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RICH'S "ONELUCKYFAN" INSTAGRAM FEED

RiCH'S NOTES

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​@richomalley

@oneluckyfan

ASTORIA, NEW YORK: 3 January, 2018

     It is done.

     I crossed the finish line in Houston on New Year's Eve. I'll admit -- it was a little teary. But also quite exhilarating.

     123 out of 123! Of those, 40 or so came in that insane seven-week window beginning in Phoenix on Nov. 9. Somehow it all came together. Somehow I didn't miss a game. Somehow I missed a flight and STILL managed to check all my boxes.

     The biggest disruption was a debilitating cold/flu/something over Christmas break -- at home, of course!

     Now I am home again, for good, and comfy in my own space again. Christy is ecstatic. Alfie is beside himself. And I couldn't be happier.

     Now comes the tricky bit -- turning this into the book it has always wanted to become. I welcome the challenge -- starting next week -- sounds like I'm gonna be shoveling some snow first!

     Again, I couldn't have made it this far without all of you. Thanks for your support along the way. Thanks for your continued support as I tear my hair out trying to find the right words to tell the tale. I look forward to catching up with you all as I settle back in at home.

     Aside from now being the ultimate "One Lucky Fan," I am also One Lucky Friend/Relative/Husband/PupPop/You name it!

     Here's to a great 2018 for us all!

ASTORIA, NEW YORK: 16 July, 2018

     We've got ourselves a deal!

     The fine folks at Post Hill Press have agreed to publish "One Lucky Fan" with an expected release date in spring 2019! Obviously I am ridiculously happy and so excited for all of you to read the fruits of my labor over the past ... wow ... I started this craziness 14 months ago!

     The first draft of "OLF" is complete, and it's off to the publisher this week. from there it makes it way through the editing process and then design and printing and then the most important part -- the reading process!

     That's where you come in. I expect pre-orders to be in place by the end of the year and I'll for sure send out information when available.

     I'll hound you plenty so you don't forget! Stay tuned ... !!!

 

DALLAS, TEXAS: 30 December, 2017

     One. More. Game!

     Greetings from the first "day off" I have had on the road in weeks. Yes, I did get to go home again in between legs two and three, but while I have been away for those I have had a game every day -- that's 12 LONG days, my friends.

     And so now I sit in a hotel Starbucks both contemplating how far I've come and considering my next steps -- mainly going home for good and getting back to work on "One Lucky Fan" -- in the writing sense, not the stumbling-around-the-country sense. It has been weeks since I have put pen to paper (metaphorically speaking) on the book, and I cannot wait to get back to it.

     I honestly have no idea where I'll begin!

     But once I make that call, I have no doubt it will begin to flow. And then stop. And then I'll wonder why I started this crazy deal in the first place!

     Writing is fun! No, really! And, also, maddening.

     But first thing's first -- Houston tomorrow. One more bus, one more schlep, one more night in a hotel and then one more in an Airbnb. One turn of the calendar coming up after the game. And then one more flight -- home.

     122/123. Tantalizingly close ... Here. We. Go!

LaGUARDIA AIRPORT, QUEENS, NEW YORK: 14 December, 2017

     My bags are packed, I’m ready to … hey, wait a second! I did this already!

     Welp, I am doing it again … no sooner do I complete the minor miracle of sweeping through the first, monstrous leg, issue-free, 29 games in 34 days, than I have to turn around after only 46 (wonderful) hours at home and hit the road for eight more games in eight straight days. No rest for the crazy.

     But my body and mind are rejuvenated by my time home … my soul rejuvenated by seeing my love and my rock, Christy … my good feels rejuvenated by wonderpup Alfie. It was a long, hard slog at times being away from them and the comforts of my world, but it was never dull! I got to see so many new places, including the great north of Canada, as well as chalk up my 50th state in Alaska. I ran into an old friend in Vegas, attended the afterparty for the Game Awards (I know, right?!) with another and even saw The Killers and Weezer at the old Great Western Forum. Again, never dull, even on off days!

     My mission to see a home game for every pro sports team now stands at 110 out of 123. We are closing in, folks.

