In Eckleburg's Eyes - 2/13/2009, Part 2

News & Notes from Thursday, February 12th, 2009

-On Thursday night, my parents and I attended the Lady Vols basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena. We were there to see my youngest cousin, HLN, dance at halftime with the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble. We sat in Section 131, while my uncle sat nearby in 227. Unfortunately, despite sitting relatively close to each other, we did not connect.

-The crowd was surprisingly large. It was the most homogenous audience I can remember seeing. I challenged my father to find an African-American and he could not. The crowd also tended to be on the elderly side. I do not know if it is the game’s slower pace or the fact that the team typically wins but in short, old white people love the Lady Vols.

-I have not been to a Lady Vols basketball game in about a decade and I think I will be content to wait another decade for my next experience. The pace is just so slow. If I ever get to fall in love again, I will take a date to a game. I have always lamented that time flies when you are happy and I feel that taking a date there could prolong the honeymoon period.

-HLN performed well as always. The dancing troupe wore red, white, and blue, and performed a patriotic routine. They even used pom poms as props. Her maternal grandparents, big Lady Vols supporters, would have been so proud.

-After they performed, we had seen enough. We left with the Lady Vols leading Alabama, 41-30. Tennessee went on to hand the Crimson Tide their 10th consecutive loss and 34th in a row in the series! More importantly, the 80-61 final score meant all three of our tickets could be redeemed for free food at Chick fil-A.

-After the game, er half, my parents and I ate at the Silver Spoon Café . In my ongoing mission to try every pasta the restaurant offers, I ate the Italian meatball pasta. It was good, but I preferred the meatballs to the pasta.

-My night concluded at RAW’s home. RAW and MPW had met to eat RAW’s homemade chili (of which he is quite proud) and to watch the NBA on television. KLTW was not home from work and had let KJW spend the night with her aunt PWC. I was glad to see my friends but was none to pleased that she had given the toddler away.