Hangin’ in the Pontiac Lounge
Mar. 18th, 2007 12:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dedalus_1947The Pac-10 Basketball Tournament began on March 8, 2007, in downtown Los Angeles. For the last 2 years, Prisa and I have gone to see the entire 3-day tournament at the Staples Center. It has become our annual Father-Daughter Getaway, a time to be exclusively together. We had plenty of time to talk, question, and speculate the first year we attended, in 2005, because UCLA (our favorite team) lost their first game and was eliminated. The second year, however, we were caught up in UCLA’s successful run through the tournament, and confined most of our talk to the games, opponents, and strategy.
Sports are what Prisa and I had in common, as she grew up. Sports became the point of contact and communication from the first day we played “catch and bat” with whiffle balls on the front lawn, to the moment I mounted the basketball backboard on the roof of our garage in Reseda. She had a rocket arm, and could make the difficult throw from third to first base at the age of 6. Prisa is a father’s perfect daughter and sportsperson: she was attracted to team sports, she learned them quickly, and she found joy in practice and play. Tony was indifferent to them; he performed athletics as a family obligation to fitness, but dropped them as soon as possible. Prisa only got better and more confident the longer she played. Some of my favorite moments with Prisa are the times we would play catch, or shoot baskets, in the driveway; catch and chat, throw and talk, shoot and joke. We’d discuss her game, her hitting, her shooting, her teammates, her school, and her life. Those were magical times with Prisa. After high school, they occurred less and less frequently as she left home for college and after. So we no longer got together to play catch or shoot baskets; however, we’d get together BECAUSE of sports. Sports have become my excuse to meet, talk, and play with Prisa. She’s my girl.
Prisa and I had such a great experience at the 2006 Tournament, that I encouraged my two brothers, Eddie and Alex, to join us this year. In my family of 6, I am closest to Eddie and Alex. This relationship might seem odd, given our age differences. Eddie and Alex were the youngest siblings, and I was the oldest. 10 years separate Eddie and me, and there are 18 years between Alex and me. The three of us will still manage to get together to see a movie, attend a basketball game, or watch football on TV. I have not maintained this type of connection with my other three siblings, who are closer in age.
There is much of the same dynamic in my actions with Prisa, as with Eddie and Alex. I would involve them in things I liked to do, and their enjoyment would reinforce my participation. I was Prisa’s Dad, and I became Eddie and Alex’s official “Big Brother” after our Dad died in 1971. I suppose I developed my style of spending time with children with Eddie and Alex. We would play catch and shoot baskets in the driveway, watch college football and basketball games together, play board games, go to movies, buy books and comics, take walks, and go to the beach and parks. These were all things I enjoyed doing, anyway, and they enjoyed doing them with me. A symbiotic relationship grew stronger and stronger as time went on, until a permanent bond of friendship was forged.
I expected to sit together during the first day of the four quarter final games of the tournament. Prisa and I had purchased the complete package of tickets for the tournament. In the past, we had managed to sneak friends into our more upscale section when they purchased general admission passes. I figured that we could do this with my brothers, until I saw the location of our seats. Prisa had managed to upgrade our location from last year into the “Premier Seating” Section of Staples. The price was the same as last year, but the seats were located in the exclusive VIP level of the arena. Great seats, great location, great view, and great service, but totally supervised. I felt a little guilty when we were waving down to Eddie and Alex from the club level of Staples, as they entered the lobby of the arena, and looked up. There was no way we were going to sneak them into this closely guarded area.
We went down to greet them in the lobby and explain. Eddie and Alex took the bad news well, and before they could dwell on it longer, a camera crew looking for someone to sing the UCLA fight song interrupted us. Our UCLA apparel probably gave us away, but Alex and I, the two Bruin graduates did not have a clue. Alex could do the Eight-clap, and I remembered the words to the alma mater, but that was it. Eddie and Prisa, the two Loyola Marymount graduates looked knowingly at each other, and then Prisa admitted she knew the words. Sure enough, she knew the words and sang them into the camera. When the crew told us that her rendition would be shown on the overhanging TV monitors during the game, we knew the day was going to be fun.
