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Hearing Bloc Party's first album
From Press Row: Wizards Clinch and the Crowd Goes Mild
For the first time since the George Mason-UConn classic, a media credential hung like diamonds around my neck for an actual sporting event. The occasion was Washington's taut and ultimately disappointing loss to the Nets on a night when they backed into the playoffs thanks to an Indiana loss. The evening included everything from phenomenal swag to a Marv Albert encounter, and here's the blow-by-blow ...
Campbell, Dockery and Lady Friends Take in the Game
· Washington's starting lineup: Antonio Daniels, DeShawn Stevenson, Jarvis Hayes, Antawn Jamison and Etan Thomas. Bullets fever!
· The matchup to watch is Etan's hair vs. Mikki Moore's hair.
· Dan Steinberg in the house! He arrives late after losing his wallet in a cab and immediately scans the crowd for giveaways and crazies (i.e. Bog fodder). Before you know it, he's off with a pen and a pad, and Littles says, "He could be anywhere, from the front row to the rafters." Steinz is like The Fugitive in this place.
· Andray Blatche Watch: No run at all in the first quarter. Would be nice if Eddie Jordan would play him just to see what the kid can do with consistent PT, because we know Hayes can't do jack.
· Jason Campbell sighting! He's signing autographs, posing for pictures and sitting with ex-Redskins left guard/Bills free agent prize Derrick Dockery and lady friends. Littles says something about JC's lady being Miss DC.
· Richard Jefferson elbowsAD something wicked to the face. It's getting testy in here. Good crowd for a Tuesday night in DC sans Gilbert and Caron.
· And a closely contested first half ends with DeShawn drawing rim on a 70-footer after Vince Carter did the same at the end of the second quarter.
Ah, halftime. I scanned the crowd hoping for an Unsilent Majority sighting. No such luck, so Littles and I went to the press area where ice cream sundaes are all the rage for the working media at the VC. I passed since I hadn't had dinner yet but on our way there we encoutered a guy randomly throwing DeShawn's I Can't Feel My Face t-shirts into the crowd. Ask and we shall receive!
DeShawn's Signature Move in T-Shirt Form
With Steinz nowhere in sight and Littles by my side (actually, I was just following him around), we return to the game, this time on Press Row Level 1. With the big-deal types! Notes from the second half:
· Washington Post columnist Mike Wise sits down next to me and notices my Washington Post Live credential, which he believes to be the first of its kind and jokes, "I'm with Washington Post Analog."
· Clifford Robinson enters the game. Littles guesses that he must be 40 and I date his rookie season as '89-'90. We're both right, and the proximity of Robinson's waistband to his belly button confirms these truths.
· Steinberg joins us on Level 1, which is funny because a) He looks like Wise's little brother and b) He's getting cat calls from the fans. Bog Man Dan owns this town.
· We watch the scoreboard as the Pacers take the lead at Philly. The Nats and O's are also losing. Dan suggests I start reading DC Optimist, which I will.
· Wise says he's starting a blog called Mr. Totally Innocuous, which may or may not be an ode to Mr. Irrelevant. Hi, Mike!
· The Wiz carry a five-point lead into closing time, only to blow it due to New Jersey's defensive clampdown and horrible officiating. I point out that "We can score during the muck and the mire of the rest of the game, but the end is a different story." I am proud of this observation, especially the muck and the mire part. I also probably shouldn't be saying "we" on press row, but whatever.
· Moments after the final buzzer sounds, signifying Washington's sixth-straight loss, the PA announcer exclaims, "The Wizards have advanced to the playoffs! [Pause.] The Wizards have earned their way into the playoffs." Nary a cheer is heard.
Blog Show Class Photo: Littles, Irrelevant and Bog (Taken by a Gracious Youngster With Good Seats)
As the crowd files out, Steinberg began interviewing random crazies fans for the Bog, and he and Littles schemed the next Bog TV production: an expose on Caron chewing straws. For that we made our way down the tunnel, with me in full tag-along mode, where we encounter Tough Juice and Wise. They had a conversation about who knows what until Steinberg's lingering presence could no longer be ignored. (I can say that because I was lingering behind Steinz.) Dan asked Caron what's up, which sparked the following exchange:
Butler: We just vibin'! You know, like how you and I vibe?"
Steinberg: "You wanna do the straw thing now, or are you too down?"
At that moment a lady walked up and began talking to Caron, so Steinz went back to lingering. It was then that Marv Albert emerged from the tunnel and into the hallway. He stopped for a minute to wish Butler luck and speak with Wise, at which time Dan asked Marv if he'd do a spot for Bog TV. While Marv considered that, Caron finished his conversation and unsuccessfully attempted to get Dan's attention. Then both Albert and Butler parted in separate ways leaving Littles andSteinz with nothing other than the sad realization that Dan had blown Caron off for Marv.
On we went to the Wizards locker room, a place like none other I'd been before. Gorgeous blue carpet with Wiz logo. Two huge flat-screens. Stationary bikes. An honest-to-goodness Hustle Board. Two lockers for Arenas, one for everyone else. The place was hushed, home to the most muted playoff-clinching celebration ever. It was the opposite of celebratory, although Blache's custom-made Wizards shoes did lighten the mood.
Amidst all my gawking, Steinz and Littles left the room, probably in search of something, anything for Bog TV. Feeling the hunger pangs in my stomach, I made my way out of the bowels of the arena, past the long closed-down ice cream buffet. Towards the Metro I strolled, thinking of Marv's hairpiece and late night eats when the Golden Arches suddenly appeared. Against better judgement I walked in, where the aroma of stale urine hit me like an RJ 'bow to the face. Out the door I turned and into the night, media pass still around my neck, hungry but happy.
Update: Skins blog Hogs Haven thought so much of the JC photo above that they made a whole post about it. The money line?
"Jason Campbell looks like he's about to throw like 18 touchdown passes with just his eyebrows. Also, notice that killer 'stache ain't going anywhere."
Wiz Soar Gloriously Into the Playoffs [DC Sports Bog]
Wiz Clinch Playoff Spot but Losses Are Getting to Them [FanHouse]
So Much for the Unleashing [Bullets Forever]
Wizards Motor Into Third-Straight Playoff Appearance [DC Optimist]
Written by dcsportsguy Blog about this entry |
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Is it just me or is the Wizards team shop in the Arena the worst in the league. It was barren, and this was a few hours before game time.
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That was so beautiful and poetic at the end.
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How did your Blog show get bumped last night? Darius and Roy Firestone? Ouch, that hurts. Love your work, keep it up.
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Nice recap, but I'm disappointed that you didn't come back with at least one shoe from Agent Zero.
4/13/07 10:28 AM
Chicks Dig The Long Ball