Basketball!
Place: Air Canada Centre Date: 15th February 2000My brother Norman is a big Toronto Raptor's fan...he catches every single game on TSN, so when Remon and Mili asked us if we wanted to watch the Raptors Vs the Knicks game downtown at the new Air Canada Centre, Norman jumped at the chance.
I'm not as fanatical as Norman, but i have to admit that the Raptors are a kick-ass team...with excellent players like Vince Carter (Slam Dunk Champ), Tracy McGrady (Vince's cousin), Muggsy Bogues (Speedy Gonzalez), Dell Curry (3 point magician), Charles Oakley (Da Thug), and Doug Christie (Jump shot king)...These guys rock, and they're having a great season...Go Raptors!!
Remon and Mili's Aunt Jenny offered to drive us downtown to watch the game...so we all crammed into her car, and endured the 45 minute drive, with Mili coughing all over us and spreading her germs the entire way. For $70 a seat, you'd think we'd be sitting right up front eh?...Ha!, no chance!...even though we got fairly decent seats, most of the time we found ourselves watching the game on the Jumbo-tron instead of straining our eyes to see the players on the court!...we should've just saved our money, stayed home and watched the game on TV!...
All in all, it was a great experience...something you can only experience in person at a game, people behind you shouting and screaming right into your ears, stepping on your toes as they pass you to get to their seats, having to wait in line at the bathrooms, and buying overpriced Raptor's merchandise. Because it was the day after Valentine's Day, the promoters announced that they would hold a kissing contest, whereby they'd randomly focus the camera on couples in the crowd and give out prizes to the couple with the hottest kiss...
One time, they focused the camera on a middle-aged couple, but the woman was too embarrassed to kiss her husband in front of so many people, so a fan behind her got up, reached forward and promptly kissed her full on the lips!...i doubt he won a prize, but for sure he's got one pissed off husband after him!...but, the funniest blooper by far has to be when the cameramen focused their camera on what they thought was a white couple...when the woman realized she was on the big screen, she surprised the crowd by totally ignoring the white guy beside her, and turning around to give the black man beside her a passionate french kiss!!...if i was the either the white guy or the camera guy...i KNOW i'd feel pretty stupid!
(Background Music - "Shake your Booty" from K.C and The Sunshine Band.)
Raptor Fanatics!
From left to right are: Norman, Remon, Mili, Aunt Jenny.
Remon: "What's so funny Norman!?"
Norman: "I took this chair 'cause the other one's got a really weird looking stain on it!"
Mili: "Oh Dear...Poor Jeff!"
Home Court Advantage.
Here's a shot of the court and the stands before the game began...
Norman: "I don't know what you're complaining about, i think we got great seats"
Jeff: "What are you talking about!?...even with binoculars i can barely make out the players on the court!!"
Milli: "Those are the officials and janitors Jeff, the game hasn't even started yet"
Jeff: "See what i mean!!"
Raptor Girls!
The appearance of the Raptor's cheerleaders at Half-time was definitely the highlight of the entire evening...Scha-wing!!= )
Norman: "Man, those Raptor girls are HOT!"
Jeff: "How can you tell?...we can't even see them from here!...hmm...maybe if i use the zoom on my camera"
The Red Raptor!
The Raptor's hilarious mascot does a great job of whipping up the crowd into a frenzy.
Norman: "Hey, maybe we should get his autograph after the game"
Jeff: "Sure, you distract him while i kick him in the rear!"
He's on Fire!
Look up in the sky!...it's a bird!....it's a plane!....No!, it's a slam-dunking Raptor!
Remon: "Mmm, what's that delicious smell?"
Norman: "Roasted Raptor i think"
Mili: "Did he make the Slam Dunk?"
Jeff: "Who cares?...this is the first time i've ever seen a mascot burn!"
Raptor's Win!
Yup, it's official, the Raptors royally kicked the Knick's butts 91 to 70...
Norman: "Yayy!, the Raptor's Won!"
Remon: "I dunno, i was kinda hoping the Knick's would win..."
Norman, Mili and Me: "What did you say?...C'mere you!!"
Remon: "Aiyyeee!!"
It's OVER!!
Vince was the leading scorer of the game, with 29 points. Here he is hamming it up for the camera.
Vince: "It's over...it's all OVER!!"
Toronto skyline at night.
This picture was taken across the street from the Air Canada Centre as we walked to our car...Just visible in the picture, is the observation deck and radio aerial of the CN Tower, just behind is the purple lights of the Toronto Skydome.
Mili: "Will you hurry up and take the picture already!?...it's freezing out here!!"