Shaq Prefers Indoor Basketball

↵
↵The NBA got in on the “play your indoor sport outside” gimmick last night, setting up an exhibition between the speed demon Nuggets and the whimsical Suns at Indian Wells in the California desert. The NHL’s Winter Classic was a raging success, and even the WNBA’s foray earned good reviews. But this venture, which saw near constant 15-mph winds and temperatures dipping into the low sixties? Shaquille O’Neal explains the problem (via FanHouse).↵↵⇥“It was colder than a mother------ out there.”↵↵This week most of California (including Casa Ziller) has suffered from some brutal North winds caused by a storm currently dumping snow on Salt Lake City. Obviously, Indian Wells is typically hot as Hades well into October, hence the 7 p.m. tip. The change in weather left players on the bench wrapping themselves in white towels. Next time, hot cocoa instead of Gatorade, right?
↵
↵The weirdest thing about the locale is that it dredges up none of the emotion an outdoor basketball game should. Outdoor hoops conjures visions of the big city or the suburban driveway, not desert vistas and swank golf courses. Isn’t there a college football or soccer stadium in L.A. which could do the trick?↵