Lens and Pens

Mindful musings and images from travels around the world and around the block

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Basketball firsts and fun

Who would have thought that a night out to a college basketball game would add up to so many firsts? A couple and another woman who are regulars at UTEP games, invited me to join them last night. We went early to have dinner near the arena - which insures a good parking space. At Ardovino's we shared a Four Seasons gourmet pizza: 1/4 green chili & ricotto, 1/4 sun dried tomato and pesto, 1/4 spinach & ?, 1/4 artichoke & ? - very different and very good. Then a walk across the street for dessert at Cold Stone Creamery - another first. We all had their new special a chocolate carmel fantasy full of Ghiradelli squares and chips - very, very chocolately. 
At the arena, we'd found our seats just in time for tip off- except first the visiting team shot two foul shots because of a technical foul. Amazing! All these decades as a basketball fan - growing up immersed in Indiana high school basketball, as a fan of IU and college basketball - and the idea of shooting fouls before the game ever begins was really wild. Will have to check the paper for the explanation but word in the crowd last night was something to do with too many people on court before the game. Strange...
Another first was to see three young men as part of the Gold Diggers dance group that provided additional cheering and entertainment. 
Of course, there are always the traditions for each arena's fans. Miner fans stand at the beginning of each half until the opponent scores. I think other places stand until home team scores?  When visitor fouls out, they chant his every step off the court - left, right, left...
And this is El Paso, so in addition to bags of kettle corn, concession  staples included quesadillas and burritos. 
The game itself was see saw with runs and spurts of  NBN (nothing but net) three pointers by UTEP interspersed with sloppy play and bad shots, quite a few fouls and altercations, technical difficulties with a shotclock, an extended summit at scorer's table to assign a foul correctly, and some excitement in stands when visiting coach went ballistic with refs because of fan harrassment. Finally, the Miners put both offense and defense together to pull away at end and make it look like it the winning outcome had been assured from the beginning.  
All in all a good time with good company, good food, and anything but boring basketball.

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