Observations from the Staples Center - can the RG learn something? (Slight update: 5-14)

by idoltime on May 13, 2009 1:32 AM PDT Comment 32 comments

Note: Updated 5-14 at 3pm to add some conclusions and links for Flea's bass rendition of the National Anthem

So tonight I got to attend the game 5 massacre in LA. I sat in the way deep high seats offbaseline. I went with a friend who is L.ker fan as I used to be a long time ago. When he first offered the tickets, it was before we knew the Blazers wouldn't themselves be there. I wore a Spanish Bull shirt -

and was happy rooting against two teams I dislike with a bunch of players I "dislike".

That being said, in addition to wanting to see a good game (didn't really get that) and someone get ejected/flagrant fouled/bloodied (that either), I started really paying attention to the entire experience to compare my experiences at the Rose Garden as a season ticket holder the last three years.

First and very important to Blazer fans - Anyone who wants to broadly dismiss the L.ker/Staples Center fanbase for lacking any fan passion has never sat in the "cheap seats" (80$ a seat?!?!). I thoroughly enjoyed myself up there because they were sooooo rowdy and talked sooo much smack about the Rockets it was just like being in the RG a couple of weeks ago - except enjoyably more ethnically diverse.. But people from up top finally left with around a minute left in the blow out, and they were rowdy the whole way. Mbenga is loved there like a crazy mix of Ruffin/Bayless/Shavlick/Ike/etc.. the intensity for the Mbenga chant was far more than the 'Houston sucks' chant earlier in the game.

Not sure if this was obvious on TV (if anyone kept watching), but they did the wave. It took a few go around for the entire arena to get it at the same time (at one point there was a lower bowl wave going one way and an upper bowl wave going the other), but they got it done.

I'm not going to lie and pretend it was as loud as the RG, but I am also here to say that every seat was basically filled prior to tipoff. There are a lot of things fake down there, but I didn't experience fake fans out there. Maybe playoffs change things but that place was packed for several minutes leading up to the anthem/lineups.

Oh yea.. Flea did the national anthem; almost certainly the best to which I've ever borne witness. Best video link I've found for it yet

Ok.. So.. the bad things about the Staples Center experience...

The only individual stats that are displayed at all times are the points and fouls of the players that are in the game; I kept looking for a board with some more stats like I do at the RG and found myself missing it. They don't display anywhere close to the number of team stats that we do either. I found myself really missing our three independently cool stat boards (nine players with guys playing individual stats, detailed team stats, and the hustle board!) and confirmed my own geekiness for myself.

They play commericals for movies sometimes during timeouts/between quarters. The starting lineup was "sponsored" by the new terminator movie and they kept showing some clips from some other movie that they finally gave one row free tickets. Other than this, a little towel at the door,

and the "Free Taco" coupons - they never gave ANYTHING away.

Beer might even be more expensive: I paid 19$ for two Dos Equis. And the nearby bars were only slightly better.

Now I don't want to incite any fights, but the L.ker dancers reminded me so much of Blazer dancers.. but it was as if the Blazer dancers went bulemic for a week and didn't get even slightly more attractive for it. Oh yea.. and they are also a more ethnically diverse group. But even my rather crude L.ker loving friend felt it was odd that these girls dance stripper moves at a basketball game.

So my mom (a total Blazer fan who attends many games with me) loves Pau Gasol and wanted a shirt. They had nothing - only jerseys. Every shirt that wasn't just the L.kers was basically just K0be. If it wasn't obvious - they are obsessed with him there. They even lightly play music when he is on the foul line to encourage MVP chants. I loudly asked if Lebron was in the building and got ugly looks: did I mention yet that i enjoyed myself despite the L.kers winning like that?

Okay.. so.. despite that.. Staples centers does a few things that were really cool.

Staples throws a drop cloth from on top of the big screen down to the floor and projects their little preannouncements video; it was really a nice effect and one that I would fully endorse.

So they don't give anything away.. but they also don't really do tons of dumb contests and annoying stuff to waste time... except for the stupid movie commericals I already mentioned. They did a round of Kiss Me cam (celebrity edition), a half court shot (that went horribly) contest, some thing having to do with a pretend car race where either red, white, or blue win (white wins.. even in LA), and lots of dancers stuff. No stunt team, shooting shirt, getting fridges, throwing balls at pins, or anything like that. Honestly.. despite not liking the commericals.. i enjoyed not being talked to over the loud speaker about people doing dumb things (OR HAVING TO LOOK AT a STUPID MASCOT!!!).

