I started this two part series last night about attending a small division III basketball game and the Indiana Pacers. I talked last night about the Wabash Little Giants and how awesome the experience was in the small high school like gymnasium. From the Chadwick Crazies to the well desciplined coaching style of the retiring coach, Mac Petty. He is what most coaches should aspire to be. He is firm but understanding. Disciplined, yet easy going. The players and fans love him. I wish I would have done more homework and attended a few more games.
Last night I had the opportunity to see the Indiana Pacers rematch against the Detroit Pistons. In the first matchup last week the Pistons won a close game in overtime. So, this was built up to be a good game. Would it live up to the hype??
And the answer is, not really. That's not to say it wasn't an entertaining game. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue. Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis just blocks away from the magnificent Lucas Oil Stadium. Coming into downtown on I-70 Lucas Oil Stadium, the host for Superbowl XLVI next year, sticks out like a sore thumb. That's not a very good way to put it, because it's a beautiful building. Driving by, you can't miss it. Conseco Fieldhouse kind of blends into downtown. It is what a downtown venue should be. It's nestled into the landscape, yet a beautiful building. Unlike Lucas Oil Stadium, you can't see it until you are right on top of it, then out of no where, WOW. After being in downtown Chicago the biggest drawback is parking. Some downtown venues don't figure parking into the occasion. We had to park over a mile away from Coors Field for a Rockies game. If you go to the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago, parking for one hour will cost you a whopping $22. The longer you take, the more it will cost you. Well, let's say parking at Conseco is a lot less of a headache. You can park in a garage, out of the weather and elements for only $12, and walk across a walkway above the street right into the Entry Pavillion. No fighting the rain, snow, wind, etc. The inside of Conseco is even more beautiful than the outside. As you enter the pavillion there are lots of people, and to someone like me that does NOT like crowds, it's kind of a scary feeling seeing all those people. But as you come down the steps they keep the people moving in a very efficient and painless manner. As you enter the main concourse you pass a small food court gift shops on your way to your seats. One of the most disappointing things for me was the lack of attendance and support. As is the case with most teams, when they are in a down year, people don't go out to support their team. A perfect example of that is the Kansas City Royals. As tip off grew near, over half the seats in the magnificent arena sat empty. That was probably the most disappointing thing for me. I bet when that place is full, it is an energetic, fun environment that's tough to beat. As I thumbed through the program we were given. Yes, given, did not have to pay for. Most places you have to pay over $5 for one. I recognized quite a few names just on the Pacers roster alone. Probably half the roster I remember whatching play in college not to long ago. The Pistons had a few recognizable names as well. Larry Bird has built a talented young team, and if he can find the right coach and get these guys to gel, they will be better than the Knicks, Bulls, Celtics or Heat. Next comes the starting lineups. The intro and starting lineup for the Bulls of the 90's is hard, if not impossible to top. The lights go out, the song "Sirius" comes over the PA, and the enthusiasm of the PA announcer, and I don't care how many stars you put on one team, it will never top the Chicago Bulls of the 90's. While it didn't come close to that, it was pretty impressive, and still gave you that "WOW" feeling. Most of the first quarter was pretty tight, but the Pacers took a commanding lead. During this run was a pretty impressive, behind the back dunk by forward Josh McRoberts. He had another pretty impressive one handed dunk late in the game. But what stood out the most to me was Tyler Hansbrough. I remember watching him play at North Carolina. He was one of the best college players of his time. Danny Granger is the core of the team, and the captain, but watching this kid was a real treat. My comment throughout the game was "that guy is EVERYWHERE." That comment is probably an understatement. Often he came from no where to get a rebound, or a steal. And this wasn't a few times. It was all the time, throughout the whole game. Through the middle of the fourth quarter the Pacers appeared to be on cruise control, avenging the loss the week before with ease. But the Pistons didn't go away without a fight, coming back and making it a tight game in the end. But the Brandon Rush of the Pacers had the final word taking a pass from Danny Granger and dunking it with authority. It was a nice statement to end the game with. Of all the "alley oops" and dunks in the game, that was probably the most impressive dunk of the game. While the game itself was pretty entertaining, the presentation left a little to be desired. It was too easy to get distracted. There was WAY too much going on. From the t-shirt launcher, to the Pacemates, to the trampoline dunking show, during every time out there was something to watch. It wasn't just during timeouts. Something was always going on, and you start watching then suddenly you look down and they've been playing for 30 seconds or so. Summing up, the "Star" factor, and the magnificent venue were a plus, but the lack of attendance and too much going on were a minus. All in all, it was a good experience. For what little I paid for the ticket, it was a very enjoyable experience and well worth the money.
The question is, if the Little Giants and Pacers were playing at the same time on the same night, which would I rather go to. That is a tough arguement to answer. It's not very often that you get to see star players like Darren Collison, Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough, Ben Wallace, Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue, and will probably be rocking in a few weeks when the Big 10 tournament comes to town. But it's hard to beat that "hometown team" in an old school gymnasium. Chawick court is a pretty impressive venue in it's own right, and is literally just up the street, within walking distance. I enjoyed myself at both games and it's hard to choose which is better. While they were both basketball games they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But I would give the edge to the Wabash Little Giants. It was a great feel. It made me feel like I was watching a professional team in an "Old School" high school gymansium. I don't want to take anything away from the Pacers, but I think I would prefer to go up the street and support the local team. These programs may not have a Tyler Hansbrough, or a Tracy McGrady, but they have a different importance. It gives guys like that an opportunity to play the game they love, showcase themselves and hope that a scout sees something in them, while still able to get a good education. And at the end of the day, isn't that what's more important, education?? These smaller schools often offer a better education than you would get at a Purdue, or an Indiana. In the end though, both venues were a great experience for a fan.
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