash," for the St. Lucie crew). Steve loved the cake.

Then, we headed to the Roundtable Discussions portion of the day. Lots of idea sharing in categories like "Sales & Marketing," "Fan Experience," "Ballpark Operations," etc. I attended mainly discussions that were themed around new media, social networking, tweeting, and things of that nature. It turns out this whole "Internet" thing is probably going to stick. As you know, since you're reading this, the Cyclones are at the front of the curve thanks to our website, blog, Facebook, and Twitter page. It's interesting to see what other teams are doing and what some new trends are. I also got to see Ben Hill, who, along with Mark Titus and Joyce Huang, round out my top three favorite bloggers. (Incidentally, an impostor from a team in Lexington, KY claimed during his shpiel that they had the most popular blog in the minors. The little counter doohickey on the right says different. I demand that his false statement is stricken from the record.)

I should mention that our hotel location required us to use the indoor skywalk, which gives us the feeling of being inside a bio-dome, and is approximately seven miles long (at least it feels that way). We walk back and forth about a four dozen times a day, and ride the escalator about a million times. Since many of those times, it was just me and Kevin, and since we were dressed up, and dressed in similar attire, I referenced Rain Man every time we rode every escalator. In all of my references, I was Charlie, and Kevin was not happy.

On Monday night, the Mets hosted a cocktail hour for all of their affiliates, and in a stunning upset, Steve was named the ~~Paul Taglieri~~ Sterling Minor League Executive of the Year! Steve did his best Johnny Drama, thanked Kevin for doing all the "nitty gritty" stuff, and then was congratulated in the unique way males do such things...he was relentlessly made fun of for the remainder of the night.

Updates on the Trade Show, the NYPL meeting, and more tomorrow!

-- Dave

Steve C. Phone Home

2009-12-02T14:02:00.005-05:00

Some people are less tech savvy than others. Some people are virtually tech illiterate. And then there's Steve.

Quick example: A few years ago, at a meeting with our friends at the High School of Sports Management, a 15-year-old student took out a flash drive and explained that all of her info was on the drive. Steve later confided that until he saw her plug it into the laptop, he thought she was just going to throw it in the air, and a hologram would come out. (Help us, Steve. You're our only hope.)

Now, I'll admit...not everyone is on the level of Bill Gates, Al Gore, or myself. But there are some things that I thought -- until today -- everyone knew how to use, regardless of their level of tech-comfort. Like, say, a phone.

I was wrong.

Baby Alexa gave Steve a crash course in phone use this morning ("you talk into this end"), and somehow did so with a straight face. After their brief (20-minute) session, Steve decided to experiment by having Alexa go back to her desk (15 feet from his office), calling her from his cell, and doing his best Verizon Guy impression, while testing out different grips.

He settled on the standard right-hand-to-right-ear position for cell use, but occasionally slips back into his land-line comfort grip, which causes all sorts of problems (and makes next to no sense at all, since he's right-handed, despite the lefty placement of his mouse pad).

So if you call Steve on his new cell over the next few days (weeks), bear with him. He may not hear you, you may not hear him, or he may be trying to answer his stapler. He'll get the hang of it soon enough.

Until then, he'll be trying to figure out why his bluetooth won't work, even though he set his up just like this guy.

-- Dave

Giving Thanks

2009-11-25T09:19:00.003-05:00

Ever since the Pilgrims blogged about landing at Plymouth Rock, all of America (and some of Canada) has used this time of year to celebrate things for which we are thankful. We at the Cyclones are no different (well, some would say we're very different, but that's a matter for another time).

As we head into the Turkey Day holiday and weekend, we ~~suckers~~ workhorses who are still in the office would like to use this space to "give mad props" (according to Alexa) to some of the things that bring us joy. (Disclaimer: the following people may or may not have said all the things attributed to their names.)

Dave: pizza, the Internet, Ms. Pac Man, Wally Backman, faithful blog readers, Ultimate Warrior promos, the innovator of infield defense known simply as "Mex," Rev. Branch, Miss Lescure, Club Trillion, mayhem, mischief, family, friends, and Cyclones fans

Mahoney: all my best BUDdys

Pat: free Applebee’s, that Vlad already winterized the ticket windows, Wally Backman, the hot stove, that we close the office for a week between Xmas and new years, Brad Holt, thinking of promotions, and coming back to Brooklyn after spending Thanksgiving in NH with the snow and cold

Ricky: having the entire 25-man roster in my car at some point this season, not having to pick up Jabi's family, and the inadmissibility of polygraph tests