On the way to the Stadium Store to buy souvenir apparel, we introduced Eddie and Alex to the Pontiac Lounge. Prisa and I had explored it earlier, and received gifts: a sports backpack, and a Pac 10 Rally towel. We convinced them to go in. As they went about procuring their gifts from the Pontiac girls and helpers in the patio area, I inspected the lounge. It was a full bar lounge, with padded seats, bar stools, tables, black décor, and liquor for sale. It was the perfect place to meet, sit, drink, and talk, since we were not going to be able to do so during the game.
As we settled in to talk about the upcoming games, and plan for lunch, Joe Bruin, the UCLA mascot, entered the lounge. In all my years at UCLA, as an undergrad and graduate student, I had never met Joe Bruin. I was excited; I immediately got up from our table and invited him over for introductions and a photo. We chatted with Joe for a while, and then the UCLA song girls glided through the lounge on their way to the patio. Believing that this opportunity would never come again, I convinced Prisa to take photos of me with the song girls, and then more with Joe Bruin and the rest of us. We eventually managed to extricate ourselves from the lounge, go to the store, and get to our seats, in time for the first game. The Lounge became our rendezvous point after each break in the games that followed. On those occasions, between beers and game analysis, we were met Jamal Wilkes, former Bruin and Lakers basketball star, and acquired temporary tattoos.
UCLA was eliminated in the second game of the day. They played poorly against the University of California, a mediocre team, at best, and lost in overtime. The Bruins managed to catch and go ahead of the Bears in the second half, after falling behind by 14, but they failed to hold their lead at the end of regulation play. Their overtime play was a replay of the first half – no defense and no offense. They lost 58 to 50.
What do you do when the number 1 seed of the tournament, and your favorite team, is eliminated on the first day of a three-day tournament? Well, we took the Metro to Pershing Square, and had a quick dinner at the Sports Bar at the Biltmore. It was a fun diversion from the tournament, especially since Eddie had never ridden the Metro before. After dinner, we returned to Staples Arena for the last two games of the night, but our hearts weren’t in it. Eddie and Alex left after the first game, and Prisa and I during halftime of the second.
Prisa and I returned the next two days to watch the end of the tournament. It was a replay of our first year. We sat back, extremely comfortable in our exclusive club seats, watched the games, and talked about our lives, interests, and plans. Without the nuisance of a favorite team to cheer for, we were able to watch each game, dispassionately, and just talk. It was relaxing, revealing, and enjoyable. The tournament had achieved my desired goal, and more. I was able to spend lots of time with Prisa, enjoy a lounge experience with Eddie and Alex, get free stuff, and meet celebrity Bruins. Life doesn’t get better than that. Oregon eventually won the tournament title on Saturday.
Sports are what Prisa and I had in common, as she grew up. Sports became the point of contact and communication from the first day we played “catch and bat” with whiffle balls on the front lawn, to the moment I mounted the basketball backboard on the roof of our garage in Reseda. She had a rocket arm, and could make the difficult throw from third to first base at the age of 6. Prisa is a father’s perfect daughter and sportsperson: she was attracted to team sports, she learned them quickly, and she found joy in practice and play. Tony was indifferent to them; he performed athletics as a family obligation to fitness, but dropped them as soon as possible. Prisa only got better and more confident the longer she played. Some of my favorite moments with Prisa are the times we would play catch, or shoot baskets, in the driveway; catch and chat, throw and talk, shoot and joke. We’d discuss her game, her hitting, her shooting, her teammates, her school, and her life. Those were magical times with Prisa. After high school, they occurred less and less frequently as she left home for college and after. So we no longer got together to play catch or shoot baskets; however, we’d get together BECAUSE of sports. Sports have become my excuse to meet, talk, and play with Prisa. She’s my girl.
Prisa and I had such a great experience at the 2006 Tournament, that I encouraged my two brothers, Eddie and Alex, to join us this year. In my family of 6, I am closest to Eddie and Alex. This relationship might seem odd, given our age differences. Eddie and Alex were the youngest siblings, and I was the oldest. 10 years separate Eddie and me, and there are 18 years between Alex and me. The three of us will still manage to get together to see a movie, attend a basketball game, or watch football on TV. I have not maintained this type of connection with my other three siblings, who are closer in age.