I got a couple for two free tacos (they actually handed me a pair of them at that!). I exited out of a stairway and walked back to a main doorway, and the door attendings just handed them to me. This surprised me as they are very tight with Chalupa coupons at the RG and have never given them to me from the outside.

Get this - they don't give these free tacos for the L.kers scoring over 100pts but, rather, if they can win the game AND hold their opponents to under 100pts. Another point for Staples - way cooler - even though there is no one point that wins you the free tacos; you could never have a 'taco player of the game'.

So that's that.. except that I really have missed In 'n Out burgers and don't go to Long Beach airport after leaving staples center for a next morning flight.

Final conclusions...

1. Get rid of all stupid “Todd” and Blaze stuff; do not replace it with stupid movie commercials. As much as I had gotten use to ignoring that stuff, one of the best lessons I would love for the RG to take from Staples is getting rid of this stuff. Seriously, it’s like living near a train station or something and then moving away.. i’m sure most of us could acclimate to it but then you only realize how nice quiet is when you are surprised by it.

2. My number one thing to change after the lame gimme gimme yell this and shout this nonsense would be the way we give away chalupas… changing that to something like Staples where it is for holding the opposing team to under 100 is cooler and would make the reward more related to the larger goal of winning.

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Neat perspective. Thanks.

Anybody come across a video of Flea on bass with the anthem?

The cowards never started
The weak died along the way
Only the strong survived
They were the Trailblazers

by lukeyhere on May 13, 2009 7:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

not sure if you already found this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGuEagHDL9M

"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum

by idoltime on May 14, 2009 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I bet LA's junior dancers are hot.

Thanks for the recap. It was interesting.

by tominhawaii on May 13, 2009 8:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

thanks tih

Not sure if this indicates anything, but there was no sign of anything like a Junior L.ker dancer, a L.ker Breaker, a L.ker stunt team, a L.ker hip hop crew, or anything but a very dance crew who danced to the same exact songs (I can never get the song "Damaged’ by Danity Kane out of my head when I see these dance crews).

"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum

by idoltime on May 14, 2009 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kcuf AL

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on May 13, 2009 8:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

nice.

But I like to be here. Oh, I like it a lot! Said the Cat in the Hat. To the fish in the pot.

by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on May 13, 2009 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you say if fast

It sounds French. Koof-A-el. Or at least foreign.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on May 13, 2009 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very interesting

to hear the comparisons. Hope Blazer arena management guys are reading.

Thanks for the report.

Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave

Also: COMCAST SUCKS!

by TwoDeep on May 13, 2009 8:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

"Can the RG learn something?"

So what’s the answer? What are you proposing?

"It's better to have a good player with the basketball in late game situations than to have plays." - R. Pitino

"I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, of course not. I said, well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can't trust em."- Jimmy V

Go Blazers!!

by DaNoose on May 13, 2009 9:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's what I was thinking too

It never said what the Staples Center was doing that the Rose Garden could learn from…

Maybe the title should be changed?

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on May 13, 2009 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ughhh, I don't care how sweet their arena was.

I still hate them and will never agree with anything positive about them. That’s just me though, I am sure there are others that agree with me.

by JmarcL4 on May 13, 2009 9:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like the free taco idea for holding the opposing team to under 100...

we should do that next year

"There goes Brandon Roy... the best there ever was in this game"

by two buck chuck on May 13, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

idoltime

excellent observations on your part my man,for people like danoose what he means by adjusting is,let’s face facts the r.garden is well blah.stupid cheerleaders shooting t-shirts from a water gun.some j.d.leeds wannabe with a micaphone with these dumb contests.grown people acting like morons with a stupid blimp dropping a envelope with a gift certificate.thank-god the lakers get it.just show me the game and some hot babes dancing is fine by me.also nothing is more annoying than that stupid"let’s go blazers"chant.as for ethnically of la to pdx,well pdx is 85% lilly white.and the blazers like the jazz celtics suns and spurs are teams a lot of mainstream america,in otherwords people of color don’t warm*up too.those teams i’ve just mentioned i would say fanbases are 98% lilly white.the spurs and suns are a widely popular among the latino people.this not racially charged comments on my part,it just is what it is.nothing personal on my part.

by fatty on May 13, 2009 10:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's fair.

