Breaking Bad

[jimmykc]

At the risk of becoming that sour old man that nobody wants to get stuck next to at the wedding reception, I will relate my personal experience at the new arena. Probably should tack it on to the long thread which I will read with interest later but have decided to start my own rather than begin my morning by scrolling. The title of the thread comes from my alternate plan which was to continue watching the Breaking Bad marathon which I started because I had missed the series originally. After arriving home last night I wished that I had done this and am glad I dropped my season tickets last year.

     My main problem was with the parking. Despite having a handicapped sticker and starting at 5:30, we did not enter the arena until just after things began at 7. We got caught in a traffic tie up trying to enter the Haymarket at 9th and Q due to two lanes of cars trying to merge along with cars coming from the north. Somehow a group wearing leis, guzzling drinks and peddling their conveyance was able to pass the lane we were sitting in like a bullet train. When we finally did enter the Haymarket area, no one seemed to know what to do and after not finding anything around the old train station parking lot we eventually had to go back through downtown, go over the viaduct, and park near the baseball field. It would have been nice to have a few of the phalanx of cops who direct traffic for football doing the same last night. Even there, most of the lot was roped off and no one was there to guide the parking. After scrambling up a rock strewn embankment we made the long trek across the one bridge available and entered the arena after festivities began. We found seats for our group which included five grandchildren at the top of the lower bowl and found that we watched most of the game on the big screen tv which is really nice. After buying the 5 dollar slices of Val's pizza I opted to pass on the $10 panzini sandwich which was also available.

    To me the sound system was loud, but not distinct enough to understand every word, so Tim's quips and Kent's blather were unintelligible to me for the most part. I've never been a fan of the ring of concrete around the court, but I understand that multipurpose arenas are set up that way. The seats seem further from the court than BDSC too, but I was spoiled by where I had been fortunate to sit all those years.

    The players all seemed to be trying too hard and I really cringed at all the air ball threes. Petteway's career obviously started with a thud. I was impressed with Pitchford, and Kai looks like he could be another Cookie Belcher type. I didn't care for the knee brace look and have to wonder if he has bad pins. We do seem to have enough talent to compete this year though if Coach Miles can pull it all together.

    After making the long trek back to the car, I had to be happy that the freezing winds of winter were not swooping across the plains and hope that the new bridge will be covered when it is finished. To end on a positive note, while enjoying my Jimmie Johns in front of episode 8 of Breaking Bad last night, I did feel that the arena would be a great place for the young and affluent segment of the population for which it was aimed. I'm just glad I have a nice HDTV and look forward to spending the season in my living room

[HB]

Jimmy, I appreciate your views, and concur with many of them.   However, if you dare venture down there again, you might want to avoid entering the Haymarket area at 9th and Q.   The pre-opening press releases said to avoid P and Q.  The big LJS supplement was pretty descriptive on the best options for driving and parking.  We have had no trouble (in fact, it's way better than entering Devaney from the South on what used to be 14th street) entering on N street. Traffic moves nicely there before and after events.   We have parked in the Red Deck garage so far and it really hasn't been bad at all exiting after events.  

[a0t0w0]

Was the surface parking lot as small as it looks from the arena?  I think the development down there is amazing, but I hate that they stuffed the arena that close to everything.  Have they said if the baseball parking lots will be available for arena events?

 

I cannot stand parking garages when there is heavy traffic.  Most frustrating experience ever. 

[ShortDust]

I'm pretty sure they have the baseball lots opened up for the event at the arena.

[jimmykc]

Baseball lots were open but one was next to the bridge to nowhere and the other one only had one small opening which didn't have a wire blocking the entrance. We missed it the first time and got to drive all the way around the baseball/softball complexes again before finding it the second time. A long walk but rather pleasant on a balmy autumn night. Won't be so much in February.

[Huskerpapa]

Amazingly I had zero issues with parking. 

[jimmykc]

Were you wearing a lei and pedalling a movable bar by any chance, cwg?

[Huskerpapa]

No, but it sounds like a good idea

[golfer3]

In the brochure handed out during the pubic tours of the Pinnacle Arena it was stated parking near the top of parking garages during well-attended events one could expect a 20 to 25 minute delay leaving the parking garage.

 

No mention of the flat land parking on the other side of the arena.

 

They need time to iron out the wrinkles on the new product.

 

Some folks need to work or go to school the next day.  Never a positive being tied up in a garage or traffic.  But its great for the bar business.  How long will the garages stay open after an event ends?

[uneblinstu]

In the brochure handed out during the pubic tours of the Pinnacle Arena it was stated parking near the top of parking garages during well-attended events one could expect a 20 to 25 minute delay leaving the parking garage.

 

Sounds like quite the tour...

[HB]

 

In the brochure handed out during the pubic tours of the Pinnacle Arena it was stated parking near the top of parking garages during well-attended events one could expect a 20 to 25 minute delay leaving the parking garage.

 

Sounds like quite the tour...

 

 

After one of the concerts, it took us 10 minutes.

[CrazyforNUHOOPS]

Jimmy, I appreciate your views, and concur with many of them. However, if you dare venture down there again, you might want to avoid entering the Haymarket area at 9th and Q. The pre-opening press releases said to avoid P and Q. The big LJS supplement was pretty descriptive on the best options for driving and parking. We have had no trouble (in fact, it's way better than entering Devaney from the South on what used to be 14th street) entering on N street. Traffic moves nicely there before and after events. We have parked in the Red Deck garage so far and it really hasn't been bad at all exiting after events.

[CrazyforNUHOOPS]

Posting from phone and I'm suddenly technolocigally illiterate, so this is supposed to be with the post I quoted above......

