AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2005 > September > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRookies rock, but time for veterans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
A few days before spring training, which is generally not the time to draw conclusions, John Smoltz wrapped up the Braves’ past and future in a nice little package. It wasn’t difficult.
“Early on, we didn’t have the greatest players in the world, we didn’t have the stats — but we had clutch,” said Smoltz, the team’s surviving link to the 1991 season. “We need that again, that New England-type clutchness. We need that big hit, that big play. That’s the only thing that has separated us from having more world championships.”
It’s September now, and we still don’t know what to think. The Braves have two weeks left in the regular season. Barring a sinkhole or a collapse of White Sox proportion, they will have a 14th straight post season.
Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Philadelphia made the inevitable that much closer. Their National League East lead over the Phillies and their magic number for clinching the division are now one and the same: six.
Their hope is that it also alters this six-week trend of win one, lose one, win two, blow two. The Braves were 61-44 at the end of July. Even with Tuesday’s win, they are only 25-21 since. As foreshadowing goes, 25-21 doesn’t scream championship.
“We need a sense of urgency,” Smoltz said. “If we’re talking about a scale of 1 to 10, maybe we’re at a 7. Philadelphia and Florida are at a 10. I know some people think: win here and there and we’ll be all right. But I don’t buy into that.”
So this is about the time we ask: OK, who steps up?
The answer shouldn’t be: “Don’t worry, the rookies have been great.” Because the problem is that while the kids have been terrific, they don’t come with October résumés. They barely come with a razor.
They might treat October like July. Or they might morph into wildebeests, suddenly looking catatonic with headlights approaching.
This is when the Braves’ few remaining holdovers from years past need to assume control.
“They’re doing a remarkable job learning on the job, this season,” Smoltz said. “But we can’t just assume that’s going to continue. We can’t assume that because they’ve played well and gained experience this season that all of a sudden they’re going to fuse into veterans.”
The Braves opened a series against the second-place Phillies. Andruw Jones knocked in Atlanta’s first run in the first inning with a fielder’s choice. Chipper Jones, a late lineup scratch, came off the bench as a pinch hitter to make it 2-0 in the sixth. With the bases loaded, he got down 0-2 to reliever Rheal Cormier, and then worked the pitcher to a walk, forcing home a run.
Rafael Furcal made it 3-0 in the seventh with an RBI single.
Three veterans, three RBIs. If you’re the Braves, you hope that’s a sign.
This has been a wonderfully strange season for the Braves. Three of their pre-season moves — Dan Kolb, Raul Mondesi, Brian Jordan, — have bombed. Several regulars were injured, early and often. Then Greenville and Richmond came to the rescue.
Eleven of 17 rookies made their Major League debut. Jeff Francoeur went from senior prom to deity in roughly seven minutes. Just prior to game time, he was jumped from sixth to third in the batting order when manager Bobby Cox realized Chipper Jones, whose wife had gone into labor, was not going to make it to the stadium in time. That’s when you realize Francoeur has gone from lineup bonus to necessity. But even he has cooled off considerably down the stretch.
“It’ll come down to all of the veteran guys, not that we have a lot of them,” Andruw Jones said. “The rookies have been great. But I know there’s a lot more pressure now and we need to step up.”
Permalink | Comments (30) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Jeff Schultz
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Chop Chop
September 21, 2005 01:39 AM | Link to this
Jeff, before some of these bloggers line up and take shots at you, the Braves’ AA affiliate doesn’t play in Greenville anymore. They’re the Mississippi Braves now.
Speaking of Mississippi, I’m looking forward to the winner of the Old Ms.-Bama game advancing to the 20th century. My one request is that that line shows up on the Weekend Predictions at the appropriate time.
Smoltz has been my favorite Brave for a long time. You know the guy sincerely cares about winning it all. A lot of us out here have questioned Chipper and Andruw’s hearts in the past, but I know those two guys want to win it all. I hope that the mix of the young and the experienced helps us make some magic happen in the postseason.
By WD
September 21, 2005 08:41 AM | Link to this
I watched a short interview with Jeff Francoeur a couple days ago. Jeff mentioned something, the importance of which, had not occurred to me.
Something to the effect of; “Most of us (rookies) have never been on a team that was still playing in late September.�
He’s right! Rookies have never carried a season into late September, much less October. I can not possibly imagine the amount of endurance required by a major league baseball player, (traveling with games almost everyday for seven months).
