This is not the man I married

Sean's never been much of a sports fan.  He's always cheered for Georgia Tech but he never followed them, or any team.  In fact, when The Intimidator died at Daytona back in 2001 Sean even lost interest in NASCAR. Don’t get me wrong; if cars are on TV, he’s going to watch.  But he doesn’t keep up with the drivers like he used to.

Fast-forward to 2005.  We moved to Lansing and bang, Sean caught Spartan fever.  This man, who never sat through an entire game of anything, is suddenly arranging his Saturday chores around MSU games.  He’s been to several football games – been to them!  Sat in blazing heat and freezing cold (on the same day, mind you) to watch the game live.  Just this weekend he was hollering at the TV – I wasn’t sure he’d make it through the end of the game.  We’ve been to basketball and volleyball games.  We’ve been to more sporting events in the past five years than we did in all the prior 13 years of our marriage.  He is definitely a proud member of the Spartan Nation.

So when we were given tickets to a Spartan women’s basketball game, I knew he’d be thrilled. 

Our orthodontist has season tickets and regularly shares them with his patients; this weekend, we were the happy recipients.  When his receptionist called a few weeks ago to ask if we’d like their four tickets I said yes, then asked if there was a way we could buy a fifth.  She said the seats around those four were all sold out but I should be able to find one in the same section.

Hey, no problem.  I figured Sean and I could alternate who’d sit with the kids; it was a small price to pay for four free seats.

But a few days after the first call, the receptionist called back to say they’d like to give us two more.  Only difference was these two were courtside seats.  With access to a spread of goodies pre-game and at half-time.

How stinkin’ fun!  I knew exactly which parent should have one of those courtside seats. 

But then the receptionist told me who would get the second: Rebecca.  Seems NCAA rules prohibit any high school student from sitting courtside, which meant Amy and Michael would be sitting with me. 

Sean and Rebecca, under the arrow.
(Don't make fun of my arrow - I worked really hard on it!)

Secretly I was thrilled for Rebecca.  She is such a third child – she’s been drug around creation waiting on Michael and Amy to do who knows what.  And she’ll never let us forget she didn’t go to Paris with us and Michael and Amy for my dad’s retirement flight.  (In our defense, she was two.)  So any time she gets to do something special I’m happy for her.

After church yesterday we headed to the Breslin Center.  Sean and Rebecca got their special lanyards, allowing them access to the court.  Michael, Amy and I settled into our seats, which were fabulous, too.  The Spartans started out slow but picked things up by half time.  They ended up smoking Detroit Mercy 82-42.

Rebecca thoroughly enjoyed her special seat.  Sparty was just a few chairs down, and the cheerleaders were mere feet away from her.  She and Sean enjoyed the food, spoke with the assistant coach before the game, and both said it was a thrill to be so close to the action.  Plus, they were right next to the pep band, which Sean loved.  

It wasn’t Paris, but it was something just for her.  And Mr. Spartan had a great time, too.

Two smiling Spartan fans!

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