An Ordinary Average Guy

If you have never been to a Lakers game at the Staples center you will know what we experienced.  The center was filled with faces of people who you and I see everyday in movies and on TV.  Sitting 3 seats down was Noah Wyle, a row in front and to my right was Maria Shriver, a few rows in front was Toby Mcguire and Leonardo DiCapria.  Click on the picture to get an idea of where I was in relation to the afor mentioned. Across the court was Jack Nickelson and walking by we spotted Denzel Washington, Penny Marshall, and many others who you could recognize the face but could not remember the name.  The game was great and it was easy to see why Kobe Bryant was considered the best player in the game.  he was spectacular and so were the Lakers who won easily. 

After the game, our driver took us to the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills.  The hotel was spectacular and the details and workmanship of everything made this easily the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in during my short 45 years....

The morning started by taking a car ride over to the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Once seated, we were shortly joined by none other than Shaquille O'Neal who was a close and personal friend of the man who we were conducting business.  We had a great breakfast and shared many stories.  My impression of Shaq is that he is much more humble, level headed than I expected however just as fun and funny as you would expect.  It was a highly enjoyable morning including his joking that he is having a hard time holding down a job and has been forced to move from town to town to keep going :).  Upon leaving he thanked us for the time and must have shaked hands with us 3 or 4 times. 

The business meeting was more difficult and definately not as enjoyable as the two preceeding events but I suspect that everyone can agree that anything worth doing always takes more effort and time than anticipated. 

Regardless, this 24 hour experience will be remembered by me for the remainder of my life.

I experienced something magical on Sunday in a far away place in the midst of 75000 people - The Super Bowl where the Pittsburgh Steelers triumphed over the Arizona Cardinals right before my eyes.  Sitting in the right hand corner of the Pittsburgh endzone, I was able to witness the end of James Harrison's amazing 100 yard interception return.  I saw Larry Fitzgerald leap to catch an end-zone pass and then again run one in a few minutes later.

The ups and downs of the game made it spectacular. The tension, the disappointment, the exhilaration, the anticipation of so many plays and series.

The weather was perfect, the pre-game and half-time entertainment exceptional.  The fans were respectful but at the same time extremely loud and vocal while rooting for their respective teams.  However the sight of tens of thousands of the terrible towel swirling seemed to overwhelm and unify the sea of people watching as the battle on the field unfolded.

The lasting impression however was the mad scrambling of a quarterback in the backfield as he anxiously awaited a reciever to get open. And just as he was about to get sacked this same quarterback launching the ball in a highly accurate manner into the arms of an MVP who then managed to outwit his defenders and gobble up another dozen or so yards before being swallowed up.  Ben and Santonio together perhaps orchestrated the most thrilling come from behind 2 minute offensive drive of any Superbowl only to finish it off with a perfectly executed 3 against 1 corner of the endzone catch to make NFL history by bringing the Steelers an unprecidented sixth Super Bowl championship. 

My lasting impression was only described in one word - MAGICAL

Ben

 I (Doug) was able to do something so cool this week that I can hardly believe that it actually happened.

On Monday Night, I was invited with along with a business partner by Ben Roethlisberger's Agent Ryan Tollner to sit with Ben's parents in their box for the Steelers game for MNF at Heinz Field..  While the game was brutal, the Steelers eventually prevailed by winning the game in overtime 23-20.   

Then on Tuesday, I have the oppurtunity to sit down with Ben to talk some business.  We met in the lobby of my hotel for an hour as Ben was making his way from his home to the Steelers facility.  He was just as he is on TV.  Respectful, attentive, and actively engaged. I was equally impressed that when he got up to say goodbye he stuck out his hand (which was very sore from the game) and said "Doug, it was great to meet you".  In addition, he took a few minutes to sign a few autographs for some special friends and our kids (again despite having a difficult time grasping the pen!).

As a lifelong Steelers fan, it was surreal for me to believe that after attending my first Steelers game since I was 10 year old that I was in fact meeting the best quarterback we have had to lead the team since the days of Terry Bradshaw. 

It was a night and a day that I will remember the rest of my days.