Eric Ortega brought his A-Game to the Spurs Watch Party Monday night at Frost Bank Center.
In honor of Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s favorite player, Ortega, the arena’s chef de cuisine, rolled out the Alien Dog at the Alamo City Grill.
Like Wemby, the 7-foot-5 All-NBA wonder, the Alien Dog is a long, out-of-this-world creation. It’s a 1/2 pound, all-beef frank slathered with dijon-jalapeño aioli, topped with burnt brisket end bourguignon and crispy French onions, drizzled with hot honey glaze and served in a hoagie roll with potato chips.
Boom: Ten points for an original and savory frank. Boom: 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Wembanyama in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. And boom, boom, boom: The Spurs thundered back to defeat the New York Knicks 115-111 in Madison Square Garden, turning a watch party into a tinderbox with fan eruptions ricocheting across Frost Bank Center.
“It felt amazing,” Ortega said after the Spurs’ victory, which cut the Knicks’ lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. “The energy in the arena was off the charts.”
Just under 9,000 fans turned out for the Game 3 Watch Party, according to the Spurs. It seemed as if 8,000 of them were wearing Wembanyama’s No. 1 jersey.
Aden Jara, 25, proudly wore No. 1 as he took a bite out of the Alien Dog near section 111. “It’s one of the better hot dogs I’ve ever had,” Jara said one hour before tipoff. “I got the big one because I’m hungry. And I predict we’re winning tonight. Wemby’s gonna get a triple double.”
Wembanyama fell short of a triple double but electrified Frost Bank Center with an array of alley-oop dunks, three-pointers, rebounds and blocked shots. Wemby and Stephon Castle (23 points) became the first teammates 22-years-old or younger to each score 20 points in an NBA Finals game.
The watch party delivered all the excitement of a home playoff game. Electric atmosphere. Live music. Fans dancing at their seats. The Coyote firing his T-shirt gun. The Hype Squad dancing. Couples smooching for Kiss-Cam. Children and infants rocking Spurs swag. Burgers, hot dogs and beer consumed everywhere.
The only thing missing were players on the court. High above the floor, however, the game unfolded on the Jumbotron via a national broadcast from Madison Square Garden, without network commercials.
Robert Torres and his wife Carolyn Torres watched the game from a Plaza Level table in the lower bowl. When Castle sank a three-pointer to give the Spurs an early 14-5 lead, Robert jumped from his seat, the arena exploding with sound.
“This is why we’re here!” he shouted through the roar.
Anticipation had been building all day. Fans began arriving at 1:30 p.m., five hours before doors opened. Some brought lawn chairs. Some brought umbrellas. No one left when it began raining around 3 p.m. Fans weathered the downpour, bodies getting soaked, waiting for a spot near the arena doors. Arrivals at 5:30 p.m. found dry skies and enormously long lines.
When the party began, hundreds headed for the merchandise table. Others found their way to concessions. A line formed at the Alamo City Grill where vendors prepared sausage dogs, hot dogs and Alien Dogs.
“On average, we sell 80 of each,” Ortega said.
Alien Dogs made their debut at Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Before halftime ended, they had sold out.
A self-taught chef, Ortega has worked at the Frost Bank Center since the COVID-19 pandemic. He created the Alien Dog after the Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals.
“We wanted to do something big for the NBA finals,” Ortega said. “Wemby’s tall. He has a huge wingspan. So I was like, ‘Let’s go with the biggest dog we can get.’”
Ortega decided to blend a touch of Wemby’s native France (dijon mustard) with a taste of Texas (jalapeño). “It has just a little spice,” he said. “It’s a kiss for San Antonio.”
Robert Torres skipped the Alien Dog and went for a classic cheeseburger with french fries. A retired U.S. Army veteran, he and his wife settled in San Antonio a decade ago. They became Spurs fans, in part, because of Carolyn’s brother, who serves in the military at Lackland Air Force Base.
“It was either move to Puerto Rico, where I’m from, or stay in San Antonio,” said Carolyn Torres. “I have MS (multiple sclerosis) and I don’t like the heat. But it’s over 100 degrees in Puerto Rico right now. I love it here.”
Carolyn Torres said she has never been to a Spurs game because of her disability. Her attendance at the watch party was the closest she’s been to live action.
“My daughter talked me into coming,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had no idea there would be this many people.”
Wemby’s performance elicited thunderous cheers at Frost Bank Center. As he stepped to the free throw line late in the game, fans chanted, “MVP! MVP!” Children danced for the arena cameras. Adults waved Spurs banners.
“Whoa, this is insane!” Robert Torres said.
Carolyn Torres shook her head in wonder.
“I love the vibe,” she said. “You’re seeing a bunch of people sit together and cheer for a group of young boys playing a game. It’s so awesome!”
When the final seconds of Game 3 ticked off, Frost Bank Center erupted. The Spurs Hype Squad spilled onto the floor, waving signs, “Spurs Win!” and “Free Tacos!” Robert Torres pointed at the sign signaling a great start to Tuesday morning — Taco Palenque offers free tacos after every Spurs victory from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. — and yelled, “Yeah, free tacos!”
Fans jumped and swayed in celebration. They later marched toward the exits, poured into the parking lot, climbed into cars and honked horns. On a late evening in June, the sounds of a Spurs Watch Party spread through the streets of San Antonio.
