Sherry and Ro dropped Mark off at work today to make things easier getting to the All Blacks event held on The Strand in Tauranga. The MasterCard All Blacks Roadshow, which travels around NZ on the team's off-weeks, features rugby skills competitions where you can match your scores against All Blacks players, but everyone mostly just comes to meet a couple of the current players and sometimes a historic veteran player as well. There are also activities for the kids and a featured autograph session.
http://www.mastercard.com/nz/personal/en/roadshow/index.html
Sherry was determined to get our souvenir NZ rugby balls signed, and although the show did not start until 11am, she and Ro got there at 10:20 to make sure they had a spot in the autograph section. As it states on the website, even though the event is from 11-3, the All Blacks are only there for two hours, so Sherry was on a mission not to miss them. Ro was in good spirits until Barnaby didn't show by 11am, and since the lines for the three rugby challenge activities were insanely long, he became quickly frustrated and bored. Add in the intense NZ sunshine, hardly any room to move, and a five year old's hunger, and the situation quickly became fairly desperate for Sherry. Things looked even more bleak for her when the events coordinator announced that the All Blacks would not arrive for another hour. She kept telling Ro to "Look for Barnaby," trying to make a game of it, and although this placated Ro for another 30 minutes, hunger won out. Even though she had packed a picnic for the park that was now forever away in a cooler in the boot of the car, she decided to take on the incredible line for the barbee and buy Ro the sausage he was begging for. He seems to eat every two hours these days, and he's always "starving."
Thirty minutes later, the All Blacks arrived and took the stage while Sherry and Ro were still about 15 minutes away from the coveted sausage and cold beverages. Sherry was struggling to hold Ro up so he could see the stage (he's getting HEAVY) and at the same time keep her place in line. Finally, with sausage in hand, while 90% of the crowd was watching the stage, Sherry and Ro made their way to the autograph line forming quietly at stage right. Even though there were around 25 people ahead of them, this was the front, if that tells you anything about how many people would soon fall in behind them.
By now it was around 12:20. The autographs would not start until 1 pm. Of course, you don't know any of this until the All Blacks arrive, and then again, you never know when they will actually arrive at these events. About five minutes into the wait, and after about two bites of the food they waited 45 minutes to purchase, Ro dropped his tomato sauce-smothered sausage into the sand. Sherry could've cried. Ro's eyes threatened rain, and his lip quivered, looking up to Sherry with those defeated, tired, hot, and hungry little boy eyes. "I want to go!" he pleaded. "I'm tired mommy, let's just go to the park," he begged. Sherry encouraged him to be a "big boy." They had made it this far, and once the line started, he would be happy he waited. Big tears were getting ready to roll when Barnaby and his Dad walked by. Salvation! Craig offered to take Ro for a bit, and congratulated Sherry on her prime position in the autograph line.
Finally, the autographs began. It only took around 10 minutes to get on stage, and luckily Craig had dropped off Ro just in time, so he could take his ball while Sherry carried Mark's. There was a strict adherence to "one item per person" in order to facilitate the flow of things. Pictures were only allowed while moving in line but not with the players, although Sherry did get a couple of usable shots as they approached the table. Signed balls in hand, Ro high-fived Sherry, and Sherry gave Barnaby a signed photo from the autograph table of one of the players so he wouldn't leave empty handed.
There were two current All Blacks present at the Roadshow, captain Richie McCaw and local favorite Tanerau Latimer, who plays for our Waikato Chiefs in the Super 14 and the Bay of Plenty Steamers in the Air New Zealand Cup. The five NZ Super 14 teams are made up of players from the 14 Air NZ Cup teams, and the All Blacks are made up from the Super 14 players. Keep in mind that the players at the highest level (i.e. All Blacks) continue to play for their local teams when their schedule allows, which would be like Derek Jeter playing Minor League baseball on his days off from the Yankees. In fact, they're required to in order to be eligible for selection to the All Blacks. The real treat for the fans, though, was former All Black great Buck Shelford; he signs his pictures with "3 B's" in reference to the "Bring Back Buck" fans would always chant after his retirement.
Ro captivated by the whole process
Check out Buck's amazing story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/2354565.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Shelford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_McCaw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanerau_Latimer
Tanerau Latimer hands Ro his ball as Richie McCaw looks on
After the Roadshow, Sherry asked Ro if he wanted to walk the few blocks to the foot of the new Tauranga Harbour Bridge that opened today, which was open just to pedestrians this afternoon. People traveled from all over the region to walk across the bridge today, which was a pretty momentous occasion for the Bay of Plenty. Mark knows firsthand the frustrations of trying to get across the current two-lane bridge at rush hour, and the new bridge parallel to the old one is a welcome sight indeed. Ro wasn't in a walking mood, though, and just wanted to head for the nearest jungle gym. So, Sherry and Ro said goodbye to new friends, and made their way to Fergusson Park along the Otumoetai Foreshore, where they had their picnic and enjoyed a great view of Mount Maunganui from the other side of Pilot Bay. The park, although scenic with lots of space to play, had a small playground not quite up to Ro's climbing standards. So, they headed down south of the hospital to check out another park Sherry had seen. This one scored big with Ro, so they played until it was time to drop the car off at the hospital and catch the bus back to The Mount.
Jumping for the bar at Fergusson Park Playspace
Mauao across the estuary at low tide
Ro gets rolling at Greerton Village School's playground
Once home, Ro and Barnaby played rugby in Coronation Park until dinner. When Mark got home, Ro was finally able to give him his Father's Day gifts and cake! The highlight of the presents was, of course, the signed rugby ball Sherry had worked so hard to get, but Mark also scored an All Blacks mug (with a silver fern that appears when you pour in a hot liquid), a Canterbury rugby shirt, a signed pic of Buck Shelford, a very sweet card, and several random objects Ro threw in the gift bag for good measure. To top it off, Sherry had fixed Mark a mini roast leg of lamb, steamed broccoli, and baked kumara (do you see a trend?), then we settled in and watched Step Brothers after putting Ro to bed. An excellent Father's Day indeed, and a memorable day for the BOP.
Oh, yeeaahh!
What Ro's been waiting for since yesterday
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