My love of Duke basketball began in about 7th grade! I have been a dedicated fan ever since! Some people say I jumped on the bandwagon! To them I say, look at the pictures of dedicated awesomeness!
The entire men's basketball schedule goes in my planner every year. Date, time, and television station it's broadcast on. One year, I even made a slide show of pictures about them, I was that obsessed. I can't believe I just admitted that! But, bandwagon? I think NOT!
Anyways! On the bucket list... attend a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. While I didn't make it to Cameron Indoor, I was able to see the Duke basketball team play in person, and it did NOT disappoint!
Earlier in the year I had made plans to spend Thanksgiving in Portland. One of the reasons would be to attend the Duke game the Saturday after Thanksgiving! I was super excited that I would be able to see a game in person! Mom said that she wanted to take Tandy and Wade and that they would meet us up there! Plans fell through for Portland, and I was sad I wasn't going to see the Duke game! Mom to the rescue. She had already bought three tickets. Once I decided I was coming home for Thanksgiving, she bought me a ticket, and we were able to all go up to the game!
We left the day after Thanksgiving and drove all the way to Portland to beat a snow storm! When we got to Portland, we checked into our hotel, and then went to eat and shop for Duke T-shirts. After eating we checked every store in one of the main mall's with no luck! We decided we would look online and find some in the morning before the game!
Wade is a nerd. He enjoyed himself.
After a good night's sleep, and rising anticipation for the game, we were determined to find some Duke apparel. Mom called around to a couple of places to see if they sold anything. Every store we tried calling did not have anything?! SERIOUSLY?! Kyle Singler is from OREGON! They are the defending National Champions! There has got to be something! Kohl's was our last chance. The following is the conversation that occurred in a last ditch effort to find some Duke gear.
Mom on the phone with a person from Kohl's.
Mom: I'm wondering if you sell any Duke apparel and if you carry any in your store?
Kohl's Associate #1: Let me put you on hold, and I will check for you.
After about a minute of being put on hold.
Kohl's Associate #2: Hello, can I help you?
Mom: Hi, yes. I'm looking for some Duke Blue Devil apparel, someone is already helping me and looking for it.
Kohl's Associate #2: Okay, did they give you their name?
Mom: No they didn't. They said they were going to go check in the men's department.
Kohl's Associate #2: Can you tell me what they look like?
Mom: (literally laughing out loud as she answers in a baffled, confused, did you really just ask that question voice) Um... what who looks like?
Kohl's Associate #2: The person helping you find your stuff.
Mom: Um... no I don't know what they look like, I AM ON THE PHONE!
Kohl's Associate #2: (After a pause) You mean you're not in the store?
Mom: No, I'm not in the store, I am on the phone, talking to you.
Kohl's Associate #2: (Still clearly confused about what is happening) Well let me see if I can go and find the person helping you. What is it that you are looking for again?
(Laughing so hard she is crying, the rest of us laughing because she is crying and because the girl asked what the person looked like, while talking to us on the phone! Are you kidding me?)
Mom: Duke Blue Devil t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, anything with Duke on it. Do you know what Duke is? It's the name of a college.
Kohl's Associate #2: (Probably not appreciating the fact that she is getting laughed at) I will go and check for you.
Another couple of minutes pass, everyone trying to get a hold of themselves.
Kohl's Associate #2: Ma'am I'm sorry, we do not carry any Duke Blues.
Mom: DUKE BLUES?! (Bursts into laughter once again). Thank you. Goodbye.
So much for finding any Duke apparel. We laughed the rest of the day about that! We wanted to run into Kohl's so we could meet this girl! Clearly, we would know what she looked like from a telephone conversation? Right?! :) If only they would have had some Duke Blues for us to go pick up!
Before we headed to the game, we stopped by the Portland, Oregon Temple and took a couple of pictures there!
After a little bit more shopping, we headed over to the Rose Garden (where the Portland Trailblazers play). We wanted to see warm ups and see as much as we could! Hello, we had driven six hours! We had a six hour drive home later that night! We were getting our money's worth!
After finding parking, and riding the elevator up and down a few times :) trying to figure out where we were supposed to be (those people on the 3rd floor probably wondered why we were not getting out of the elevator!)
and waiting for a good thirty minutes to enter at a door that had "no admittance" for the game that night, we made it to our seats! We sat by the Smith's. The Rimmer's were also in attendance, but we didn't get a picture with them! I also saw Ben and Carly! Wade loves pictures!
It was a fun game because the Singler brothers were playing against each other. Kyle for Duke, and EJ for U of O. Duke dominated and it was so fun to see them play in person! We all felt bad for EJ because he clearly was the "bad" brother! Haha! Even though he wasn't really even that bad. Kyle and Duke are just THAT good! We enjoyed watching the game and after it was over made the long journey back home!
It was a great experience! So glad I was able to go! So glad I got to see my favorite team play in person! Next up... a trip to Cameron Indoor! Then the Duke experience will be complete! Go Devils! :)