Liz: working for the Man of the Year & working with a crazy group of people who truly help me find the spirit(s) of the season

Gary: my family, friends and the countless hours I spend with my co-workers pulling tarp each year. Also, elastic waistbands, Just for Men, cell phones, Roland Hemond, travel-sized cups of marinara sauce, and for Gary having the ability to talk about Gary in the third person

Sharon: that gas prices went down 2cents/per gallon since I’ll be driving to Cape May, NJ on Saturday. I’ll fill up today and park until it’s time to leave. And for all the volunteers that will be helping to serve Thanksgiving Dinner at Coney Island Gospel Assembly on Thanksgiving Day

Alexa: beatboxing, that I got to meet DJ, Babe, Babe II, the "fridge" in the basement, Kevin D., and that there are only about six months to Opening Day

Steve (via satellite): my wonderful family, the terrific people I work with and most of all...that we finally got rid of our fruit fly epidemic. Nd 4 my blkbry of crse

Enjoy the holiday, everyone. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night!

-- Dave

A Message From Wally

2009-11-18T10:21:00.002-05:00

After his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Wally Backman recorded a special message just for Cyclones fans:

Introducing Wally

2009-11-17T13:59:00.008-05:00

Today's press conference was an exciting one, as we officially introduced Wally Backman as the Cyclones' manager for the 2010 season.

Wally told the assembled media that he had actually lived in Brooklyn during his first year with the Mets, and reminded them that he played in the New York-Penn League after being signed by the Mets as a 17-year-old first-round draft pick.

He talked about incorporating his style of play -- aggressive, scrappy, and focused on speed and defense -- and teaching the players under his watch how to be better ballplayers and better people, while preparing them to move up the ladder towards the big leagues.

Here are some quick clips from the presser, courtesy of our old friend ~~Vanilla Ice~~ B-Mac:

-- Dave

Going Wild for Wally

2009-11-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Big announcement today -- Wally Backman has been named the Cyclones' manager for the 2010 season!

Backman is an all-time favorite among Mets fans, revered for his all-out, hard-nosed style of play. (On a personal note, I was obsessed with Mex, HoJo, and Wally as a kid, so I might be even more excited than you are!)

How could you not love Backman? A scrappy table-setter who set the tone with his gritty, grinder, gamer attitude. Diving all over the place, sacrificing his body, his uniform, and the laws of physics to make a play, get on base, or score a run.

If you were a Mets fan in the 80s, I dare you to watch this and not get goosebumps:

Now, Wally will be bringing that brand of baseball to Brooklyn as the Cyclones' manager! I can't think of a place better suited for his style and attitude. As Steve said in the official press release, "Brooklyn and Backman were made for each other."

Stay tuned! We'll have a recap of the press conference and some quotes and video from Wally himself tomorrow.

-- Dave

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T08:48:00.005-05:00

The Cyclones would like to thank the veterans, troops, and military families for all their sacrifices, and for defending and protecting our country and our way of life.

Survey Says!

2009-10-29T09:28:00.007-04:00

With the goal of more accurately assessing our fans (who you are, what you like, what's important to you, the best ways to get you information, etc.), we've created a brief survey that we hope you'll take a few minutes to complete.

I'd like to think that once we have all the results, Steve will bring us into the conference room, throw on a baby blue checkered suit, stand behind the podium, and do his best Richard Dawson while we all guess the answers...but it probably won't be anything that exciting.

If you'd like to participate, you can fill out the survey online. It's quick, anonymous, confidential, and it'll be really helpful to us.

Thanks, as always.

-- Dave

Apocalypse Now?

2009-10-19T09:00:00.002-04:00

It has been said (by the director of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow) that the world will end in the year 2012. However, the same thing was said in 2000, and guess what? We're all still here. (While we're on the topic, how come the Mayans, Nostradamus, and all the other future-predictors only foresee earth-shattering, cataclysmic events and not everyday things like "On October 25th, 2009, there will be heavy eastbound traffic on the Belt Parkway beginning at 10 am?" That would be way more useful. And are we really supposed to believe that these ancient civilizations could see things thousands of years ahead of their time when Al Roker and the Doppler 4000 can't even accurately tell me what the weather will be like this afternoon? And isn't The Day After Tomorrow just plain ol' Wednesday?)

Anyhoo...back to the point at hand. One of the signs of the apocalypse is purported to be a swarm of locust, and we here at the Cyclones offices may be experiencing this harbinger of doom as we speak! Either that, or we have way too many fruit flies.

