Game Time Change Leads to DH Day in Indianapolis

All week I planned to attend the Indianapolis Colts AFC Divisional Playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens. Since that game did not start until 8:15 ET I wondered if there was another game I could attend earlier in the day. There was. The Pacers game had been rescheduled to 6 pm because of the playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium. However, I knew that NBA games normally last between 2 hours and 15 minutes and 2 hours and 30 minutes. Thus, I did not think I could attend because I do not like to leave one game early in order to attend another game.

But then I read the statement on the Conseco Fieldhouse website which stated – “In order to accommodate fans wishing to attend both events, the Pacers have moved the start time for their Jan. 16 game against the New Orleans Hornets to 6 p.m. in Conseco Fieldhouse to avoid a scheduling conflict with the Colts' AFC playoff game that night at 8:15 p.m. in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Pacers-Hornets game was originally scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.”

If the Pacers truly wanted fans to attend both games they would have moved the start time to 5:30 pm and guarantee that fans could watch the entire Pacers game before leaving for the Colts game. However, they did not and I was still not convinced I could make both games until I arrived in Indianapolis and realized the drive between the Conseco Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium is only 2 minutes. The walk is between 7 and 8 minutes. With that knowledge, I planned to attend the New Orleans Hornets at Indiana Pacers game.

Parking for Two Games
Downtown Indianapolis is full of independent parking garages. However, on a day like this parking does not normally come cheap. I remembered driving by a parking lot when I attended the Pacers home opener that was only charging $3 for the game. Today that same lot (located on E. Washington St. east of N. Pennsylvania Ave.) was charging $3 and I did not have to leave until 2 am. This was a no-brainer as other lots in the area were charging a minimum of $10 and others were charging $20.

Obtaining Tickets for the Colts
Now I had one last major decision – should I buy my Colts playoff ticket before the Pacers game or in between the Pacers and Colts game? I would have no more than 10 minutes to sprint from Conseco Fieldhouse to Lucas Oil Stadium AND buy my ticket if I decided to wait. Based on my experience from two months ago when I attended the Colts game versus the New England Patriots I thought it was possible. However, I decided I would still look for a ticket.

I first walked to the Lucas Oil box office to see if tickets were still available. I was aiming for $100 since that is how much the cheapest tickets on StubHub were earlier in the week. The box office had singles available for $110 each. Instead of buying the easy single, I held out and walked around downtown Indianapolis for an hour.

No scalper would accept my offer of $60 for a ticket. One scalper offered $80 for his $100 face value ticket (note I never saw that ticket), but I thought I could do better. However, it took awhile until I found a scalper with a limited view seat – face value $60. He wanted $80, but I offered $40. We agreed on $50 and I had my ticket at 5:15 pm – 45 minutes before the Pacers game was scheduled to start.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sun, Jan. 10

The Chicago Blackhawks is the best game to attend today in Chicagoland or Milwaukee. Your other options are:

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks at United Center (6:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) Chicago Wolves vs. Toronto Marlies at Allstate Arena (3:00 pm) in Rosemont, IL.
3) Milwaukee Wave vs. Monterrey La RaZa at U.S. Cellular Arena (2:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
4) Rockford Rampage vs. Philadelphia KiXX at Rockford MetroCentre (5:05 pm) in Rockford, IL.
5) Notre Dame Hockey vs. Ferris State at Joyce Center (4:05 pm) in South Bend, IN.
6) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. Seton Hall at Al McGuire Center (2:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
7) Chicago Steel vs. Lincoln Stars at Edge Ice Arena (3:00 pm) in Bensenville, IL.
8) Chicago Steam vs. Steam Rollers at South Suburban College (4:00 pm) in South Holland, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sat, Jan. 9

