NBA, or The Second-Chance Game
I first went to an NBA game in 2006. I jumped for joy and shrieked on the stairs (seriously) since I’ve been a devoted fan of basketball for a long time and I was overjoyed to finally fulfill my dream of attending a game at Madison Square Garden. I couldn’t believe that I was going to see all those gorgeous players live (Shaq was there, as was Dwayne Wade…). The venue itself hugely impressed me, as did the opening of the game – the vibe was great, so my euphoria kept up, but only for a short while. Soon everything went down. It wasn’t a major game, so the guys were too relaxed and I couldn’t witness the kind of play I hoped for. Additionally, which probably bothered me the most, everyone kept walking this way and that. I felt like screaming at the fans to make them sit down already. Everyone kept strolling by with their food and drinks – everywhere I looked I kept seeing hot dogs! It was a huge disappointment. In fact, I was so disillusioned I even stopped watching NBA altogether.
But this may be about to change. At the beginning of the year I and my friends went to a Brooklyn Nets game at Barclay’s Center. And this time everything clicked. What I have to say about all NYC-based events is that they are organized perfectly. Everything always goes smoothly and according to plan. The venue seats 17 thousand people and it was nearly full, and yet entering it and finding our seats took us about 10 minutes (even though we arrived mere 20 minutes before the start of the game). The other thing that never fails here is the show. Americans are really great at making entertainment. The game is one thing, but everything that happens during the breaks – the cheerleaders, the audience contests, funny bits involving fans – is a show in its own right.
The venue Itself looked impressive and is built in a way that makes it irrelevant just where you sit – you can see everything perfectly anyway. It’s a very steep place, which made it a bit of a challenge for me to come back to my seat with two beers and two… hot dogs. Yes, this time it was me who was a nuisance walking around, since everyone else kept to their seats and bravely cheered their teams. It took me a while to get my food, I admit (why on earth didn’t I eat before the game…?), so this time I was ruining it for other folks. The Nets lost, but the game was good and even, and I was happy I could see Dirk Nowitzki again (he plays for Dallas Mavericks). This experience serves as yet another proof you shouldn’t knock a thing after trying it just once. Maybe giving it a second chance is not such a bad idea, after all…?
