El Canadiense

Normally at this blog we try to stick to careful analysis and rise above base emotion, but wow, Phoenix was trailing by 12 points with 9 minutes left and they came back to win by 1, thanks to 12 subsequent points and 4 assists from Steve Nash!

Granted, it was only Oklahoma, but that was a hell of a game to follow from one's computer. I would not have wanted to write a sequel to my “Epic Fail” post from last week, also involving Phoenix.

It's also interesting that the online availability of real-time scores, even with play-by-play updates, has allowed fans to invest emotionally in games no matter if they're stuck at the office, or if they're overseas. Just as, 50 years ago, the onset of television allowed fans outside the arena to get themselves hyped about the ongoing status of a sports match, the internet allows anyone with a computer to pray for their side and bite into some drama. Back in 2004 when Sacramento (a favorite team of mine at the time) went against Minnesota in the second round of the West playoffs, I was living in Europe, and I stayed up until about 4 in the morning, looking at little circles moving across my computer screen on ESPN's play-by-play tracker, hoping that Webber could pull the boys through. It didn't happen, but the risk and thrill of that experience was way better than just going to sleep and waking up the next morning to check the score.