As usual Saturdays are a busy time for sporting events (mainly college sports) in Chicagoland and Milwaukee. Here are the games in order of priority.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Minnesota Timberwolves at United Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) Chicago Wolves vs. Peoria Riverman at Allstate Arena (7:00 pm) in Rosemont, IL.
3) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. West Virginia at Joyce Center (8:00 pm) in South Bend, IN.
4) Loyola (IL) Men’s Basketball vs. Youngstown State at Gentile Center (2:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
5) UI-Chicago Women’s Basketball vs. Cleveland State at UIC Pavilion (3:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
6) Milwaukee Admirals vs. Toronto Marlies at Bradley Center (7:30 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
7) UW-Milwaukee Men’s Basketball vs. Green Bay at U.S. Cellular Arena (12:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
8) Notre Dame Hockey vs. Ferris State at Joyce Center (7:05 pm) in South Bend, IN.
9) Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. Villanova at Joyce Center (12:00 pm) in South Bend, IN.
10) UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball vs. Wright State at Klotsche Center (6:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
11) Northern Illinois Women’s Basketball vs. Ball State at Convocation Center (3:00 pm) in DeKalb, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Fri, Jan. 8

There is only one sporting even taking place in either Chicagoland or Milwaukee tonight as the Milwaukee Bucks host the Chicago Bulls at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI tonight. Tip-off is at 7:30 pm.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Thu, Jan. 7

For the second day in a row there are no professional sporting events taking place in Chicagoland or Milwaukee. There are three Horizon League women’s basketball games taking place tonight though. I am attending the Northwestern men’s basketball game.

1) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. Texas-Pan American at Welsh-Ryan Arena (6:00 pm) in Evanston, IL.
2) Loyola (IL) Women’s Basketball vs. Cleveland State at Gentile Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
3) UI-Chicago Women’s Basketball vs. Youngstown State at UIC Pavilion (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
4) Milwaukee Admirals vs. San Antonio Rampage at Bradley Center (7:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
5) UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball vs. Detroit at Klotsche Center (7:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Wed, Jan. 6

No professional sporting events in Chicago tonight. But if you have never seen the Duke men’s basketball team play then you are in luck. They are in town tonight at the United Center. Here are the other games in Chicagoland and Milwaukee.

1) Iowa State Men’s Basketball vs. Duke at United Center (8:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. Georgetown at Bradley Center (7:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
3) Rockford IceHogs vs. Toronto Marlies at Rockford MetroCentre (7:05 pm) in Rockford, IL.
4) Chicago State Men’s Basketball vs. Northern Illinois at Jones Convocation Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Tue, Jan. 5

There are two more games taking place in Chicago tonight. Your best bet is the Chicago Blackhawks game at the United Center.

However, a surprisingly good time is attending a DePaul women’s basketball game at McGrath Arena. It’s close to many restaurants and bars and will give you points with your significant other as you support women sports.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild at United Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) DePaul Women’s Basketball vs. Louisville at McGrath Arena (8:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Mon, Jan. 4

There are two games taking place in Chicagoland this evening. Your best bet is obviously the Chicago Bulls game.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at United Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) Valparaiso Women’s Basketball vs. Loyola (IL) at ARC (7:05 pm) in Valparaiso, IN.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sun, Jan. 3

The first Sunday of the year brings a few sporting events to Chicagoland today.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks at United Center (6:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) DePaul Men’s Basketball vs. Georgetown at Allstate Arena (1:00 pm) in Rosemont, IL.
3) Notre Dame Hockey vs. North Dakota at Sears Centre (6:05 pm) in Hoffman Estates, IL.
4) Colgate Hockey vs. Niagara at Sears Centre (3:05 pm) in Hoffman Estates, IL.
5) Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs. Penn State at Welsh-Ryan Arena (2:00 pm) in Evanston, IL.
6) Chicago State Women’s Basketball vs. Northern Illinois at Jones Convocation Center (2:00 pm) in DeKalb, IL.
7) Chi-Town Shooters vs. Evansville IceMen at Midwest Training and Ice Center (3:20 pm) in Dyer, IN.