OK, OK. So they are actually just fruit flies and not evil insects prophesizing our doom (although that would be way more cool). And the fact that they are simply uninteresting non-world enders just makes it even more annoying to sit at your desk all day and feel like this:

In fact, if this infestation gets any worse, I may have to call Billy the Beekeper. And believe me, no one wants that type of extreme measure to be taken!

-- Dave

Outstanding!

2009-10-16T10:33:00.003-04:00

The Cyclones have been honored with the 2009 Vincent McNamara Award, given annually to the New York-Penn League's Outstanding Club!

This is the second such award for the Cyclones (we won it in 2003, as well) and at the risk of sounding like Ron Burgundy, it's kind of a big deal. Being named the top team in the NYPL is a rewarding recognition of our staff's efforts and our fans' ongoing support...so feel free to celebrate along with us!

And that's not all. By virtue of winning this award, we have also been nominated for the John H. Johnson President's Trophy, which is given annually to the Minor League Baseball club that "best exemplifies the standards of the complete baseball franchise, such as financial success of operation, contributions to baseball in the community and baseball industry, and long-term franchise stability."

This is pretty much the industry's top honor, and we've been working on our nomination presentation, which we will be submitting today. Keep your fingers crossed. We'll be up against very stiff competition -- high-level, long-season teams from around the country -- but we all know Brooklyn never backs down from a challenge!

Thanks, as always, for your support, and for being a part of our team. Without you, we wouldn't win any of these awards!

-- Dave

Back and Blogging

2009-10-15T22:24:00.003-04:00

Back from vacation (and not quite as tan as I'd hoped).

Thousands (or at least a couple) of loyal blog readers have emailed, called, texted, facebooked, and tweeted, demanding new entries ASAP!

Fear not, fans. I am on the case.

-- Dave

Vacation Hibernation

2009-09-23T13:54:00.003-04:00

I'm heading on a vacation for a while. Normally, you wouldn't care (and I wouldn't care to tell you), but since Joyce is moving, Wes is back home, KJ's hands are finally germ-free, and Andrew is off busily building buzz (say that 10 times fast), that means the ol' Blog is going on a brief hiatus.

Fear not, though, loyal readers. Absence simply makes the heart grow fonder.

If you truly love something, set it free, and see if it comes back to you. That's deep. (If it doesn't come back, by the way, follow it around until it calls you a stalker, files a restraining order, or finally recognizes and reciprocates your love. That's what I do, at least.)

Since the Blog is inanimate, however, and can do none of the above, just sit tight (or better yet, catch up on past hijinks by reading through the archives).

There'll be more posts on the way in mid-October!

-- Dave

Goin' Back to Cali

2009-09-21T15:30:00.004-04:00

Joyce Huang is a German-and-Chinese-speaking native of the planet Mars (or the state of California...I always get them confused) who loves math, knows nothing about pop-culture from 1970-2004, has a tapeworm named Frederick that causes her to eat 15 times a day, thinks Step Up 2: The Streets deserves an Oscar, and occasionally smartens up the blog with actual intelligent posts from time to time. Oh...and she is also a flat-leaving traitor who is pulling an L.L./Brooklyn Dodgers on us (not that we're bitter or anything):

Sadly, I recently gave my two weeks’ notice to the Cyclones, and I'll be leaving Brooklyn to return to my native California. It has been an eventful three years in New York, and naturally, the less time I have here, the more I appreciate what I’m going to miss.

Normally, I wouldn’t think to write a farewell blog (because let’s face it, we don’t want to throw my many personal fans, who definitely know who I am, into a deep abyss of depression), but...

1. Dave asked if I wanted to, and when Dave asks you something, you don’t say no (unless you simply don’t feel like it)

2. The season is over, and I’m about to leave for good, so there’s not much to do except blog

and

3. I like making lists, which I will be doing here as I recount what I will miss most about working in Brooklyn with the Cyclones:

I will never pick up a ringing phone in California and hear “How you doin’?”
In Cali, they don’t greet you with that warm, heartfelt kiss on the cheek the way they do in Brooklyn, so that you feel like you can always come over for milk and cookies. Where I’m from, they greet you with the Oprah/pregnant lady hug, where you stand an arm’s length from each other and pat each other faux-enthusiastically on the shoulder. When I inevitably forget, and lean in for the kiss, I am going to end up getting a lot of harassment complaints from Californians.
There can never be a duplicate of Ricky Viola. Though that’s probably a good thing for concerned parents everywhere, I will miss him, his disturbing personality, and his “that has GOT to be fake” Brooklyn accent.
I will never again have Dave summon me to his office to debrief me on proper behavioral protocol before my first trip to John’s Deli (“Know exactly what you want when you get in there; don’t react to the vulgar stuff they have playing on the TV in the corner; don’t be offended by the guy they call Pancho…or the other guy they call Pancho; and for the love of God, don’t get out of line!”)
I will never again be able to listen to the ticket office’s phenomenal ability to argue a topic endlessly (after work hours, Steve), while throwing in references to Ivy League schools, the birth date of America, someone’s sister, and New Hampshire. In one conversation. The View has nothing on John, Pat, Katie, and Adam.
I will never work with another ticket manager with the same combination of quiet good-naturedness and devastating one-liners as Chris.
I will never again be able to experience the lunchtime improv that is KJ and Ricky.
If I ever get into a fight at a bar, my most helpful ally, Elizabeth Lombardi, will be on the other side of the country.
I will never be able to joke to Nino of Gargiulo’s that I would appreciate a tray of meatballs the next time he came to the stadium, only to have him actually show up at a game with a tray of meatballs for me. As everyone who knows me can tell you, food is the fastest way to my heart, and my love for Nino is now forever.
I doubt I will find another Lisa Gavaletz among the more relaxed California sports fans…she has cheered us on through thick and thin, sat through 24 Hours of Baseball, and best of all (for me), brought the front office lollipops on the last game of the season. I’ll miss you, Lisa! And thank you Simos Xenakis, for the pastries you dropped off for Pat (which I neglected to tell him about until after I took my share of cream puffs).
I will never again, on a road trip, be able to listen to Dave ask Kevin Mahoney (a country music fan): “What would you like to listen to? Brooks and Garth? Swift Taylor?” And then see the look on Kevin’s face that makes me a little afraid for Dave’s life.
The next Gary I work with probably won’t tolerate me calling him “Gare-Bear.”
The first wave I ever caught surfing was not in CA, but in Long Island (thanks Shawn, for being my teacher and doing all the work for me while I just lay on the board and got a push).
I’ll never again be able to watch Brian The Intern (BTI) struggle to speak Spanish (inadvertently mixed with French) to a customer at the ticket window, only to see Miguel The Intern (MTI), who is fluent, sitting to the side, leaning back with arms folded and observing in silent, unhelpful amusement. And then have Steve Cohen walk in on the scene and try to come to Brian’s aid by exercising his entire Spanish vocabulary: “Dos! Dos tickets! DONDE ESTA LA BIBLIOTECA?!”
Speaking of Miguel, I will miss the most powerful marketing tool we have ever placed at our selling window. When girls see him there, they automatically want to buy tickets. When guys see him there, they are automatically intimidated into buying tickets.
I will never be able to watch a girl from Commack, Long Island (that’s you, Alexa) rap Lil’ Wayne for three minutes straight in the back seat of a van on the way back from Aberdeen.
Since there is no snow in California, I will never again be able to experience a snowball fight on our field with our front office in the winter.
The next accounting dept. I encounter will not allow me to steal their chocolate and cookies the way Tatiana and Olena have.
I will likely never again hear more than ten New Hampshire references a day (Pat and Brandy)…or for that matter, hear a man from New Hampshire rap Lil’ Wayne as well (that’s you, Pat).
I will never again have a boss like Steve Cohen. No one who will remind his staff on a daily basis that he is a handsome man; who will play third base during a front office vs. interns game while pulling a sandwich out of his pocket; who will take us out to a relaxing, bonding evening in a restaurant and pull out pocket schedules for the hostess; who will ask during a drizzly game over the walkie-talkie, as we’re waiting at the end of the third baseline to pull tarp, “Is it raining in Section 21 yet? Because it’s starting to in Section 5;” or when I hint a month and a half in advance that I might be leaving, immediately comes in and starts taking measurements on my cubicle.

Front office and Brooklyn fans alike, I will miss you dearly. There is no one else like you.

-- Joyce

Brooklyn Bashes Birds in Blowout Bonanza

2009-09-16T09:30:00.024-04:00

Apt alliteration aside (help! I can't stop), the Cyclones' front office staff did put on a dominating display against the Aberdeen IronBirds' staff on Tuesday in our annual softball challenge.

Each year, for the past four years (except last year), we have rotated the home field, with each team taking the road trip into enemy territory. We drove to Maryland the first year and lost, then they drove to Brooklyn the next year and lost, then last year, we made the mistake of trying to involve other teams and it never happened. So, this year it was our turn to hit the road. Adding to the excitement, this year we'd be on the big stage, as we were slated to play in an actual stadium, with dugouts, seats, and a press box. It's the jewel of the amateur side of the Ripken complex -- "Cal Sr.'s Yard!"