Entering the Haymarket from the south off of N Street is definitely the way to go. I have never encountered any traffic for.the events I've gone to when I've come from the south.

[ajb5856]

I made the mistake of getting in that 9th/10th street fiasco on Q street. Never again. I think once everyone figures out the ins and outs of where to be, everything will be fine. Right now everyone is new to it and trying to figure out what works best. I'm glad this new venue has had the chance to be used for concerts and others events such as this scrimmage prior to the start of basketball season. Chances to work out the kinks and a chance for people to learn what to expect. Can you imagine the cluster if the first basketball game was the very first event? 15,500 headed down there to test it all out for the very first time?

[Creighton Fan]

I have no idea about the open house, but Breaking Bad is da bomb, yo!

[throwback]

I also came in/left via N and parked in the Red Garage it was pretty smooth, although I'm sure there are plenty of kinks to work out. Maybe 5 minutes in line waiting to enter the garage & 10 minutes waiting in line to exit the garage. During entrance, people coming from the North on Arena Drive trying to turn left into the road to the Red Garage entrance had a longer wait.

 

My plan for games will be to park at the baseball park & use pedestrian bridge if I need to get home quickly. If I don't, parking in the garages & planning to have a beer or two in the Haymarket after the games while the garages clear out probably will be the way to go. 

 

Even though the walk north across the pedestrian bridge could be nasty in January, I think that will be the fastest way out as you'll get away from the foot traffic around the arena & avoid waiting in line in the garages. I felt bad for some drivers trying to go east on that road just south of the arena right after the scrimmage - must be R Street? - they had no chance to move as people streamed out and into the street.

 

Plus I think the baseball park parking will provide fastest access to I-80, whether north to Cornhusker or south to West O.

[FredsSlacks]

I have no idea about the open house, but Breaking Bad is da bomb, yo!

Tread lightly.

[hhcmatt]

As far as the pedestrian bridge goes

https://twitter.com/LJSPascale/status/383651496203534336

 

Probably the fastest default route out of there, especially if you're going North, West, or to Omaha.

 

The street around the back of the arena is still closed....this would zip people in and out of the garage down there faster.  That's where I'm parking until the garage by the O street bridge is done and was about 10 minutes to get out....which sounds a bit better than walking across a bridge during the winter.

 

 

After buying the 5 dollar slices of Val's pizza I opted to pass on the $10 panzini sandwich which was also available.

 

Is there some reason you weren't buying your grandkids $2 hotdogs?

[Jadler]

As a North Bottoms resident I laugh at all of your parking issues.

Oh wait. My brother and I just had our bicycle stolen from our backyard. Fuck the Bottoms.

[cipsucks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdGYTyfER38

[49r]

Those fat bottomed girls make the rockin' world go 'round, cip!  

 

[Bugeaters1]

I also came in/left via N and parked in the Red Garage it was pretty smooth, although I'm sure there are plenty of kinks to work out. Maybe 5 minutes in line waiting to enter the garage & 10 minutes waiting in line to exit the garage. During entrance, people coming from the North on Arena Drive trying to turn left into the road to the Red Garage entrance had a longer wait.

 

My plan for games will be to park at the baseball park & use pedestrian bridge if I need to get home quickly. If I don't, parking in the garages & planning to have a beer or two in the Haymarket after the games while the garages clear out probably will be the way to go. 

 

Even though the walk north across the pedestrian bridge could be nasty in January, I think that will be the fastest way out as you'll get away from the foot traffic around the arena & avoid waiting in line in the garages. I felt bad for some drivers trying to go east on that road just south of the arena right after the scrimmage - must be R Street? - they had no chance to move as people streamed out and into the street.

 

Plus I think the baseball park parking will provide fastest access to I-80, whether north to Cornhusker or south to West O.

I'll be going west on I 80 so I'll try this now to convince the wife that this is the way to go is another matter.

[jimmykc]

Cip: You've been waiting all this time for someone to post the word bicycle, haven't you? Now if we could just get those people who were pedaling the moveable bar to cooperate, we could update the video.

[Timmy Schlichtenschmidt]

Parking in the garages & planning to have a beer or two in the Haymarket after the games while the garages clear out probably will be the way to go.

 

I like the way you think good sir!

 

My initial impression was that the court feels very far away from the spectators and that the arena might not be condusive for a great basketball atmosphere. Note the word 'great'....I mean great as in Cameron, AFH, old Gallagher, really any place that has fans right on top of court. Probably not what those involved were aiming at, which is fair enough considering this is a multipurpose arena.

 

Looking up and around at the considerable vastness of the arena, and then down at the display of very bad streetball before me, I can't help but feel afraid of what might become once the afterglow of the new digs wears off. This arena feels too big for our program. Only consistent, top 20 basketball will come close to keeping it full. Not only are we not there yet as a program, but we also have the disadvantage of having no rivals, along with unfamiliar and bland (IMO) foes.

 

The seats are very close together. It will be horrible if sitting on the end when people are constantly coming in and out having to stand, sit, stand, sit. Might as well throw in a few kneels, a hymn, and coffee and rolls in the basement afterwards.

 

Tim Miles was great. I couldn't hear about 60% of what he was saying due to the audio (and my poor, poor hearing?), but he was mostly hilarious, entertaining, self-effasive and would be a blast to play for I'd imagine. I think we hit a home run with him and I hope he stays for a long, long time. He sure seems like one of a kind.

 

Anyways, that's my two cents....and my God, how I will miss Breaking Bad......sniffle.

[Norm Peterson]

Timmy, I miss your avatar ..... sniffle.