HISTORY!! (and I hate mapquest!!)

[MJPhotos24]

Today wasn't a good day to start, the level of the program (7/8th) I coach didn't have enough players, and we lost badly after playing with only 8 - most of which were not playing there natural positions. Games over by the 5th inning, so I start to head to the varsity game that I wanted to be at in the first place, because it's for the championship. Well, mapquest.com SUCKS!! I follow there directions perfectly and literally almost end up going in a circle, 20-30 mins lost in that and having to turn around. So I finally get there, get out of the car and hear a roar, a big roar - uh oh, something bigs happening. I throw my jersey on grab the camera and haul a$$ to the field to see the tying run on 3rd, two outs. Soon as I reach the left field wall I look up and see our starting pitcher screaming and running towards his teammates, yup I showed up on the last friggen pitch and wasn't even on the field to celebrate until after the fact. Now, I'm buying a GPS!!!

First championship in school history!

#1 - The star pitcher (3 straight complete games) gets mauled by his teammates (he's in front of #15, you can only see his arm wrapped around the kid facing the camera). I was just arriving and threw the camera up to shoot this...really would have rather been in the celebration instead of shooting it.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/SectionChamps.01.JPG


#2 - He's a little tired...star pitcher walks away with his MVP award still in disbelief.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/SectionChamps.02.JPG


#3 - Yea, we won...no biggie. Shortstop looks to pass on the trophy to his teammates.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/SectionChamps.03.JPG


#4 - I kinda like it...one of the two seniors on the team gets a good glimpse of the hardware before passing it on.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/SectionChamps.04.JPG


#5 - Orange gatorade anyone? The SS gets away after giving the traditional gatorade shower to the varsity head coach.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/SectionChamps.05.JPG


Well, we got our patches, got the trophy...now, lets play again - another playoff game tomorrow on the way to states, though at this point anything else is just icing on the cake as everyone counted this team out a long time ago. It was amazing coming home, the fire department escorted the team through town as people stood on there porches cheering, the school parking lot was full of people, a parade of cars honking...scene out of a moving basically from a small town championship team.

[Gatorboy]

I find Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) works best if you don't have a navigation system.

[Croasdail]

Trust me Mike, I have a reasonably expensive GPS system too, and they can do a good job of making even the most simple trip needlessly complex and long. It's not perfect technology in either format. Been there... done that. The main thing is you got the most significant images of the game. Sometimes it is better to be lucky then good.

[fslshooter]

Mike - Like Mark said you got there in time to capture the most important moments with your pictures. They'll play many more games -- winning some and losing some but they'll remember these moments for a lifetime. Nice pics!

[metalman1010]

Great Shots again Mike.

And as far as using an awesome internet directions page.

Randmcnally.com

I figure the company that pretty much has made maps and Atlas books for the last 50 years should know where I need to go when I want directions!

Mapguess as I call it failed me twice two years ago.

Ross

[MJPhotos24]

Thanks for the comments. This is DEFINATELY not the first time mapquest failed me, driving 30-40,000 a year they've failed me many many times but I was in a pinch without a map and time. Believe you're right though - I have action shots from the last game, the celebration shots are something more important.

Mark - what GPS do you have? The guys I know that have them swear by them, I'm looking at one in the $500 range - but not sure what company is the best or not, need to do a bit of reseach on them.

EDIT: Just got the local paper, #1 is on the front page....#5 is on page one of the sports section.

[Croasdail]

My first was a Magellan, and now I am on a Garmin - I don't recall the model number. It is one of those ones you stick to the window. It was the most expensive one that was being sold by Costco in February. They all do eventually get ya there, but some of the routings have been most amusing. I would try to explain it to ya, but the locations and such wouldn't mean anything. So just my word of advice is still allow extra time. With that said, when I travel, I always get the never-lost system from Hertz. The routing may be goofy from time to time, but at least I get there and my blood pressure levels are much lower along the way.

[MJPhotos24]

My first was a Magellan, and now I am on a Garmin - I don't recall the model number. It is one of those ones you stick to the window. It was the most expensive one that was being sold by Costco in February. They all do eventually get ya there, but some of the routings have been most amusing. I would try to explain it to ya, but the locations and such wouldn't mean anything. So just my word of advice is still allow extra time. With that said, when I travel, I always get the never-lost system from Hertz. The routing may be goofy from time to time, but at least I get there and my blood pressure levels are much lower along the way.
My BP spiked more than a few times on the way to the game...especially when I finally got turned around and was going through this town, 20mph in a 30 and then 25 in a 45. I was flaming at the two idiots ahead of me (and so were the other 14 cars behind me!). I gave each a friendly NY hello wave as I passed :p

I'm going to be purchasing a GPS tonight or tomorrow, when I find one I like. I do a lot of traveling all over the country and can't take the stupid directions from mapguess.

[Petepix]

Mike - Garmin has the best software of the bunch. Not sure of the models, but the sw is the most reliable.
Pete

[sportsphotos]

hey Mike I use my laptop and i have mircosoft streets and maps witht he gps locater it works great and not as expesive as the garin and other mountin gps and for the lap top battery I just use a ac adpator for power

been from upstate NY to Miami Fl and never lost signal unless under a bridge but only for 2 secs

great celibration shots

[Croasdail]

Check that mike.... it was the other way around. First was a Garmin, and the one I am using now is a Magellan Roadmate. It is short a bit on POI but it has a great battery in it and will last at least 12 hours on one charge. It is also weather sealed (guess it is an L) so I can use it on my bike or boat. Again, not perfect, but a heck of a lot easier then trying to read printed instructions. I have done the Microsoft thing myself as well, but it is really not even close to being as portable. It works, but my last family trip with the Microsoft one my wife looked at all the cables and said "you have got to be kidding". It became shelfware after that.

[MJPhotos24]

Thanks for the tips guys...I'm looking at a few and will make a purchase very soon as I'm going on a 20-some odd day trip starting this weekend. Unfortunately, we lost today and ended our Cinderella story 8-2 vs. a team that has won 19 straight games. We were losing 6-0, made a slight comeback 6-2 but then they scored two more to seal it. This after yesterday we were down 8-3, scored 8 runs in the 6th and won 11-9 in a miracle comeback just to get to this game...in which we didn't hit and they were the better team today. We finished 13-11, won Sectionals beating some great teams - the first EVER in school history, one of the last 16 teams in the state to be playing so it's a big accomplishment considering we only have 2 seniors and start 6 sophomores! Had three photos published so far and will be getting paid, though not much each pic...and got to be part of history....good run.