Veteran ballplayers have the advantage of being somewhat mentally prepared to carry a season into the fall months. If ever there was going to be a “let down� by the “Baby Braves� it stands to reason it would occur in September.
What a GREAT YEAR this has been for Braves Baseball!
Bold: “Rookies rock, but time for veterans”
By HAHAHAHA
September 21, 2005 09:31 AM | Link to this
The only things the veterans on this team are good at is choking in the postseason, along with that lump, Bobby Cox.
A buncha chokers all.
You better hope the Rookies carry you, because Dipper Jones won’t. Andruw won’t. God knows Bobby Cox will make a huge mistake at a bad time.
The Braves are like Bill Murray in Groundhog’s Day. The only difference is, he learns to be a better man.
The Braves and Bobby Cox… they never learn. They keep on making the same mistakes over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.
The Marlins are going to enter the postseason on a tear, like they always do, and win another World Series. Making that three for them, and 1 for you and your crappy, choking manager and team.
God, it must suck to be you guys.
By JRO
September 21, 2005 10:25 AM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA… Your precious Marlins won’t even make the playoffs. Speaking of “Groundhog’s Day”, the only shadow to be seen will be the Braves as we head into the playoffs yet again while the Marlins wonder how they’re going to replace Burnett, not trade Delgado, and pull another “Weekend at Bernie’s” with manager Jack McKeon. Tell me how big a Marlins fan you’ll be when they’re forced to move in the next few years because of their pitiful fan base (with you included). Schultzie is right, let’s go vets, and let’s go BRAVES!
By Braves fan
September 21, 2005 10:28 AM | Link to this
It must suck to have nothing better to do than post on a blog site for a team you aren’t even a fan of. Every year there are 7 “chokers” and 1 winner. But for 14 years (let’s admit the inevitable) the Braves have been eligible to be one of the 7 or the 1 while your crappy Marlins have only been eligible those 2 times. But what do you guys do with your time in Miami in October most years? Sure as hell can’t be watching the Dolphins cause they suck. Your team doesn’t even play in a baseball stadium. And are always talking about moving the team. What does that say about your team and fanbase? And just a newsflash for you, in case you haven’t read a sports section lately (very obvious that you haven’t), your Tuna are 7 games out in 3rd place in the East. And in 3rd place in the wild card behind Houston, who you have no games left with. So they can’t make up any ground on their own. Good luck, schmuck!
By HAHAHAHA
September 21, 2005 11:37 AM | Link to this
No, never said I was a Marlins fan, you ignorant rednecks.
Just stated the facts about your choking baseball team, and your choking manager.
Dispute what I said. Tell me you haven’t choked in the postseason. Tell me Dipper Jones doesn’t suck in October, or that Andruw doesn’t suck in October.
Please… tell me that Bobby Cox doesn’t suck in October.
You just prove your ignorance by doing so.
You guys know that chant at high school football games? “Scoreboard… Scoreboard… Scoreboard!”
Well check it.
No one plays the games for your division titles.
They play for the RING.
Marlins 2, Braves 1.
They win. You, as always, choke and lose.
When it matters the most, Cox goes from being the genius, the steady hand, to an old man stricken with Altzeimer’s. He’s a doddering old fool who pitches Liebrandt in critical situations in two straight World Series. Who manages to squander the momentum against the Yankees. Who loses to the Cubs and other teams he has no business losing to.
He’s Dumb, and you guys are Dumber for believing this year will be any different this October.
It will be more of the same this year.
And only an ignorant redneck would try to make another analogy out of the movie Groundhog’s Day, and have it really not have anything to do with the movie.
Now, if you had meant the actual holiday, your analogy would have made sense, hick.
By david
September 21, 2005 12:29 PM | Link to this
Ha, too many references to high school,redneck,hick,ignorance,you must be bitter about not being able to overcome your enviroment and up-bringing.
By brete
September 21, 2005 12:38 PM | Link to this
Must be a Yankee’s fan. No class. They don’t have the Red Sox to pick on any more. And haven’t won a Series in a while either.
