We were quite far from the action at yesterday’s NBL basketball match (Singapore Slingers vs Wollongong Hawks).

Nic usually gives us corporate box seats (awfully nice of him), which are right by the edge of the basketball court so you feel like you’re right in the action.

An example of a corporate box:

Yesterday was “AIA Family Night” and AIA had supposedly snapped up 4,000 tickets for its staff, including corporate boxes, so we had to sit in the regular stadium stands for once, further away from the action.

It was about 8 minutes into the game when I realised that something was different.

I wasn’t paying attention to the game. I was distracted by visual overload.

I had never been able to see so much of the stadium where I always sat.

In the previous matches, the basketballers had been right in my face so I was always naturally drawn towards the action on the court.

Yesterday, I found myself checking out the stadium crowd, instead.

I suppose I was also distracted by the sticks. Thousands of noisy balloon sticks which AIA had given out to every spectator to make noise with.

Turning to the Goonfather, I said, “Sitting up here, the game doesn’t feel as immersive, does it?”

He beat his sticks at a referee for a few seconds before replying, “The cheerleaders look better from far.”

Eh.

I decided not to continue the conversation.

The Goonfather had followed me to the last three or four games and made it known that the Slinger Girls in their cute, tight outfits were a huge highlight for him.

Until last week.

We had gone to the game half an hour early and been treated to a show of basketballers and cheerleaders warming up on the court.

The Slinger Girls (who are more dancers than cheerleaders, actually) got really close to us at one point.

I said, “Hey, look, your favourite girls!”

He looked and he got bug-eyed.

“OMG they look scary close up,” he said.

“No, they don’t,” I argued for them.

He didn’t argue back because he was by then traumatised speechless.

Well, they don’t look scary. The Goonfather so likes to exaggerate.

So, that’s the story as advertised in today’s blog title.

I guess that means the Goonfather was happy sitting high up in the stands.

Many corporate seats were wasted yesterday because AIA staff didn’t turn up.

I saw an empty box:

I also saw two almost empty boxes:

I saw two more almost empty boxes:

I scanned around and found another totally empty box:

And yet another one:

The whole stadium was filled with empty corporate boxes bearing AIA’s name. Such wastage!

Oh, well, I suppose the company can well afford it.

By the way, the Slingers won last night! This is their 5th win out of 25 games, so every win is remarkable.

The Million Dollar Shot contest is still accepting entries, so go join! You can find the clue to the answer in my earlier post.

Good luck! I hope someone I know wins the million dollars! ;)

It’s not going to be me even if I get picked, because I could never shoot that ball in a million years. Haha!