I attended the Lakers/Bucks game at the Staples Center Friday night. I grew up in Wisconsin, so I have been a longtime Bucks fan since the days of Sidney Moncrief and Bob Lanier. I went with JC, a friend of mine who is a diehard Laker fan. Tickets are expensive, but we try to make the Lakers/Bucks game every season. Last year, I was treated to a 109-105 win when Michael Redd scored 45 points (18 in the fourth quarter) to upset the Lakers, breaking a 10-game string of dominance by L.A.
As of Friday night, the Bucks had won three straight against the Lakers, but Kobe and Co. were playing well, so I wasn’t optimistic about Milwaukee’s chances.
And I was right. The Bucks trailed the entire game, but kept it close enough that they were in scramble mode late in the fourth quarter.
Then the chant started.
“We want ta-cos!”
“We want ta-cos!”
Apparently, if the Lakers hold their opponents under 100 points, those that attend the game can get free tacos at Jack in the Box, a local fast food joint.
Already irritated by the inevitable outcome of the game, this grating chant annoyed me even more. It wasn’t enough that the Lakers are playing well and that they snapped a three-game losing streak against the Bucks, these front running Laker fans had to have their tacos, too.
So, after rookie Yi Jianlian hit a fadeaway jumper with 0:16 to play, the Bucks had 99 points. Michael Redd immediately fouled to stop the clock, and since Milwaukee was down 10 (and, of course, since it hurt their chances of getting their tacos), the Laker fans started to boo. The chant started up again.
“We want ta-cos!”
“We want ta-cos!”
The Bucks got the ball back and Charlie Bell made a three-pointer with 0:11 to put the Bucks over the top.
The Lakers fans booed even louder.
I cheered, knowing that my beloved Bucks came through in the end. They didn’t win the game, but they might have won the war.
No tacos tonight, kids.
