It's the game of the year, but ...
The excitement over this week's boys basketball game between Scott County Central and Sikeston became evident when the game sold nearly 7,000 tickets in less than three weeks.
It promises to be a tremendous turnout for a regular-season game in Southeast Missouri, but with tipoff at the Show Me Center 72 hours away, what began as a classic high school basketball pairing has the makings of a basketball-themed Wrestlemania.
At last count, sports site semoball.com has featured 12 blogs related to the game. Statewide forum mosports.com has at least 17 active threads about it. There was talk — fairly seriously, I think — of ESPN and USA Today coverage.
Today it was announced that a photobooth will be available for fans at the game, along with face-painting. America's Got Talent winner Neal Boyd might be there to sing The Star-Spangled Banner.
What's next? Dick Vitale handling play-by-play? Joan Rivers critiquing fashion on the Show Me Center red carpet? Aretha Franklin performing "America The Beautiful?"
The Barack Obama inauguration wasn't even this much of a spectacle.
Scott Central and Sikeston coaches have to be wringing their hands over the whole event, fearful that what started as a good intention for a great basketball game is beginning to turn the game intself into a side show, falling second to the surroundings and the hype itself.
At best, the game will be a good matchup, and both teams will keep their focus on the court.
At worst, you can have your face painted before the game.
18 comments:
Thank you for writing this blog Jamie. I feel exactly the same way you do. For Pete Maravich's sake, it's high school basketball!! This isn't Kobe vs. Lebron. And it's not like they are the two best teams in the state either - hell they may not even be the two best teams in the area. Sikeston just lost to POPLAR BLUFF. When Hansbrough played Oden in high school on ESPN, that was a pretty big deal considering both were on track to be basketball mega-stars. Everyone needs to relax and realize this isn't THAT big of a deal. For what it's worth, I think SCC will dominate Sikeston. Braves by 15-20. Sikeston is completely overhyped.
Could we get someone a little younger than Joan River. She's so old that one day she was getting dressed and a peeping tom looked in the window, took a look and pulled down the shade.
It'll be okay guys, Notre Dame will be back and one of the best in the area soon so you wont have to try and squash the excitement around other teams.
No one with a right mind is saying it is Kobe and Lebron or Hansbrough and Oden, But it is a pretty cool matchup of two high school teams that sold 7000 tickets in three weeks in the middle of an Ice Age. Give me an example of two teams in any sport in the area that could have pulled this off in the past ten years. None. Porter isnt Hansbrough and Scott Country wont be sending anyone to the ACC, but they are two highly touted and ranked teams with many underlying plotlines that haven't met in 38 years despite being only a few miles apart. If you dont get that then you dont get that. While 7000 people are in attendance and thousands of others watch the webcast maybe we can get some more blogs about how all high school fans outside of ND are classless and whiners, or about how Semo's mens team lost another game. Never mind, you are right, no one will probably show up, everyone will stay home and watch the Duke game, what Semoball did getting this game really isnt that big of a deal. Come on now
I don't quite get what you're saying because as much as this game is hyped up,for the Sikeston and SCC alumni this game has been a long time coming. Also Neal IS from Sikeston so it would be a great thing for him to sing the national anthem. And this game if they play it every year after this will have to be held at the show-me center because there would never be enough room in the fieldhouse so it will always be a huge game. This game is not to highlight the "best players in Missouri" or anything to that effect, it's rekindling a competitive series that will ultimately be good for both teams down the road. Although I do agree with you in one aspect. The signing booth is taking it overboard.
Are you going to be there Jamie??
I'm pretty sure all of the hype surrounding this game won't occur if the teams matchup next year. This is strictly because it hasn't happened in 38 years and there are so many friends and family members involved as students, players, and alumni that have been waiting impatiently for this matchup to occur.
Thats funny. On facebook, someone made a hugeeee group that about 800 ppl joined. They actually said Vitale was hosting it, haha.
You know the Hnasbourough0Oden matchup sold about 3000 tickets in a college arena right?
PB had a good game, we didn't. They lost 6 games, there is no one in the state that doesnt think we are the two best in the area, besides you, first anonymous comment.
Jamie you don't have to come you know
I can see the headline Thursday on this site even if it goes three overtimes, "Big game doesnt live up to the hype" or maybe you can let us know about SEMO who no one cares about right now. 0-2 on the last two blogs, come on now you can do better than that
I believe the Cape vs Jackson Game last night was a much closer and better game than what tonight's game with SCC vs Sikeston will bring to the Show Me Center
Great game!!
Michael Porter carried Sikeston down the stretch.
Sikeston was fortunate that Drew Thomas left his game in Haywood City.
Jamie,
Do you understand the hype now?
Was Jamie there or did he stay home and watch NC rout Duke?
"At best, the game will be a good matchup, and both teams will keep their focus on the court."
Way off the mark Jamie. This game did not live up to the hype...it exceeded it. While the 7000+ people, the Neil Boyd national anthem, the Blake Dewitt recognition, the live KFVS12 webcast, the money raised for the schools and the Red Cross were all great individually and even better when considered in combination, they ended up being dwarfed by the game itself. The only dissappointment of the night is that the clock finally ran out. Had it not, I swear they would still be going back and forth as I write 5 hours later. Mock the excitement all you want, but I really hope you were there to ee this game tonight.... and I pity you if you weren't.
One of the best games I've ever seen. Period.
Where is the coverage? Biggest game in a LONG time in this area and we get a few paragraphs on the front with no blogs? Give me a break. This isnt Southeast Missouri's web site, it sminority opinions that go against what over 14,000 people were dying to see combining webcast and attendance. Maybe NDs track team will have a great spring season and we can get some SEMO coverage. Geez
I don't know if I would say BEST game every played... that's a stretch... a game with no defense and foul after foul not called isn't the best game ever... I will admit I had a hell of a time but best game ever? Don't know about that one. Now is it true that Joe Bill got clocked after the game?
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