In addition, you can attend harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 6:30 pm). This is the last day of racing at Balmoral until January 27.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sat, Jan. 2

There are plenty of sporting events to attend in Chicagoland and Milwaukee today plus a doubleheader at the United Center or the Bradley Center. I have ordered the events by priority to attend.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic at United Center (7:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at Bradley Center (7:30 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
3) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. Michigan State at Welsh-Ryan Arena (5:30 pm) in Evanston, IL.
4) Illinois Men’s Basketball vs. Gonzaga at United Center (12:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
5) Chicago Wolves vs. Peoria Riverman at Allstate Arena (7:00 pm) in Rosemont, IL.
6) North Dakota Hockey vs. Niagara at Sears Centre (3:05 pm) in Hoffman Estates, IL.
7) Notre Dame Hockey vs. Colgate at Sears Centre (6:05 pm) in Hoffman Estates, IL.
8) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. Villanova at Bradley Center (2:30 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
9) UIC Men’s Basketball vs. Wright State at UIC Pavilion (3:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
10) Loyola (IL) Men’s Basketball vs. Detroit at Gentile Center (3:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
11) Rockford IceHogs vs. Grand Rapids Griffins at Rockford MetroCentre (7:05 pm) in Rockford, IL.
12) Northern Illinois Men’s Basketball vs. North Dakota at Convocation Center (3:00 pm) in DeKalb, IL.
13) Valparaiso Men’s Basketball vs. Green Bay at ARC (7:05 pm) in Valparaiso, IN.
14) Chicago Steel vs. Lincoln Stars at Edge Ice Arena (7:30 pm) in Bensenville, IL.
15) Marquette Women’s Basketball vs. Pittsburgh at Al McGuire Center (7:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
16) Valparaiso Women’s Basketball vs. UIC at ARC (1:35 pm) in Valparaiso, IN.

If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm) or harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm). This is the last day of racing at Hawthorne until February 12.

Last Minute Changes to a Sports Trip?

As with any trip, last minutes issues occur and ideally you have made your plans flexible enough to change your trip if necessary. Originally, the Ultimate Sports Wife and I were planning to spend four nights in Dallas to attend the Cotton Bowl, Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks games. Of course, we were planning to visit one of Nicole’s friends from graduate school which made the trip worthwhile to her.

However, tonight (our flight is tomorrow morning) Nicole was not feeling well and wanted to know if she could back out of the trip. Since we booked our flights on Southwest Airlines (no cancellation or change fees), have not booked any hotels and have not purchased tickets for any of the games, she had the option to not go on the trip.

I only have tickets to the Cowboys game versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday since my cousin, Andrew Holder, gave me the tickets. Thus, I still have to make the trip. One quick call to my cousin and he has a friend to attend the Cowboys game with me.

New Plans
Now that Nicole is not travelling with me, my Saturday night has opened up. There are three options of games to attend based on when my flight arrives.

1) Dallas Stars @ 1 pm, the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio @ 8 pm
2) The Cotton Bowl at 1 pm, TCU men’s basketball @ 7 pm
3) Interliga doubleheader (Copa Libertadores qualifying tournament for Mexican soccer clubs) in Houston at 5:30 pm and 8 pm

At first I thought I could attend both the Cotton Bowl and Alamo Bowl. However, the drive from Dallas to San Antonio is between 4 and 4.5 hours. With bowl games taking four hours these days, I would have to either leave the Cotton Bowl (end around 5 pm) early or get to the Alamo Bowl late (starts at 8 pm).

The most likely scenario is option #1, unless I get lazy and do not want to make the drive to San Antonio. If my flight is extremely delayed I will drive to Houston.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Fri, Jan. 1

With all of the college football games and the NHL Winter Classic to watch on television today, there are two sporting events to attend on New Year’s Day in Chicagoland and Milwaukee.

1) Milwaukee Admirals vs. Houston Aeros at Bradley Center (6:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
2) Chicago Steel vs. Lincoln Stars at Edge Ice Arena (7:30 pm) in Bensenville, IL.