There is much of the same dynamic in my actions with Prisa, as with Eddie and Alex. I would involve them in things I liked to do, and their enjoyment would reinforce my participation. I was Prisa’s Dad, and I became Eddie and Alex’s official “Big Brother” after our Dad died in 1971. I suppose I developed my style of spending time with children with Eddie and Alex. We would play catch and shoot baskets in the driveway, watch college football and basketball games together, play board games, go to movies, buy books and comics, take walks, and go to the beach and parks. These were all things I enjoyed doing, anyway, and they enjoyed doing them with me. A symbiotic relationship grew stronger and stronger as time went on, until a permanent bond of friendship was forged.
I expected to sit together during the first day of the four quarter final games of the tournament. Prisa and I had purchased the complete package of tickets for the tournament. In the past, we had managed to sneak friends into our more upscale section when they purchased general admission passes. I figured that we could do this with my brothers, until I saw the location of our seats. Prisa had managed to upgrade our location from last year into the “Premier Seating” Section of Staples. The price was the same as last year, but the seats were located in the exclusive VIP level of the arena. Great seats, great location, great view, and great service, but totally supervised. I felt a little guilty when we were waving down to Eddie and Alex from the club level of Staples, as they entered the lobby of the arena, and looked up. There was no way we were going to sneak them into this closely guarded area.
We went down to greet them in the lobby and explain. Eddie and Alex took the bad news well, and before they could dwell on it longer, a camera crew looking for someone to sing the UCLA fight song interrupted us. Our UCLA apparel probably gave us away, but Alex and I, the two Bruin graduates did not have a clue. Alex could do the Eight-clap, and I remembered the words to the alma mater, but that was it. Eddie and Prisa, the two Loyola Marymount graduates looked knowingly at each other, and then Prisa admitted she knew the words. Sure enough, she knew the words and sang them into the camera. When the crew told us that her rendition would be shown on the overhanging TV monitors during the game, we knew the day was going to be fun.
On the way to the Stadium Store to buy souvenir apparel, we introduced Eddie and Alex to the Pontiac Lounge. Prisa and I had explored it earlier, and received gifts: a sports backpack, and a Pac 10 Rally towel. We convinced them to go in. As they went about procuring their gifts from the Pontiac girls and helpers in the patio area, I inspected the lounge. It was a full bar lounge, with padded seats, bar stools, tables, black décor, and liquor for sale. It was the perfect place to meet, sit, drink, and talk, since we were not going to be able to do so during the game.
As we settled in to talk about the upcoming games, and plan for lunch, Joe Bruin, the UCLA mascot, entered the lounge. In all my years at UCLA, as an undergrad and graduate student, I had never met Joe Bruin. I was excited; I immediately got up from our table and invited him over for introductions and a photo. We chatted with Joe for a while, and then the UCLA song girls glided through the lounge on their way to the patio. Believing that this opportunity would never come again, I convinced Prisa to take photos of me with the song girls, and then more with Joe Bruin and the rest of us. We eventually managed to extricate ourselves from the lounge, go to the store, and get to our seats, in time for the first game. The Lounge became our rendezvous point after each break in the games that followed. On those occasions, between beers and game analysis, we were met Jamal Wilkes, former Bruin and Lakers basketball star, and acquired temporary tattoos.
UCLA was eliminated in the second game of the day. They played poorly against the University of California, a mediocre team, at best, and lost in overtime. The Bruins managed to catch and go ahead of the Bears in the second half, after falling behind by 14, but they failed to hold their lead at the end of regulation play. Their overtime play was a replay of the first half – no defense and no offense. They lost 58 to 50.
What do you do when the number 1 seed of the tournament, and your favorite team, is eliminated on the first day of a three-day tournament? Well, we took the Metro to Pershing Square, and had a quick dinner at the Sports Bar at the Biltmore. It was a fun diversion from the tournament, especially since Eddie had never ridden the Metro before. After dinner, we returned to Staples Arena for the last two games of the night, but our hearts weren’t in it. Eddie and Alex left after the first game, and Prisa and I during halftime of the second.
Prisa and I returned the next two days to watch the end of the tournament. It was a replay of our first year. We sat back, extremely comfortable in our exclusive club seats, watched the games, and talked about our lives, interests, and plans. Without the nuisance of a favorite team to cheer for, we were able to watch each game, dispassionately, and just talk. It was relaxing, revealing, and enjoyable. The tournament had achieved my desired goal, and more. I was able to spend lots of time with Prisa, enjoy a lounge experience with Eddie and Alex, get free stuff, and meet celebrity Bruins. Life doesn’t get better than that. Oregon eventually won the tournament title on Saturday.
