FanHouse

My father loves the UCONN Huskies Women's Basketball Team. If he lived in the Middle Ages, he would have been burned at the stake for idol worship. He knows the past and present athletes' stats, where they were born, their astrological signs and their life goals. He follows them through each game, their illnesses and their family's travails. I think he would love to grab their Christmas Lists but that has yet to be discussed.

Unfortunately, the hierarchy at ESPN does not hold UCONN at the same adoration level. Those callous beings driven by the bottom line and viewership demographics, sometimes schedule the game on ESPN2 rather than the main channel. (For those "Murder She Wrote" viewers out there, ESPN2 is the minor league of the sports viewing alternatives.)

My parents' abode is well suited for basketball viewing pleasure. The living room is outfitted with loungers situated in perfect viewing range for the wall mounted, mammoth, plasma screen, HDTV. Not quite sure what happened to the ruling no television in the living room, never mind chairs that eject one automatically, but that is the decor. So, Mom and Dad are ready to get rowdy in their Mystic abode but the cads at cable scheduling have foiled their social agenda.

Resourceful Yankees at their core, my parents were not to be denied. A fellow morning Starbucks customer (my father's wake-up brew) told of a Sports Bar in New London. The establishment has many screens and the Huskies game for the patrons viewing pleasure. So, Mom and Dad set off for an afternoon among the faithful.

Can you imagine the scene? 80 Somethings arrive in the 10 year old Lincoln Continental to a parking lot filled with 4 Wheel Drives, Bikes, Trucks and a smattering of BMWs. A bit misty, Mom adds the plastic rain bonnet to the bar entrance. Perfect addition to crowd's composition. The patrons were probably looking for the "You been Punked" video crew.

Well, they watched the game, had a burger or two and cheered the team to victory. Couldn't have done it without them. Mom and Dad said they had a great day although it was a bit loud. Since they are almost deaf, I can only imagine.

I did notice the next time I called Mystic, my Dad was waiting for the Cable Guy. Seemingly they are expanding the home coverage to include all future Husky games.

Guess that beats buying a Harley and zipping down I95 to catch the next tournament on the wide screen.