If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm) or harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 7:20 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Thu, Dec. 31

There is a busy sports day on New Year’s Eve today with quite a few afternoon games taking place. Here are your options:

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. New Jersey Devils at United Center (7:30 pm) in Chicago, IL.
2) UIC Men’s Basketball vs. Detroit at UIC Pavilion (12:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
3) Loyola (IL) Men’s Basketball vs. Wright State at Gentile Center (3:00 pm) in Chicago, IL.
4) Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs. Ohio State at Welsh-Ryan Arena (3:00 pm) in Evanston, IL.
5) Milwaukee Wave vs. Baltimore Blast at U.S. Cellular Arena (2:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
6) Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals at Bradley Center (1:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
7) Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. Vanderbilt at Joyce Center (2:00 pm) in South Bend, IN.
8) Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals at Bradley Center (6:00 pm) in Milwaukee, WI.
9) Rockford IceHogs vs. Houston Aeros at Rockford MetroCentre (7:05 pm) in Rockford, IL.
10) Valparaiso Men’s Basketball vs. Milwaukee at ARC (7:05 pm) in Valparaiso, IN.

If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 6:30 pm) or two sessions of greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post times 1:00 pm and 7:15 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Wed, Dec. 30

There are three games to attend in Chicagoland today. As usual I have ranked the games in the order in which I would attend them.

1) Chicago Wolves vs. Houston Aeros (7:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
2) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. Providence (9:00 pm ET) at Joyce Center in South Bend, IN.
3) Northern Illinois Men’s Basketball vs. Temple (7:00 pm) at Convocation Center in DeKalb, IL.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Tue, Dec. 29

One doubleheader is possible today as the Harlem Globetrotters are playing at the Allstate Arena at 2:00 pm this afternoon. You could combine this game with any of the other games this evening.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers (7:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals (2:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
3) Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals (7:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
4) Milwaukee Admirals vs. Rockford IceHogs (7:00 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
5) UI-Chicago Men’s Basketball vs. Toledo (7:00 pm) at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.
6) UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball vs. Marquette (8:00 pm) at Klotsche Center in Milwaukee, WI.
7) Northern Illinois Women’s Basketball vs. UI-Chicago (7:00 pm) at Convocation Center in DeKalb, IL.
8) Chicago State Women’s Basketball vs. Central Arkansas (7:00 pm) at Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Mon, Dec. 28

Monday night football is in Chicago tonight as the Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings. There are also a few other sporting events to attend in Chicagoland or Milwaukee tonight.

1) Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings (7:30 pm) at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.
2) Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals (7:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
3) Milwaukee Admirals vs. Grand Rapids Griffins (7:00 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
4) Loyola (IL) Men’s Basketball vs. St. Francis (IL) (7:00 pm) at Gentile Center in Chicago, IL.
5) Loyola (IL) Women’s Basketball vs. Colgate (4:45 pm) at Gentile Center in Chicago, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sun, Dec. 27

The sporting event calendar is back in full swing today.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators (6:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Chicago Wolves vs. Rockford IceHogs (3:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
3) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. Presbyterian (1:00 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
4) Rockford Rampage vs. Baltimore Blast (5:05 pm) at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, IL.
5) Chi-Town Shooters vs. Battle Creek Revolution (3:20 pm) at Midwest Training and Ice Center in Dyer, IN.
6) Chicago Steam vs. Aurora Force (4:00 pm) at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 6:30 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sat, Dec. 26

Sports are back in action in Chicagoland and Milwaukee after a two day break for the Christmas holiday.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets (7:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. San Antonio Spurs (7:30 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
3) Rockford IceHogs vs. Milwaukee Admirals (7:05 pm) at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, IL.

If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or two sessions of greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post times 1:00 pm and 7:15 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Wed, Dec. 23

With Christmas approaching there is only one sporting event to attend in Chicago or Milwaukee tonight.

