Fans View Issue 2
Posted on October 17th, 2007 by Lauren HeenanWell, the first two home games of the season are over, and could they have been more different? The first, against the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, was the perfect start to the season, with the Rocks winning by a landslide 38 points. Contrast that with last week’s heartbreaking loss – yes, AGAIN – to the Newcastle Eagles - this time in double overtime.
Ok, so the whole ‘revenge for April’ thing didn’t quite work out the way we had hoped. However, the team played hard, staying on level terms with the Eagles until right at the end of the second overtime period, when the Eagles’ deep bench gave them the edge of having fresh players that the Rocks just didn’t have. Playing one of the best teams in the BBL, and keeping it tight enough to take the game into double overtime is no mean feat – especially when said team hasn’t lost since their first game of the season.
Another huge plus is that it was a brilliantly entertaining game, and unquestionably the best atmosphere Braehead has ever seen for a mid-week game, with the fans going home almost as exhausted as the players – and with a whole lot less vocal abilities! No technical problems for the DJ, either, although a certain member of the team is missing Chris Brown’s ‘Run It’ during the warm-up. Playing the Birdie Song, however, was an inspired move. Now all we need are songs for the rest of the BBL teams – how about ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ for the MK Lions? Or ‘Cold as Ice’ for the Guildford Heat?
Moving on swiftly, the question then was whether the Rocks could recover in time for a hectic weekend of away games, first facing the Worcester Wolves on Saturday night, and the Milton Keynes Lions on Sunday night.
The answer, it would appear – at least for the Saturday night game – was yes, as the Rocks maintained their 100 percent win record against the Wolves, and won by their biggest margin of the season so far, a massive 41 points. Unfortunately, on Sunday night, the Rocks’ luck changed yet again, as we saw the lions fight back in the final quarter of the game to win by three, despite Rob’s 30-point haul.
Now we have to look forward to the next two challenges – the visits of the Leicester Riders and BBL newcomers the Everton Tigers. We know the Rocks will put in the effort, and we need to do the same – Braehead can be the sixth man!
LET’S GO ROCKS!
Lauren Heenan