Nov. 1, 2010
Lobo Basketball – Up Next For Men
Wednesday: Vs. Eastern New Mexico, 7 p.m., The Pit
Game Notes: hosting Eastern New Mexico 
Saturday: Vs. Manchester College, 8 p.m., The Pit
Lobo Basketball – Up Next For Women
Nov. 9: Vs. Western New Mexico, 7 p.m., The Pit
Nov. 12: Vs. Texas Tech, 7 p.m., The Pit
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
With all due respect to the dignitaries that dedicated the new Pit and all its $60 million of bells, whistles, glass and technology, it’s just about time for the true dignitaries of this special building to take over.
The fans.
The Lobos.
And the words that graced and praised The Pit in Monday’s Open House will soon morph into the cheers, the screams and the ref-baiting hisses that have turned The Pit into a household name coast-to-coast.
Steve Alford’s men get to officially and unofficially open The Pit with an exhibition game at 7 p.m., Wednesday against Eastern New Mexico. The Lobo men have another exhibition on Nov. 6 against Manchester College. The men play for real on Saturday, Nov. 13 when Detroit comes South to step into the renovated Pit.
Don Flanagan’s Lobos aren’t far behind. They have an exhibition tip on Tuesday, Nov. 9 vs. Western New Mexico and then get a tough test for reals when Texas Tech jumps over for a Friday, Nov. 12 tip.
On those dates, The Pit will forget how pretty it is and throw its nasty side at the visitors. It will become the sunken dungeon that earned The Pit the title as the nation’s loudest collegiate arena.
But on Monday, The Pit was all dolled up, lady-like and gentleman-like as it opened its doors and its corners to about 3,000 Lobo fans, who took time off to tour The Pit and/or watch Alford’s Lobos practice.
The Beauty Will Soon Turn Beastly |
The Pit was always special. It is even more so now with an expanded concourse, new concessions, 40 suites, 365 club seats, TVs everywhere, a Lettermen’s Lounge and magnificent views of Albuquerque’s panoramic skyline.
A lot of the improvements are tucked away in corners of The Pit – new locker rooms, weight & conditioning areas, a modern training room, improved media facilities. But these steps into the future also will benefit Lobo fans, Albuquerque and New Mexico.
The modernization of this building, built in 1966, already is a tremendous recruiting tool for Alford and Flanagan. The changes are bringing back the NCAA Tournament, which will fuel the economy of the city and the state.
And once again The Pit will go national and broadcast to a basketball nation that it is a special thing to be a Lobo.
Alford, Flanagan, Mayor Richard Berry, Governor Bill Richardson, Regents Raymond Sanchez and Jamie Koch, ASUNM President Lazar Cardenas Jr., and Paul Krebs, UNM’s Vice President of Athletics had a lot of nice words to say about The Pit, the fans, the Lobos.
The words were true, but, oh, so soft. Soon the words reach new heights of passion. Some of the words will change, too. They will cascade down and over all enemies of Lobos.
Soon, the Beauty turns into a Beast and The Pit will be complete again.
Editor’s Note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and Sports Columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net.