1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Washington Wizards (7:00 pm) at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm) or harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Tue, Dec. 22

There is a rare weekday doubleheader to attend today in Chicagoland. The Northwestern women’s basketball team plays this afternoon and the Northwestern men’s basketball team plays this evening at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Or you can combine the Northern Illinois men’s basketball game with another event this evening.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. San Jose Sharks (7:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. Central Connecticut (7:00 pm) at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL.
3) Loyola (IL) Men’s Basketball vs. Albany (7:00 pm) at Gentile Center in Chicago, IL.
4) Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs. Loyola (IL) (1:00 pm) at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL.
5) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. Bucknell (7:00 pm ET) at Joyce Center in South Bend, IN.
6) Northern Illinois Men’s Basketball vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore (1:00 pm) at Convocation Center in DeKalb, IL.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Mon, Dec. 21

For the first time in three weeks there are sporting events in Chicagoland or Milwaukee on a Monday. Your best bet is to attend the Chicago Bulls game at the United Center.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Sacramento Kings (7:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Chicago State Women’s Basketball vs. Eastern Michigan (7:00 pm) at Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL.
3) Marquette Women’s Basketball vs. Canisius (7:00 pm) at Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sun, Dec. 20

Below are the games to attend in Chicagoland and Milwaukee today:

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings (6:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) UI-Chicago Women’s Basketball vs. Eastern Illinois (3:00 pm) at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.
3) Milwaukee Admirals vs. San Antonio Rampage (4:00 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
4) Rockford Rampage vs. La RaZa de Monterrey (5:05 pm) at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, IL.
5) Chicago Blaze vs. Battle Creek Revolution (2:00 pm) at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, IL.
6) Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. Charlotte (1:00 pm ET) at Joyce Center in South Bend, IN.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 6:30 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sat, Dec. 19

There are three doubleheader possibilities today that are in the same arena – not to mention the doubleheaders you can attend if you drove between two arenas.

First, the Northwestern men’s and women’s basketball are playing back-to-back at Welsh-Ryan Arena – one ticket gains admission to both games. By combining the Northwestern games with a night game you could actually attend three games today. Second, Allstate Arena is hosting both the DePaul men’s basketball team (afternoon) and the Chicago Wolves (tonight). Third, the Bradley Center is hosting both Marquette men’s basketball (afternoon) and the Milwaukee Bucks (tonight).

Most likely you will only attend one game today. Below are how I rank the games in order of priority – based on location and stature of the league.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks (7:00 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings (7:30 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, IL.
3) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. Stanford (1:00 pm) at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL.
4) Chicago Wolves vs. Milwaukee Admirals (7:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
5) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. UCLA (2:00 pm ET) at Joyce Center in South Bend, IN.
6) DePaul Men’s Basketball vs. Texas State (1:00 pm) at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
7) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. North Florida (1:00 pm) at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI.
8) UI-Chicago Men’s Basketball vs. Northern Illinois (3:00 pm) at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.
9) Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs. Chicago State (4:00 pm) at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL.
10) Rockford IceHogs vs. San Antonio Rampage (7:05 pm) at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, IL.
11) UW-Milwaukee Men’s Basketball vs. Miami (OH) (7:00 pm) at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, WI.
12) Valparaiso Men’s Basketball vs. Concordia University (7:05 pm) at ARC in Valparaiso, IL.
13) Chicago Blaze vs. Detroit Hitmen (7:00 pm) at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, IL.
14) Chicago Steel vs. Omaha Lancers (7:30 pm) at Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL.

If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or two sessions of greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post times 1:00 pm and 7:15 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Fri, Dec. 18

Not a great night for sporting events in Chicagoland, but at least the Blackhawks are home.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins (7:30 pm) at United Center in Chicago, IL.
2) UI-Chicago Women’s Basketball vs. Illinois State (7:00 pm) at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.
3) Rockford IceHogs vs. Chicago Wolves (7:05 pm) at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, IL.
4) Chicago Blaze vs. Battle Creek Revolution (7:25 pm) at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, IL.
5) Chicago Steel vs. Omaha Lancers (7:30 pm) at Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:05 pm), harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 7:15 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Thu, Dec. 17

There are a couple of doubleheaders you can consider Thursday. First, Chicago St. has a doubleheader as their men’s and women’s basketball teams play today – one ticket gains admission to both games.

