My wife heard that the NBA L.A. Clippers were hosting a party at the ESPN Zone restaurant at L.A. Live on Thursday, June 25. She first heard about it from an American Red Cross e-mail and later heard from an L.A. Live newsgroup e-mail. June 25 was the day of the NBA draft and the Clippers had the first pick. There was little doubt that they would select Blake Griffin, a star forward from the University of Oklahoma. The draft began at 4 pm Pacific time and I’m sure people started gathering at the ESPN Zone before then. My wife got there before 4 pm and watched the Clippers select Blake Griffin. Everyone cheered and they immediately began selling Blake Griffin Clippers jerseys for $90 each. She saw the famous fan Clipper Darryl in his red and blue suit and the Clipper Spirit Dancers.
We’ve been Clipper fans for a while now. I’ve been following them since I moved to L.A. and I remember the humorous, friendly banter between the TV commentators Ralph Lawler and Bill Walton. Walton has long since been replaced by Mike Smith. The last time the Clippers had the number one draft pick was around the time I moved to L.A. and they selected Michael Olawakandi. That didn’t work out very well. Hopefully, Griffin will work out better. His selection seemed to be a sure thing unlike the other picks in the 2009 draft that could have gone many different ways. I had seen various predictions in Sports Illustrated and online.
I didn’t get off work until 4:25 pm so I missed the beginning of the draft. I walked the mile or so from work to L.A. Live. In the plaza they were having celebrations to inaugurate the annual X-Games. There was a giant skateboard larger than a car and a radio station broadcasting and acknowledging the tragic passing of Michael Jackson a few hours before. Tony Alva, a famous skateboarder depicted on the film Lords of Dogtown, was there signing autographs. There was also a Dodgertown booth and Moon Bounce. I arrived at ESPN Zone at 4:45 pm but the Clippers staffer at the door said I couldn’t enter. There were others waiting outside, some wearing Clippers jerseys and T-shirts. I wore blue jeans and a red T-shirt that I had to change into after work since it wasn’t casual day. We formed an informal queue to get in. It looked like the place was at capacity and they were waiting for enough people to leave. I called my wife and she went outside to find me. Right after we met up they opened the doors and we followed the queue inside.
Just inside they were selling the Blake Griffin jerseys along with other Clippers jerseys and T-shirts at a table. Behind the table were stairs that led up to the second level, but only season ticketholders and other VIPs were allowed up there. At another table they offered free samples of Jarritos, the Mexican soft drink made with cane sugar rather than High Fructose Corn Syrup. They served the more conventional flavors of orange, lemon, and fruit punch and not the more obscure ones such as strawberry, jicama, and tamarind that we get at our neighborhood CVS. Jarritos is offered as a beverage on the ESPN Zone menu. We watched the draft on a flatscreen TV near the store at ESPN Zone. There are many TVs there. Every booth and table has their own TV, the bar has many, and one room that looks like a theater has several big screens. Most were showing the draft though the latter room with the big screens showed other sporting events and a slide show of photos taken at the draft party. When I arrived at the draft party they were at pick number 5 and the Minnesota Timberwolves chose Ricky Rubio. For each pick the team on deck had 2-4 minutes to decide and NBA commissioner David Stern would announce their selection. The draft took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
As we watched some plastic red streamers dropped down from the second floor. We saw a tall gentleman walk by. My wife said that, earlier, people were posing for pictures with him. I believe he was one of the Clippers, though I’m not sure which one. There were several Clippers sales staff at the party trying to sell season ticket packages. A few of the Clippers spirit dancers also walked by. We wanted to get a table and possibly order dinner. ESPN Zone has a PB&J on their kids menu. It looked like there were some booths available but the staff said that they were reserved. We sat at a low ledge along the glass wall near the bar and then left at draft pick number 10-15. We had dinner at the Lawry’s Carvery that’s in the same building as ESPN Zone. The last time I ate at Lawry’s Carvery I had tried their roast beef sandwich (see earlier review). This time I tried the beef brisket sandwich and it was also very good. My wife had the southwest salad. They were showing the draft on their flatscreen TV so we just continued watching through Utah’s pick at number 20.
