Home sweet home: Oracle Arena

As I was searching for the status of Mickael Pietrus, I stumbled on this inspirational article on the Contra Costa Times website. The article is written by Marcus Thompson II and his piece is entitled , "Divine Oracle: Warriors' arena place to be."

Here is a small excerpt:

One can only imagine what would happen should the Warriors win a title.

"The fans here are so loyal," Rowell said. "We've been ready for this for quite some time. The funny thing is we haven't done anything yet. I'm excited about the next few years. We've got some exciting young players to build on. A big part of it is the style of basketball we play. It's the personality and character of our team and the relationship they have with the fans."

This cast of Warriors is the dynamite that causes the Oracle to explode. Davis is the main attraction, the tone-setter. His game has a certain playground flair and his personality exudes through his visible emotions.

But Davis has plenty help in inciting the crowd. Monta Ellis is a fan favorite because of the way he zips and floats around the court, creating a collection of highlights. Fans go ballistic whenever Jackson pulls up in transition and splashes one of those methodical 3-pointers late in the game. And don't let swingman Mickael Pietrus be on his game.

In addition to the frenetic style of play, the Oracle experience is enhanced by the chic ambiance. Warriors games have become a popular Bay Area nightlife option, drawing socialites as well as hoop fans. Ticket demand and amenities -- an upscale pregame restaurant; spacious club lounges on the upper, lower and suite level; and a postgame bar where fans can mingle with the players -- lend an aura of exclusivity.

And that's before you throw in the celebrities.

Dating back to last year's playoffs, a steady of flow of famous entertainers has added to the Oracle setting. Actors -- such as Jessica Alba, Sean Penn and John Cho -- and musical entertainers -- such as Snoop Dogg and Carlos Santana -- highlight the list of paparazzi targets.

Sports stars long have been spotted at Warriors games. Ronnie Lott is a season ticket holder. Joe Montana and Jerry Rice have been known to show up. Cleveland Indians Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia, a Vallejo native, has his favorite spot under the basket near the Warriors bench. A contingent of Raiders -- led by Nnamdi Asomugha, Sebastian Janikowski and JaMarcus Russell -- usually attends games.

But even with the TMZ vibe, the Oracle's reputation is that of a raucous arena.

"I was truly impressed by the amount of energy in the building," said R&B star John Legend, who performed at halftime late last month. "They remind me of a student crowd in a way -- so not jaded, so supportive of the team. I can only imagine what a playoff game there would be like."

Feb. 13, 2008. ESPN announcers Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, calling the Warriors-Phoenix Suns game, raved about the Oracle.

"It's not just (that there are) a lot of people," Breen said on the air. "It has turned into one of the best atmospheres in all of sports."

Moments later, the Warriors ran off a 12-4 run in a span of three minutes, 15 seconds. First a 3-pointer by Jackson, followed by one from Kelenna Azubuike. Then Davis took over -- nailing a pull-up in the lane, hitting a fade-away jumper from the corner and turning a Phoenix turnover into a fast-break finger roll. Suddenly, the Oracle erupted into unchartered decibels. Hearing yourself think was not an option, and that's become typical.

"When it gets to those levels where it gets crazy in there," Warriors forward Al Harrington said, "it just gets your blood flowing. I get chills sometimes."

And you don't have to see it to feel it.

Full article here