By BB FAN
September 21, 2005 01:12 PM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA , Tell us what GREAT team you cheer for. You are not Marlins fan. So unless you are a Yankees fan or a Blue Jays fan, you have no right to make fun of the Braves. Those are the only teams that have won more than 1 WS ring during the last 14 years. And the Yankees have “bought” 3 of their 4 rings. And the Marlins even “bought” their 1st ring in ‘97. That’s why they had to trade everybody after.
If the Braves had the payroll of the Yankees, they would probably have 7 or 8 rings. But “buying” a ring is not the same as earning it! The Braves earned theirs in ‘95.
It’s a lot harder to win the WS than you think. It takes perfect team chemistry and a little luck OR an unlimited payroll. The team has to have the right combination of players: young and old.
By the way, HAHAHAHA, you sound like an idiot. You obviously know nothing about baseball.
By Scott
September 21, 2005 02:36 PM | Link to this
Hey idiot, you do realize that the Braves have won three world series titles right?
That would bring the number of rings to
Braves = 3 Marlins = 2 Mets = 2 Phillies = 1 Nats = 0
So by my math that makes the Braves the most successfull franchise in the NL east. You want to talk about ignorance? You don’t even know the history of the team you are trying to rip.
By HAHAHAHA
September 21, 2005 02:47 PM | Link to this
You “fans” are representative of the crap fans in your crap city.
You never sell out your amusement park stadium. You guys tell everyone who will listen that winning Division Titles are great, yet in this day and age, a division title means nothing! Try winning a ring you bunch of inbred hicks!
And those of you guys who actually show up in your crappy stadium sit on your hands and act all casual and above what’s going on.
You have the most exciting young players and baseball, and your crappy fans in your crappy city couldn’t care less.
You never support your teams. But, then again, why should you?
Your baseball team has choked so often in October, that the UN is thinking of changing the date which Autumn begins to the moment the Braves choke out of the playoffs. First round, NLCS, WS, it doesn’t matter.
The rest of us always know what is going to happen.
Bobby Cox will make a grievous managerial decision, or 10, in a series.
Dipper Jones will disapear.
Andruw Jones will flail at pitches in the dirt and in the stratosphere.
Furcal will strikeout.
The team as a whole will set records for runners left on base in a season.
Your “excellent” starting pitchers will become crap (like Maddox did all those years in the postseason).
And you will choke.
This is your sentence.
HAHAHAHA
By Randy
September 21, 2005 02:52 PM | Link to this
honelty, as a fan I would tend to depend more on the rookies at this point in the season just because they haven’t been there before. all they know is how to play baseball. they won’t know to fight off the pressure that is choking after all these years in the playoffs. yes, they will be anxious to be playing on THE STAGE and yes they may be tired because of the longer season than they are used to but I would rather rely on their youthful excitment and passion than a veterans professionalism not getting “too high or too low”. just a thought. Go Braves!
By HAHAHAHA
September 21, 2005 02:59 PM | Link to this
Okay, Scott, you dumb redneck, are you going to claim 2 World Series not won in your City?
I’m talking about your crappy city. Your crappy fans. Your choking manager and team.
Not Milwaukee’s.
Not Boston’s.
Craplanta’s.
By Brian Revell
September 21, 2005 03:13 PM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA, While you are correct in saying that we have only 1 WS title in the last 14 years, it is important to note, over the last 14 years, how many teams have made it to the postseason with the opportunity to win it?
Only one team… OUR Atlanta Braves.
You note that Division titles don’t mean much when it comes to playoff succes, but we are winners and winners never quit. We struggle, sure. But we also persevere.
Don’t ever question the Atlanta Braves’ greatness.
Why you ask? Because of your continued bashing means you care or are concerned of the great Atlanta Braves.
By HAHAHAHA
September 21, 2005 03:23 PM | Link to this
Brian, you seem to be even more ignorant than the rest of your inbred bretheren.
“…we are winners, and winners never quite.”
HAHAHAHA!
You are winners.
Ummm… no… you are losers!
1 World Series after years of having the best team in baseball means your team is a buncha losers.
And, how are the Braves not quitters? Do you even watch this team you profess to love when it comes to October (hereby known as Choketober in Craplanta)?
I have never seen a group of losers give up more frequently than the bunch of losers which Bobby Cox manages into the groud every Choketober.
But let’s here it guys!
Yea! Division Titles! Yea!
