Shot of the Day #78: "I Want Tacos!!"

Shot with iphone. Click to enlarge.

This was a long time coming. My boss Rob has season tickets to the Lakers and before Remy came a knockin' and basically took over our social lives, Rob and I been trying to get together to go to the Staples Center together, and last night was finally our little date night with some big orange balls. Shut up.

I haven't been to a basketball game in over 10 years ("Go Knicks! Or rather, not.") so I was excited to go. Plus, Rob had wicked good tickets, so how could i say no? Well, he could fire me for saying no. So after work we drove downtown (my least favorite place in LA, FYI) and I temporarily became a Lakers Fan.

Damn good game, Lakers v. Warriors. We drank beer, ate Wetzel's Dogs (which looked like uncut dongs...these are the images floating around my head) and enjoyed screaming and hooting at the top of our lungs at all the usual song cues and crowd chants. I was told that one of the more famed chants is, if the team wins with 100 or more points by the end of the game, everyone gets a free taco coupon from Jack In The Box. First off: Ew. Secondly, I loved that chant, so whenever possible we would just scream from Rob's killer seats (seen here, he's about 15 rows up) "We want tacos!" followed by a succession of claps and stomps. At the final buzzer, Lakers did win, 114 to 106, but I didn't get a coupon. Oh well. Pretty exciting game though. Part of me missed the whole spectator sport gazing. The other half wanted to get home ASAP and curl up to MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN on Blu Ray. Ah, the conflicted life.

I took a bunch of shots from this vantage point, but the one above jumped out the most. God bless Dutch angles. Plus, it has an odd, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS feel to it, no?

Also got to see Jack Nicholson in his usual seat, who actually caught a foul basketball which was hilarious. Would have loved to ask him what the hell he was thinking about when he did WOLF, since this was the closest I've ever gotten to be near him in the same room. Maybe next time.

Shot with iphone. Click to enlarge.

Here is a shot from the "smoking lounge" outside on the roof of the Staples Center. Just a cool shot with purdy colors...and lights!

Can't say Im a Lakers convert, but it was a fun night to be sure. Thanks Rob!

Shot with iphone. Click to enlarge.

Joe