I don’t pay much attention to the RG extra stuff anyway. I think it woud be interesting to see what the fan base actually like and dislikes as far as all the “extras” at a game. I’m sure most of the stuff that goes on is decided upon by some dude behind a desk.

What inds of things would you rather have in place of some of that stuff you don’t like?

"It's better to have a good player with the basketball in late game situations than to have plays." - R. Pitino

Go Blazers!!

by DaNoose on May 13, 2009 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

#1

i would definately bring back the organist from the memorial coliseum.also the sound effects from the late 80’s early 90’s was second to none.also i would have a simple contest,every home game 1 lucky fan will get to go to a blazers practice.and recieve an autographed jersey by the entire team.the little things for the loyal fanbase.

by fatty on May 13, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs

I love fatty

dude…I’m a dude so no funny stuff.

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on May 13, 2009 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah good ideas.

I’ve always thought that the blazers should save one courtside seat and maybe at some point do a drawing to move somebody from the 300 level into that seat.

How great would that be for somebody to win.

"It's better to have a good player with the basketball in late game situations than to have plays." - R. Pitino

Go Blazers!!

by DaNoose on May 13, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

great ideas fatty

and thanks for giving my thread some cred! fatty FTW!

"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum

by idoltime on May 14, 2009 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's wrong with Portland and Blazer fans being mostly white?

Portland was settled by white people. Not a crime.

Portland has never been an industrial magnet for blacks the way Michigan or Southern California became during the 20th century. Not a crime.

Just an observation, fatty? How would it sound if a white guy visited a Pistons or Hawks game and commented that the crowd was 85% kettle black?

People of color don’t warm up to teams with mostly white fans in mostly white towns, huh fatty? If so, sounds like racism to me.

Fatty is not the only person on BE who has felt it necessary to compare the racial makeup of the Blazer crowd to other places. Idoltime twice used the phrase “ethnically diverse” to describe the Laker crowd, noting that it was enjoyable. Even Sherman Alexie commented on how white the Portland crowd is. Why do so many folks feel it necessary to bring up that point? Should Portlanders feel bad about it? Are they responsible for that situation? Is it the result of racist policies or attitudes in the Rose City? Because lots o’ folks sure like to comment on how white Portland and Blazer fans are.

by MiledAnimal on May 13, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LA is a smorgasbord of different cultures

compared to PDX. It has nothing to do with Staples vs. Rose Garden. Don’t know why the OP felt compelled to point it out, but perhaps it is because of how it contributes to the noise/chants/atmosphere/etc. I can definitely appreciate the distinction. A crowd is going to be very different in Detroit vs. PDX, and it isn’t just color. Its culture.

by T$ 225 on May 13, 2009 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

for many years, blacks were actually banned from coming to Oregon. So I think you’ve made it sound more innocent than it really was.

by Section323 on May 13, 2009 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Many years? Let's not overstate that.

Here’s the timeline:

1844: Slavery is declared illegal in the Oregon Country. The infamous “Lash Law,” requiring that blacks in Oregon — be they free or slave — be whipped twice a year “until he or she shall quit the territory,” is passed in June. It is soon deemed too harsh and its provisions for punishment are reduced to forced labor in December.
1848: Oregon’s Provisional Government passes the first Exclusion Law in the Oregon Country following the Whitman Massacre in 1847.
1849: Federally-appointed Governor Joseph Lane arrives to proclaim that Oregon is now a Territory of the United States.
1850: The Oregon Donation Land Act becomes law, granting free land to “whites and half-breed Indians” in the Oregon Territory. Note that the language of the act prevents blacks from claiming land in Oregon.
1851: Jacob Vanderpool, a saloonkeeper living in Salem, becomes the only person known to have been kicked out of the Oregon Territory because of his skin color.
1854: Oregon’s Exclusion Law is repealed.

We’re talking about an eight-year period over 150 years ago, before Oregon became a state, and before the Civil War. One person kicked out because of skin color. And I’m willing to bet Oregon was not the only territory in the United States that had restrictive laws on the books for blacks. Your point is largely irrelevant .

by MiledAnimal on May 14, 2009 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

When Oregon’s constitution was submitted to Congress for approval, some Northern legislators complained about the exclusion law. However, others saw it as a structured way to avoid bloodshed over racial issues and the spread of slavery. Thus, in February, 1859, Oregon became the only state admitted to the Union with an exclusion law in its constitution. After several unsuccessful attempts, the state constitution was finally amended in 1926 to remove the exclusion law from the state Bill of Rights. Over 60,000 voters declined to vote on the issue when casting their ballots. A separate clause in Oregon’s constitution banning black suffrage was repealed the following year. Of course, these laws had long since been superseded by federal laws and amendments to the US Constitution following the Civil War, but they remained enshrined in the state constitution for 60 years.

