Last Saturday night’s marquee basketball matchup against the nationally ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs had all the glitz and glamour of a Beverly Hills doggie spa.
The stars were out in full force for the ultra-hyped televised game hoping to bring a little luck to the struggling 7-21 Waves.
I never thought I’d see Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy in the same bleachers as Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak but clearly anything is possible at Pepperdine. Just bill the last home game of the year as the biggest and best and it’s amazing who comes out of the woodwork to watch.
Celebs weren’t the only engaging people in tow. Fox Sports commentators dressed in their finest $5000 suits accentuating the always-classy spray-on tan called the action. Ultra-shiny television cameras as glistening as coach Marty Wilson’s forehead sat poised and at the ready.
Between the pre-game tailgate barbecue the Sound Waves band with horns blaring and students faculty and alumni alike clad head-to-toe in orange apparel for a brief second I thought I had walked into the Carrier Dome.
But however fleeting that thought was the important thing is I thought it.
After successfully pulling off the win of a $10 gift card on the Dick’s Sporting Goods Spin-a-Wheel I whirled around almost dumping 12 ounces of popped buttery goodness all over Pat Riley. Sometimes I forget just how cool going to school in Celebrityland really is.
One great addition though was having the national anthem sung acappella-style— how it should always be. Throw in a souvenir T-shirt and a Riptide Frisbee and you’ve got yourself a winning combination. Great work Pepperdine promo crew! Thanks for doing your part.
With a near-capacity crowd of more than 3000 people packed like sardines the Fieldhouse felt electric— mini Staples Center even.
Saturday I got a whiff of what a big-time collegiate sports experience is all about. What a shame it had to end at 6 o’clock. In a word it was just one of those all-hat-and-no-cattle kind of games.
I hadn’t gone through half my bag of Skittles before the winner was practically decided— and it was only 10 minutes into the first half.
All that hype and for what? The lights the star power the fancy promotions the television audience— you would think it would inspire greatness at least for 30 minutes.
Unfortunately the final score was much closer than the game was as Pepperdine could only muster 19 points in the first half.
Nineteen points? Come on Waves— Stevie Wonder could have scored 20.
OK maybe that was too soon.
In all fairness however if a team has a guy 7-foot-5 with a curly afro rivaling Big Ben Wallaces’ you might as well go home.
It’s been yet another rough season on the 94-by-50 hardwood for the boys in blue and orange and I for one would love to start seeing these 3000-plus crowds start supporting the men’s volleyball team— a team ranked in the top two in America with a great shot at bringing home a National Championship.
But don’t worry Asbury— you’ll still have our continued support. I mean let’s keep it all in perspective. Lots of teams would be thrilled with seven wins and a majority of the players have gained invaluable playing experience this season.
And to all the fans of Pepperdine basketball keep on hoping the tide will turn. At least we have some things to cheer about Riptide Nation. It could be a whole lot worse.
We could be the New Jersey Nets.