I Got a Basketball Jones

 

photo by E Brixey

 

    My friend Eileen invited me to a women's college game at the Knight arena. I know nothing about basketball except it involves tall people running from one side of the court to the other and toss a ball thru a hoop. She is a big sports fan and kindly explained everything to me.

    The arena is ultra modern, the crowd enthusiastic and the teams well matched. A huge, flashy, wrap around screen hovers over the court like a space ship and the court floor has a nice design of trees edging it.

     I discovered sports is not just a game-it's an event. It is the church of sports whose devotees greet the athletes entrance with a marching band, cheerleaders, and fans wearing flashing necklaces of green and yellow (the U of O colors). Very theatrical, like an opera I suggested to my friend. She correctly opined that she knew as much about opera as I do about basketball.   

    These venues are a huge money maker for the athletic department. No one can bring their own so we consumed expensive beer and popcorn- I guess they have to pay for the coaches and the jumbo tron somehow.

    I enjoyed the game, but do we need all the fanfare for a ball game? Of course we do, is the reply, everyone has a good time, it encourages healthy competition and unity, but the unity only refers to cheering for our team while the opponent is largely ignored. The Washington Huskies were met with stony silence even though they played well.

    The evening was educational, surreal, and I realized I'm not into sports. I'm inclined to root for both sides and found the pregame entertainment silly. The U of O team won and with a polite round of applause, people quickly filed out, leaving their overpriced half eaten snacks behind. The cheerleaders were gone and the band was already packed up.

    Next time, we're going to an opera.