We loaded up the van and headed for Aberdeen, knowing that the road team had never won in the series (usually because they were literally weighed down by Roy Rogers or Nathan's)...until now.

On Tuesday, we took the all-time series lead by busting out the heavy lumber (actually, lightweighted aluminum) to sweep a doubleheader, winning the first game, 9-3, and the second game, 17-4. And neither game was even as close as the score indicates. In Game One, Aberdeen scored two of their three runs only because Mahoney refused to catch any ball Steve or I threw to him, because we offered to ~~fire him and give his job, office, and company car(s) to a far more attractive IronBirds staff member~~ trade him. In Game Two, we had 37 hits. 37! (And yes, we actually keep score. We're dorks.)

This was truly a total team effort, with big hits, big defensive plays, and a big pitching performance.

Chicks dig the long ball, so we'll start there. Gary put the "round" in round-tripper by blasting three home runs, including a shot to lead off the game that set the tone for the day, and would have made his "refer to myself in the third person" idol proud. For one day, at least, he didn't just look like the Bambino, he hit like him! I later followed with a three-run blast of my own (S.I.S.). Miggy made up for an otherwise hitless day with a mammoth shot off the warehouse (Sr.'s Yard is a replica of Camden Yards), and Big John busted out the rye bread and the mustard when he went Grand Salami in the first inning of Game Two.

"Eagle Eye Viola" morphed into "Ripping Ricky" when he tripled his lifetime hit total in one day by notching seven hits -- including a 5-for-5 performance in Game Two. Chris used his "Nerve Gas" on the mound to paralyze the Aberdeen hitters and hold them to just one earned run all day. Steve was a righthanded Ichiro at the plate, his usual Brooksy self in the field, and terrorized both teams on the bases. Mahoney had five hits of his own in Game Two, and ended the day wanting to fight a guy on the other team, because...the guy ran hard and tried to reach base safely. Adam (ATI) had some clutch hits, and played the outfield one-handed without spilling. Alexa and Brandy added some big hits of their own, gave our lineup some pop all the way through, and shored up the right field defense. Liz kept a meticulous scorecard (allowing for the stats herewith), and Joyce was a passive-aggressive third-base coach, leading to a variety of injuries and hilarity in the 60 feet from the hot corner to home plate (more on this later).

Here's how Damage, Inc.'s performance will be remember by the annals of history:

Gary: 4-for-10, 3 HR, 5 RBI, one 4.7 Richter Scale landing at home plate.
Steve: 4-for-9, two diving stops, seven defensive gems, one on-purpose error, one ball thrown into the stands because Mahoney wouldn't go to first base.
Dave: 5-for-9, 1 HR, 3 RBI, two "leaping" catches that totaled 6.1" off the ground, one ridiculously stupid slide that caused the game's only bloodshed (my own).
Big John: 7-for-9, 1 GSHR, one Web Gem catch to rob a home run in the left field corner, zero fights with random passersby (for once).
Mahoney: 6-for-9, one hit batsman, one near-fight, one boycott of throws from the left side of the infield.
Miggy: 1-for-9, 1 monster HR (only because ABD plays with a "no strikeout" rule), one missed class, one highway rest-stop stalker, countless broken hearts.
Alexa: 3-for-9, one at-bat with 15 swings and misses, 12 f-bombs, one sniper shot to the ankle.
Chris: 3-for-9, 34 smiles, 0 HR allowed, 0.64 ERA, three words spoken.
Adam: 4-for-9, two failed pick-up lines.
Ricky: 7-for-9, one collision/tumble/romantic interlude at third base, seven new reasons to protest being slotted at the bottom of the lineup in the future, 74 passed balls during his three innings as catcher.
Brandy: 3-for-9, one generally calming and pleasant personality on a team filled with raving lunatics.

I mentioned some injuries earlier. I slid into home plate when Joyce waved me home, despite me being out by 20 feet (on 60-foot bases). Normally, no big deal. However, Sr.'s Yard apparently hadn't been watered since the season ended, so it was a bit like sliding on concrete. In shorts. I wound up with a massive raspberry on my shin, a slightly smaller one on my knee, and a third on my ankle. I like to think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but I almost cried and nearly passed out in the shower when the soap and water hit my leg last night, and again this morning. Thanks, coach.

Baby Alexa was also a victim of Joyce's coaching style, when she was waved home, only to be told "Um, wait. Maybe stop." She rolled her ankle in the confusion, and it's now swollen to the size of Rishi's head.

