afparent Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Mavs fans show gratitude toward soldiers with front-row seats Dec. 17, 2004 SportsLine.com wire reports DALLAS -- About 140 U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan will sit courtside at a Dallas Mavericks game Saturday night, thanks to season-ticket holders who offered their seats in a show of gratitude. "It's a small way for me to show some appreciation for what they've done for us," ticket holder Jim Leslie said. "I still don't think it's enough." The soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center near San Antonio will fly to Dallas -- on a chartered jet donated by American Airlines -- to see the Mavericks play the Atlanta Hawks. They will be treated to free food and drink and have their pictures taken with Mavericks players, dancers and team officials. Team owner Mark Cuban said in an e-mail: "This is a chance for these servicemen and women to feel the admiration and respect of 20,000 people, reinforcing for them that we as a nation feel grateful for what they have done for us." Season-ticket holder Neal Hawks began offering seats to soldiers last season. This year, he approached other season-ticket holders and got 133 tickets worth roughly $150,000, all in the front row. "Virtually everyone said I could have their tickets," Hawks said. "I even had a couple season-ticket holders who had already given their tickets away go and get them back." Cpl. J.R. Martinez, 21, attended a game last season while recovering from severe burns when his Humvee hit a land mine in Iraq. He said many of the wounded soldiers are "probably in the depression stage." "For them to go and be able to feel that energy, it's definitely going to help their morale," he said. AP NEWS The Associated Press News Service http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/8009070 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southtown Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 I feel bad for the soldiers. If they thought Iraq and Afghanistan were rough, wait until they have to sit through 48 minutes of Atlanta Hawks basketball! (I saw that joke on another website and thought it was pretty funny) Quick...name the starting line up on the Hawks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rypien 91 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 That is pretty cool. It 's nice to see people giving back like that. It sucks they have to see the Hawks, but at least it is free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingtiger1013 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Bravo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty P For The Pulitzer Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Good for those people who gave up the seats. And it could be worse for the soldiers. It could've been a game against the Hornets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockville Redskin Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Thats a great gesture for our troops! I'd so the same:cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sir Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Originally posted by Southtown I feel bad for the soldiers. If they thought Iraq and Afghanistan were rough, wait until they have to sit through 48 minutes of Atlanta Hawks basketball! (I saw that joke on another website and thought it was pretty funny) Quick...name the starting line up on the Hawks. Not funny....at all Boris Diaw/ Josh Smith/ Al Harrington/ Antoine Walker/ Jason Collier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southtown Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Good job on the starting line up. I actually grew up a Hawks fan...their games used to exclusively be on TBS in the old days. (kind of like the Braves now) Bring me back to the days of Wilkins, Rivers, Webb, Willis and John Battle coming off the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Big props to those season ticket holders. Lots of coverage on the news here last night. The soliders looked like they were having a great time. Blondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.