Second, the Northwestern women’s basketball team is playing at noon for Field Trip Day. Admission to the game is $1. Combine this game with one of the other games taking place in the evening:

1) Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm.
2) Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs. Arkansas at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. Game starts at 12:00 pm.
3) Loyola (IL) Women’s Basketball vs. Northern Illinois at the Gentile Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm.
4) Chicago State Men’s Basketball vs. Olivet Nazarene at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:30 pm.
5) Chicago State Women’s Basketball vs. Akron at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 5:00 pm.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm) or harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 7:20 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Wed, Dec. 16

There is a good set of sporting events to attend in Chicagoland or Milwaukee tonight. I will be attending the Northwestern Wildcats men’s basketball game, even though I feel it is the third best game to attend tonight.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:30 pm.
2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Lakers at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:00 pm.
3) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. North Florida at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. Game starts at 8:00 pm.
4) UI-Chicago Men’s Basketball vs. Oregon State at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm.
5) DePaul Men’s Basketball vs. American University at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. Game starts at 7:30 pm.

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Tue, Dec. 15

After having no sporting events to attend in Chicago or Milwaukee yesterday, there are two events to attend on Tuesday.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
2) UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball vs. Illinois State at Klotsche Center. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).

Los Angeles Lakers This Week
Are you planning to see the Los Angeles Lakers play this week? If so, it will probably be cheaper to drive to Milwaukee on Wednesday night rather than going to see the Chicago Bulls play Tuesday night.

Based on StubHub prices, tickets to “just-get-into” each stadium is $19 each for the United Center and $9.75 each for the Bradley Center – not necessarily a big enough difference to drive to Milwaukee. But seats at center court on the first level are $229 each at the United Center and $85 each at the Bradley Center (plus StubHub service fees). For that kind of savings I would make the drive to Milwaukee.

However, for both of these games you can save money buying tickets through craigslist.org or showing up at each arena without tickets and buying tickets from a scalper.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sun, Dec. 13

Today I am attending two sporting events in Chicago. First, I am watching the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Second, I am attending the Chicago Blackhawks game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The sporting events taking place in Chicagoland and Milwaukee today include:

1) Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 12:00 pm (CT). On a rare occurrence, tickets for the game will be under face value on the secondary ticket market. So show up at Soldier Field if you want to see one of the NFL’s biggest rivalries in person.
2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 6:00 pm (CT).
3) Northwestern Men’s Basketball vs. North Carolina A&T at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. Game starts at 4:00 pm (CT).
4) DePaul Men’s Basketball vs. UI-Chicago at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. Game starts at 5:00 pm (CT).
5) Notre Dame Hockey vs. Michigan at the Joyce Center Ice Rink in South Bend, IN. Game starts at 4:05 pm (CT).
6) Marquette Women’s Basketball vs. Robert Morris at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 2:00 pm (CT).
7) UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball vs. Chicago State at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 4:00 pm (CT).
8) Chicago Steam vs. Columbus Crush at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL. Game starts at 4:00 pm (CT).

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 6:30 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Sat, Dec. 12

Today is a big day for sporting events in the Chicago and Milwaukee area. There are 11 events with some afternoon college basketball games to professional basketball and boxing this evening.

1) Boxing: Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi II in a NABO Junior Welterweight Title fight at the UIC Pavilion. Fight starts at 9:15 pm, but the 12 card day starts at 2:30 pm.
2) Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Portland Trailblazers at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:30 pm (CT).
4) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. Loyola Marymount at the Joyce Center in South Bend, IN. Game starts 7:00 pm (ET).
5) Loyola Men’s Basketball vs. San Francisco at the Joseph J. Gentile Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 3:00 pm (CT).
6) Valparaiso Men’s Basketball vs. Toledo at the Athletics Recreation Center in Valparaiso, IN. Game starts at 2:00 pm (CT).
7) Milwaukee Wave vs. Philadelphia Kixx at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 6:00 pm (CT).
8) Chi-Town Shooters vs. Detroit Hitmen at the Midwest Training and Ice Center in Dyer, IN. Game starts at 6:45 pm (CT).
9) Chicago Blaze vs. Evansville Icemen at the West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
10) Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. Valparaiso at the Joyce Center in South Bend, IN. Game starts at 2:00 pm (ET).
11) Chicago Steel vs. Fargo Force at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL. Game starts at 7:30 pm (CT).

