Thoughts

This young lady (Erin) works for a local news station and moonlights at home games for the Detroit Pistons. She works on the promotions team and can be seen throughout the night in the stands hosting the contests for the fans. One of the contests we will call 3-ball Monty as it is in the vein of the old street hustle 3-card Monty. On the big screen those in attendance see three basketballs. One of the three basketballs has a logo on it and it is shown to the audience, then turned around. They then begin to bounce around the screen and when they come to rest the contestant has to pick the one which had the logo. A correct answer wins the contestant a $50 Gift Certificate to Belle Tire, the contest sponsor.

Courtesy of some friends I had great tickets to last night's game. At one point I happened to notice Erin on screen for 3-ball Monty (I think I knew a guy in college named 3-ball Monty...) with the contestant standing next to her. I glance around the stadium as I like to see where the contestant was chosen from. She was halfway up the lower bowl in one of the sections in the corner of the arena.

After the girl contestant answered correctly, she was handed her gift certificate. The cameras went back to the game after whatever stoppage of play allowed for the contest in the stands. Erin and the contestant then both came down the stairs to seats on the floor in the corner. The "contestant" was not even seated in the section where she was shown while the contest was in progress. Her seat for the game was near a whole crowd of press passes where I had noticed her earlier.

I am not going so far as to say she was Erin's friend, but she certainly was not the fan from whatever section the fans were led to believe she was.

Now the conspiracy theories can be let loose. Why not speculate that this girl was chosen because she or a family member works for Belle Tire? She was a plant. She was only at the game to be in the contest...and answer correctly. Shameless ploy on behalf of the Pistons organization and Belle Tire to get screen time with the logo and look benevolent as they give out a prize for a contest that any average Joe off the street can win, even you or me, even though it is all smoke and mirrors.

Who knows...maybe next game you could be chosen for 3-ball Monty. But I bet you won't! Call it a hunch.