Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Ladies and gentleman put your hands together for Clipper Darrell


Recognize this guy?

Don't be embarrassed if you don't. I had never heard of him -- Clipper Darrell -- until the other day when my wife, my brother and my daughter took me to Staples Center as a late birthday present.

It's funny, we went to a basketball game.
But a circus broke out.

If you've been to a sporting event lately, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

In years past, knowing fans would go and sit as close the court as possible so they could dissect the pick-and-roll. Or get a first hand glance at the deceptive give-and-go. Or even the dynamic 1-3-1 Zone.

Now, it seems, people are there for the fireworks. The Kiss Cams. The high powered T-Shirt Cannons. And the leggy Clipper Girls. Then again, who doesn't like the high-stepping, pelvis-swerving Clipper Girls?

About halfway through the poor-shooting and lackadaisical first quarter, Clipper Darrell in his signature red and blue suit/costume walked by our choice $75 seats and plunked his substantially wide ass two rows in front of us.

The locals, that is, the season ticket holders, all seemed to know Darrell. There were catcalls. And fist bumps. Lots and lots of fist bumps. And so many of the fans stopped to have selfies taken with the Darrell, the self proclaimed #1 Superfan of your Los Angeles Clippers.

It was all good fun. And because I was seated just behind the Clipper's #1 Superfan, I took special efforts to photobomb as many of the pics as possible.

"Who is this fat, bald Jew behind Darrell? 
And why is he making faces? 
What is he 14 years old?"

I imagined them saying when arriving home and beginning the assembly of their Staples Center Cherished Memories Scrapbook.

It was so special being in the presence of greatness. So close I could almost touch it, but could definitely smell Darrell's suit which was sorely in need of a visit to the dry cleaners.

Greatness, you say, turning a skeptical eye to this former electrician-turned-fanomena?

Well, feast your eyes on this:




1 comment:

george tannenbaum said...

Back in New York, we had two names for the Knicks' dancers, the Knick City Dancers.

1. The Knick Titty Dancers, and my fave
2. The Knicker Knockers