Crowd loves to see Globetrotters deny Nationals first win

The New York Nationals received a beastly “boo” from fans at Mizzou Arena on Thursday night as they ran onto the court against the Harlem Globetrotters.

Fans love to look at the Nationals as villains, even though they have never beaten the Globetrotters in 11 years.

With kids laughing and pointing at the Nationals’ players, with every trick move and prank pulled on them by the Globetrotters, one might think that the Nationals would lose composure.

Oddly enough, they don’t. They keep their heads held high and smiles on their faces.

Even after an unexpected twist in the game, the Nationals kept their heads, and hopes, high.

Shawn “Shaggy” Faust was standing at the free-throw line, concentrating on the shot he was about to take. With the theme song of “The Pink Panther” playing over the loud speakers, the Globetrotters’ Kevin Daley pulled on a mask and inched his way to Faust. With a quick look at the crowd, Daley abruptly de-panted the stunned Faust.

Tricked again.

The Nationals lost another heartbreaker to the Globetrotters 82-57. The Nationals had their eye on a victory at the beginning of the game, they just didn’t have their eye on the ball.

The fans could have cared less about the improbable win that the Nationals were trying to achieve.

Columbia’s Andy Friederich, however, was one of the few that remained faithful to the Nationals. Friederich would constantly stand and cheer when the Nationals made a basket, something that didn’t seem to please other spectators nearby. A few children gave Friederich some dirty looks from time to time.

“I have to root for the underdog,” Friederich said. “I have been to a couple of Globetrotter games, and they (the Globetrotters) always win. This time I want to see the Nationals win.”

Globetrotters coach Charles “Tex” Harrison said his team doesn’t get tired of beating the Nationals.

“Our objective is to win and entertain the fans,” Harrison said. “If we play our best basketball, then we can fulfill our objectives.”

Harrison is familiar with the Globetrotters’ dominance over the Nationals. Harrison played for the Globetrotters for 18 years before becoming coach in 1976.

The Globetrotters used to play the Washington Generals on a regular basis, but the Generals folded in 1995, and the Nationals took over their tenure.

Although the Nationals didn’t leave with that ever-elusive first victory, the Nationals didn’t seem detered. Filing out of the arena after the game, Faust could be heard whistling the Globetrotters theme song, “Sweet Georgia Brown.”