The 2011 Showdown in Chinatown marked the first time we’ve brought the Showdown live and global! With the assist from our presenting sponsor, Ortsbo.com, fans around the world interacted with Marcin Gortat, Brandon Jennings, Steve Nash, and Claudio Reyna hours before kick-off. Aside from Marcin saying Steve is 45 years old, Ortsbo.com’s Showdown Live and Global session was full of insights and appreciation from the Showdown players to the people that make it all happen: the fans.
When the players gathered at 3pm, the sun was shining. After a week of forecasts that included showers, thunder and lightning, the sun was a relief. Steve met with the Steve Nash Foundation’s Text-to-Pint winner, Logan, for pint of milk and a chat, and players assembled to try on their custom-made, fit-to-a-t Indochino suits (what’s better than a well-dressed man who cares aboutchild welfare issues? And we had a whole room of them!) and their Adidas soccer kits (merci beaucoup, Modell’s). As the skies clouded over, the players more than made up for it with their humor, comraderie, and (at the risk of objectifying anyone – because, really, we adore them for their hearts) rugged good looks.
Arriving at the pitch to throngs of media, and fans chanting for Giuseppe Rossi, the players began warm-ups, intermingling with children of all ages who took to the field as well. Kids from the Claudio Reyna soccer clinics, the neighborhood, Bronx United, and some of the Steve Nash Foundation’s favorite little family members kicked and passed with the best of them. Our Showdown Host with the Most, ESPN and CNN’s LZ Granderson entertained the fans and kicked things off by introducing Team Nash and Team Reyna; Ortsbo.com CEO David Lucatch presented the game ball to Steve, and the match was underway . . . . With that level of play, the (thankfully brief!) torrential downpour that ensued – as well as the vitaminwater and smartwater – was a great pick-me-up for our athletes, who included:
TEAM NASH/BLUE: Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell, Matthew Benham, Davide Di Malta, Manny Malhotra, John Nash, Martin Nash, Giuseppe Rossi, Simone Sandri, Stefano Sandri, Richie Williams.
TEAM REYNA/WHITE: Claudio Reyna, Demba Ba, Youri Djorkaeff, Jared Dudley, Marcin Gortat, Grant Hill, Brandon Jennings, Tony Parker, Marc Stein, Patrick Vieira.
At the end, it was Team Nash 16, Team Reyna 10 (with Giuseppe Rossi winning the Hublot Player of the Match watch), but a win for children everywhere. Check out the photos ~ hope to see you on the pitch this summer!
Showdown – LIVE and GLOBAL!
On June 22, 2011, fans from 84 countries chatted with Steve and his Showdown friends live – in any language they wanted – before kick-off! Ortsbo.com took your questions.