Best of all, though, had to be Miggy, who "fake dove," four or five steps after already catching a fly ball (a la Derek Jeter). Only problem was, he jammed his shoulder, and potentially blew his chances of being drafted, since we all know of at least one scout in attendance who included the boneheaded injury in his post-game report. Plus, Miggy will probably fail whatever class he skipped when his professor reads this blog. (Because everyone reads this blog, Steve. Mwah hah hah hah!)

The ride home was a strange, though victorious, one. Liz "missed" the bridge (It's a giant steel structure connecting two land masses over a body of water. How can you "miss" it?) and took us on a scenic tour of lovely Wilmington, DE. Alexa went all Commack-style on us and gangsta-rapped the lyrics of a Taylor Swift song ("Yo, she wears dem high heels, yo, I wear da sneekaz, she da cheer captain, @#!*%, but I'm on da bleechaz"). Mahoney tried to punch the spider-webbed glass of the back window in the hopes -- yes, the hopes -- that it would shatter and critically sever his jugular. And ATI expounded on his religious upbringing and pop-culture beliefs ("Billy Joel is my favorite Jew...besides Moses").

All in all, it was another legendary outing for the Dream Team. (No, seriously, have you ever seen that movie? Click on the link. Watch the trailer. Tell me we don't have waaaay too much in common with escaped mental patients on a road trip. I think about it every time we're in a van together.)

Two dominating (like Mike Swindell) wins, and one ultra-long blog entry. I call that a success any day. Sure, we're a bunch of weirdos...but we're good at what we do.

-- Dave

The Veekies!

2009-09-14T10:14:00.010-04:00

The Cyclones recently received a "Veekie Award" from ESPN The Magazine, in recognition of one of the best promotions of the year -- our Baracklyn Cyclones night!

The Veekies are highlighted on page 30 of the Sept. 21 edition of The Magazine (on stands now...Tim Tebow is on the cover). The award is named after the late Bill Veeck, who is hailed as baseball's ultimate showman (after Steve Cohen, of course).

As you probably remember, the Baracklyn Cyclones night was great fun, a huge success, and drew rave reviews around the world (except from McCain supporters, who didn't get the joke).

Earning the Veekie is a very cool nod to our hard work, and a great honor for us. (Perhaps more importantly, it gave me a legitimate excuse to email Amber/Obama Girl girl again!)

Check out a PDF of the awards page

The '09 season has only been over for a few days, but we're already brainstorming about some big ideas for next season, too. Hopefully, this is only our first Veekie, and not our last!

-- Dave

The Cyclone of Life

2009-09-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

With the conclusion of the season, and the mixed emotions it brings, some of us "veterans" in the office have been talking about the thoughts and feelings that ebb and flow throughout the calendar year -- the Cyclones Cycle, if you will.

We may not hoist baby Alexa in the air like Mufasa each season, but there is a certain Circle of Life among members of the front office that repeats itself year in and year out. Birth. Life. Death. Repeat. OK, maybe it's not quite as dramatic as that Circle, but it's our Circle, so it's important to us. Aaaaand, if it's important to us, it must be important to you (at least, that's the self-absorbed philosophy that keeps the Blog alive).

So, without further ado, I give you (a condensed version of) the front office Circle of Life -- the Cyclone Cycle! (And I'll start with the birth of the new season, in the hopes of beating this analogy as far into the ground as humanly possible.)

There are, of course, unique blips that occur on the radar of each season, but the following are things that you can set your watch to, without fail. The real Groundhog Day elements of the job. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and the Cyclones have this:

Mid-June
Everything's (hopefully) in place. The players have been drafted, the promotional nights have been finalized, ads have been running, tickets have been sold and shipped, Ponte's been mowing the grass for the last 273 consecutive days, and anyone who hasn't quit Vlad's crew has been painting, scrubbing, and generally fixing up the ballpark to get it looking in tip-top shape. Opening Day is upon us. All the time and energy we've spent preparing for the last several months has all been for this. The gates open, the fans file in, the players line the steps to meet them, and a new season is underway.

The staff feels a thrilling sense of anxious excitement, anticipating the craziness to come in the next three months...coupled with a crippling sense of intense dread, fearing the craziness to come in the next three months.

We say goodbye to our friends and family for the summer and say hello to our Cyclones friends and family for the summer. Like many of the emotions involved with the job, it's a mixed bag. That's just the way it is.

Get yourself ready for 15-hour days, tarp pulls, unloading boxes of last-minute promo items, and all the other fun stuff in store. Here we go!