This is from the sme website you quote. It looks to me that Oregon was actually more extreme than a lot of states, and Oregonians didn’t bother to take this out of the Constitution until 1926, despite several attempts. I would certainly think that many blacks viewed Oregon as a hostile place.

by Section323 on May 14, 2009 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the additional information

but I still believe that the low number of black Americans moving to Oregon during the 20th century was largely the result of lots of job opportunities in other areas compared to Oregon, not because of an invalid exclusion law removed from the books in 1926.

Interesting as this is, it’s still irrelevant to the point I made earlier, that Portlanders and Blazer crowds do not deserve implied criticism for being primarily white any more than Switzerland does.

by MiledAnimal on May 14, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

miledanimal

the media in america is mostly made up of jewish*isreali and african american people,when it comes to nba.teams and markets like pdx phoenix salt lake s.antonio dallas gets hurt with that stigma.also boston of course.i love pdx personally but other people are’nt me.it’s very unfortunate that the sports media is that way.my point is the bigger cosmopolitan markets gets all the love,while the lilly white markets other than boston does not.

by fatty on May 14, 2009 6:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Race and ancestry have nothing to do with it, fatty.

The single biggest reason is market size, followed by fan base size, which results from how successful the franchise has been. L.A. and Boston have 31 championships between them, so it’s no wonder they get all the love. New York, L.A., and Chicago are the three biggest markets, so they get more attention for that.

by MiledAnimal on May 14, 2009 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lilly white?

I am no longer able to participate in this discussion due to a moderators request...
by TrentEdwardsHoF2018

by Screen Name on May 15, 2009 1:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better than calling us haoles "Piggy Pink," I suppose...

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on May 16, 2009 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you wern't in the cia were you?

you were suppose to poison thier water supply and create stress fractures in the buildings foundation so when the next one hits the staples will need a whole lot of staples to hold it together, and the water….I just want to see k*be poo himself at half court.

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on May 13, 2009 10:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

we'll see if my actions were successful

when the L.kers start spontaneously breaking out in swine flu!! biological terrorism FTW!!!

"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum

by idoltime on May 14, 2009 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No blimp = doubleplusgood

by raoulduke on May 13, 2009 8:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

responding to many comments

In re-reading my late preflight rant, I didn’t necessary boil down my conclusions and my opinions. I’ll do that now.

2. In reference to both fatty and MilledAnimal, the ethnic diversity issue was more about me returning to my home region of SoCal as it was about comparing the arenas. It’s not a knock against the RG or anything (and what would we do if it was? busing? I can’t explain it to someone who didn’t grow up (as a white male) in a situation where you were usually in the minority. Growing up that way, I never really thought about it, but it affects me as much as the difference in Winters and sunlight. It made me feel like I’d returned home (and nothing else about that region makes me feel like there is home as opposed to up here); it may or may not have been particularly relevant to most of my other points. Other than to say that the fan vibe between the arenas was very similar to one another (despite some of the biases we like to put on those LA fans) except for the diversity. I didn’t mean to imply it was something lacking about the RG or Blazer fans as much as it is something lacking for me in the region as a whole (despite the understandable reasons for it so dutifully noted in comments above). But I liked that cheap seat fans are rowdy fans regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, or team affiliation.. it was a relevant social observation that I didn’t fully get until reading some of these comments.

3. My number one thing to change after the lame gimme gimme yell this and shout this nonsense would be the way we give away chalupas… changing that to something like Staples where it is for holding the opposing team to under 100 is cooler and would make the reward more related to the larger goal of winning.

I also wanted to make a point of the things that RG does that are great – the number one being the stat boards. I appreciated those so much when I was stuck without them. Also, even though the Staples Center sound effects crew is much more mellow that RG, which was nice, but they did a few esp. lame things like inciting a MVP chant when kobe went to the line.. give it up until at least the finals.

"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum

by idoltime on May 14, 2009 2:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs