July 7. 2008 by Keegan Hall.

If you are a sports fan or Seattleite they you’re well aware that our beloved Seattle Sonics (and my former employer of nearly 5 years) is packing up its wagons and heading east to Oklahoma City. Who is to blame? It doesn’t really matter now. The bottom line is the NBA no longer calls Seattle home.

I have attended countless Sonics games over the years. Although it has been quite some time since the Sonics have been a winning team (other than the 2005 playoff season) the excitement that was generated within KeyArena will be utterly missed by me and many other fans. I get goosebumps when I think about all the good times that were enjoyed with my Supes. From Ridnour’s behind the back passes to Kevin Durant sinking 3-balls, win or lose the games were a blast and I feel fortunate to have been a part of it both internally as an employee and externally as a fan.

I don’t think the people of Seattle truly realize what has happened in losing our team. For me it has yet to completely sink in. Come next basketball season we will reflect upon what was and only then truly appreciate what we had. The Sonics were more than simply a basketball team. They were a social enterprise that continually united the city of Seattle on and off the court. I suppose it’s time to turn the page and begin lobbying for a new NBA franchise. Although it would be great to have another basketball team in Seattle, the Sonics will be forever irreplaceable.

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February 18. 2008 by Keegan Hall.

The Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star weekend has always been one of my favorite sporting competitions however over the past several years this event has definitely lost some of its appeal due to lack of creativity. With the exception of a few dunks, the vast majority of dunks have been seemingly regurgitated from previous competitions. Just when you think you’ve seen every possible dunk comes along someone who completely challenges your perception as to what is truly possible. Enter Dwight Howard.

Howard’s “Superman” dunk is already being touted as one of the greatest ever- and who could argue? Just before attempting the dunk, Howard torn off his Orlando Magic Jersey to reveal his alter ego and show his other uniform- a Superman costume complete with cape. The crowd instantly erupted into jubilation and the anticipation for what was about to happen quickly grew.

Howard paraded around the court which further hyped the crowd. The stage was now set. He began running towards the hoop and firmly planted his two feet before launching himself into the air. Howard’s sidekick, teammate Jameer Nelson, threw a lob pass that perfectly coincided with Howard’s jump. He grabbed the ball in mid-flight while soaring through the air- his head high above the rim. Gravity was truly being challenged during this incredible display of athleticism. Simply incredible!

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February 4. 2008 by Keegan Hall.

Well, well, well. All those cocky New England fans are finally mute since their Pats were unthinkably defeated by the New York Giants on Sunday night. Too bad for the Patriots as the stage was set for them to become the unanimous selection for greatest football team of all time after coasting through the entire regular season. After all, they had strung together 18 impressive wins in a row. They need just one more with to achieve perfection, however the Giants had other plans as they stunned the Patriots - and the world - with a 17-14 victory and ruined the Pats quest for perfection.

At the center of this unimaginable upset was a single offensive play by the Giants that may go down in the history books as the “best catch ever”. It has already being referred to simply as “the play”. If you watch the game last night then you know exactly what I’m taking about. With time running down in the 4th quarter, Giants QB Eli Manning narrowly avoided a seemingly inevitable sack. He spun away from the Patriot defenders and wound up to launch the ball as far as his arm would allow. The ball drifted down the field with ease. Manning’s wide receiver, David Tyree, leapt into the air making an unthinkable catch as he trapped the ball again his helmet with one hand! Yes, he caught the ball with one hand and his helmet! The pass was completed for 32 yard and set up the game-winning touchdown. Simply amazing!

Super Bowl XLII seemed to have it all: the clear favorite in the Patriots, an unassuming underdog in Giants and all the suspense you could handle. In the end, the night belonged to the Giants as they completed arguably the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. So, was it the best Super Bowl ever? My vote is an emphatic “YES!”

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January 31. 2008 by Keegan Hall.

I’ll admit it…I love sports. A lot. My wife can attest to this as virtually all of my tv time is spent consuming various sporting events. Although basketball is by far my favorite, I must say soccer is second. Yep, soccer. Not football or baseball. Soccer.

Soccer is by far the most popular sport in the world but, interestingly enough, the vast majority of Americans could care less. I cannot figure out why there is such apathy towards this amazing sport. Have most Americans not seen a pro soccer match? I’m not talking about the MLS (although the league is getting better every year). I’m referring to a pro match in Europe. The game is absolutely incredible! European soccer combines pure athleticism with uncanny finesse unlike any other sport in the world. These athletes are truly gifted.

While in college I had the opportunity to study abroad in Rome, Italy. Wanting to experience all that is Italian, I made my way to a Roma soccer match. Wow! That’s all it took. I was hooked and went back each weekend for more!

Sure, there are many dedicated sports fans here in the USA but the commitment of these fans pale in comparison to those in Europe. No contest. These Italian soccer fan would die for their team- literally. In fact, one of the matches I attend, Roma vs Juventus, I almost died. Well, I would have if the Juve fans had found out my allegiance to the Roma squad.

This was one of the biggest matches of the year and it was nearly impossible to get a ticket. Quickly running out of options, I had no choice but to purchase tickets from a scalper. This weaselly Italian assured me these seats were on the Roma side of the field. Of course, me being the naive American, I believed him. I went strolling in to the arena covered from head to toe in Roma apparel. When I got to the gate the ticket taker took once look at my seat location and replied “I can’t let you go in there dressed like that.” What? What’s the big deal? Apparently it was a big deal.

Luckily had an impartial jacket with me. I quickly threw the jacket on and zipped it up as high as a could. If you looked closely you could still see a glimmer of “Roma red” inside my collar. I literally had to hold my collar tightly closed for the entire game.

But holding my collar shut wasn’t the most difficult part- it was dodging the various debris that was flying through the air. The hatred between these two teams actually fuel fans to throw items (water bottles, coins, rocks, etc) and each other. Although I was riveted to the match, I had no choice but to keep one eye fixed on permantant look out.

Needless to say, this was quite an experience that left an everlasting impression on me. Soccer embodies competition in its purest form. This competition is not only felt by each player but also personified by each fan. Soccer is simply amazing and it’s about time that more sports fans in American take notice.

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