Living in Chicago, home to one of every type of professional sports team in the United States; I had no choice but to become a Bulls (basketball), Blackhawks (hockey), and White Sox (baseball) fan. You might have notice that I left off the Bears (American football), well that's because I'm a HUGE fan of the
American football team, Minnesota Vikings.
During my 11 years in Chicago, I got the chance to attend at least one game of each of those teams, including the Bears when they played my Vikings. After attending those games and the energy of the Chicago sports fan, I had to join the bandwagons!
Hence, when I go back to Chicago and see cool things like this at Niketown Chicago...I get super excited!
![Photo by Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGccgBMlqYr0mEKJGQjE8egI5jqWJAKU2CIfainmRIx-DEcZK0FA10SCE8_9NfnnzdsEnEiO5s27aW8cU0eg5kaUbAVqHn2xi6yagltTPoPCkxUxwUwOlYSHT6ZmT09JLlNhZs_TTysU/s320/IMG_1578.JPG) |
Life size statue of Michael Jordan made of gold plated shoes |
![Photo by: Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJYOVcDuaTofA4Er1aTcZ3fqegpYe9Vf-hNDYN6qp6l0Cerz56QUeBXl3AeQ1StdNm7Oz4lz21uXqjcjhaGMgfzabfSrTHA6yJMrvrKkTsvLXMU2XfYY5h8jyohms5DI3atbuIp3xZN0/s320/IMG_1577.JPG) |
Every style of Air Jordans since 1984,
with two free spaces for the 2014 & 2015 shoes |
While working in Chicago recently, one of my dear girlfriends and I had a "Girl's Night Out", and we went to see the Chicago Bulls play the Atlanta Hawks, my hometown.
![Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kl44HXov9aLuC9UYSli6qJCbQAd7QHDq2kKrGpeMEXnbdki-mrQ88zn3F1pSDdymtqAq9syMFwL28Z8AHBpwQB1UyuD1YWjCq-pt_uRTNyhFcuQk7ZGCZ3ICsF700-KoLCMOBsrxg0U/s320/IMG_1741.JPG) |
Jimmy Butler & former Chicago Coach Tom Thibodeau |
![Photo by Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIM36NGkD_eq_oFn8QnYno3OCQPn9GrbIZ2RqOYlE8rumw2U8cL4PBwrHPa7T97BejKAOyCBeIYcciF8thyphenhyphenINW64XBCDMnIa5NMcKhuUh10v-hvvdZxHExi2e_h9_uGqMEpT-pzn_2JWE/s320/IMG_1740.JPG) |
Former Florida Gator Joakim Noah & Derek Rose |
![Photo by: Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Y_7xzO7NJBiVPvDEYS9BZMeI4P5_IxTdRpMT1yYMj1yQr8aEhY8gOH0JYQCT1NrWQzqF3yrhwztzjcNdzbM0C8GMA4XfKdBFvGpdRUc2t7NxJ9c0-gjUrYx93auunrmftIc_Bx2tr_k/s320/IMG_1742.JPG) |
Derek Rose discussing the last play with Joakim Noah |
We had some pretty good seats, huh!?!
Needless to say, my husband was not happy when I shared my pictures from my "Girls Night Out" in Chicago with him, especially since he is from Chicago.
So, when I got back, I took him to see one of Germany's most successful teams, Bonn's Telecom Baskets! Neither one of us was really sure what to expect, but I did know that a lot of people went to the games because going to the grocery store on game night was always a nightmare.
![Photo by Tannis Williamsn Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2olw9PYas9yAaojKwGYpdA2XU4NKv04uLip6vgkftb9DX1YDZjfHjO4KqoF1dWztwbdnL1WCi8T1RQEWqyA-lgvF5_0RngWeCLRrZgKsljqFcqF1EYUPFq9ELO4Lvx5Ysi1gTGGsWeK8/s320/IMG_1711.JPG) |
Bonni der Löwe, the team's mascot |
Who knew for the last two years we have lived in a city whose basketball team went to the German League's Final Four tournament nine times in 17 years.
![Photo by Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL_5V4Zp86AlvDWVdq61vNQRgiHxSevMudQJ_edZgrMZDwuLYJLmrl8yIhpJvyOq-t2s50skCMs2PDSk66MON0r3xWzzlI9F31HHsmdbZWhg75hpeeBO0XuUsogb8sLTJKS0IaJ1IEqk/s320/IMG_1707.JPG) |
The Telecom Baskets during pre-game warm-up |
Let alone know that the Telecom Baskets had its own dynamic duo, Americans Ryan Brooks and Eugene Lawrence...