I hoped the Clippers’ top draft pick means good things for the Clippers in the coming season. Blake Griffin was injured before the season started. I’m not sure if he’s back playing yet. So far the Clippers have a losing record but I think they’re doing better than last year.
We’ve been Clipper fans for a while now. I’ve been following them since I moved to L.A. and I remember the humorous, friendly banter between the TV commentators Ralph Lawler and Bill Walton. Walton has long since been replaced by Mike Smith. The last time the Clippers had the number one draft pick was around the time I moved to L.A. and they selected Michael Olawakandi. That didn’t work out very well. Hopefully, Griffin will work out better. His selection seemed to be a sure thing unlike the other picks in the 2009 draft that could have gone many different ways. I had seen various predictions in Sports Illustrated and online.
I didn’t get off work until 4:25 pm so I missed the beginning of the draft. I walked the mile or so from work to L.A. Live. In the plaza they were having celebrations to inaugurate the annual X-Games. There was a giant skateboard larger than a car and a radio station broadcasting and acknowledging the tragic passing of Michael Jackson a few hours before. Tony Alva, a famous skateboarder depicted on the film Lords of Dogtown, was there signing autographs. There was also a Dodgertown booth and Moon Bounce. I arrived at ESPN Zone at 4:45 pm but the Clippers staffer at the door said I couldn’t enter. There were others waiting outside, some wearing Clippers jerseys and T-shirts. I wore blue jeans and a red T-shirt that I had to change into after work since it wasn’t casual day. We formed an informal queue to get in. It looked like the place was at capacity and they were waiting for enough people to leave. I called my wife and she went outside to find me. Right after we met up they opened the doors and we followed the queue inside.
Just inside they were selling the Blake Griffin jerseys along with other Clippers jerseys and T-shirts at a table. Behind the table were stairs that led up to the second level, but only season ticketholders and other VIPs were allowed up there. At another table they offered free samples of Jarritos, the Mexican soft drink made with cane sugar rather than High Fructose Corn Syrup. They served the more conventional flavors of orange, lemon, and fruit punch and not the more obscure ones such as strawberry, jicama, and tamarind that we get at our neighborhood CVS. Jarritos is offered as a beverage on the ESPN Zone menu. We watched the draft on a flatscreen TV near the store at ESPN Zone. There are many TVs there. Every booth and table has their own TV, the bar has many, and one room that looks like a theater has several big screens. Most were showing the draft though the latter room with the big screens showed other sporting events and a slide show of photos taken at the draft party. When I arrived at the draft party they were at pick number 5 and the Minnesota Timberwolves chose Ricky Rubio. For each pick the team on deck had 2-4 minutes to decide and NBA commissioner David Stern would announce their selection. The draft took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
As we watched some plastic red streamers dropped down from the second floor. We saw a tall gentleman walk by. My wife said that, earlier, people were posing for pictures with him. I believe he was one of the Clippers, though I’m not sure which one. There were several Clippers sales staff at the party trying to sell season ticket packages. A few of the Clippers spirit dancers also walked by. We wanted to get a table and possibly order dinner. ESPN Zone has a PB&J on their kids menu. It looked like there were some booths available but the staff said that they were reserved. We sat at a low ledge along the glass wall near the bar and then left at draft pick number 10-15. We had dinner at the Lawry’s Carvery that’s in the same building as ESPN Zone. The last time I ate at Lawry’s Carvery I had tried their roast beef sandwich (see earlier review). This time I tried the beef brisket sandwich and it was also very good. My wife had the southwest salad. They were showing the draft on their flatscreen TV so we just continued watching through Utah’s pick at number 20.
I hoped the Clippers’ top draft pick means good things for the Clippers in the coming season. Blake Griffin was injured before the season started. I’m not sure if he’s back playing yet. So far the Clippers have a losing record but I think they’re doing better than last year.
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