Dying to be there

Right now I'm waiting.

Every few seconds I look up at the clock again, willing it to go faster.

I keep trying to distract myself; read a book, check my email, drink some tea, but really there is nothing I want more than 10:00.

Game 5 Blazers tickets go on sale at 10:00.

Exclusively online.

I might actually have a chance of getting a couple.

Then I have to get work off and find a way to get up there and figure out how to pay my bills, but that all comes later. 

The most important thing is getting them.

Here's a little recap of recent Blazers history and how it relates to me:

The end of the regular season started winding down at the end of March/beginning of April, and I started writing down all the games that were coming up so I could compare the difficulty of each important team's upcoming schedule, so I could see where we would be if certain teams beat other teams and if we won certain key games.

I ignored invitations to hang out with friends so I could see as many games as possible before it was too late. Before basketball season was over.

I bought myself tickets to the last regular season game, tickets in the 100 level which put me about 15 rows behind the players and a little higher up. $150 each. One of the best birthday presents I've ever given myself. I could actually hear the players talking to each other on the court and the ball bouncing and their shoes squeaking. I really experienced a game for the first time. 

At the end of the regular season the Blazers came out ranked fourth in the West. Home court advantage for the playoffs. Remember that post I wrote a while ago about the best game I've ever been to, the one that everything happened in the last 8 seconds of the game?

The Blazers are playing that team in the playoffs.

The Houston Rockets.

I used to kind of like them.

Last year, when the Blazers didn't make it to the playoffs I first cheered for the Phoenix Suns because I like Steve Nash, but when they got booted in the first round I switched over and cheered for the Rockets.

Now I despise them.

Now I want them to fall down and injure themselves.

Because I'm nervous.

I remember how close that game was back in September and I desperately want my team to make it past the first round.

So for you non-fans, in the playoffs the teams play each other seven times, the same team, seven games in a row, sometimes at home and sometimes on the road, and they play for the best of seven (so four). It's a major advantage to have the game on your home court because then your fans can get you pumped up and encourage you when you're feeling down and reward you when you do awesome things and heckle the other team a little.

The Blazers got home court advantage. They started out at the Rose Garden, two games in a row at home before flying to Houston to play two more. I was giddy the day of the first game. I wore my favorite Blazers shirt all day and talked about nothing but basketball and went to work all excited for a gratifying home win and then they choked.

They lost their first game at home.

I was devastated.

Depressed.

I was in a bad mood for the rest of that night and most of the next day.

It took a visit from a friend I haven't seen in a while to cheer me up, and then yesterday, as game two approached I started to get more and more nervous.

Pulling my ear.

Biting my fingernails.

Pacing.

I didn't want them to lose both home games, it would be so hard to go to Houston and win there. They had  to win.

I went through my day all tense and worried, pulled on a Blazers shirt and walked to work, almost walking in front of a car because I was so distracted. I got to work and went through the motions but never really focused on my job. The game started. It was close. I could tell were were playing better than the last game, but Houston was playing just as well, and the lead went back and forth. Finally, after two and a half stressful hours the Blazers managed to pull ahead and win it by four.

Which puts the series tied 1-1.

And now we head for Houston for two games.

Which means unless we pick up one in Houston (difficult but possible) the Blazers might be coming back for game five down 1-3 in the series. They would have to win that game. They have to anyway, even if they get one in Houston. Because Houston is never going to get easier for them to play. So now the pressure is on, and that's one of the things that continues to draw me to basketball.

Everything gets so intense. 

I have to be at game 5. Tickets go on sale in 5 minutes. Wish me luck!