When I was a kid I had one of those plastic hoops that sits over the door and I was the most dominant bedroom baller I knew. I used to play the entire NCAA tournament bracket. I knew the names of starters, reserves and every stat that I could lay my hands on before the internet became a one stop shop. I would break my own heart with buzzer beaters as I still remember the day that Bobby Hurley hit a three from the other side of my bed to beat my beloved Runnin' Rebels. Perhaps I was foreshadowing what I still believe is the biggest upset to ever grace the tourney. You can have your Winthrops and Valpo's, that UNLV team was men playing boys and they had beaten the same Duke team by what seemed by 100 points the previous season.
My point to all this is when did I lose my way? Sure I still fill out my bracket for gambling purposes but no longer do I know what 6th man is best to bring in to cool off a hot shooter. Maybe it was the exuberance of youth but somewhere I lost any and all passion I have for basketball. I hate that ESPN force feeds 16 games a week. I actually went about 9 months w/out once turning on ESPN because I was so tired of the crap they feed us. But that is for another rant.
I think my disdain for basketball comes from the state I live in. Minnesota has always been a hockey state and it is my favorite sport to watch. But the basketball here has become unbearable. Sure the Gophers hired Tubby Smith to resurrect the program but the Timberewolves are still the worst, most over priced ticket in town. Until McHale is fired I will not turn on one more game. Twice last year I turned down free, fourth row tickets because driving and parking downtown wasn't worth it to me.
I have always been a sports fan, not just a hockey or football or baseball fan. I have watched curling and Rugby and Aussie football for hours at a time. I have watched numerous women's softball world series games. I have watched auto racing and figure skating and water polo. Point is, I love sports, all sports. Heck, I watched the Tour de France for a couple hours once. Why is it that I can no longer stomach watching basketball? Perhaps the two torn ACLs as a result of playing pick up games has also tainted me but I watch volleyball and baseball and my worst knee injuries have come as a result of those two sports.
I don't have a point to this post, just memories of days gone by when the soft Wilson basketball would swoosh and make half of the net fall off. Gone is Chucky Smith taking over in the 4th quarter. Gone are the days of the fab five running the floor and Jimmy King finishing off the break with a two handed jam. Gone are Mookie and Stacey King dominating inside and out. Steve Smith once scored 60 of his teams 75 points on 25 of 26 shooting. The only miss being at the buzzer in a lose to Missouri and 50 points from Doug Smith. Funny the things that stick out in my mind. I couldn't tell you pi or what a tangent or cotangent is but I remember those hard fought games in my bedroom. Oh the memories. Hopefully my son will experience a love for all sports and one day ask me for an above-the-door hoop so he can play his own NCAA tourney and maybe carry the Gophers to a national title.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
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