Harlem Globetrotters (136) – (in Tucson)

The eagerly awaited Harlem Globetrotter’s game approached quickly and to increase their excitement, we watched a few You Tube segments showing them in action with the Sweet Georgia Brown theme song in the background.

The game was supposed to start at 2pm in the Tucson Arena, in the heart of the CBD. As we had pre-purchased the tickets, the internet guide advised us to be there no later than 10.30 to pick up the tickets from the arena. Communication is a wonderful thing, somewhat lacking today. We arrived at 10.15 to be third in line and waited for the ticket window to open...and waited...and waited...and waited.

Eventually at midday, four windows opened simultaneously and we leapt to the closest, only to find out that was the wrong window! Fortunately, the correct window was only 2 down from where we were and there were only 2 people in front of us. Tickets in hand, we walked to the entrance tunnel.

We took turns in the queue

We had paid an extra $15/person to meet some of the Globetrotters in a 30 minute session starting at 12.30 and, as instructed, waited beside the designated door with 2 other families. However, at 12.30, another door about 50 metres opened and was allowing people in that one. We hastily made our way to the other door and were told they weren’t going to open the ones we were told to stand beside*#%(! OK, in we went and were told to walk downstairs to the meet the players.

Tucson Arena is quite large, and once we walked downstairs, we found ourselves alone in a huge basement area with no signage to where players were or where we should proceed. So, we wandered about in search of where we should be, all too aware of the ticking clock and our rapidly diminishing 30-minute window. We discovered we were on the same level as the basketball court and walked out from under the back tunnels into the playing arena, surrounded by spectators in the stands.

Thankfully no applause was forthcoming, however, after a quick glance around we discovered we weren’t alone and there were other people sitting on chairs at the court’s edge. We approached them and they said they were also there for the “meet and greet”. Yaaay, we had found where we were supposed to be....now what? That was very soon answered as six Globetrotters jogged out onto the court and ran past the chairs offering “high fives” and hand slaps to all seated there.



Washington, their opponents sat
quietly following their modest entrance
to jeers and boos. I felt sorry for them
and wondered what incentive they had
to join the team after nearly
30 years of losses! 



They were very entertaining and their infectious enthusiasm raised the somewhat frazzled spirits. The players selected various children for different types of games – Chantelle and another boy were taken out to the centre and had a basketball spun around on their fingertips – then Rochelle and others were chosen to stand in small circles and each was given coaching to demonstrate a different basketball trick. Rochelle had to move the basketball around her back, then through her legs and pass it back to the player.

Each of the girls was given a Globetrotter’s wristband and towards the end of the 30 minute session, the players demonstrated some of their own tricks.

How tall are you sir?

The basketball game was frequently interspersed by very funny routines with other players, the referees and people from the audience. It was a great, entertaining show and when completed with the very predictable Globetrotter’s win, they offered a 30-minute window of opportunity to sign autographs and have photos taken for everyone in the audience. The queues formed instantly and were all the way around the basketball court’s perimeter. We managed to get 4 player's signatures before they closed the opportunity and everyone was ushered outside.

As it was late in the afternoon, we headed back to the campground and were hoping to find 2 x packages (seat covers for the Chev) that should have been delivered by Fedex. Unfortunately the office was closed by the time we got back because we discovered only 1 of the packages beside the Sierra - the other?? We were due to leave the following morning and hopefully they had it inside with them.

To our disappointment, we found out the following morning that the office didn't have the second package. A phone call to Fedex didn't help either as they said they only delivered one of the two packages yesterday as it was a public holiday and they weren't sure if we'd be there?? Huh??? OK, so where's the other? Aaahh, were're not sure but we think it might be on a truck for delivery to you, perhaps today but no guarantee, if not, it should be tomorrow!?

Hence, we again extended our stay and paid for another 2 nights hoping the second package would be delivered either "today" or "tomorrow" before we were due to leave on Thursday 20th. Murphy's law being as it is, the parcel arrived about 2 hours after we had paid for the additional 2 nights! So, now we had plenty of time on hand, I set about trying to fit the new covers.

I discovered the front seat covers had 2 holes punched in the top where the legs for the head rest should penetrate. That would normally be OK, however, we have DVD cables going through each of the legs disappearing somewhere that made the removal of the rests impossible without disassembly of the seat. Fortunately, our next planned several night's stay was to be in Dallas and that's where the Chev and the additions were originally purchased. I thought it best to wait till then and have them fitted by others.