While many tourists in the downtown Los Angeles area were taking pictures of the incredible statues of Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Chick Hearn and the like, a handful of folks decided to hang around and watch as myself, Bret and Danny ran through our evening live news hit. People gather and watch these instances often, some even try to get on camera. This particular crew wanted no part in that, but they sure thought we were special.
There were no autographs signed, but somewhere on Facebook or Instagram our faces will pop up in the middle of an album from these folks' trip around downtown LA. It was worth a good laugh at the very least and a much-needed one at that.
Between the Arizona/Wisconsin media availability times and the times of our newscasts at KVOA, I was sprinting around the Staples Center like I was Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shadowing Frank Kaminsky, only I was sweating much more. Still, our stories made it back to Tucson in time and eventually we were able to kick up the feet so to speak. With each passing game the pressure becomes more immense, the expectations are raised and the mistakes are magnified. The Wildcats from Tucson continue to take on the role of revenge seekers, although they would never admit it. Arizona was one play away from advancing to Dallas a season ago but a rough bounce sent them back to the Old Pueblo instead. Meanwhile, Wisconsin continued its dance another week. Led by player of the year candidate Frank Kaminsky, the Badgers are one of the more fun teams in the entire country. They joke with the stenographers, play arcade hoops with ESPN and dance around the court while the cameras are rolling. It's hard to dislike the Badgers. "They're not athletic," the doubters say. Or they mention the "white basketball" in reference to the Badgers slow, non-flashy and fundamental style of play. Wisconsin deserves more credit than that. Sam Dekker is arguably one of the most athletic athletes remaining in the tournament. Nigel Hayes is as fun to watch as any player in the Elite 8. Kaminsky may not have Shaquille O'Neal's personality but he can entertain a crowd. The Badgers are very much likable and fans that aren't familiar with them will likely agree if they tune in Saturday. Arizona does a much better job of amping up a crowd. Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson do so with their contagious grins. Brandon Ashley prefers the thunderous *clap* with those big paws. T.J. McConnell lets everyone know when the Cats are nearing victory with his gladiator-like scream. Then there's the death-stare from the nearly popped out eyeballs of coach Sean Miller. They can be flashy with their behind the back passes or between the legs dribbles or back-screen alley oops. Saturday's game between the Arizona Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers is, in my opinion, the best game of the tournament to date as it appears on paper. If the tourists really want a picture worth their while, they will find a scalper and lock down some seats inside Staples Center.
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AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
April 2016
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