Sorry for the totally lame cell phone picture, but they wouldn't let me bring my Nikon into the AT&T center. I was close enough that I could have made some great shots.
Here's a little video, also shot with the piece of sh*t cell phone.
But here's the good news: we won 5 tickets to a Spurs game, and better yet, it's on Kandie's birthday! This is great because Kandie is the biggest sports fan in the house.
Rampage tickets are a really good value, especially if you can get down to the box office yourself and buy them direct. Our tickets were $10 each. The seats were high up, but not so high that you felt like you weren't appreciating the game. We paid the $3.75 processing fee to Ticketmaster, which was frustrating since that was almost a 40% service charge. But there really wasn't an alternative given our short decision cycle.
I had a good time, and I'd definitely go again. But I have one gripe - and it's not with the Rampage or the fact that the AT&T center wouldn't let me bring in my camera - it's with the state of American hockey itself. It seems to me that American hockey has institutionalized unsportsmanlike conduct. I'm all for slamming a guy into the wall if he's got the puck or he's in your way as you pursue the puck. But I saw one Aero player shove a Rampage player from behind, knocking him to the ground, when the two of them were not in play for the puck. I find that just sad. And of course there was the obligatory fight. Everyone could see it coming. The two contenders had time to circle each other several times, take off their helmets, toss aside their sticks, and take off their gloves. The other players cleared them space to their little show. The process took about 30 seconds, during which time the refs stood off to the side as well. Then they started wailing away wildly at each other, trying to keep their balance while pulling each other's shirts. After about 15 seconds of actual fighting, the refs finally broke it up.
I like a good fight. I like to fight myself. Fighting is an art and a sport. But I don't like watching men who are fighting because they lack self control. And I dislike being part of a crowd that condones and supports adult males acting in such fashion. I say this behavior has been institutionalized because there was nothing spontaneous about the fight that could have stopped the refs from stopping it.
Come on.
Stupid fighting aside, it was a good time. Rampage tix are a good value, and the AT&T center is a nice venue.
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