Phillies Cruise Update #2
It’s Jenn again, reporting live from the middle of the ocean! Lots to talk about again today…more Victorino sightings; Phanatic fun; and some sad, depressing news… I’ll leave the bummer for the end.
So yesterday I was chillin’ (or technically baking) in the on-board Spa Therapy Pool, reserved only for Spa guests and guess who stepped into the pool? Shane Victorino. Hee, hee :O) More fun for me! Well, I did not say much to him as I know this was a place of relaxation….just asked how his cruise was going. He said he was having a good time and asked me how I was doing and what I had been up to. I told him about scuba diving in Turks and all the pretty fishies :O) Aaron Rowand look-alike dude was in the pool too. He talked to Shane for quite a while….I left and headed for the headed marble relaxation chairs and Shane joined me a few minutes later. Oh, sorry no photos…I generally don’t carry a camera into the pool or around the Spa with me :O) Anyway, that was fun!
Today we got to “Meet The Phanatic.” He toured the room, harassing people, messing with the kids, re-doing people’s hair, etc… Ya know, the usual. Very funny stuff…then everyone had a photo with him.
Later we have a photo session with all the players, past & present and then a Q&A Session with Tom, friend of the Phanatic and a few others. I will try to video tape the Q&A and post that when I return. I will also have a full photo album to post when we get back so everyone can see what went on.
And now for the not so fun news…this morning, everyone on the ship received a copy of an abbreviated version of the New York Times, like we do every morning. However, this one was special as the back page contained an article on how JC Romero failed a drug test on 8/26 and appealed it so he could play in the Playoffs. JC was advised he lost the suspension on 9/23 and will be suspended for the first 50 games of the season. Supposedly, it was the same anabolic steroid that Mark McGuire used. (although personally, I think the whole thing is BS). Now, Major League Baseball has known about this for more than 3 months now. Why exactly would they wait to release the information TODAY, when they know JC is away on a cruise with 200 Phillies fans and cannot defend himself or respond in any way? MLB has just ruined all of our vacations. Within 1 hour of the article being distributed I had a guy on the elevator ask me if the Championship was legitimate. And I gather this will be the tune of the cruise from here on…nothing but harassment from the non-Phillies fans. And poor JC and his wife. Will they even come out of their cabin now? How humiliating for MLB to do this to him in such a public way. Yes, it would have been public anyway, but NOT like this where he is trapped on boat of 2,000 jerks, like the guy on the elevator, and cannot escape. And we fans who paid extra money for this event may now be deprived of speaking to JC as a result. I don’t know if he will be in the Q&A. I will let you know. I am disgusted by this on a number of levels. I do not condone drug use of course (but like I said, I don’t believe it), however, the way MLB handled it is despicable. MLB had to know exactly where Romero is right now, as they MUST inform a player before going public. Therefore, they would have attempted to contact him, so they knew full well what they were doing. Every one of those involved should be ashamed.
I could go on about this for hours, but it is just too depressing. I will try to post again soon to let you know what happens next. I hope everyone at home is doing well and I will talk to you soon!
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Hi Jenn,
It is fun to read about your time on the ship, esp. since I am a huge Phillies fan and have been on 6 ships including the one you are one.I have read alot on the internet about the Romero situation and nobody is blaming him. They feel sorry for him and I saw a timeline somewhere that showed he was not on anything at the time of the playoffs and world series. Don’t let it ruin your cruise. If you get to talk to the Phanatic’s friend, please tell him Jeannie wishes him and his wife a wonderful vacation.