The Beam Motivates Kings Opponents As Well As Fans

By Mardeio Cannon | OBSERVER ColumnistNow that all the Thanksgiving leftovers are eaten and everyone had a Great Thanksgiving, let’s get down to business!When the Sacramento Kings introduced the beam a couple seasons ago, this marketing idea caught fire and excited the fans, players and received national attention. I am sure everyone knows that a purple laser light is lit from the top of the Golden 1 Center after each Kings’ victory. This beam can be seen from miles all over Sacramento and has become a Sacramento Kings landmark.I have no problem with the beam and I believe it should become a permanent part of the Sacramento Kings’ culture. However, in my opinion, the beam has been somewhat of a curse to the Sacramento Kings homecourt advantage.& My specific issue is that before each Kings game, the Kings in-game emcee fires up the crowd with: “Who’s ready for Kings basketball and who’s going to light the beam tonight?” I believe that statement fires up the opposing team to inspire them to play harder than ever to keep the Kings from lighting the beam on them.Why is it that every NBA team that comes into the G1C despite their record shoot...