Good morning you great little FAMbase! Now, more than ever, we are hyped and feeling good about this team and what they are doing on the court. Yeah, yeah, we know they lost the last two at home, in OT, after an epic winning streak, but, when it is necessary, something has to be said.
For the last few days, we have seen exponential growth in the talks about attendance, ticket sales, small market... blah, blah, blah. If you are a HUGE fan, and if you are a member of the PacersPosse we know that you are, then it is YOU that is scutinizing those "fans" that seem more apathetic than empathetic. We get it, we are with you. This has became full-blown ridiculous. This is an extension of our virtual hand, a thank you, for being so damn hardcore.
Last night was a perfect example of what this team and this city DOESN'T need. It has reached it's tipping point. Now we are pissed. Shortly after tip off, we looked around Banker's Life and saw a pathetic crowd that MAY have half filled the Fieldhouse. How is this possible? Everyone is constantly twittering or facebooking about how cheap tickets are, how cheap parking is, how to formulate an exciting and fan-filled night without breaking the bank. For the last two home games (which were against Toronto - a team that seemingly has our number - guaranteed to be a great game, and Brooklyn - a team that is "on the come up" and is so close to our heels we have blisters) we have seen close, exciting, overtime matches that, if we had a full house, probably would've been won.
We were stunned. Empty Fieldhouse. If it weren't for the G2Zone, Area55, and the sprinkling of the Posse throughout the crowd, we could have swore we were at a Nickleback concert. Everyone quiet, void of emotion, and simply not having any fun. A wild, ugly game: David West getting poked / scratched on the eye and missing the first half / playing the second half with one eye, Pendergraph "going off" temporarily after contracting a foul after being on the floor for 3 seconds, bad passing, sub-par defense, off shooting, and, let's be honest, HIGH SCHOOLESQUE OFFICIATING. It isn't David's eye's fault, or the refs fault, that Indiana lost. It's Indiana's.
Win by 50, or lose by 100. We don't care. This game came down to a last second shot, for the Pacers win, and they missed. Sweet, OVERTIME. Now, these Pacers "fans" can get their money's worth (you know, because tickets are so overpriced). And then it happens... the already half empty Fieldhouse is buzzing and FANS ARE LEAVING. No joke... people are trying to beat traffic, get their kids, home, get some sleep. If you are a Pacers fan, then BE a Pacers fan. Don't half-ass it. Posse members dedicate themselves to this movement. G2 and Area55 hold tryouts. It's embarrassing! It's embarrassing - right up there with having a "bat in the cave" and farting in church. We get no respect on ESPN, blogs, media, etc. because the "fans" are making it embarrassing. If we pack the Fieldhouse for every home game (yes it IS possible, a few mediocre NBA teams consistently do this), then this whole "What is going on with the Pacers attendance?" thing will disappear.
Whew. Rant. Ok. As if this wasn't enough... people were still trying to leave before the end of OT. It was still a close game. What are you doing? There wasn't even enough traffic to clog up a movie theatre parking lot at this point. It's disgusting! And after the game? There wasn't even really that much buzz... you know, people talking about a "tough loss," or the refs, or anything... And if we hear one more person boo Roy Hibbert, there are going to be problems. Overheard in the uppers last night: "I pay good money to see these guys play, and he (Hibbert) can't hit a damn shot!" Calm down. You didn't pay good money. You paid a couple of dollars; hell they might have even been free. And if you did pay "good money," you got what you paid for! An OT game, at home, with our blue and gold boys on the court.
Two things are cheap: ticket prices and talk. Get out to a game. If you hate it and you start having "Palace Brawl" flashbacks, then you can go suck your thumb in your crib later. Support will not be garnered by people continuing to harbor feelings about a team that has been long gone. She's an ex-girlfriend: JUST LET IT GO. Support will be garnered by supporting your team. Do it.
The Pacers play Charlotte, at home, on Wednesday night. Anything less than a sellout is unacceptable. If the "fans" can step up, then the players will too.
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