Scott Hairston didn't see it coming either. (Photo by The Associated Press.)
One of the fantastic things about seeing an artist with the vast catalog of Bruce Springsteen is you never really know what to expect when you see him in concert.
Sure, there will be a Born To Run, most likely a Badlands, good shot at The Rising. But the songs in between those staples... they're like your iPod or iPhone on "Shuffle." Unpredictable.
So no, I didn't expect to hear Bruce pay tribute to The Band on Wednesday at the Prudential Center with "The Weight." Nor did see "Talk To Me" coming. And I certainly never thought I'd hear the E Street Band play "Bishop Danced" for the first time.
It was all unexpected. Sports is like that too.
We want to be there on that special night, just like the Angels fans in Anaheim. As I was hear Bruce tear down The Rock, they were watching Jered Weaver toss a no-hitter. You certainly couldn't have predicted that. But just like I'm happy I heard "Bishop Danced" live, Angels fans are undoubtedly happy they saw the no-no.
Of course, the added benefit of chasing the unexpected thrills at concerts is the odds of it being poor are low, especially if you're seeing a Springsteen-caliber artist. In sports, the unexpected is not always good.
It hasn't all be roses for Anaheim fans this year. Albert Pujols is 32 games into his season and still doesn't have a home run. That's unexpected.
And despite lofty expectations before the season, the Angels find themselves in dead last place in the AL West, with only four teams in all of baseball having worse records. That's unexpected.
And the Mets took all the momentum of a series win in Colorado and proceeded to get swept by the Astros in Houston. That was really unexpected.
In some ways, the good unexpected has outweighed the bad unexpected for the Mets so far this season. Despite the sweep, the Mets remain over .500 more than a month into the season. That's better than many of the more dire predictions. But that Houston series sure did leave a bad taste in the mouth.
But you put up with that because you want to experience those special unexpected nights... whether it be "Bishop Danced" or Jered Weaver.
