Beautiful day it is when you get to a college basketball game early, void of traffic jams, find the perfect parking place and have tickets in hand. Scalpers are selling $5 tickets, I paid $15 for. I was happy to meet a stranger at the Freeway Maverick to guarantee my seats, courtesy of KSL Want Ads. $25-$200 were my other choices.
Just the opposite happened four weeks ago when we walked up to the entrance of the 30,000 seat Marriott Center 20 minutes after the game had started, having hiked from the opposite end of campus, late; due to traffic congestion and asked where to buy tickets. 'Sold Out' was the answer as they went for $1 in the end, unbeknownst to us. No Jimmer Fredette was to be in our sites that day. Plan 2 was immediately implemented.
The hoopla creates energy, as the teams are introduced and run on. The announcer points out facts as four huge 40x60 foot banners are lowered to watch past achievements. Hearing the anthem and watching the spotlights swirl their beams throughout the center thrilled us, as we chanted "Jimmer, Jimmer" over and over. Lost, late comers arrive, looking for their seats. Our roomy benches get tighter as more people crowd in.
Before you know it the tip is made and the game begins. If your white and blue T-shirt doesn't have a '32' on it, you run out to buy one. Through binoculars I watch our players zip up and down the court like skeeters on water. Making baskets looks as easy as popping chips in your mouth. Soon we lead UNLV by four, seven then ten points, which is maintained the remainder of the game.
The star guard, 'Jimmer Fredette' '32', dribbles smoother than a fly fisherman's line running back and forth with ease. If there's a snag, its against him. Every foul shot hits dead center racking up the points.
We shout and stamp with the best of the crowd. Why not, this may be our one and only college BBall game and then again maybe not. It was spectacularly, super fun!! Having Jory & Sarah there made the difference.
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