The biggest basketball game for me in the last 22 years was on.
My Celtics, who I stuck with during the Dino Raja- M. L. Carr - Rick Pitno years, could clinch their first title since 1986 against the Lakers IN LOS ANGELES on Father's Day
Here was my Father's Day dilemma:
I've been working in Los Angeles and living with my brother in Santa Monica, but my family is still up in Silicon Valley.
I was back up north for Father's Day and had to fly back Sunday night to be able to get to work.
And I was going to be in the air during the 4th quarter...
So how do I get to watch the 4th quarter with the same excitement and intensity as if it were live.
I needed a plan and it needed to be mapped out like that briefing before the Rebels attacked the Death Star.
First of all, I needed to set my brother's TiVo to record Sunday's game on Friday before leaving for San Jose.
Next, on Sunday night I watched NOTHING about the game.
Not tip off... not the first half.
I spent time with my kids and earned good daddy points.
Then, off to San Jose airport. Had headphones on and avoided that bar next to California Pizza Kitchen. The game was on... but I was avoiding it.
On the airplane obviously I was safe from getting the score.
The woman I was sitting next to asked me if I knew anything about the game and I said I don't want to hear anything, explaining my strategy.
We touched down in Burbank and I had my escape plan mapped out.
1. Call my brother and make sure the game recorded and that the TV was on a different channel when I walked in. CHECK.
2. Walk down the ramp and put headphones on full blast.
3. I had no bags checked so I could just walk past the bars showing the game and the baggage carriers without overhearing anything.
4. Go to the self parking lot right across the baggage carrier and grab the car.
5. Do NOT put the radio on when driving from Burbank to Santa Monica. Listen to CDs. Probably Talking Heads Remain in Light.
6. When driving into Santa Monica, avoid Wilshire, even though that goes directly to my brothers place. The reason being if the Celtics won, people would be celebrating in front of Sonny McLean's. Best take Montana.
7. Get into Ted's place and watch the game with my phone off. No crazed calls from my Celtics buddies wanting to celebrate while I am in a time warp.
It was a great plan.
It would have worked... if not for a twit.
I was still on the plane and had just hung up the phone with my brother and was fishing through my bag for my headphones when I heard it.
Some 20 something girl squealed loudly "Oh my God! The Lakers won!"
That was it.
Plan destroyed.
I looked around pissed off trying to figure out who said it.
I bet she wasn't even a big fan.
I bet her next question was going to be "How did Shaq play?"
Shouldn't that be part of 21st century etiquette now?
You don't just announce stuff like ball game scores or who got voted off American Idol because someone might be TiVoing it.
And yeah, TiVo is now a verb.
I called Ted and told him to erase it.
"You're not going to watch it?" He asked.
"Yeah, I really want to watch the Celtics lose."
If the Celtics had won, and I found out because the same Valley Girl said "Oh my God... the Lakers lost" there would have been blood spilled.
Game 6... I am watching live.
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