The Kids First Chicago Bulls Game

The view from our seats

Tonight, my sweetie and I took two of the five kids we share between us to a Chicago Bulls game - their first.  This was a covert operation as his son knew what we were doing and where we doing - his daughter had no idea.  We told her that we were going out to dinner and just dressed in our Bulls gear so that we were ready to go when we got home to watch the game.  Driving towards the United Center, she had no clue where we were headed didn't ask once why it was taking us so long to get to dinner.  As I made the left on Damen Avenue and got within eye-shot of the UC, we decided that it was time to let her in on our plans for the night.  I apologized profusely that it took so long to get to dinner because there was no way that we were going to make it home in time for the start of the game, but did she think we should just go the Bulls game since we were right in front of the United Center?  The look on her face was PRICELESS!!!!  Shock, confusion, and utter glee made every penny I spent on these tickets (and believe me it was quite a few) completely worth it!

Poster Making

As we parked in a lot across the street from the UC, the black eyeliner was busted out and she and I were face-painted with players numbers and hearts.  Once inside the building, the kids were overwhelmed at the amount of action going on (with 90 minutes until game time) and didn't know what to think.  A preliminary check of our seats (not bad!), a drop off of coats, and a few minutes watching the players during early warm-ups, we went to explore the main level of the building and see what kind of pre-game entertainment there was.  So much to do!!  They made posters, shoved their faces full of overpriced pizza, listened to two bands play live music, stared in awe at the SIX Championship Trophies proudly displayed, and wandered through the gift store.   One baseball-style hat and stuffed monkey later, we were back out to explore some more.  After seeing a crazy looking clown making balloon animals, we became the proud owner of pink Bulls horns.  We stumbled across Benny the Bull and once we told him it was their first game, he felt the need to pick our youngest up and twirl her around!  She was so shocked she didn't know what to do and the smile on her face was ear to ear.  The last stop on our tour around the UC was the pre-game show on Comcast Sports Net which is broadcast live 30 minutes before game time.

Schanowsky & Gill

Mark Schanowski noticed that I was trying to get a picture, so during the commercial break he graciously motioned to his co-host, Kendall Gill, to look in my direction so I could get a good shot.  What a class act!! The rest of my gang was behind them in the crowd, trying to make it on camera!  Finally settled in our seats, we were ready to go.  The announcement of the Chicago Bulls starting lineup is awesome - what you see on television doesn't do it justice!  When they call it a Madhouse on Madison - they aren't kidding.  The energy in the building was palpable and each score from our beloved Bulls was met with screams and applause.  Some of the better known players were hurt and didn't play - Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson - but the BenchMob (as they are called) is so strong that there were dynamic players doing a fantastic job.  Omar Asik, Luol Deng, and Carlos Boozer all had fantastic nights - wiith Deng being named Player of the Game.  The Bulls won 95-89 (they were playing the Charlotte Bobcats - a team that is owned, in part, by Michael Jordan), but the outcome of the game seemed irrelevant to the excitement and enthusiasm the kids had all the way through the game.  They cheered and screamed, ate hot dogs and ice cream, jumped up and down for Benny to throw them a t-shirt, and soaked in the mayhem of the game.  And I got to watch my favorite player (aka my "Bulls Boyfriend")!

Just Jen

It was an amazing night of family fun, and one that I am very blessed to have been a part of.  These aren't my biological children, but I love them very much and it was exciting for me to watch their expressions of enjoyment at the game, but to also be a part of a "first" in their lives.  Stayed tuned for Part Two next month when we take one of my daughters to her first game!

Photo Credit:  Just Jen