The NBA Will Be Lacing Them Up in Cedar Rapids

First off, let me say, I love basketball. It's been my sport of choice for as long as I can remember. I probably picked up that love from my Dad. Secondly though, I hate the NBA. I often find it boring and at times it doesn't even seem like the same game compared with college hoops.

With all of that being said, I still love the fact that an NBA exhibition game will be played this fall in Cedar Rapids. The announcement was made today that the U.S. Cellular Center will host the exhibition on Oct. 17th between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Milwaukee Bucks. It should be a great promotional event for both the Timberwolves and Cedar Rapids. The game should bring some buzz to the new Cell Center.

I was at the last NBA exhibition game played in CR back in 2002. I had a nosebleed seat at the top of the old Five Seasons Center and the players looked like ants, but I enjoyed every minute of it. For a kid who hadn't yet been to a professional sporting event, it was beyond cool. I got to watch the likes of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. Kids will now have the opportunity to see Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio and O.J. Mayo. I say that's pretty cool.