By Fred
September 21, 2005 04:02 PM | Link to this
Hahaha, despite all the hot air you’ve been spewing, you still haven’t answered BB FAN’s pertinent question;
Who’s your squad?
Or is it your special little secret?
And speaking of choking… looks like you never quite tackled those grammar studies, did you?
It’s obvious that you are a loser with too much time on his (or her) hands.
By PG Fan
September 21, 2005 04:10 PM | Link to this
I have see some really ignorant comments on these blogs but HAHAHAHA takes the cake. He hasn’t even figured out that if you don’t make it into the playoffs then you can’t win the playoffs. How many teams have not even made it into the playoffs in the last 14 years? The Braves are the oldest continuously active franchise in major league baseball, so why not include their intire history if you are going to include the Marlins short history.
I think the guy is a crank and must be from Mayberry where the still play in sandlots.
By dannycardwell
September 21, 2005 05:07 PM | Link to this
sounds like our old friend matthew found himself another handle. he has his hands full on the falcons boards. when the ajc made this free they opened up a can of worms. hate mail everywhere.
By Scott
September 22, 2005 12:41 AM | Link to this
Hey HAHAHAHA, I don’t live in Atlanta. Never have and most likely never will. I’ve never lived in Boston or Milwaukee either. I’m a Braves fan because the Braves are a national franchise. That’s why a majority of their games are on national television year in and year out. And why shouldn’t the Braves could their Boston and Milwaukee championship? It’s part of their history. Why do the Los Angeles Lakers take the floor every night as the 14 time NBA champs, even though they only won 9 titles in LA? The A’s have 9 world series titles. Only 4 have been won in Oakland. The Dodgers have a penant up at Dodgers stadium for the 1955 World series champions, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Teams change cities all the time, but they are still the same city. If the Braves moved to Las Vegas or another city tomorrow, do you honestly think they are going to leave all of the penants they won in Atlanta? Do you think they will leave the statue of Hank Aaron and Phil Niekro out in monument grove? Also last time I checked their is a statue outside Turner Field of Warren Spahn, who never threw a pitch in Atlanta, yet is still remembered as one of the greatest Braves of all time. It’s all about the franchise you ignorant p****** not the city.
By HAHAHAHA
September 22, 2005 12:51 AM | Link to this
Scott, I’m talking about the franchise.
I’m talking about the team now, the team in Craplanta.
And the thing is… none of you guys can dispute what I’ve said.
Everyone else in baseball plays for the ring, you guys enjoy your little flags in Craplanta.
Crappy flags, for crappy fans, and a crappy team in a crappy city.
HAHAHAHA
By BB FAN
September 22, 2005 07:55 AM | Link to this
So who’s your team moron? You sure as hell have a lot of hot air. You seem to love hiding though. You can not even admit who you cheer for. It’s takes a tiny man or person to bad mouth another person’s team while hiding their team of choice.
And I will dispute your claims. EVERY team but the Yankees would LOVE to be the braves from the last 13 years. Even the Marlins as they will be having another firesale after this season like they did after their first WS ring in ‘97. And they might have to move that sorry franchise as well.
By Marc
September 22, 2005 09:49 AM | Link to this
Hey, Ha, ha, ha,
I don’t give a damn what the Braves have or have not won. Calling people “ignorant rednecks” is a racist slur. It’s inexcusable. If you have to stoop to that to make your so-called argument, you are a pretty low-rent person yourself. And since you don’t reveal anything about yourself, you show yourself to be a gutless coward. It’s people like you that make the internet disreputable. And, by the way, that’s two Presidents of the United States who were, by your definition apparently, inbred, ignorant rednecks.
By HAHAHAHA
September 22, 2005 10:38 AM | Link to this
So, it’s okay for hicks like BB FAN to not use their real name, but not me?
Do I smell a double standard wafting from Craplanta?
Or is it just the crap-filled city itself?
BB, you know, you’re right. Any other team would love the chances the Braves have had.
And I guarantee you that none of them, not even the Kansas City Royals would have squandered the opportunity like Bobby Cox and his Craplanta Braves have.
You guys are not only inbred rednecks; you guys are delusional.
Around this country the Braves aren’t known as winners. They’re known as losers.
As are the “fans” in Craplanta.