July
With a few games now under our belt, the newbies have been broken in, and everyone's starting to get into their own routines, and into the full swing of the season. Steve has learned at least three players' names (two of whom were on the team last year), and will now spend the next month trying to match up their faces, and complain that it's impossible, because they all look the same -- 6'2" blond kids from Idaho, or wherever.

July brings the Kids Camp (which means Liz will be super-stressed, and Gary will finally get to talk to the players he drafted...and the two of them will come very close to killing each other).

The midway point of the season also means the pennant race is on, between the Cyclones and the Yankees. No offense to the IronBirds and Renegades (or the Crosscutters and Cardinals before them), but this is basically a foregone conclusion. Since the Cyclones entered the league in 2001, no other team besides Brooklyn and Staten Island has worn the McNamara Division crown.

Mid-July is also when we as a staff start to hit that imaginary wall. So much effort and energy goes into kicking off the season, that once that initial high wears off, you look at the remaining games on the schedule and can't believe you're only halfway through it. Halfway? That means that everything you've just done? You have to do it all over again. Your friends are all going on vacations, going to weddings, going to the beach, and like, having lives and stuff. And you hate them for it. That light at the end of the tunnel? It looks like this. At this point you can't wait for the season to be over (but be careful what you wish for...more on this later).

August
August brings the NYPL All-Star game, which serves two purposes for the staff:

Provide a break in the action and an opportunity to recharge.
ROAD TRIP!

Now, I realize that those two things don't really go hand in hand. You finally get a few days off to get away from baseball and catch up with friends and family, so you...leave your friends and family to travel with colleagues to go watch baseball?

Part of the reasoning behind this is that you have to be a little "touched" to work in baseball. You just have to be. So things that make sense to normal humans don't really apply. Another part of it is that although you spend most of your day with co-workers, players, and coaches, you don't actually get to unwind or really hang out with them in a relaxed setting all that often, so the ASG is a good opportunity to do so. Another part is that the host team usually sets up some cool events -- go-cart racing, pub crawls, brunches with Hall of Famers, freak shows at the aquarium -- and you feel like you deserve to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor after months of your own hard work. And last, but certainly not least, you know that if you don't go, you'll be ripped mercilessly by everyone that did, both to your face and behind your back.

Anyway, the ASG comes and goes, and there are now about three weeks left to the season. That's it? Man, it went by so quickly! I wish we had more time.

Whaaaaaaaaat? Do you hear yourself? Just a couple of weeks ago, you were comparing the season to Moses' journey through the desert.

I don't know...I told you, there are mixed emotions all over the place, and we're all a little off, anyway. And we're never happy with whatever situation we're in. Don't try to figure it out. It is what it is.

Early September
We're in the home stretch now. The division race is coming down to the wire, the interns are all going back to school, and the video guy has put in his two weeks' notice. (We should, like, download some video clips or something.)

Unfortunately, it's also Labor Day weekend, and school is starting, so our usually vivacious and electric crowds thin out a bit. The beginning of the end.

We make the playoffs (or we don't), travel to one or two more upstate/western NY destinations, and then -- win or lose -- it's over. The team is gone the next day, the circus tent is gone the next day, Coney's neon lights are gone the next day, and it is officially the offseason.

Ugh. And whew! Oh no. And thank goodness. (There are those mixed emotions again.)

Mid-September
The first couple of days & weeks immediately following the season are filled with housekeeping stuff. Writing season recaps (and seemingly endless blog postings about the Cyclones Cycle), running attendance numbers, creating proof-of-performance packets for sponsors, cleaning the stadium, etc.

It's also time to re-introduce ourselves to society, and to the people we love -- ~~Ms. Pac Man, Pac Man, and Junior~~ our families.

Plus, we'll throw in some outdoor activities like softball games against other front offices, baseball games against over-60 leagues, or football in the outfield to make up for lost time in the summer.

Many of us (but probably not enough) will also get back into the gym and try to lose the extra pounds we packed on by eating ballpark food twice a day for 120 days.

October

November - December
Gearing up. That's the catch-all phrase when people ask you what you're up to at work. It can mean anything, and it's used so frequently throughout baseball that no one really makes you go into any more detail.

A typical winter conversation will go something like this:

"Good season for you guys?"
"Yeah, it was. Lots of good stuff to build on."
"New Year just around the corner."
"Yup. Another season."
"You guys getting ready?"
"Gearing up."
"I hear ya."

No further explanation is necessary.

So these are the months for gearing up. Well, that and scouring HotJobs.

