AND THAT'S A WRAP

The end of another  Jazz season has come.

Season #35 in Utah. 

I've probably been to about

1,000 games since the Jazz

came to Salt Lake City in 1979.

Times, they have changed!

I started going to games in the

old Salt Palace.

I would purchase tickets at 

ZCMI in the mall.

About $8 - $15, and we had

great seats!

When the "Delta Center" was built,

I went to more games.

The nieces and nephews were getting older.
(Always went to Sconecutters on State Street after games!)

Ticket sales were moved to Smithtix.

So, for playoff tickets, I was in line at 4:00 a.m.
to buy tickets that went on sale at 7:00 a.m.

at Smith's, by my house.

Then, AEA offered a 10 game "mini package."
About row 10 in the upper bowl.

I was all over that!!!

Plus, I could buy playoff tickets,

without leaving my home!!!

And, boy...did we go to the playoffs!!!

Year after year after year!

Round 2, the games were always

at 8:30 p.m.

Got home from these at 1:00 a.m.,

and back up to teaching school same day.
And, of course, 2 years in a row of the
NBA FINALS!!!

After the mini packages, I then purchased a 16 game package.

Row 1 of upper bowl.

Then, I became a full blown season ticket holder

in the 2007-2008 season.

Row 3 upper bowl.

The next summer, they had an open ticket exchange.

You went to Energy Solutions Arena, and looked at seats.

I found 2 seats that were second to the top 

in the lower bowl, end seats.

Perfect.

Mom, who started going with me after dad died,

did not have to climb stairs.

And...BONUS...by Café Olé, Diet Coke,

Red Mango (since gone) AND bathroom!!!

HUZZAH!!!

From the time I started going to Jazz games,

we were spoiled!

Pistol Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Darrell Griffith, Thurl Bailey, Mark Eaton, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek, etc.
Several players played more than once for the Jazz.
Team loyalty.

And then? The implosion!

Retirement!

No playoffs.

Did okay with Andrei Kirilinko, Deron Williams, and Carlos Boozer,

and then they left.
Coach Jerry Sloan retired in mid-season after
an apparent blowup with Williams.
Assistant Coach, Phil Johnson, retires at same time.
Another assistant coach, former Jazzman and all  around
nice guy...Ty Corbin, suddenly finds himself in charge.

Well, last season, we finished 25-57.

This season.

New coach.

New players.

We finished 38-44!!!

Lost only 10 games since All-Star Break!

But, if we had been in the East, we would

be in the playoffs as an 8 seed.

Facing #1 Atlanta Hawks!

We've beat them before.

But, more intriguing...3 former Jazz players.

Paul Milsap, Demaré Carroll, Kyle Korver.

And...brother vs brother!

Elijah vs Paul!!!

Having season tickets has been soooo fun,

and even a blessing!!!

In my last 4 years of teaching, which were

sooooo challenging, it was a great distraction.

All nieces and nephews and Reid & Laurel get a game for Christmas.
(Except Katie is off list...since CJ was plays for the Clippers!)

I've taken friends, co-workers, and used tickets

as wedding and graduation presents.

But, I've gone from an $8 ticket at the Salt Palace 

to nearly $4,000...more than the cost of my second car...at Energy Solutions Arena for a season.

Totally worth it!!!

Nancy and I do a "Girls Night Out" game

every year for her birthday.

She went to the last game with me.

The players threw autographed balls into the crowd

after the game.

Best part of the season:
Mom's 80th Birthday

Thanks, Spencer!

Most exciting game:

CJ (red shoes) playing in his
first NBA game!  Drafted #28...LA Clippers.

Best "Are You Kidding Me? moment:

The groom...Reid Allred.  He is the usher at my portal
when regular usher, Linda, takes her break.
He gave us an invite to his January wedding.
We had just begun being Facebook friends when his wife posted 
this picture from their wedding.
The woman at the left was tagged...I knew her!
I also knew the lady on the far right.  I only knew her
as Deanna, maiden name is Webb. 
Deanna is Reed's grandma! 
Deanna and my Aunt Nadene are SISTERS!!!
Nadene is married to my mom's youngest brother, and they live in
Ocala, Florida!
I saw his grandma in March.  Her and Nadene's brother 
passed away, and I went to the viewing.
I didn't know this connection then.
When I was just out of 7th grade, I went to spend
a month with Bruce, Nadene, and kids when they lived in 
Racine, Wisconsin.
(First time on an airplane...1971)
We went to Denver to stay with Nadene's sister, Deanna, 
for 5 days!

The time Jazz players were the happiest:

Meeting me!

Best Tweet of the season:

Most interesting facts of the season:

David Locke

7 mins · 

This is an NBA Season
Approximately 53,704 miles traveled & 134 hours (5.6 days) spent on 71 plane trips (enough miles to circle the world 2.2 times). 59 nights in hotels. 122 nights not home for dinner in a 6 month span.

Best new trend of the season:
 The "Rudy Salute"

My Jazz MVP of the season:

New Head Coach...Quin Snyder

SEE YA NEXT SEASON!!!

$869 down...only $2,607 left.