Arco Arena: A Place I Call Home

Arco Arena, a place I've been able to call home since my first games as a youngster watching Mitch Richmond in town. Where, on November 8th, 2006, us Kings fans set the record for the worlds loudest sports roar ever attained in an Arena, reaching over 130 decibels. Arco has seen some of the worst, and some of the greatest basketball ever played since the birth of the game, and if those walls could talk they would have some great stories. Unfortunately the 08-09 season would feature memorable stories like the Magic setting the all-time 3 point record for a single game, Lebron dropping 51 in an over-time thrilling loss, Nene's back-to-back steal-to-dunks, and Rasual Butler spoiling Vlade's Divac's retirement game at the buzzer with New Orleans native Lil Wayne going bonkers on the sideline (all of which I saw live....no complaints though, basketball is like a history book that just keeps getting written and i love to see it live...good or bad)

So with possibly Arco's last years ahead of its tenure with the Kings, I feel I should show my appreciation to our arena by listing my top moments I've viewed in that little building.

*in no particular order

(November 22, 2006) Ronnie Price Posterizes Carlos Boozer:

I was at this game with my friend Justin, an equal Kings fanatic, sitting 4th row opposite the basket it occurred on. This dunk gave me goosebumps when it happened, the referee literally waited a minute to give the ball to Ronnie to shoot his freethrow because it was too damn loud from the replay over and over on the jumbo tron. If you analyze and break down the situation, that was one of the best dunks ever. Our smallest man, completely posterizing the opposing teams biggest man.

2004 Western Conference Semis vs. Timberwolves, Game 3:

The only playoff game I've ever been to, and I lost my voice at this game it was that exciting. With the Kings down 10 with 1:10 left in the 4th quarter, things looked very grim, grim enough for my dad and brother to leave the game at this time....but this is the playoffs..I insisted on staying and did so, I went home with my friend at the game while they left. Basically everything that needed to happen within those last 70 seconds of regulation...happened. Kings got a stop..Bibby hits a tre, Kings get a stop..Peja gets a 4 point play (ARE YOU KIDDING!?), Kings get a stop..Peja drills another 3 point dagger to send it to overtime and by now my windpipes are out of order.

Kings went on to lose this game although in double over-time, but I got to see one of the greatest comebacks of all time...and gave my dad and brother a lot of shit for leaving arco to beat traffic during the playoffs...

Mike Bibby Game Winner vs. Memphis:

I was at this game with the same buddy that saw Ronnie smash on Boozer. Now with our experience at Arco (and with the decline in overall arco attendance), all of those wide open red colored seats down low sure look appealing from the 10 dollar seats upstairs don't they? This is what my wingman and I like to call "Operation Red", with the use of the "Seek-and-Pursue" tactic, getting down low to those wide open seats can be achieved by any kings fan. Just scope out the wide open seats from up top and hit em up at halftime...its cake :)...Anyways this is all relevant to this particular game because it was the first time ever that my friend Justin and I executed an "Operation Red, and Bibby made it that much better for us. We snuck right underneath the basket, not to be bothered, and Bibby does this ^...what a great night.

Thanks for reading my first post.

Go Kings

Kevin McKinney (certified Laker Hater)