bballbeadle
Woman of a certain age
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 17,393
- Like
- 44,264
Friends, it was a roller coaster day. I have an anecdote which you might find amusing, and I am betting there are people here who could use a little amusement.
As indicated before, my daughter and I are staying with my 87 year-old mother-in-law. (We've been coming to Atlanta for Christmas for 32 years.) So, yesterday, bedecked and festooned with orange, Laura and I took the Marta and got to the Centennial Park about 1:00. The throngs were incredible! In fact, it was too much. We went into the park and stood in line for a long time for a beer for Laura, and then a while later for pizza and coke. We decided to head to the Hudson Grille which was the hang out for Cuse fans. It was ridiculous. Hardly a place to sit or stand. I took a chance and went up to one table and asked, "Anyone here from syracusefan.com?" This strategy has never been successful for me. Ever. But - a couple young men raised their hands and said, "We're lurkers. We don't post." I said, "Well, I'm Beadle." "BEADLE!" they yelled. You could have knocked me backwards! So, Laura and I went into the restaurant and stood in line for an hour to get her two beers, went back outside,and a couple of the guys stood up to let us sit. Chivalry is not dead! A shout out to FreeBilly and Warrickisgod!
Okay, all of this is rather sweet, but not particularly eventful. Let me continue. We sat and talked basketball with people. A mother and father sat down with their adult kid. The mother had gone to Laura's high school. The father had a cooler and gave Laura two more beers. Laura has now had 5 beers. The mother in me was going "Nooooooooooooo!" but it's her life and her hangover. We were all waiting until it was time to walk to the Dome for the first game. I was very interested to see it, and have Louisville cousins who were eager for me to text them "LIVE and in PERSON." About 5:30 I took out my fancy laminated tickets to show the parents (who didn't have such), and realized I had one ticket for the Semis and one for the Championship.
Noooooooooooooooooooo!
We both sat there, stupefied. Laura came to quickly. Must have been the alcohol. She said, "Mom, we can do this!" We shot out of our seats and walked rapidly to the MARTA. Got on and got off at Lindbergh. Grabbed a cab, went back to the house, shouted hello to mother-in-law (who was flabbergasted), back to Lindbergh in the cab, on the MARTA, got off at Civic Center instead of Five Points - mistake - walked and walked and walked to the Georgia Dome, got there about 8:00, the Ville is down and our Louisville cousins are frantically texting me to GET IN THERE AND SAVE THE TEAM! Finally, got there and in our seats with only a bucket of popcorn for our supper. Louisville made their comeback. Hooray! (I am sorry to offend those on this board who despise Louisville with every breath in their body.)
You know the story of our game. We were outplayed in the first half, and could never get over the hump in the second. Even when we got within one, it just didn't seem we had the stuff to win it, so I emotionally detached. And - alas! - despite their valiant effort, it was too little too late. Also, an AWFUL call against MCW. That could have given us a chance, I believe, but - - -
The MARTA trip home was pretty stressful. Too many people trying to cram in. Laura had a bit of an anxiety attack. The mood was lightened when an elderly gentleman at the back of the crowd yelled, "I'm a Syracuse fan. Clear out! I'm throwing myself on the track!"
So, we are staying in Atlanta, and will go to the championship game to cheer Louisville to victory. (Again, a million apologies etc. etc.) It really is a pretty amazing experience. I wish we could be National Champions, but dammit! We're not gonna be. I haven't read much about the game and what the players said. I don't want my heart broken, at least not until I can absorb the blow.
Farewell, fellow fans! See you on the other side.
As indicated before, my daughter and I are staying with my 87 year-old mother-in-law. (We've been coming to Atlanta for Christmas for 32 years.) So, yesterday, bedecked and festooned with orange, Laura and I took the Marta and got to the Centennial Park about 1:00. The throngs were incredible! In fact, it was too much. We went into the park and stood in line for a long time for a beer for Laura, and then a while later for pizza and coke. We decided to head to the Hudson Grille which was the hang out for Cuse fans. It was ridiculous. Hardly a place to sit or stand. I took a chance and went up to one table and asked, "Anyone here from syracusefan.com?" This strategy has never been successful for me. Ever. But - a couple young men raised their hands and said, "We're lurkers. We don't post." I said, "Well, I'm Beadle." "BEADLE!" they yelled. You could have knocked me backwards! So, Laura and I went into the restaurant and stood in line for an hour to get her two beers, went back outside,and a couple of the guys stood up to let us sit. Chivalry is not dead! A shout out to FreeBilly and Warrickisgod!
Okay, all of this is rather sweet, but not particularly eventful. Let me continue. We sat and talked basketball with people. A mother and father sat down with their adult kid. The mother had gone to Laura's high school. The father had a cooler and gave Laura two more beers. Laura has now had 5 beers. The mother in me was going "Nooooooooooooo!" but it's her life and her hangover. We were all waiting until it was time to walk to the Dome for the first game. I was very interested to see it, and have Louisville cousins who were eager for me to text them "LIVE and in PERSON." About 5:30 I took out my fancy laminated tickets to show the parents (who didn't have such), and realized I had one ticket for the Semis and one for the Championship.
Noooooooooooooooooooo!
We both sat there, stupefied. Laura came to quickly. Must have been the alcohol. She said, "Mom, we can do this!" We shot out of our seats and walked rapidly to the MARTA. Got on and got off at Lindbergh. Grabbed a cab, went back to the house, shouted hello to mother-in-law (who was flabbergasted), back to Lindbergh in the cab, on the MARTA, got off at Civic Center instead of Five Points - mistake - walked and walked and walked to the Georgia Dome, got there about 8:00, the Ville is down and our Louisville cousins are frantically texting me to GET IN THERE AND SAVE THE TEAM! Finally, got there and in our seats with only a bucket of popcorn for our supper. Louisville made their comeback. Hooray! (I am sorry to offend those on this board who despise Louisville with every breath in their body.)
You know the story of our game. We were outplayed in the first half, and could never get over the hump in the second. Even when we got within one, it just didn't seem we had the stuff to win it, so I emotionally detached. And - alas! - despite their valiant effort, it was too little too late. Also, an AWFUL call against MCW. That could have given us a chance, I believe, but - - -
The MARTA trip home was pretty stressful. Too many people trying to cram in. Laura had a bit of an anxiety attack. The mood was lightened when an elderly gentleman at the back of the crowd yelled, "I'm a Syracuse fan. Clear out! I'm throwing myself on the track!"
So, we are staying in Atlanta, and will go to the championship game to cheer Louisville to victory. (Again, a million apologies etc. etc.) It really is a pretty amazing experience. I wish we could be National Champions, but dammit! We're not gonna be. I haven't read much about the game and what the players said. I don't want my heart broken, at least not until I can absorb the blow.
Farewell, fellow fans! See you on the other side.
