Whoomp! There It Is! - Born To Talk

I thought I would take a slight departure from the birds and write about another favorite pastime of mine…sports. Since 1986, I have been a Los Angeles, Dodger season ticket holder along with 3 other families. We each have 2 kids. Dodger games were a huge part of our lives while our kids were growing up. Some of our kids still bleed Dodger Blue.

I take my score pad to all the games. I do a lousy job of it, but it keeps me focused!

In 1997, we added the WNBA Los Angeles, Sparks to the mix. That was really cool. They played at the Fabulous Forum in those first 3 years. Until they moved to the Staples Center in downtown LA, to join the other LA teams, Lakers, Clippers and Kings.

The Staples Center has provided me some very happy highs and sadly the very lowest lows. Those of you that know me personally, or have followed me on this Born To Talk blog journey, know that my husband passed away unexpectedly in 2009 at the Staples Center, just prior to day two of the Pac-10 NCAA Basketball tournament.

I mention this, because we did share the love of sports and I continue to follow sports without him, as he would expect.

I’ve also mentioned that I prefer to be a passenger rather than a driver, so conquering getting myself to the Staples center is an achievement. I understand how pathetic that sounds! I didn’t even let a car accident leaving the Staples Center exactly 3 years ago today, prevent me from continuing to go there. Thankfully the witness was able to give the correct information as to who was at fault, not me. Broken wrist and a new car later, I healed and continue to move on down, move on down the road!

When do the pictures start??? How about now! In 2012, I had this feeling that perhaps our star player Delisha Milton Jones, might retire. I was partially right. She didn’t retire, but she did get traded during the off season.

I knew DeLisha and her husband from my early days at the YMCA. He played there and she practiced there. So we became buds…okay maybe only in my mind…but hey, I’m the one telling the story. Anyway, so I had an inclination, that we might not be seeing each other anymore. I worked a little Magic (oh my puns are just awful, and I guess you’d have to be a Sparks fan to get that, as Magic Johnson is one of our owners). I convinced the Sparks crossing guard lady, (she is the keeper of who walks around) to allow me to speak quickly during half time to DeLisha’s husband who was sitting courtside. I must have got Emma at a weak moment, because she let me make my way over to say hello.

What resulted was an opportunity to meet after the game and to just say hello and chat. I really cherish this picture. She won 2 gold medals in the Olympics and she is super nice. I’m excited to be seeing her play tonight against the Sparks.

She’s the taller one, in case you were wondering!!! She’s only 6’1″ but her arms have a 7 foot spread finger tip to finger tip! And watch up for those elbows!!

This week, something pretty amazing happened at the Staples Center during the game against the Tulsa Shock. I guess you could say it was “shocking.”

I had complained to management and anyone else that would listen, including the DJ at Staples about the volume of the music and the continuous playing of music during the game. I’m not talking when there was a time out or half time, just constantly and at a decibel that made a simple conversation impossible with the person sitting next to you. Not to mention my seat is 4 rows up from the floor, we should be able to hear the ball bouncing, frankly!

Anyway, this is not an opinion that I share alone, all of my friends that sit around me and next to me feel the exact same way. I just often time, by my own choosing, become the mouth piece for action. Born to Talk, that’s my motto!!

This time I sent a response to their renewal letter, saying really, you care about my experience, funny, sure wouldn’t know based on the lack of communication.

I’m now getting to the point. Not only did I receive a very nice email response from their Executive Vice President, but she came to our seats, introduced herself, and said that changes would be made regarding our complaints. I’m happy to report, that the changes were implemented that night.

Then she invited the 3 of us in our row, (our other friends that sit behind us were on a plane to Mongolia) to sit courtside for the game!

Can you believe it?? I felt like Jack Nicholson, sort of. Those are my feet!!!

It’s pretty neat, when you don’t have to use the zoom…I felt like such a groupie…but when will I ever have another opportunity like this. As it is, I’m no pro, I’m trying to keep my camera low, and shoot a moving target.