The Hunt for Reds October...Merch

While most of the world has moved on to fall sports, our house is still in baseball season.  The Goog is a die-hard Cincinnati Reds fan, or at least the biggest Reds fan I know, and this happens to be is first year since we've started dating (10 seasons!) that they have actually been good.  Personally, I think they were good this year since I attended Opening Day.  I'm just sayin'.

Play-by-play of the Goog's reaction to the Red's walk-off home run

Tuesday night, the Reds were able to clinch the National League Central division and are going to the playoffs for the first time since 1995.  If you heard an extremely loud "WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" on Tuesday night, that was the Goog. I'm pretty sure my friends over in England could have heard his excitement. 

Ain't no party like a shopping party 'cause a shopping party don't stop

Of course nothing says "NL Central Champion party" like fine champagna...cigars...an all-night shopping spree. I'm sure there were plenty of people who went to the game and stayed out until 4 AM partying and HAD to have a Championship lapel pin RIGHT THEN.  For real, the top story on the 7 A.M. news Wednesday morning was about the Reds Merchandise Shop being open for a continuous 36 hours to celebrate the Red's NL Championship. They had the JV newscaster at the store saying that the store was completely out of lady's shirts and the lines were 6-people deep. AT 7 A.M.   

NL Central Champs MERCH

Because I'm a good wife, I decided once I got downtown, I should probably go over to the Reds store sooner rather than later because I'd much rather stand in a 6-person-deep line at 9 AM instead of a 12-person-deep line at lunchtime.  I recruited my co-worker, JessMel, to walk over with me so that she could reign my spending in, in case I went on a crazy 24-hour shopping spree.  Maybe we went at a good time, or maybe the newscaster is a BIG FAT LIAR, but the store wasn't that crowded.  I was able to grab all the merch I was after - Tshirt, hat, pennant, baseball -  and had my choice between 2 no-wait lines.  The cashier tried to get me to buy said Championship lapel pin because it was "cute", but JessMel reminded me that I already looked at the pin and already decided I didn't need it...no matter how cute it was.

As we were leaving the store, one of the employees told us to "enjoy the game." It must have been a long night...

At lunch, JessMel and I went on yet another walk; this time to find a Cincinnati Reds special edition newspaper.  We walked all over downtown Cincinnati trying to find a copy of the Enquirer. One would think this wouldn't be that hard since nobody reads the newspaper anymore.  Of course, by "all over downtown" I mean the news stand 2 blocks from my building and the convenience store in the lobby of my building.  We finally found a copy from an admin that works with us. I also had my dad check at the grocery store near my parent's condo, and he found the extra-extra special edition!

Showing off his new shirt

The Goog claimed this was his cool guy pose...because cool kids wear baggy shirts and their pants pulled down below their waists. Obvs.


Would you go on a late-night shopping spree? Are lapel pins cute? Do you read the newspaper? Am I a good wife or am I a great wife for getting all this merch?? Gooooooo Reds!!!!