The Jazz Game

Got down to Chinatown and ate at Capital Q Texas BBQ place for the first time ever. Crazy. I'm a big pulled pork fan, but everyone was ordering the brisket ahead of me. I got the brisket sandwich with the spicy sauce and a can of cola. It was 9 bucks but delicious. Like really delicious. You gotta check it out at least once if you like BBQ.

I arrived at the Verizon Center ready to go at 7pm for the game. I scanned my ticket and went inside. The arena was quite empty and I thought "typical". The Wiz are 0-5, Its football season, etc. Then I realized that the gametime was 8pm. Ug.

I decided to try the Modell's loophole where you can exit the arena and re-enter, but found there was a similar situation at the Green Turtle. You show them your ticket and get your hand stamped and you can leave & come back.

At the Turtle I grabbed an ice cold Bud Light ($5.50 with tip) and was happy to see that someone had left $3 on the Buck Hunter Machine. I killed some deer and decided to get to my seat early.

As the Wizards came out to shoot around, Nick Young tripped on the floor and almost fell on his face. Wow glad I got to my seat early. Ug again.

It was college night AND guys night out, and people were actually enjoying a lot of beverages. It was a college crowd, and I didn't feel like the only crazy drunk guy in the section. You could tell it was a drinking night when a Jazz player (was not touched) fell on his head and you could hear the smack in the upper deck. Instead of being in shock, the crowd (in the upper level) booed the guy as he lay on the ground for 4 minutes and yelled things like "your season is over" "delay of game" and "get up p***y" Stay classy Wiz fans.

When JaVale McGee checked into the game for the first time, the McGee Excitment hit the Verizon Center once again. People began to chatter. The volume of people talking got louder. And within 1 minute he had a rebound, a put back, and a huge block. Gilbert like excitement!

During the game I saw a crowd do something I have NEVER seen in my life. When Andre Blatche had the ball everyone yelled "pass it". At one point Blatche got a steal and started dribbling coast to coast. The crowd was scared. People were watching like they were watching someone walk on a tightrope over a Gilbert Arenas shark tank. Screaming. Yelling. Holding their breath. Closing their eyes. Many people were just laughing the whole time he dribbled down the floor. And when Blatche grabbed a rebound and went for the behind the back pass, which hit a Jazz guy in the hands, the arena errupted in anger.

Other than the Andray hate, there was a similar amount of Etan hate. "Get him out of the game" was often heard. He did have 2 blocks but...another ug.

Oh and there was also an awesome halftime show. It was a group of male/female gymnists that jumped of trampolines and flipped. It was awesome because the gymnists were not too good. After the first few gymnists went flying off the mats and landing on their backs, necks, & heads, the crowd started to watch in terror. The gymnists jumped in a crossing pattern almost hitting each other each time, which after the first few accidents was exciting to watch. A few more collisions, near deaths, and mat falls and it was time to watch the rest of the game.

The Jazz fan sitting next to me was a classic Jazz fan. He was a 50 year old white guy with white hair and a baseball hat. He was by himself, and reading a book in between plays. He held his anger on the inside and looked like he was about to explode. He was not happy when the Wizards won. He will probably take it out on his wife.

As Caron hit a "DAGGER!" a memory of the good old days hit me hard. When Gilbert would get the ball with 10 seconds left and you knew what was going to happen. When you would stand up after a big play and give an ovation to a great hustle play. Wizards basketball was back...at least for 1 night.