What does this mean? Nothing really. Just a random tidbit that caught my interest. Are there any other MLBer's with random Y's in their first names? Do they want to sign on a new team next year? I predict if there are (and they do) - it will happen as I am putting up my tree on a Sunday night in early December 2012.

(random Y's clarification - it's not the letter that starts your name, and if you removed the y from your first name, it wouldn't impede on the pronunciation of your name)

You can read the band's statement here.

It seems not THAT long ago I first heard "Full Collapse" - in a car on the way home from a Vermont boarding weekend in the early spring of 2001 and I was hooked.  Mr. ChickPhilA's company was managing them at that time and what fun it was to see them grow from New Brunswick basement show band to being on the cover of magazines and having songs played on radio stations across the country.

Warped Tour, Long Island, 2006

Over the course of the next few years I was able to see them play countless live shows.  From a tent (literally) at the 2001 Warped Tour in Camden, to sweaty, packed sing-a-longs at Irving Plaza. From a huge stage at Jones Beach (opening for Iggy Pop and Sonic Youth) to the annual homecoming shows around Christmas time with all my Jersey friends at Starland Ballroom.  How about a state fairground (right along side "giant produce" ribbon winners)? Yep seen them in that setting too (Allentown, 2003).

I think my favorite show of their's, however,  was in September of 2002 at the Electric Factory in Philly.  It was the Plea for Peace tour stop in Philly and they headlined.  The show also featured The (International) Noise Conspiracy and My Chemical Romance (it was the 1st time My Chem and Thursday shared a bill, after Geoff from Thursday produced their 1st record).  We watched the show from the side of the stage and I unconsciously "drummed" along (aka pounded my leg like it was a snare drum) with my hand along to every song.  I ended up with a bruised thigh because of it. 

That's the kind of energy I always felt at their shows - I just couldn't stand still.  I always would leave with no voice from screaming along, and a thigh in various states of bruising from "drumming" along.

The band is playing a few more shows to end out the year before really packing it up - notable dates in the area include tomorrow (11/23) at Irving Plaza in NYC, Dec 26 (holiday show) at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ, and then they finish it off right here in Philadelphia at the TLA on December 30.

The Athletics play pretty much every weekend from April through September.  Their home matches take place at Memorial Field in Fairmount Park.  If you are interested in all about the history of baseball in Philadelphia, go check out a game and talk to the players, they have done a lot of research and are full of info.  You can also follow them on Twitter here.

More photos after the jump.

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I wonder if it was someones pet that got out, or escaped from a pet store in the area.  All I know is that I don't usually see wild parakeets in Philadelphia.  

This is the reason I carry my big camera around with me everywhere, you never know what you're going to come across.

We always joked that going to an Islanders game was like going to see a minor league baseball game - it was in a small, old arena, the players were all kids/prospects, and they did more goofy giveaways/promotions than any professional sports team than I could possibly remember.

Good to see that even though most of the minor league stadiums I have been to have been at least updated some, the goofy promotions remain, and there were plenty of them at the Trenton Thunder game last Friday night.

1)  It was a bobblehead night (Andy Pettitte home uniform)

2)  They had a dog to come out at the end of the first few innings to take the bat back to the dugout.  Like, instead of a bat boy...

 3) There was an extensive commercial playing for some laser tag type game that you could buy and/or play in the fun zone.  At the same time, the two Trenton mascots engaged in a laser tag battle in front of the 1st base dugout.  Striker was taking it realllllly seriously.

4)  There was a game that involved putting on a lemon costume, holding a bucket over your head, as someone else tossed lemons into the bucket.  All for the chance to win a glass of lemonade.

5)  There was the R.B.Ice Cream player of the game.  If the chosen player got an RBI during the game, everyone won a free ice cream cone from a place in Bucks County.

6) Oh, and it was Scout Night at the park - tons of cub scouts/boy scouts there who were all sleeping over at the stadium after the game.

They really do pack a lot of stuff into the game.  Not bad for your 12$ or less admission price....

Friday also marked the day that the new Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 - debuted at the box office, and the Thunder were having some fun with that.

They have 2 mascots: Boomer and Striker.  Striker was looking a bit different tonight, though, with a cape, a mini-bat wand, and some round glasses.  He had transformed into Harry Striker.

They were also having some fun on the scoreboard - for both Reading and Trenton players.

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