The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Apparent McDonald’s delivery interrupts college basketball game

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Updated January 25, 2023 at 11:43 p.m. EST|Published January 25, 2023 at 11:33 p.m. EST
It appears someone ordered McDonald's to a college basketball game between Loyola Chicago and Duquesne on Wednesday. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)
2 min

With time to reflect on what had just happened Wednesday evening at Pittsburgh’s UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, some coaches and players were lovin’ it, while the bizarre scene during a college basketball game set off a McFlurry of amused, incredulous reactions among plenty of others.

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During the second half of an Atlantic 10 men’s game between Loyola Chicago and host Duquesne, someone who appeared to be a delivery person wandered onto the court holding a paper bag. Observers at the scene noted that he was also holding a McDonald’s beverage container, which many took as a strong suggestion of what kind of food was in the bag.

Remarkably, the delivery person made at least two forays onto the floor as play was underway. Following the second intrusion, the referees called for a timeout. A game official was moved to pronounce it a personally unprecedented situation (per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

“Well … we deserved a break today,” tweeted Duquesne play-by-play announcer Tim Benz, referencing a longtime McDonald’s slogan.

Per reports, the delivery man was eventually shown to the concourse level. His initial inability to locate his intended recipient could have provided a major opportunity for a would-be Hamburglar, but accounts from the game indicated the delivery was completed. The concluded transaction was eventually shown on the arena’s video monitor to cheers from the crowd.

Calling it afterward the “craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Duquesne Coach Keith Dambrot said (via the Post-Gazette): “Our guys were dying laughing in [the locker room]. Guy had a job to do. He did his job well.”

Once the game resumed, Dambrot’s inspired Dukes rallied for a 72-58 win over the somewhat aptly named — given the evening’s adventures — Ramblers of Loyola Chicago.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that a Duquesne official suggested the whole episode might have been staged, possibly as a college prank. According to a report by Pittsburgh Sports Now, the intruder was merely pretending to be a delivery person and was ejected after having a cohort film him from the stands.

If that turns out to be the case, it could be reason to Grimace at the whole thing, but at least the initial clips of the incident made a lot of folks happier than a certain meal (that may or may not have been in the bag).

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