My pick for this evening is boxing at the UIC Pavilion even though it is a long day.

Doubleheader Possibilities
The best doubleheader possibility would be to combine the Loyola men’s basketball game and the Chicago Bulls game. If you are from Indiana then consider combing either the Valparaiso Men’s Basketball game (2:00 pm CT start) or the Notre Dame Women’s Basketball game (2:00 pm ET start) with the Notre Dame men’s basketball game (7:00 pm ET start).

Horse and Greyhound Racing
If racing is your thing, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm), harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or two sessions of greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post times 1:00 pm or 7:15 pm).

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Fri, Dec. 11

Here are the events taking place in Chicago or Milwaukee tonight and the order in which I would attend them:

1) Chicago Bulls vs. Golden State Warriors at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
2) Milwaukee Admirals vs. San Antonio Rampage at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
3) Chicago Blaze vs. Detroit Hitmen at the West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, IL. Game starts at 7:25 pm (CT).
4) Marquette Women’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
5) Chicago Steel vs. Sioux City Musketeers at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL. Game starts at 7:35 pm (CT).

In addition, you can attend thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL (post time 1:20 pm), harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 7:15 pm). However, be sure to check that the races are going on as Hawthorne has cancelled races the last two days due to weather.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Thu, Dec. 10

Not much going on in the world of sports in Chicago or Milwaukee today. The only event is harness racing at Maywood Park in Maywood, IL (post time 7:20 pm) – although check before you show up since it maybe cancelled due to the weather. Thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL was cancelled today due to the extreme cold.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Wed, Dec. 9

There are three sporting events to attend in the Chicago and Milwaukee area tonight.

1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. New York Rangers at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:30 pm (CT).
2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
3) Notre Dame Men’s Basketball vs. IUPUI at the Joyce Center in South Bend, IN. Game Starts at 7:30 pm (ET).

In addition, you can attend harness racing at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL (post time 7:20 pm) or greyhound racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI (post time 1:00 pm). Thoroughbred horse racing at Hawthorne Racecourse in Cicero, IL was cancelled today due to weather.

Chicago / Milwaukee Sporting Events: Tue, Dec. 8

There are three basketball games to attend in the Chicago and Milwaukee area tonight.

1) Chicago Bulls vs. New Jersey Nets at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
2) Marquette Men’s Basketball vs. UW-Milwaukee at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. Game starts at 7:00 pm (CT).
3) Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. IPFW at the Joyce Center in South Bend, IN. Game Starts at 7:00 pm (ET).

Lost in the Wilds of UK Sport: Night #1

There I was hugging and kissing Nicole good-bye at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Nicole was flying back to Chicago after our weekend in London and four weeks in Spain. I was staying in England for over two weeks in order to attend as many sporting events as possible within that time frame. I had booked this additional part of the trip back in July when I booked our plane tickets for Spain and England. Originally it was only supposed to be one extra week, but when Nicole needed to get back for school a week earlier it ended up being two weeks.

As Nicole went through security, I received an email from British Mick stating where to meet Big Chris – The Young Vic on a street called “The Cut” by Waterloo Station. The day before British Mick emailed me stating I could stay with Big Chris by Waterloo station rather than a hostel as I had planned.

I left Heathrow Terminal 5 at 4:45 pm. By the time I took the tube back to Central London, picked up my bags from the hotel, made it to Waterloo Station and found the Young Vic it was 7:00 pm – the time I was supposed to meet Big Chris.

