photo credit: jeffk

The Toros are going on the road to spank the Idaho Bitc, I mean Stampedes. I love basketball. Love it. Or at least I thought I knew what it was to Love Basketball.

Until tonight (okay, technically yesterday, but I haven’t been able to get to sleep) when I saw the Austin Toros play, courtside, courtesy of my High Roller fiancee, who has courtside season tickets.

That’s right.

Courtside.

I don’t care what the team is, you aren’t having a good time at a ball game until you get courtside seats. I thought sitting in box seats was the way to see a game. Maybe football. Perhaps even hockey. But to truly experience the love of a basketball game, you MUST sit courtside.

And man. A D-League game? Is Love. You know the fans aren’t there just to be seen, or because that’s what you do when there’s a home game in town. It’s because they really, fanatically, crazily, support their players. Even though they know that, chances are, they’ll get rotated out (i.e., called up to a major league team, most likely that they’re affilaited with or owned by) if they’re any good. But then you get to say you knew them when, since everyone seems so laid back and approachable as a D-Leager.

Case in point, tonight I got to meet each one of the starters and get all their autographs on an official ball. When any of them get sent up, I’ll keep on following their careers.

Not that, a major league basketball game like say, the Wizards vs the Cavs isn’t any fun. It’s just. Who the HELL loses to the freaking Cleveland Cavaliers? Come ON Wizards! That name is a curse. Ever since we lost our dream team back when we almost beat Jordan….

But I digress. They aren’t my team anymore. The Toros are. I adore them, singularly and as a whole. And it may sound crazy but I KNOW they will bring home a victory on Thursday. Watch it on NBA TV or online, and you’ll see.

Oh, and there are some game highlights here.

photo credit: jeffk

if this had been
another time and place
baller.

there’s no way you would have escaped
without parts of you in conversation with part of me
that aren’t dinner party polite.

but. baller.
i am holding my tongue for three reasons.

love.
pride.
and something like peanut butter.

love for my man who will be right back and
for some reason thinks (erroneously!) that I’m really fine enough for

not just one

but a team of ballers to be flirting with

so much so that he only half-jokingly asked if he was safe if he went to the restroom
and left me in your presence.

a man who thinks his 36-year-old bride-to-be
is food for Toro thought?

That’s Love.

pride because i can’t be a groupie
just can’t be the one split in two
by four to add to tales that start on the matchbook
of even the best sports bar

no.

and peanut butter?

well that’s because it’s how i was so stuck
to the roof of my mouth in speech
where celebrities normally have no effect on me
from Bill Cosby to Allen “My Third Husband” Iverson.

You.

Baller.

Had me at the breath before you cleared your throat
to order me a drink.
Oh so much before hello.

if next lifetime has me meet you
before the foul line is in play?
every three point shot

made or not

will be a kiss to send you into dreams
or fantasy

but until then.
i have to say
thank you for boosting my ego
because i badly needed to feel 23

for a second.

however.
goodbye.

and please win on the road.

*written after the Austin Toros D-League team won the first out of three games in the finals. and sitting in a bar til 2 am with half the starting line up behind me. and talking to a few of them. I only TALKED to them, only for a second after my man wandered off.