Orange you glad it's Tampa?

I'm covering my first World Series in five years and I decided to NBA Jerseys keep a running diary on Wednesday to allow everyone to see how Game 1 unfolded for me here in Florida.
9:32am - Flipping around the TV channels in Tampa and you can either watch coverage of the upcoming presidential election or the World Series. It's amazing to think that in two weeks from now, the Tampa Bay Rays could be World Series champions AND America could elect a black president. Five years ago, which did you think would happen first?
2:37pm - We pull into Tropicana Field. How come nobody ever calls this place "The Juice Box"? And does anyone ever say the Rays beat the pulp out of their opponent?
3:22pm - I watch the Backstreet Boys do a sound check for the national anthem on the field. A few moments later, Mitch Williams - who is now an analyst for Comcast Sportsnet - walks by. This has to be a bad omen for the Phillies: A World Series starting with Mitch Williams and a Carter on the same field.
4:06pm - Phillies bench coach Jimy Williams walks by me near the visiting dugout. Ummmm... shouldn't he be interviewing for a key job with the Blue Jays right now?
5:28pm - Rays fans start pouring into Tropicana Field, many of them carrying large banners and signs. Note to fans everywhere: Can we please officially ban those signs where people try and imitate those Mastercard commercials? "Game 1 Tickets - $250. Foam Finger - $25. Seeing Rays in World Series - Priceless." That is more lame and overdone than sports reporters trying to be comedians.
7:22pm - It dawns on me that if the Rays win the World Series, it would kind of be silly to get B.J. Upton to say, "I'm going to Disneyworld". Orlando is like an hour away from Tampa. That would be no fun for him, because it's in his backyard. Like if the Leafs won the Stanley Cup, would Vesa Toskala say, "I'm going to Canada's Wonderland?" Of course not. So I would like to hear a Rays player say, "I just won the World Series. I'm going to Six Flags, Darrien Lake."
8:27pm - MLB International announces that the World Series is being shown in 229 countries around the world. If people in America are lukewarm to the Phillies-Rays matchup, just imagine the ratings in Greenland and Bulgaria.
9:14pm We finally make our way into the Tampa clubhouse after the game and we have a prime spot in the massive media scrum with Evan Longoria. I want to ask him if he ever gets sick of people making jokes about Eva Longoria. Because I get really tired of people making Eva Mendes jokes to me. Perhaps asking him in the aftermath.

-10:24pm - Jason Bartlett just stole a base and it resulted in everyone in America getting a free taco on October 28th because of a wacky promotion with Taco Bell. It's ironic, because for years Taco Bell's food has been notorious for giving people the runs. Now because somebody runs, everyone gets a free taco.
11:33pm - I just read another note in our press package that said the largest crowd ever inside Tropicana Field was for a New Kids On The Block concert back in 1990. At this point, I should make some witty reference to an old NKOTB song. But doing so would only raise questions as to why I know so much about NKOTB.
As the game heads to the bottom of the 9th inning and the Phillies cling to a 3-2 lead, my cameraman and I start talking about our favorite Family Ties episode outside the Rays clubhouse. I'm not sure why we weren't focused on Brad Lidge warming up and the drama of a World Series game unfolding right in front of us. BTW - Consensus winner on our favorite episode: Alex turns the house into a motel for homecoming weekend and his parents come home to find a kangaroo in the living room.