As mentioned last week in this cyber-silliness, Curly Neal, the legendary Harlem Globetrotter, was an honored visitor to FirstNews back on Thursday. After his visit, it was only natural that the youngest boy in the house, Harrison, would want to see the big show at The Sprint Center. Also, we knew that, at the Saturday evening show, FirstNews co-anchor, Donna "Three-Pointer" Pitman would be joining the Washington Generals.

Now, of course, going out on a Saturday night is unusual for me. All those years watching Love Boat and Fantasy Island has made my muscle memory refuse to allow me to leave the house. I still have have my "Bernie Kopell as Doc" Lunch Box and full length "Tattoo" poster. Now, last Saturday night, Channel 9 had a full slate of political debates, there was football on another channel and, most importantly, I do believe TVLand was featuring a Beverly Hillbillies marathon! Despite all those enticements, I was a good father and, along with always-ready-for-fun Jessica, took Harrison and one of his best friends to the show.

This was our first visit to the new Sprint Center. In fact, it was my first drive downtown since KMBC moved from the Lyric Opera building to the new digs. Going back after all this time...about four and half months...was quite nostalgic. Everything seemed so much smaller or, just maybe, I've grown a little bit. I ended up parking by the old station...out of force of habit. That reminds me of the summer festival at St. Al's Catholic Church where I grew up. They'd have some of the sisters out in the street directing traffic. You went where the nuns pointed. It was truly...Force of Habit! Anyway, I parked that far away out of cherished memory...not just to save on a parking fee. Really. It was a nice night for a walk. Period.

The Sprint Center is, as you've all heard by now, beautiful. Everything is squeaky clean. In fact, the folks at the door almost refused to let me enter. But, after a quick delousing process, I was granted entry. (That procedure is really nothing out of the ordinary for me. I have to go through it each morning before entering the new hoity-toity KMBC studios. Wait a minute. They made me do it before entering the old building, too! Come on!) My wife bases much of her judgement of a place...restaurant, office, rest-stop by the side of a Georgia road...on what the bathrooms are like. Well, forget about the Rose Bowl or Fiesta Bowl or, even, the Uncle Zeke's Baitshop and Outpatient Surgery Bowl, the new Tidy-Bowl Champion is the Spring Center. By the way, the word "bowl" is one of those that looks weirder and weirder the more you write it. Go ahead...write it on a piece of paper about ten times....I'll wait. Okay. Looks weird, right?

The seats were great and the show took off right on time. Of course, the Globetrotters of my youth don't play anymore...no Curly on the court or Meadowlark in the stands...but there is a Scooter and Mr. Biz and Big Easy and Special K. As fun as the show was, watching the kids in the seats was even better. They laughed hysterically when buckets of water were dumped on the audience. They got quietly concerned when Special K was helped off the court, apparently injured. Their faces expressed worry that just maybe this was the night the Washington Generals would topple the mighty Globetrotters. Just a quick aside: for some reason my wife kept saying Glob-trotters instead of Globe-trotters. There's no joke here but it sure was funny at the time.

The highpoint for our section was when the Generals put in their secret weapon: Donna Pitman! She took the ball down court at one point only to be the victim of a flagrant foul. Now, everyday on the set of FirstNews, there are lots of elbows flying and robust jockeying for position...and that's just from Kris Ketz. But, on the court, Ms. Pitman was given the chance to make some points due to this rough stuff. She approached the free-throw line with great confidence. She bounced the ball like a pro. Despite all the shenanigans going on around her, she took the shot. It bounced off the rim. Not discouraged, she grabbed the ball from the ref and let it fly again. It sailed, wobbily, ("Wobbily" is, apparently, not a real word. It should be.) toward the hoop. It seemed to stop on the rim...as if making up it's air-filled mind about which way to tumble. Almost against its will, it toppled through to the bottom of the net. There was loud, raucous cheering...lots of jumping around...boundless excitement. Special K, knowing a dangerous player when he sees one, grabbed Ms. Pitman by the jersey and escorted her back to the bench...for the remainder of the game.

I give Donna Pitman a great deal of credit for being willing to do this kind of thing. She tripped the light fantastic in the KC version of Dancing With The Stars. She prepared the coffee products at Starbucks over the holidays. And, now, she takes the court under the hot lights of the Sprint Center. I would never try any of those things. I know I'd make a total fool of myself. Okay. I can hear you saying "How's that different from any given day on FirstNews?" I agree but, at least, I don't have to actually see you laughing and pointing at me! Or throwing your bowl (there's that word again) at me or siccing the dog on me. Siccing...odd word, too. Donna Pitman has courage. I do not. But, we also serve who sit and spectate.