Big Chris was 15 minutes late which gave me time to peruse a couple of newspapers at the bar. Remember, I always like to look at the local paper in the city I am visiting in order to learn about events I would not normally think of attending. My current plan for the week was to attend:

1) The Arsenal Carling Cup match versus West Brom Tuesday night.
2) The Chelsea Carling Cup match versus QPR Wednesday night.
3) Take the train to Newcastle Thursday afternoon for the Guinness Premiership rugby match between Newcastle Falcons and Harlequins.

Thus, I had some free time Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday afternoon, all day Thursday and Friday afternoon.

The best paper that listed out all of the UK fixtures for the week was The Independent. It was perfect. I began to determine what else I could attend during my few minutes of free time. The first event I noticed was the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros. The Vivendi Trophy is similar to the Ryder Cup but is played between players representing Great Britian & Ireland versus Continental Europe. The event started on Thursday meaning I would need to take a train from London to Paris Thursday morning and still get to Newcastle in time for the Rugby match Friday night.

As Big Chris showed up, I noticed that County Cricket was taking place in England during the week as well. The four day matches started on Wednesday and went through Saturday (starting at 10:30 am each day) allowing time for the NatWest Pro40 League to take place on Sundays.

The closest cricket match on Wednesday was Surrey hosting Glamorgan at The Brit Oval. Even though it was 2nd division County Cricket, the Oval was only a 20 minute walk from Big Chris’ house and where I attended The Ashes in August.

I then asked Big Chris where the best match to attend Thursday morning would be. He said since I was taking the train to Newcastle anyway I should stop in Leeds for the Yorkshire match versus Hampshire at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground – one of the test match grounds in England. My events for the rest of the week were now set:

1) The Arsenal Carling Cup match versus West Brom Tuesday night.
2) Second Division County Cricket at The Oval: Surrey versus Glamorgan on Wednesday afternoon.
3) The Chelsea Carling Cup match versus QPR Wednesday night.
4) First Division County Cricket at Headingley: Yorkshire versus Hampshire on Thursday afternoon.
5) Guinness Premiership rugby match between Newcastle Falcons and Harlequins.

After one drink at the Young Vic, Big Chris and I went back to his place to drop off my bags. We then went out to dinner at Kennington Tandoori – an Indian restaurant. After dinner Big Chris took me on a pub crawl of his area – first up was the Prince of Wales located at 48 Cleaver Square and second was The Doghouse located at 293 Kennington Rd.

Viviendo en Benimassot, Espana

As with attending any sporting event, the location of where you live or where you decide to stay determines what sporting events you can attend. For example, if the Ultimate Sports Wife and I did not live less than one block from Wrigley Field, we would not attend nearly half the Cubs game we actually attend. Second, living in Chicago, allows me to attend many more Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks games than attending Chicago Fire or Chicago Wolves games (teams based in the Chicago suburbs), since a 20 minute drive to the events in the city makes a big difference than traveling 45 minutes or more.

Nicole and I chose to travel to Spain to study Spanish. And since our friends from London allowed us to use their vacation home in a remote village around the Costa Blanca region of Spain, the location for our trip was determined.

Given the fact we are about a 90 minute drive from Valencia and Alicante determines most of the sporting events I will attend while staying in Spain. For example, while we are here, the Spanish national soccer team is playing World Cup Qualifiers in La Coruna (a 10 hour drive) and Merida (a seven hour drive). But since those events are so far away, we will not be attending – even though they would be a top priority otherwise. However, the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) actually rides through our area of the country so we will be attending the tour as they come through the region with drives of up to 90 minutes for the starts of multiple stages.

New York at Chicago (NL) – Game 1

Today, for the first time since April 18, 1980, both the New York Mets and New York Yankees are playing in Chicago on the same day. I am planning to attend both games in this scheduling quirk. The last time two teams from the same metropolitan area played in the same city on the same day was April 15, 1997 when the New York teams hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers and Anaheim Angels, respectively.

In the first game of the day, the Cubs defeated the Mets 8-1 with Ronny Cedeno hitting a grand slam (his first home run of the year). The Ultimate Sports Wife and I went to Wrigleyville Dogs before the game – a good hot dog stand about 1 block North of Wrigley Field.