As I was wrapping up a project on Tuesday, I realized there was a Denver Nuggets game on in a few minutes. I was listening to an old playlist that reminds me of my dad, and this beauty kicked in…
As I started humming along, the lyricist and one of the many voices in my head had a pseudo-conversation. I think you’ll know which one is me.
Sybil: Oh hey, the Nuggets are on in a few. Who are we playing tonight? Was it Utah?
Willie Nelson: On the road again…
Sybil: Oh sh—, is tonight a road game?
Willie: Just can't wait to get on the road again
Sybil: Augh, tonight is a f—-ing road game…
Willie: The life I love is making music with my friends
Sybil: Can you imagine this song in a Nuggets musical? They’re bleakly singing this as they board the bus?
Willie: And I can't wait to get on the road again
Gurn: Seriously, Sybil, what is wrong with you?
Willie: On the road again
Sybil: How many times does he say that, anyway?
Willie: Goin' places that I've never been
Sybil: Like the disparity between this home and road record
Willie: Seein' things that I may never see again
Gurn: God, I hope I never see a road record like this again
Willie: And I can't wait to get on the road again
It’s all gypsies and repetition from there. The rift between home and road records was broad. I knew the home record was a shiny 8-2 after reading Zach Mikash’s great piece about the same and fan involvement on Monday.
I’d not paid attention as closely to the 3-6 away record. Eesh. The Nuggets already had a 10-point loss in Utah this year, the season opener. I was feeling a little trepidation.
Sybil and Gurn were now singing along with Willie while I googled “NBA musical Willie Nelson” to cover my bases on making sure “Nuggets: The Musical” wasn’t already copyrighted. Copywritten. Copywrote. Whatever. I didn’t find evidence of anything but a Spurs Spotify page.
At this point, I was pretty sure of two things. The first is that I’m starting to dread road games this season, maybe even more than I dread hearing the word “Twitter” in a sentence. The second is that the end of act one ends with a pretty enormous musical number starring Nikola Jokic at a future All Star game and David Stern hiding from Adam Silver in the rafters of the arena. Wearing a phantom mask.
It needs work. I’ll get back to you.
I went off to watch the game. As you know, Tuesday only deepened the away-game rift in a nearly-30-point shellacking, as ably covered by Ryan Blackburn. An even 10 home games and 10 road games, and that 80 percent home percentage looks a lot better than the 30 on the road.
They need work. They’ll get back to you.
I went back to my computer, a little dejected, and hit play on that same playlist. I swear, I didn’t do this on purpose. But this could be for the bus trip back. Stay with me, here.
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