Here's a story of good karma being repaid... I'm a 4th year season ticket holder, and I faithfully go to every home game - sitting up in the nosebleed section by the 2 Championship banners. It's loud up there, and I love it. I also routinely take pictures of the banners and send them at unexpected hours to my cousins in Dallas who are, of course, Mavs fans. Well, this year when the Rockets sent out to their season ticket holders those 20% off your Toyota Center Rockets Shop Adidas purchase cards, I just hung onto mine... and a friend gave me his, so I've been hanging onto two for the last few months. I'm not a jersey-wearing guy, and that and the absurdly oversized warm-ups are about the only Adidas gear I ever see in the Rockets Shop. Nevertheless, I went to the game last night a bit early and wandered in there to look again. Yeah, not gonna buy that lonely looking Rafer jersey... XXXL shorts? Don't quite need those yet. So, as I'm walking out empty-handed, I stop by some guys at the register... they're eagerly waiting to buy what looks like a few of the Rockets jerseys. I open my wallet and hand over the two cards, explain that I wasn't planning on using them, and they seem pretty happy about it. I then went along to my seat and prepared to watch the game. 1st quarter, the Toyota Center is pretty much rocking as the Rockets come back from an early hole to take a nice lead. 2nd quarter starts, and as I'm screaming my head off about something, my phone rings. I don't usually pick up my phone during a Rockets game... especially if I don't know the number, but for some reason I did. Hey, it's Rockets guest services - and my account rep. Would I like to move down to the floor? Where? Behind the Blazers bench? Why yes, I think that would be nice. I've sat down there right by the visitors' bench before for a work function, and it was the last time the Blazers were in town -- a good game where, although we blew a big lead, we still managed to hold on for the win. That time, I was yelling in Nate's ear for the entire fourth quarter. This time, it was a little different. Apart from being a Playoff game, I had THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE. By that, I don't mean it was a great view of the game. Sitting behind basketball players kinda sucks if you want to see what's going on... but my seat was special. It was the one closest to the Extra-Special Foul Seat which was the one upon which Joel Pryzbilla and Greg Oden seemed to be playing musical chairs for the better part of the night. Many things were yelled in the direction of the Extra-Special Foul Chair... some by me, and some by other surrounding fans. I apologize in advance for the crummy camera-phone pics... For Mr. Oden, a few popular exclamations: 1) Learn from Joel! BE the flop! 2) Oden-wokandi! 3) 40 Year-Old Freshman! 4) No points, Five Fouls! 5) Number 1 Draft Pick, baby! Don't sell yourself short! And for Pryzbilla... 1) Flopper (or Flop-zilla)! 2) We're counting on you, Joel! You're a beast! 3) (when he was on the bench and another Blazer unsuccessfully tried flopping) What are they paying you for? Joel, you can teach him better than that! And so on... here are a few more pictures: Joel playing cheerleader. Nate trying to figure out how to extract more free throws from those whistle-happy refs. Pryzbilla unsuccessfully lobbying Nate to employ the Wonder-Twin-Towers strategy. And finally, Joel practicing his forward flop (used when fronting Yao) I had a great time. Thanks to the Rockets and their staff... they treat their season ticket holders (even the little guys in the nosebleed section) very well. We won an absolutely electrifying game (thanks Shane, Luis, Yao, and the rest of the guys that helped pull out the win!). And, of course, a nice deed was re-paid...
so they upgraded your seat because you gave your cards to someone else or was it just a coincidence? Do they just randomly call season ticket holders asking if they want an upgrade?
It was just a total coincidence. I like to think it was because I was a nice guy earlier that night, but who knows. It has happened maybe 3 times over the past 4 years. I've heard of other season ticket holders getting the occasional, random upgrade, but never during the playoffs. For me, the first time was the infamous night when it was announced that Yao went down for the season with the foot injury. We were in the midst of the streak, and we totally destroyed the Wizards that night. It happened again earlier this year (and I believe it was against the Bucks). I'm not sure if the decision to upgrade someone is based on tenure as a season ticket holder, attendence during the season, or just because they like doing it randomly.
last year for game 2 Dave2000's ticket rep gave him a few lower level club seats which the group of us were going to rotate with. I prompty was told to sit down and be quiet by the people all around me once I got down there and then was asked to leave for being too loud. glad your experience down there was much better.
I happen to work with kpsta and I gotta say it couldn't have happened to a bigger Rockets fan. Oden-wakandi and Flop-zilla seemed a little flustered last night, maybe you had quite an affect on them
Ya, I had that EXACT same experience for Game 2! I spent almost ALL of 2nd quarter underneath the stands with security grilling me. They thought I was drunk. How little did they know I'm just an uber fan. I was right behind the TNT crew . . . and I mean RIGHT BEHIND: Before they sat down: Deke getting a stretch: I was in Doug Collin's ear: I had one of those accordion signs & was whacking the ever loving s**t out of them (it's missing about 1/3rd of one end from the abuse). They escorted me away saying I was cussing & could be heard over Doug's mic. I called shenanigans. For some reason my DVR didn't work. I'd love to see that game if someone has it on download from TNT. Luckly, the guy sitting next to me knew head of security, called them to vouch that I was just cheering, wasn't cussing or drunk, and doing my job as a fan. I almost got them to give me a refund for the ticket & I was just going to sit with the Rowdies. I got a bottle of water for free instead & got to sit back in my seats . . . and enjoy the view:
BTW, ever since I held up a sign that said "Happy Birthday Colette" behind the crew's head once when they were on camera (don't remember who exactly), they (ESPN/TNT) have put up that cloth barricade EVER SINCE. I like to believe it was all my doing! Here is the sign I held up, I don't have a screenshot of it being displayed on TV cuz it was blurry anyways, but I almost got tackled by the TNT crew! Here I can be seen throwing a silly hand signal I made up: And here I can be seen throwing up the shocker: My woman saw me talking to the blonde on TV . . . she wasn't happy about it. I got a text saying "who's the blonde?" while my buddies were like "MAKE A MOVE!".
I'm r****ded . . . in a good way. I was trying to do something to promote my band (it was on the other side of the sign). And I should go on record saying . . . I was really sick during that time with a thyroid condition that really affected my mood. (I'm better now thanks!) I'm also over the shenanigans behind the crews. Now I just cheer & they escort me away. Besides being an attention w****, I am a pretty big fan & I put it all out there. Proof is in the link in my sig.
I was so focused on my story I forgot to comment yours. Nicely done. I actually sat near you then for Game 1 last year.
sorry bro, i wasnt talkin about u. i should of quoted the OP. my fault totally. if u were jumping in the camera that is cool and fun and just having a good time. im talkin about the dude running his mouth just cuz he has good seats. just cuz these players make millions dont give u the right to bash them. and just cuz other people or other fans do it, doesnt make it cool