So you guys can keep on deluding yourselves, the 20,000 who actually care about your team and show up to games in your 50,000 seat amusement park (where the game is secondary!), in thinking you are “winners” for winning who cares how many division flags.
But the rest of us, the real baseball fans who sell out our stadium and who’s teams play for rings, know better. Your Craplanta Braves are losers.
If not for 1995, you’d be the Buffalo Bills.
But, in a way, you guys are worse. Buffalo has only been close once. You guys have been close and squandered it over and over and over and over again.
Like I said, all around the country, we’re beginning to mark the beginning of autumn not on Sept. 21st. Not when the leaves change, but when the Braves choke out of the playoffs.
It is a yearly ritual in which the rest of us look forward to.
Have fun, Craplanta fans!
By BB FAN
September 22, 2005 11:14 AM | Link to this
Still can ‘t admit who you cheer for! Well it is probably the Yankees since they are one of just a few who sell out all of the time. And 26,000 fans on a Tuesday or Wednesday is good. Most people work for a living.
And you don’t know s** about baseball, because it is well known in baseball that Cox is a great manager, JS is a great GM and the Braves have been a winning team since 1991. And they are the organization that all others strive to be like. Except the Yankees but that is because they just buy their WS rings. Of course, that has not happened since 2000. SO they must be a “crappy” team too. In fact they are, they have stripped their minor leagues so badly, they have only ahd 1 or 2 homegrown stars in the last 10 years.
Cox and the Braves have not exactly squandered the oppurtunity either. They have 1 WS ring that they earned and di not “buy” like the Yankees and Marlins. The Braves contend every year which is very difficult in pro sports with all of the player movement from free agency. Most teams can only contend foe a few years at a time. But the Braves have built a great team with a great minor league system that keeps developing superstars.
So, basically, I don’t give a s** what team you cheer for, HAHAHAHA, I KNOW THE BRAVES ARE A BETTER ORGANIZATION. There is not any team that can claim this.
By Marc
September 22, 2005 11:48 AM | Link to this
Hahaha,
I don’t give a damn about your comments about the Braves. But your statements about “inbred, ignorant rednecks” are racist and offensive. I assume you are probably a 16 year old Yankee fan or something who is too ignorant to realize that calling someone you don’t know an “inbred, ignorant redneck” is a racial slur. You show your lack of breeding by stooping to that. It doesn’t matter what the Braves have or have not won. You really need to get a life rather than slandering people you haven’t met.
By HAHAHAHA
September 22, 2005 01:28 PM | Link to this
Man, you guys are funny.
And wrong.
And once again, delusional.
BB FAN, you are delusional if you think the Braves never bought a World Series title.
When Turner was you guys’ owner, you had the top, or close to the top payroll.
Are you saying, you delusional hick, that you didn’t buy Greg Maddux?
And you, BB FAN, you ignorant redneck, obviously know nothing about baseball.
If you did, you’d know that the Yankees won those World Series in the late 1990’s and in 2000 without these big name free agents which have destroyed the chemistry guys like Jeter, O’Neil, Girardi, Posada, Cone, Martinez, and Williams built over the years.
So, the Yankees didn’t buy anything. They are trying now to buy the World Series, but it isn’t working, now is it, you ignorant backwoods yokal?
And no, I hate the Yankees as much as I believe the Braves and their Craplanta fans suck.
But at least when Joe Torre had the team that the Yankees built while the Boss was suspended from baseball, he didn’t squander his chances, like that moron Bobby Cox and his Craplanta Braves have done for what seems like forever.
So, you sister-kissing yokal, BB FAN, I do know a little something about baseball.
And you obviously don’t know anything past your Craplanta Braves.
By BB FAN
September 22, 2005 03:40 PM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA, You are a very funny little person. Can you think of any other names other than ignorant redneck or hick?
If you are not a Yankees fan, then who do you cheer for? You still have not answered that question. And for your information a*******hole, the Yankees have had the HIGHEST payroll since 1991! (Check the Salary Database on the USA Today website) That includes the year the Braves won in 95. Maddux was one signing. They had a lot of home grown players on that championship team. Or made smart trades to acquire guys. That is not buying s**.
