Harlem Globetrotters at Johnson Coliseum

Photo by DJ Shafer, ITZ Magazine.

After just 10 minutes of watching the Harlem Globetrotters do their thing on the court, you realize something: no matter how corny it sounds, they really are an American institution.

The Globetrotters performed a smooth, swagger-laden show for a crowd at Johnson Coliseum Monday night, and I'm happy to say I was among the crowd. The kind of entertainment these hoopsters bring to a venue is something unlike anything you're likely to see anywhere else. They're one of a kind, and that's why they've been touring for 85 years.

What I was most struck by, other than the simple coolness of having them here, was how funny the Globetrotters' show really is. Led by the team's designated showman, Special K Daley, known far and wide as the "Clown Prince of Basketball," the Globetrotters unleashed a performance that was part Michael Jordan, part Marx Brothers.

It might sound silly, a bunch of guys running around in shorts, pulling trick dunks and stopping every few minutes to crack wise with the audience, but the effect is really something quite astounding. It's a strange combination of supreme athletic prowess and surprisingly competent comedic skill, something LeBron James and Peyton Manning can't seem to pull off no matter how much money we pay them to do "funny" commercials for Nike and Gatorade.

The other thing that struck me was how few people were actually in Johnson Coliseum that night. There was a crowd, to be sure, but the place was far from full. At the risk of sounding like I'm chastising you, if you weren't watching the Harlem Globetrotters Monday night, you really should have been. It wasn't ridiculously expensive, and it wasn't hard to reach the venue. Or, at least, if you didn't want to come, you're now no longer allowed to complain when nothing cool comes to Huntsville. If and when the Globetrotters show up again, they deserve a warmer welcome, because they're a world class act.