Wayne and I are on another sports-cation in Southern California. I have to be honest, I'm not a huge sports fan. But I do enjoy attending live games. There's something about the excitement of the crowd that makes the game more exciting. This trip, in addition to USC men's and women's basketball games, we went to a Los Angeles Lakers game. Here we are at the game trying to take a selfie. Right when I shot the picture, the roving purple light came our way.
The Lakers began as a team in Minneapolis in 1947-48 as part of the National Basketball League. The following season they changed to the Basketball Association of America. In 1949-50, the two leagues joined to form the National Basketball Association, the NBA we have today.In 1960-61 the Lakers moved to Los Angeles to become the first west coast team in the NBA. And here they've stayed and thrived.
There have been some powerhouse names associated with the Lakers: Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and now Kobe Bryant, who began playing at the age of 17 right out of high school in 1996. He's had an amazing long and productive career with the Lakers.
The Lakers play in Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. It's a vibrant part of town that includes the Convention Center, Nokia Theater L.A. Live, and the Grammy Museum. The streets are lines with restaurants and lots of nightlife spots.
Staples Center is also home to the Clippers basketball team (only LA could be big enough host two NBA teams), the Sparks Women's National Basketball Association team, and the Los Angeles Kings hockey team. It must take a lot of work (not to mention expense) to turn a basketball court into a hockey rink and back and forth several times a week.
So, if you are traveling to the Los Angeles area, consider a sports-cation of your own. You can stay downtown and walk to the games, or park in one of the many lots nearby. -- Margy
I don't follow sports but just watched a great PBS special on the history street basketball in NYC.
ReplyDeleteThose games can get pretty intense, and the players very good.
DeleteYou're right Margy. Simply being there in amongst a keen sports mad crowd can draw someone in, even if they are not especially sporty themselves. It all looks pretty exciting to me.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you don't normally have purple tinged faces! You need to see sport live to experience it to the full not that I go to many sporting events but when I do I love them. Thanks for your visit and comment.
ReplyDeleteNot much of a sports fan at all, but this year it is impossible not to be excited about the Oregon Ducks who won the Rose Bowl and are going to win the college championship next week. ;))! We are originally from Eugene Oregon, where th University is. Go Ducks! Your vacation sounds great ... We haven't been to CA I way too long!
ReplyDeleteToday we were driving on Interstate 10 near Palm Springs and saw a big rig all painted out for Oregon Ducks football. I bet they were hauling gear in style to the national finals. Go Ducks!! Our next sports-cation will be to oregon for basketball. Then we'll have to switch our allegiance back to USC. - Margy
DeleteI don't remember the last time I was at a sports game, but that sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and comment. You are right : Norway is a very interesting country. Every European country has an interesting history. I wish I had time enough to learn more about the world's history.
ReplyDeleteWil, ABCW Team.
I wish I could visit some day, but I don't think that will happen. - Margy
DeleteNeat! I have only ever been to one NBA game back in the early 1980s in Denver - The Nuggets. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't for Wayne's huge sports fan, I probably would go to as many games. But it's important to share in each others interests. - Margy
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