Photo by Rhys Asplundh from Flickr
The NBA on August 18 released its full 2011 preseason schedule, in the event that the NBA is able to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the NBPA in a timely fashion.
Via “NBA Preseason Schedule” from Inside Hoops
Back in the good old days, NBA teams would have to barnstorm the country in efforts to gin up interest in the fledgling league and to receive the income from ticket sales to keep operations afloat. Yes, in these good old days, teams would travel by train and bus or a commercial airline, if extremely lucky, and black players would face rather profane heckling at the gyms and segregation outside them. Yes, the good old days. The last vestige of this barnstorming era can still be found in the preseason schedule when teams play a couple of games in local cities and towns to ensure regional interest (minus the institutionalized racism).
This past week we received the NBA’s preseason schedule and it was met with a round of hearty jokes/laments at the near impossibility of any games taking place. Basketball fans everywhere will suffer, but there are a special few who will endure the most pain from this farce. The basketball fans in these barnstorm towns are the biggest losers and below I’ve singled out the biggest of the biggest losers, what in particular they should curse about missing these games and, in a fit of accepting optimism, what to do instead.
October 17: New Orleans @ Oklahoma City, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS Â
What to curse: Jayhawk fans will miss an opportunity to see Kansas legend Nick Collison in action, in person.
What to do instead: Why not take out that 45 rpm single of Glenn Campbell’s “Wichita Linemanâ€, grab a bottle of hooch and sing the night away?
October 17: Portland @ Phoenix, Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
What to curse: the good people of Vancouver will miss out on seeing local talent Steve Nash who is from nearby Victoria on beautiful Vancouver Island.
What to do instead: cross over Georgia Sound and take in the best of Vancouver Island including Victoria Harbour and the Royal London Wax Museum! Just don’t riot. Please.
October 25: Utah @ Golden State Bismarck, Civic Center, Bismarck, ND
What to curse: the inexplicable and once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Golden State and Utah play a game in North Dakota. Will Monta Ellis ever get another chance to ride a moped down the streets of the Kaiser City?
What to do instead: If Old Man Winter hasn’t taken complete control yet, visit Fort Abraham Lincoln and see the site of George Custer’s last post before the Lakota Indians took him and his command to the cleaners at Little Bighorn.
October 26: Houston @ New Orleans, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, MS
What to curse: Mississippians on the beautiful Gulf Coast can get ornery about missing a battle of epic proportions as CP3 (Chris Paul) meets with KLOE (Kyle Lowry… over everything).
What to do instead: You live in Biloxi, MS and it’s October, which means the living is easy, the breezes are lovely and the temperature is perfect. Actually, there is nothing to curse about, just enjoy the beach.
October 19: Utah @ LA Lakers, Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
What to curse about: the only chance to see any professional basketball this year.
What to do instead: resume schemes to dislodge the Kings from Sacramento.
