A lot is going to be said and written about what happened in Detroit. People with opinions will share them. There isn’t a single article written that will have an impact. There isn’t a single interview spoken that will have an impact. They will all be forgotten quickly.
What theNBAand the Detroit authoritiesDO will have an impact. I trust both will do their jobs and do them well. Their decisions will also generate tons of opinion that will be quickly forgotten.
While all those who wanted to share their opinions rushed to do so, there was oneaction that occured yesterday that speaks far louder than anything written or spoken. It was so important that pretty much everyone missed it.
There was a Day After referendum held in Indianapolis yesterday.
On the night that the depleted Pacers faced the Orlando Magic the fans of the Pacers and the NBA in Indianapolis had a choice.
They could stay home.
They could go to the game and voice their displeasure with the Pacers and what took place the night before.
They could go to the game and voice their support for the Pacers and the NBA.
In Denver, for our game with the Nuggets, I went to the ESPN SportsZone specifically to watch and see how the fans and customers of the Pacers and NBA would vote. I knew how the players would respond. They would play their hearts out. I wanted to see how the fans would respond.
Everytime the Magic would make a run, you could see the fans start to wonder if this would be where the overmatched Pacers would fall apart. I sat watching , wondering the same thing. For every Magic run. The Pacers answered. With every answer, the fans stepped up their energy.
Pacers fans were on their feet for much of the fourth quarter cheering on their team. They were truly the 6th man on the court, encouraging their team. Infusing a dog tired Pacer team with energy.
When a potentially game tying 3 pointer didn’t go in, they gave their team a “rowdy standing ovation ” as they walked off the court. The Pacers fans voted and the results were loud and clear.
Thank you to all the Pacers fans and the city of Indianapolis.