Just because the Yankees made a few trades does not mean they did not buy their rings. All of the trades were for HIGH PRICED talent. So the Yankees have not only signed the top free agent every year, they trade for HIGHEST priced talent at the deadline every year. 1995 - Cone, 1996- traded for Fielder and Nelson, 1997 - signed David Wells, Traded for Stanton, 1998 - traded for Knoblauch , signed Irabu & O Hernandez, 1999 - traded for Clemens, Cone again, 2000- Justice, Canseco and Neagle, 2001 - signed Mussina 2002 - Signed Giambi and Karsay, traded for White, Mondesi, Ventura, 2003 - signed Matsui, Contreras, Zeile and Boone, Weaver, Hammond, 2004 - Signed Sheffield, Lofton, Olerud and T Lee, Leiber, Vazquez, Gordon and Brown, and A-Rod, 2005 - signed R Johnson, Pavano, Wright, traded for Chacon and Lawton.
All of these guys were HIGH priced!! This does not include the few homegrown talent that they have been able to pay millions to just to keep them. They traded away most of the little minor league talent they had. They can’t draft guys to develope them, they just trade for them or sign them. And you think I am the delusional one. If you think the Yankees built those teams and earned those rings, then you are a lot dumber than I thought. Anybody who knows anything about baseball, knows the Yankees trade for all the top talent at the deadline and sign all top free agents every year. And this has gone on since 1998. Like I said, the 96 team earned their ring, but not the 98, 99 and 00 yankees. Those were bought.
Torre is no better than Cox. He just always had unlimited resources. Whatever he wanted , Steinbrenner gave it to him. A monkey could have managed those Yankee teams to a WS ring. Money can buy anything.
Trading for or signing a superstar is pretty easy to do, the Braves develope their superstars. Therefore, you waste of oxygen, the Braves have done a better job than any other team. They have the picture perfect organization.
Oh by the way, you steamy piece of s**, I know more about baseball than you could ever dream about.
By bledbetter
September 22, 2005 04:08 PM | Link to this
C’mon now, lets take it easy on “HAHAHA”
HAHAHA is just some attention hungry socially awkward man-boy living in his parents basement; obviously unemployed, which is why he has free time to scour websites from all over the country to leave provoking remarks. He is just trying to garner some attention his parents fail to give him.
Lets all take a deep breath and try to make friends…I know someone reading this has some Dungeon and Dragon game going on this weekend you could invite him to!
P.S. Chipper Jones Career Playoff Avg : .415 Andruw Jones Playoff Avg in 2004 : .571
By HAHAHAHA
September 22, 2005 05:19 PM | Link to this
Yep, you effeminate Deliverance inbreeders, that Bobby Cox sure is great!
He’s in fine October form, if you ask me, or anyone else outside of Craplanta who knows anything else about baseball.
Hey, BB FAN, you Craplantan you, no, Jow Torre is different than Cox.
He has three more rings.
No wonder the SAT scores in Craplanta and Georgia are the worst in the nation… y’all can’t tell the difference between 1 and 4.
Or between a manager who chokes and chokes and chokes and chokes, and a manager who takes the great talent given him (as Cox had all those years witht he best teams in baseball) and doesn’t choke it all away.
Yeah, Joe Torre would have left Hudson into bat.
This guy, Bobby Cox, is the reason why Craplanta and its crappy fans are losers satisfied with never finishing on top of the heap.
We win Division Titles here in Craplanta!
Yee-Hah!
By BB FAN
September 22, 2005 10:14 PM | Link to this
Torre has had a lot better teams than Cox, you idiot. Like I said before, he had an unlimited payroll. Or can you read? I really just like arguing with you.
Anyway, I’m actually not from Atlanta, just grew up on TBS in the late 80’s. But I have been to Atlanta, and it is a great city. I was there just once 2 years ago when the Giants played Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs. I saw the first 2 games of the series. Andruw Jones robbed Bonds (I think it was Bonds) of a homerun.
We went out a few nights. Anybody been to the bar Jelly Rolls in ?? Buckhead ??, I believe. It has been 2 years. It is a great little bar that had dualing pianos. It was awesome. They played covers all night going back and forth. I also went to Coyote Ugly. That was pretty neat as well. All of the bartenders were hot women. Oh, and they actually do spray people who order water. My buddy was hammered, so I of course was going to the bar to get myself another beer, then I asked for a water for my buddy and got sprayed. She wiped me down after though so it was worth it.