Seeing CP3 for first time as a Clipper in person - random thoughts about NOLA pride
As somebody who has gone to a lot of Saints / Hornets away games over the years, there's really a special feeling of kinship and love for your team when you see them in a hostile environment. Specifically, when you see Drew Brees in the shotgun on a crucial 3rd down and the entire stadium is standing and screaming against your team. You kind of well up with pride - "C'mon Drew... c'mon Marques... ya'll got this! Shut these ****** up!". If you've never experienced this feeling I'd strongly encourage you to plan a road trip for a huge Saints road game in the next couple of years. It's a very unique and surreal experience. You kind of feel like "wow - this is real. These fans want to see Drew Brees get killed right now!" It makes you feel like you're a part of this team in a way that you can't match by going to only home games or just watching on TV.
I used to feel that way about CP3/DX/TC, and the Hornets during our 1.5 year run when I'd see them play in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio (I still lived in NOLA and only made closer away games then). To see CP3 doing his thing in a raucous away arena where people booed his flops and chanted "bullsh_t" when he was taking his free throws also made me well with NOLA pride.
I miss that feeling with the Hornets - I guess it is a special thing that you don't ALWAYS have at away games... It only comes when you have a deep bond with your team and the players. A month or so ago when I saw the Hornets here I felt kind of empty. I even met AD23's father at halftime and talked for 10 minutes with him... Still not really any investment yet - Even with the League Pass, the watching every game, the Hornets247 podcasts on my long drives, the 2012 Lottery drawing still on my DVR... I feel like I'm paying my dues right now - knowing that the payoff will come in a couple of years down the road...I guess my point is that it's going to be awesome when we (or at least I - it hasn't happened for me yet) start to feel that way about this team - about Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers and (hopefully one day) even about Eric Gordon. Yeah he's a wuss but he's OUR wuss, you know? I even felt a kinship to the Baron Davis Hornets that I don't feel to this team yet.
Sorry for the long soap opera - I guess I'm just curious about how I'll feel tonight in Milwaukee seeing Chris Paul in opposing colors for the first time in person. It's probably going to be surreal - like seeing Drew Brees wearing a Vikings uniform or something one day. How did the rest of you feel when you saw him as a Clipper for the first time in person?
