Enhance Your Experience
Timely Twitter A Great Tool For Following Pacers, NBA
For this week's 'Enhance Your Experience' post, I want to focus on the impact Twitter has had on following the Indiana Pacers.
The social media monster is a great way to share your thoughts and read the thoughts of many others as they react to a game in progress. For instance, last night Chris Bosh took a beating on Twitter after he stood near the hoop but barely moved a muscle as Rajon Rondon dribbled through the lane and finished with a monster dunk.
Same thing happened on Tuesday during the Pacers' memorable third quarter. As various references to fire were thrown around by fans and local media, the news quickly spread and pretty soon the national voices were tuned in and commenting on the stunning action taking place at the Fieldhouse. The Pacers are rarely a trending Twitter topic, so when it happens, and happens for all of the right reasons, it adds a little juice to your viewing pleasure.
Twitter also serves as a breaking news source, whether through a media members sharing news or a player directly commenting on a current situation. Yesterday afternoon, for example, we learned from ESPN's Marc Stein that Yao Ming had an MRI after the team arrived in Indianapolis and the results showed only a mild sprained ankle, but it would keep him out of the lineup tonight.
Later, Pacers' beat writer Mike Wells revealed that Jim O'Brien wasn't happy with Paul George's approach to practice and games of late which would lighten his minutes in the playing rotation. Instead of waiting for that news to hit the front porch this morning, we knew it within minutes of the coach saying it.
Players utlitize Twitter as well in various forms. The Pacers only have six players that actively update their Twitter accounts and four that consistently offer timely updates worth following. Occasionally they'll vent their frustrations, but usually they offer fans insight into their daily activities on the road or at home. It also offers fans a chance to reach out and offer their comments to players.
Paul George, T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert are the four players that all Pacer fans should follow. After the jump, check out links to their Twitter accounts as well as those of Danny Granger and Dahntay Jones.
Following The Game While Staying On The Move
Last week I mentioned how utilizing various forms of technology and social networking sites makes watching a game live, whether in person or on television, far more entertaining. But sometimes life gets in the way and instead of settling into a comfortable position at tip time, connected to other fans and media, you find yourself at, oh, I don't know, your son's swimming lessons.
That's what happened to me this past Wednesday when I had to miss watching the first quarter of the Pacers vs. 76ers game live, because I had to attend swimming lessons for my son and a friend and then shuttle them home. So in these dire circumstances you have to make the best of it, and fortunately, smart phone technology and various apps helped me keep up with the action until I could get into the car to hear the HD visuals provided by Mark Boyle's radio call.
Smart phone apps are improving all of the time but some are better than others. NBA.com offers a nice array of options, some of which require bandwith that isn't always available, like at the swim club where I had to find a spot to stand that held the signal long enough to keep the live updates refreshing. But when they're running on all bars, the Game Time apps are nice.
I'm always looking for better options, though, so I thought I'd open it up to the readers. Which smart phone apps do you use to keep up with game action or post-game stats? What are some of the best "bang for the buck" apps that are free or a minimal cost?
How Do You Enjoy Watching The Pacers Play?
[This is a sponsored post. -TL]
The Indiana Pacers are back in action tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats. Once again, the game will be broadcast in HD on Fox Sports Indiana.
My question to you is: How do you enjoy watching a Pacers' game?
I can no longer remember when I first started using a DVR but it is hard to consider living without the option now. Recording a game on DVR has alway been a great option, allowing me to watch the game at my convenience. But with the advancements of technology and social media, simply recording a game on DVR to enjoy whenever you'd like is no longer good enough.
Instead of just setting the DVR, I find the need to set an alarm for game time. Watching the game live with the ability to comment here and use Twitter to connect with other fans and media, also watching the game live, has made tuning in for the live broadcast a much more enjoyable experience.
With smart phone technology, those same connections can be made at the Fieldhouse while watching the game live. Whether in my family room or at the Fieldhouse, the corner bar-type discussions throughout the game with folks from around the world are sometimes more entertaining than the game.
Hopefully this season, the Pacers play on the court will at least match the enjoyment I receive from watching them play with all of my Pacers and NBA "friends" tuning in at the same time.







