jbear
01-11-2004, 07:43 PM
Yet another `historic' S.J. opener
By Mark Purdy
Mercury News Staff Columnist
The San Jose Stealth played its ``historic home opener'' Saturday night. After watching the whole thing, all I can say is, I am historically confused.
See, I thought I was being sent to cover a professional lacrosse game. But it turns out there were just a bunch of guys with long sticks that had little fanny-pack-sized nets on the end of them. The guys were running around, whacking each other with the sticks while chasing a rubber baseball.
``No, that's lacrosse,'' someone in the press box told me. ``That's how you play the game.''
Oh. I had no idea. I thought lacrosse was a genteel French game, invented by very drunk biology professors who were chasing butterflies.
Wrong. Lacrosse was actually invented by Native North Americans several hundred years ago. They tried to move it indoors and play it on hockey rinks, but they were handicapped by the fact that in the 17th century, there were no indoor hockey rinks, even in Toronto. So the pro indoor lacrosse league had to wait about 300 years.
After that, it was only a matter of time before San Jose got a team, because we always get teams in obscure pro sports. Which brings us to Saturday, when our Stealth defeated the Colorado Mammoth 13-12, with the winning goal being scored in the final second.
It was extremely thrilling. I think. As you can tell, I am no lacrosse expert. I'm not even sure if ``Stealth'' is singular or plural. However, I do know that maybe 6,500 people showed up to watch the game at HP Pavilion -- the announced attendance was 8,137 -- and that most of the audience was on its feet at the finish, cheering.
``Hey, they got to see a rough, fast-paced 13-12 game with a last-second goal,'' Stealth forward Brian Beisel said. ``I'm pretty sure everybody that was here tonight will be back for our next game in two weeks. And they're bringing a friend.''
Even so, if the Stealth are (is?) going to become a successful franchise, then it will be crucial for them (it?) to make friends with Nico Mora, an 11-year-old from Livermore. He watched Saturday from the upper arena seats, just above midfield, and agreed to an exclusive interview with the Mercury News during the game.
``It's exciting and energetic and non-stop,'' said Nico, who swore he wasn't being paid a promotional fee by the Stealth.
It seems that Nico's family bought tickets to Saturday's game after seeing the free lacrosse exhibition that followed the Sharks' game two months ago. They liked what they saw. So on Saturday, after attending the afternoon Sharks game, the Moras had pizza downtown and returned to the arena for some lacrosse. In fact, Nico had a new Stealth T-shirt pulled on over his Sharks jersey.
And what did he think of the Stealth so far?
``They're pretty good,'' Nico answered. ``But I need to see the rest of the teams.''
Yes, it's always that way with the traditionally demanding San Jose lacrosse audience.
Really, I'm only half-kidding about that last part. If you have lived awhile in San Jose, you know we have been through this Stealth sort of thing before, in different disguises.
Over the years, our fair city has become an unofficial capital of ``trash'' sports -- although I prefer to call them ``boutique'' sports, for a couple of reasons. One is, the phrase ``boutique sports'' sounds far more appealing. The second reason is, if I call them ``trash'' sports, someone with a stick may come along and whack me in the . . . er, boutique.
By my count, the Stealth is (are?) the fifth non-ice hockey franchise to hold a ``historic home opener'' at HP Pavilion. Let's see. First, there were the Grizzlies of indoor soccer. Then there were the Rhinos of roller hockey. And the SaberCats of the Arena Football League. And the Lasers of women's pro basketball.
Of the previous four, only the SaberCats are still in business.
The point is, given the history of other ``historic home openers,'' the odds are not good that the Stealth will have a very thick history book. With $50 as the most expensive ticket price (ranging to $15 for the high end zone seats in the lower bowl), this isn't the cheapest entertainment you can find. Plus, the novelty of any new team usually wears off after a few years.
Nevertheless, various entrepreneurs keep bringing various teams to town. Why? They look at San Jose's population -- soon to rank as the 10th-largest in America -- and notice that there is only one team in the four major sports located here.
So, presto! Here are (is?) the Stealth.
It can be amazing how quickly a team filled with strangers can gain affection. Gary Rosyski drew the first official lusty Stealth-related cheers when he tried to provoke a fight by using his stick to bash an Arizona player in the face just three minutes into the game.
Rosyski drew a penalty. Then, seconds after leaving the box, he scored the historic first Stealth goal. The crowd went nuts. Right about then, I asked 11-year-old Nico Mora whether he had a favorite Stealth player yet.
``Yeah,'' said Nico. ``Gary Rosyski.''
What can I say? Stealth Forever.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Mark Purdy at mpurdy@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5092. Fax (408) 920-5244.