December is also the month for the Winter Meetings, baseball's annual trade show/league meeting/job fair/networking extravaganza. For those of us that go, it's the time of year to refocus on new ideas, new giveaway items, new entertainment options, and generally get revitalized about the upcoming season. For those that don't go, it's a nice few days with Steve and Kevin out of the office.

January
Winter break is over, and the calendar has turned to a new year. This is the month that we traditionally announce our new schedule and coaching staff, start selling sponsorship packages & ticket plans, and start brainstorming for the season ahead. After all, it's "right around the corner."

Only. Six. Months. Away.

Now it's like we're coming through that endless tunnel in reverse!

February - March
Spring Training! Baseball is finally in the air again. And although the players who will make up the coming year's roster are mostly still in college at this point, we can watch former Cyclones play with the big boys in the major leagues. Even if it's split-squad games.

April
The MLB season starts, and we can see which of our alumni have made the cut. This is also the start of the really busy couple of months just before our season. The sales teams are beating the pavement. Print and ad deadlines are hurtling towards us, classes are touring the ballpark, high schools and colleges are playing on the field, and the weather is starting -- just starting -- to hint at Spring.

May
Now, the season really is just around the corner. Most of our promotional dates are locked in, we've designed and ordered the giveaway items, and no one can actually believe we're going to do this all over again. Now, if only we knew who was going to be on the team...

Early June
The draft takes place in the second week of the month, and we start playing in the third week, so you can imagine what that last-minute rush is like.

We're also putting the finishing touches on several other last-minute ideas, updates, and adjustments. At this point, we're hip-deep in it, and we're rolling with what we've got.

What comes next? Scroll back to the top and start all over again!

-- Dave

Wes' (Final) Week That Was

2009-09-12T10:13:00.000-04:00

23-year old Wes Wrenn was selected by the Mets in the 35th round of the 2009 draft, out of The Citadel, in South Carolina. He makes his home in Greensboro, NC. Wes took his his first professional steps towards his big-league dreams in a professional debut season with the Cyclones. Each week, Wes checked in on the Blog to get readers behind the scenes. The following is his final entry of the summer:

After three months of playing here in Brooklyn, I would have to say that my first year of professional baseball has been all that I expected and then some. The Brooklyn fan support, the Cyclones staff, the golf tournament, the kids camp, the ladies camp, the craziness of Coney Island, the pricey tours of Manhattan, the extensive road trips to places I never thought existed, and being on the number one team in the organization this year! It all has all provided me with more than enough memories and stories to tell. So while we may have fallen a little short in the playoffs, we still had an amazing year, one of the best in franchise history, and I'm proud to have been a part of it.

I would like to say “thank you” to all the fans that supported us through all the ups and downs of this year’s roller-coaster season. We started out unbeatable with a 16-2 record at one point, and then we lost a few players and a few more games to go along with them. But overall, this year was definitely a great success. We made friends that will last a lifetime, we learned some valuable life lessons and baseball knowledge from our experienced coaching staff, and we’ll have stories to talk about for years to come.

I can only hope that next year, wherever I end up, is as exciting as this year.

So long Brooklyn!

-- Wes

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2009-09-10T10:45:00.005-04:00

The 2009 Cyclones season has come to its end, unfortunately, but it was another fun-filled chapter in the story of Brooklyn baseball.

We led the league in attendance again (nine years in a row), and qualified for the playoffs again (six times out of nine). Think about that for a second. Think about how impressive either of those feats are on their own...and then think about the fact that we do both almost every year. It's become kind of commonplace, and somewhat expected (some might say to take the "somewhat" out), but every once in a while when I actually stop to think about all the work that goes into both those things, and the support from the fans that makes it all possible, it's pretty unbelievable.

We had some amazing moments both on and off the field this year -- no-hitters, Hall of Famers, Commanders-In-Chief (sort of), All-Stars (of the minor and major league variety), and much, much more. Several of those highlights are recapped here.

And for a give-you-goosebumps end-of-year video that captures even more on camera, check this out:

The summer goes by too fast. It's a pretty intense three months, during which you spend lots of time with people who are all working together (sort of) towards a couple of common goals. And then, like that (a la Keyser Soze), it's gone. Even after nine years of it, that sudden end still takes some getting used to.

This season, though, was an unforgettable one, and we'd like to sincerely thank the fans, coaches, players, staff members, and everyone else (especially the Blog readers) that were a part of it.

Don't worry, you don't have to go 100% cold turkey. We've got some more good stuff in store for you in the coming weeks to ease you out of Cyclones baseball slowly. And we've already got a few tricks up our sleeve for next year, too.

Stay tuned. And thanks again.

-- Dave