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mbt footwear Magic chills Spurs' housewarming 317
This article was originally published Oct. 17, 1993.
Mr. Robinson and company stepped into the new neighborhood Saturday, entering the Spurs' Alamodome era with a star-studded cast and thousands of screaming fans.
With new giant on the block, Shaquille O'Neill , and the rest of the Orlando Magic squad in the role of nemesis,mbt footwear, basketball fans hardly could ask for a better matchup to kick off the San Antonio NBA franchise's first preseason opener in the newer, bigger stadium.
The Magic overcame the Spurs, 108-101.
Spurs officials said 20,122 fans - a San Antonio franchise record - attended the game. The previous record was 16,057.
Anxiously waiting for the blaring pregame introductions, the Spurs' faithful speculated on what the facility's size would do to a favorite homecourt weapon: noise.
"I think the other stadium was louder, '' said P.J. Hogan, cable puller for the Jumbotron.
"I was here for the George Gervin Celebrity Basketball Tournament. That was the first real basketball game here. It was pretty loud, '' Hogan said.
Lance While, a fan of the Spurs since the Larry Brown era, called the short lines at concession facilities an "amazing'' improvement over the Arena, but also lamented
the muffled crowd cheers.
"The only thing I miss is the ear-shattering volume, and I think it was a pump for the team, '' While said.
"I think they ought to pipe the crowd sound through the sound system, '' he said.
"I think that early in the season people are a little subdued, '' he added.
This preseason game may not have been the first time a basketball zipped through the hoops, but it was a historic first in many other categories.
It was the first full-season opener for coach John Lucas, and the first professional appearance of two-time rebound NBA champ Dennis Rodman in a Spurs uniform.
"I want to look at Dennis Rodman, '' retired Navy serviceman Art Icke said. "They got rid of the offensive star, Sean Elliott. Let's see what the defense is going to do.''
Icke, seated in the club level, raved about the hawkeye view from the upper seats.
"You can see good from every seat. This is going to encourage a lot more people to come to the games," Icke said.
"It's easier to see the game," said Janet Gardner, who sat nine rows above the floor Saturday. "I used to find myself watching a lot of the game on the TV screen on the scorebox. Now I watch the floor more," she said.
Her husband, go instructor Van Gardner, praised the additional restroom and concession facilities.
"It's the first time I've been to a restroom and didn't have to wait in line, '' Gardner said.
Of course, another perk to the club level is the improvement in concessions cuisine, such as the Texas BBQ brisket or grill chicken breast sandwiches.
Another more aditional concession staple - beer - went up in price slightly at concession stands, but not enough to annoy sports fan Larry Thut.
"The large cup is about a quarter higher, but I can see that moving into a place like this, '' Thut said.
Beer sellers working the seats are holding their 16-ounce can prices at $3.25, though, vendor Robert Gonzales said.
"People kept complaining, asking if we were going to go up again, but we're just going to leave it like that for now. So far, sales have been great,mbt schuhe, '' Gonzales said.
Jim Fisher, regional manager of ARA Services,mbt shoes, the concessions operator, estimated that educating the public about improvements in the variety and availability of refreshments will take half the season.
"People who were going to the HemisFair (Arena) knew where everything was. They're not used to wandering around here,mbt.''
Some unusual additions to the menu at floor-level include fine wines and imported beer, and Fischer said, more is coming.
"As the facilities on the club level are completed, we'll have margaritas, pizza,mbt sale, burgers and fries.
"On the main level, Whataburger is coming. So is TCBY and a local pizza company, Florio's, '' Fischer said.
There was an attraction for everyone at the preseason game.
"I'm a Spurs fan,mbt shoes uk Americans gather to honor fallen serv, but we came to see the Shaq!'' said Shirley Eggleston,mbt shoes uk, a UTSA student.
"Anfernee Hardaway, '' chimed MacArthur High School student Jason Connally from the midlevel seats. "I think he's one of the most exciting players on the (Magic) team besides Shaquille O'Neal.''
Jason's mother, veteran Spurs fan Sharion Connally, loves the wide-open atmosphere, she said.
"I like the layout better. We don't seem to be as far from the court, '' she said.
Eggleston's college buddy, Jill Lenzen, said one problem they didn't have in the dome that occurred frequently in the Arena was "we sat in the obstructed-view section.''
While most raved about the new facilities, there still were some diehard Arena fans who missed the old environs.
"I liked the Convention Center better, '' Spurs fan Pam Tshcirhart said. "It has a more homey feeling. Also, the distance from the Arena to parking, restaurants, the mall is so much closer.''
Computer consultant Lalo Castillo,monster headphones Battlestar Galactica- Blood & C, who has sat courtside for 20 years agreed.
"After so many years at the Arena, you get accustomed to it.
"We were lucky in that they gave us the same location. A lot of people got moved around, '' Castillo said.
Although Castillo still sits behind the Spurs bench, he is unhappy that the media now are between him and the team.
"At the Arena, you can hear the coach. I don't think you'll be able to hear them now. It's a little more impersonal. We used to be so close that my children got to know a lot of the players just by coming to the games, '' he said.
As for the noise, cable puller Hogan thinks there is a solution. The upper decks, now hidden from view with colorful elongated curtains, will be available for some games, he noted.
"When they open the upper deck, I think it'll be rowdy. Even without the upper deck, I think teams are going to be intimidated a little bit by the size of this place, '' Hogan said.
Most dome games can seat 21,372, but the upper deck will be able to increase the crowd to 35,000. |
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