By Mark Purdy
Mercury News Staff Columnist
The San Jose Stealth played its ``historic home opener'' Saturday night. After watching the whole thing, all I can say is, I am historically confused.
See, I thought I was being sent to cover a professional lacrosse game. But it turns out there were just a bunch of guys with long sticks that had little fanny-pack-sized nets on the end of them. The guys were running around, whacking each other with the sticks while chasing a rubber baseball.
``No, that's lacrosse,'' someone in the press box told me. ``That's how you play the game.''
Oh. I had no idea. I thought lacrosse was a genteel French game, invented by very drunk biology professors who were chasing butterflies.
Wrong. Lacrosse was actually invented by Native North Americans several hundred years ago. They tried to move it indoors and play it on hockey rinks, but they were handicapped by the fact that in the 17th century, there were no indoor hockey rinks, even in Toronto. So the pro indoor lacrosse league had to wait about 300 years.
After that, it was only a matter of time before San Jose got a team, because we always get teams in obscure pro sports. Which brings us to Saturday, when our Stealth defeated the Colorado Mammoth 13-12, with the winning goal being scored in the final second.
It was extremely thrilling. I think. As you can tell, I am no lacrosse expert. I'm not even sure if ``Stealth'' is singular or plural. However, I do know that maybe 6,500 people showed up to watch the game at HP Pavilion -- the announced attendance was 8,137 -- and that most of the audience was on its feet at the finish, cheering.
``Hey, they got to see a rough, fast-paced 13-12 game with a last-second goal,'' Stealth forward Brian Beisel said. ``I'm pretty sure everybody that was here tonight will be back for our next game in two weeks. And they're bringing a friend.''
Even so, if the Stealth are (is?) going to become a successful franchise, then it will be crucial for them (it?) to make friends with Nico Mora, an 11-year-old from Livermore. He watched Saturday from the upper arena seats, just above midfield, and agreed to an exclusive interview with the Mercury News during the game.
``It's exciting and energetic and non-stop,'' said Nico, who swore he wasn't being paid a promotional fee by the Stealth.
It seems that Nico's family bought tickets to Saturday's game after seeing the free lacrosse exhibition that followed the Sharks' game two months ago. They liked what they saw. So on Saturday, after attending the afternoon Sharks game, the Moras had pizza downtown and returned to the arena for some lacrosse. In fact, Nico had a new Stealth T-shirt pulled on over his Sharks jersey.
And what did he think of the Stealth so far?
``They're pretty good,'' Nico answered. ``But I need to see the rest of the teams.''
Yes, it's always that way with the traditionally demanding San Jose lacrosse audience.
Really, I'm only half-kidding about that last part. If you have lived awhile in San Jose, you know we have been through this Stealth sort of thing before, in different disguises.
Over the years, our fair city has become an unofficial capital of ``trash'' sports -- although I prefer to call them ``boutique'' sports, for a couple of reasons. One is, the phrase ``boutique sports'' sounds far more appealing. The second reason is, if I call them ``trash'' sports, someone with a stick may come along and whack me in the . . . er, boutique.
By my count, the Stealth is (are?) the fifth non-ice hockey franchise to hold a ``historic home opener'' at HP Pavilion. Let's see. First, there were the Grizzlies of indoor soccer. Then there were the Rhinos of roller hockey. And the SaberCats of the Arena Football League. And the Lasers of women's pro basketball.
Of the previous four, only the SaberCats are still in business.
The point is, given the history of other ``historic home openers,'' the odds are not good that the Stealth will have a very thick history book. With $50 as the most expensive ticket price (ranging to $15 for the high end zone seats in the lower bowl), this isn't the cheapest entertainment you can find. Plus, the novelty of any new team usually wears off after a few years.
Nevertheless, various entrepreneurs keep bringing various teams to town. Why? They look at San Jose's population -- soon to rank as the 10th-largest in America -- and notice that there is only one team in the four major sports located here.
So, presto! Here are (is?) the Stealth.
It can be amazing how quickly a team filled with strangers can gain affection. Gary Rosyski drew the first official lusty Stealth-related cheers when he tried to provoke a fight by using his stick to bash an Arizona player in the face just three minutes into the game.
Rosyski drew a penalty. Then, seconds after leaving the box, he scored the historic first Stealth goal. The crowd went nuts. Right about then, I asked 11-year-old Nico Mora whether he had a favorite Stealth player yet.
``Yeah,'' said Nico. ``Gary Rosyski.''
What can I say? Stealth Forever.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Mark Purdy at mpurdy@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5092. Fax (408) 920-5244.