As I finish watching Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, I wanted to write a quick bit about something I did for the first time this past weekend.
After over 20 years of living in Central Florida, I finally went to my first Magic game.
I don't know why I never went before. Growing up, the Magic were an hour west of my parents' house. I use to watch them all the time, back when they had Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, Dennis Scott, etc. But for whatever reason, I never went to a game. I guess when I was in high school, an hour seemed pretty far away.
Although I never made a game, I did go to the Orlando Arena, the home of the Magic, twice.
My first trip to the O-Rena was for the 1994 NBA Draft party. I have no idea how they got them, but somehow the people I babysat for (yes, someone trusted me with their kids) acquired a handful of tickets to the team-sponsored draft party. I don't remember much about the event, but I do remember a few sports radio guys hosting contests and there being an overall sense of optimism. After all, the Magic were supposed to draft Michigan forward Chris Webber, who was to be the Robin to Shaquille O'Neal's Batman. Together they were supposed to dominate the paint for the Magic as no duo had done before. Everyone knew Webber was a future all-star, and they were elated when he was drafted by the Magic with the first overall pick. That sense of optimism suddenly walked out the door however, when the Magic traded the rights to Webber to the Golden State Warriors for Penny Hardaway and a handful of draft picks. Like hundreds of other people, we left the arena and headed home. Thought not before first swinging by a Steak and Shake.
The second time I went to the O-Rena was for a 3-on-3 Hoop-It-Up tournament in 1995. As any one who as ever seen me play basketball can attest, I have no business in a basketball tournament. But a few friends of mine needed an extra body, and for whatever reason, they thought of me. Needless to say, we didn't do so hot, although to this day I swear the guys we played in the one game we played were far too good to be in the benchwarmer-level league we signed up for.
Fifteen years later, otherwise known as "last week", with the Magic set to close the O-Rena forever and move to new home a few blocks away, I read Fox Sports Florida correspondent Whit Watson's tribute to the O-Rena. After reading Whit's lament and his story about how he met his now-wife, I dropped him an email and expressed my regret that I never made the trip to the arena for a game.
No less than 24 hours later, while at a Rays game, a friend of mine made me an offer I couldn't refuse: a ticket to Game 1 of the playoff series against the Boston Celtics. I was finally going to my first Magic game.
Although I've been to dozens of college basketball games, seeing an NBA game live is far more "amazing", to quote their commercials. There is more hoopla, more smoke, louder noisemakers, and more intensity. Add that the game was the first of Round 3 of the NBA Playoffs, and there is no doubt I walked into one of the most intense sporting environments in Central Florida. An environment I couldn't help but be quickly immersed in. I rattled my noisemaker, hooped and hollered for the Magic, and had a great time.
While there I also got a chance to say hello to Whit Watson. Whereas I've seen Whit a few times at Tropicana Field, that's my neck of the woods. This time, I was in his house.
Having now been to an NBA game, I have to say that there is a huge difference between seeing a game live versus watching it on television. First of all, on television a fan's view is at the mercy of the cameraman. You can only see what the camera sees. If the camera wants to focus on a fan picking his nose instead of the team with the ball running down the floor, then that's what the viewer sees. NBA legend Charles Barkley once said that the way he watches basketball is to watch the best player on the floor the whole game. That is nearly impossible on television. In person however, you can focus on the best player. You can watch them move without the ball, hustle down the court, cheer on the sidelines, and do all the things best players do.
Another advantage to seeing a game live is the ability to see the players as a unit. You can see the offenses set their positions, see the defenses work together to prevent the offense from scoring, see the point guard push the ball up the court and exactly where his teammates are. Seeing basketball live gave me a whole new perspective on the game, from the strategy to the sheer speed and size of the players (I never realized how big Celtic "Big Baby Davis" actually is.). There is a lot that gets lost from the court to the camera to my television screen.
I took way too long to see my first Magic game. For someone who has driven seven hours from Tallahassee to Miami to see a Marlins game, or who has driven three hours to see a concert on numerous occasions, the hour and a half from Tampa to Orlando should have never been an obstacle. Although the next time I go to a game might not have the the intensity of the playoffs, now that I have taste of live NBA action, I will definitely be going to see where amazing happens more often.
