Tags
An Idiot Abroad, Basketball, Houston, NBA, Playoffs, Portland, Rockets, Sport, Trailblazers
I recently attended my first ever game of NBA and was lucky enough to jag a Playoff game between the Portland Trailblazers and the Houston Rockets.
I was accompanied by my girlfriend who is a local Oregonian and her dad who is a passionate supporter of any team vaguely associated with the North West of the USA so I had a couple of good guides.
The big bald bloke in the Portland shirt is my best mate…..for the sake of this blog I am going to call him ‘An Idiot Abroad’ as that is exactly what he is…..come to think of it he is an idiot in Australia too however I digress.
The game was sensational despite Portland going down in extra time. I have to say that as a sporting event it has to be one of the best atmospheres I have ever been involved in! I am not a basketball fan by any stretch of the imagination and I have been to several major sporting events including an AFL Grand Final, the ANZAC Day Clash, The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, an Ashes test, Aus Big Bash Grand Final, State of Origin Rugby League, US Baseball Game in Denver, NFL game in New Orleans etc etc however the energy and spectacle at this event takes the cake.
I’m not sure if it was the enclosed space, the seating arrangement, the company or the energy of the crowd but it all combines to make a pretty good time. It probably doesn’t hinder the process that the Moda Centre is a world class facility that caters easily for the crowd in attendance whether it be food and drink required or ablutions.
Whichever way you look at it…..these yanks can teach us Aussies a fair bit about how to run a sporting event….especially if you have the misfortune of watching a game of anything at Subiaco Oval in Western Australia…..sheesh!!
Go Portland (Next Year)!!!