![Photo by Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IAT4iL8nYLHciwmLNcCQY-mAJCjgdBIPe3F-3f-ZnA7m9HdBBiYbCh3sC92t_FFjGPYZB1fmHN9kbMl7N3iVPbULeOiL_L5TwLfV1HSMvEI4xl2fIBzn41CPWIFYXofspYmXuws-fDQ/s320/IMG_1700.JPG) |
Telecome Baskets' Eugen Lawrence & Ryan Brooks |
![Photo by: Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJI_kgQhGMtPrLDaIvki3w3zP3vttU-iMVF_DfVMhlp8_55TRZq6loITvzlJb92nFqiLWcVwzerzJ8zjwLDTSRrl2tiQl0e2mjPJFBFUU1fEw5yPwQ3_MMlvtcbeVHEGWBWvp1Ib6pqs/s320/IMG_1717.jpg) |
Lawrence looking to pass... |
![Photo by Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1qzGfFB_Faop9NKpWaqgLPIoWWcFraf1Vw8jAN-_7FsTe6rMIyySeFfX9qIQ7ATNFe3hL39_72GLY0LGRmNG-CbGDYnkbRZZyDxulkzD-v98HUOCY0_a2Ba5zVcJugYjEJUagDWs_lQ/s320/IMG_1718.jpg) |
Brooks for two... |
Ryan Brooks is originally from New Orleans, and played for Temple University. Eugene Lawrence is from Brooklyn and played for St. John's University. While they are by no means a Joakim Noah and Derek Rose, they did put on a pretty good show along with the rest of their teammates.
![Photo by: Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprVLYWkt6etpI76mCMmwBqHNUKHa4PKQCOoE9GZEixcKLEFPinz9pvhgLvBDRsao-WM7pyWLOjfI_0ouKCPc9NvTjI-vOEbViJTj5j6EyKASqx9XX_Bb1y3nPHQp8lb3fPY_a79nMkEc/s320/IMG_1714.jpg) |
Telecom Basket slam dunking... |
![Photo by: Tannis Wiliamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqvenEVNoXJ_ExMqVrFDUu_mBLiKnFvzFi3-wLdKP4WmoTZuPd0tJGvz5vKuKeM7kwd9tnYIV8x_UUSMPXsPa2tNTyS6Zjz8llH9tJQ5wKUKZMh_VkQ3MRYHjeiPZDmAMnNR-Fq-6gbE/s320/IMG_1695.jpg) |
Telecom Baskets' Steve Wachalski going for a rebound |
But at the end of the day, no basketball game regardless to where you are in the world is complete without cheerleaders who dance to hip-hop music during timeouts...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZnRXzmdf8Oaxsz_ob8rLoU9pT9T_hhA6HVwpVUkQ8Xk3UrT11jPhdmkY-TKuJXK6cd_N10EXCPNTDrl4rYb-BsDthEmHysRUz89_tMi2buPfUNi1-w2gIv_Arq_dPGJwItHpp7rX7cI/s320/IMG_1724.JPG) |
Cheerleaders performing during a timeout |
And a cheering section with a band like Duke University's Cameron Crazies and Prep Band; however, the cheering section in Bonn is just a little more conservative...
![Photo by: Tannis Williamson Thomas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfDKUut37lV4ZkvsHlezigCvMgh6D08VT497MBu5WRE4tQWQCz2ZsB3I3wAnv7Tz4akvpsrfZPJRTNsVe5yJSdSEfUN-FYnClH7geOVbIE-vgssN-yo7Hs5qZXvinig5b3hAFarlEYgs/s320/IMG_1716.jpg) |
Telecom Baskets cheering section and band |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1me0ZInWi0NuVFhJ4Gzpcjx6B0n6HZSRMkgGVWp2fYeRFwstrhwIL6dmEX33vnA4w-75nn4YJIzlqgiqvt7FXx4aTggpquslaVD5ieBeo6cWf-UlYkUh1ss3Cky5L-CB1QffAn-vktQI/s320/IMG_1731.jpg) |
Where professional basketball meets college basketball...
no jumbotron here! |
Even though they finished the 2014/2015 season in 4th Place in their division, I'm really excited that we found a new home sports team to cheer on next season...Go Telecom Baskets!
Cool. Now are the American players treated like royalty? I wonder if they look for Americans in the crowd to cheer them on.
ReplyDeleteNo, they are not as high profile like in the States.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they would be able to tell fans were Americans unless they knew their families were in the audience.