     I have sample chapters floating out there in the world for consideration (yikes!). I have a goal that is ever nearer. And I have all of you cheering me on. It’s a pretty amazing life I am getting to lead right now. I hope you’ll keep following along.

     Let’s enact phase two. See you all later for the Hawks in Atlanta. Team number 111 goes down tonight. Off to the Southeast we go!

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA: 30 November, 2017

     I survived the hardest part!

     Greetings on my first day without a flight or drive or long bus or train in two weeks! Last night was my first without a game since Nov. 15. It's been a long haul. But the worst is behind us.

     Our tally after tonight will stand at 105 out of our final goal of 123.

     And the grind eases up a bit now. No more into-and-out-of-Detroit six times. No more two games in a day. Only two more flight-and-game on the same day.

     We've lightened our load by sending one bag home with my friend PT, who will drive from Detroit to NY for Christmas. That makes the schlep days a lot easier.

     So far the highlights have been Michigan/OSU football, which doesn't even count toward our mission (!), and the new arenas in Detroit and Sacramento -- very different from each other, both bring a lot to the table for the next generation of sports venues. Lowlites -- well, Coyotes hockey in the middle of nowhere Arizona wasn't real memorable... nor was Memphis hoops -- very underwhelming.

     Remember, for more regular updates check out my Twitter and Instagram feeds -- click the icons on your left. I've taken to adding animal pix and grammar commentary -- fun stuff! But hey you have to amuse yourself out here -- it's not ALL games, but it is mostly very fun. Join the journey!

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: November 17, 2017

     And so we have made through one week!

     In Phoenix and Los Angeles we managed seven games in seven days. That brings our totals to:

     20 out of 27 remaining on this first 34-day leg, 33 remaining for the entire seven-week trip, and our tally now sits at 90 out of our final goal of 123.

     I haven't yet found an In-N-Out Burger on this trip and not from lack of trying. I guess you could call that my biggest disappointment to date. So that's a win! I did forget my old-school Seahawks jersey back at my Phoenix Airbnb, so that was a bummer. It arrived home yesterday, beating me by almost a month. I also packed up and shipped home six pounds worth of other clothes. My first trek from PHX to the apartment was hilariously clumsy -- I needed to shed weight and make some even tougher decisions. But it was the right call.

     The weather has now taken a turn and will only get worse. After t-shirts, shorts and sandals for a week, a bracing 50-degree light rain greeted me in Sactown last night. And it's only going to get chillier from here.

     Remember, for more regular updates check out my Twitter and Instagram feeds -- click the icons on your left. No YOUR left. That's where the magic happens daily. And by magic, I mean me commenting on things like Taylor Swift's banner at Staples Center and photos of houses from old TV shows.

     But we're REALLY doing this, y'all! More to come...

BUFFALO VS. OAKLAND, NEW ERA FIELD: October 29, 2017

     Well ... that was cold and wet!

     Buffalo certainly lived up to my expectations of bad-weather football. I was struck by New Era Field, though. Not at all what I expected. The place seems SO much smaller than it is. At just over 71,000, New Era is the 11th-largest park in the NFL. But the majority of seats being in the lower bowl gives it a much cozier feel. So do the damn metal bleacher seats! And let me tell you: metal + rain + jeans = miserable. Also, I am a Raider fan and they got their fannies kicked. Also, my flight home was cancelled and I had to sweat out getting a standby ticket for the only other flight out (which was delayed three hours, but I got on, and out). Finally got to bed at 3 am -- 23 hours after I woke up. Let's hope my connections on the big trip go a little smoother!

     And that all begins in just over a week.

     More fun then ... lots more.

October 11, 2017

    Beginning with Raiders @ Bills in Buffalo on Oct. 29, I will post musings from the road in this space. The long haul begins Nov. 9 in Phoenix with a Thursday Night Football matchup of the Seahawks and Cardinals.

     From that point through Dec. 31, I hope to see games in 41 different pro venues, completing my mission of seeing all 123 MLB, NFL, NBA & NHL franchises. Of course, weather and airline screwups might have something to say about that! But we hope for the best.

     Stay tuned ...

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