The second round of the state tournament is going on right now. It's been two days and I still feel sick when I think about it. I believe with all my heart we should be playing. We're not, so the sickness remains. I suspect it always will. Even if we win it next year, we'll always wonder about this year. It doesn't help that the only thing on all the tv channels I watch is basketball.
This is, without a doubt, the toughest sports heartbreak I've ever gone through. I thought I'd write about the other four. I think the normal way to do this is by putting number one last (I can't decide if that would be ascending or descending). Since I've already messed that up, I'll just keep going.
2. Magic Johnson's Retirement because of AIDS
Magic Johnson is the reason I love basketball. Growing up in LA during the 80's was as good as it gets for a young basketball fan. My dad always wondered why I would rather pass than shoot. It was because of Magic. I learned to love making teammates better because of him. My elementary wardrobe featured more Magic than socks.
I was in eighth grade that year. I requested prayer for Magic everyday in bible class. I was teased mercilessly. I didn't care. It has been sixteen years since Magic's diagnosis. I like to think his health is an answer to a lot of prayers.
I remember coming home from school wanting to be distracted. When I pulled in the garage I saw my Magic posters. There were more in my room. I remember trying to play video games to take my mind off of Magic. The game in the Nintendo was Magic Johnson's Fast Break (which was horrible, but I played it out of loyalty). Even my purple and gold Converse were a reminder of my hero's untimely retirement.
3. Changing high school basketball programs (moving from Southern California to Tennessee)
My freshman year in California was fairly successful. I was looking forward to my sophomore year and playing varsity basketball. My family relocated and I ended up playing in Tennessee with Ron Mercer, Drew Maddux, and Sam Howard. Needless to say, my roles changed a lot. Maybe the move exposed my lack of passion for the game. I definitely wonder what would have happened had I stayed in Southern California.
4. 1991 NBA Finals
I was the only one of my young group of friends who stuck it out with the Lakers. Everybody else jumped to the Jordan bandwagon. I can't fault them. We were young. Lots of kids jump ship when Michael Jordan is involved. Anyway, that year was my chance to prove all the jumpers wrong. The Lakers met the Bulls in the finals. I always had the, "Magic has championships, so he is better than Jordan" card in my back pocket. I was looking forward to Magic beating Jordan to strengthen my case. I was feeling so good about myself after game one. My prediction was Lakers in five games. I thought they would win game one and then sweep in LA. I was right. They won game one (thanks to a Sam Perkins 3) and there was an LA sweep. Just not the sweep I expected. That series still effects my basketball philosophy. The Bulls put Scottie Pippen on Magic Johnson and it worked. Magic always had a major advantage over other guards. Putting a forward on him who could defend him well really hurt the Lakers offensively. I love putting a four man on the other team's point guard. Also, I don't think John Paxson has missed a shot since that series.
Number 5 is tough. I want to say it is my Uncle Chris' loss in the CIF Finals to a guy named Heath Sims. Chris was my hero when I was little. I said earlier that I loved basketball because of Magic Johnson. I guess I wouldn't have found that love if Chris hadn't made me fall in love with the Lakers. He is also the reason I love UCLA and the Rams (I think I liked the Dodgers for a little while, but my heart didn't really find a baseball home until I visited Wrigley). Anyway, Chris was a successful wrestler, so I liked wrestling from first to third grade. Chris' senior year was the year following my grandma's (his mom) death from cancer. If my memory is right, I think he only lost four matches that year (only two prior to the loss to Sims). I remember each of those losses, but the CIF championship loss was the toughest. I remember crying when he lost. I remember wanting to make excuses for him. He wouldn't let me.
I also want to make number five being a Rams fan. That has been hard. They were always runner up to the 49ers in the 80's. The 90's found them in first. Unfortunately I'm talking about the first draft pick. They had one good year in 1999, but that was it.
I'm going with Uncle Chris for number 5.
I'd love to hear about your top five. Comment if you'd like.
Friday, March 14, 2008
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8 comments:
James says...
Who's Heath Sims?
I talked to a college coach who was at the CPA game the other night. He had no dog in the hunt. He conceded the clock problems, but also conceded (and I agree) that there's not much you can do about clock stuff in high school because there's no definitive video like there is in college. Somebody's always going to get messed over on clock issues.
He didn't even realize that the foot on the line was an issue.
He said CPA got every call for the first 80% of the game. Had the calls been accurate for the whole game, Dyer would have won by at least ten.
He had no idea I knew you or that I even cared about that game. I just asked him if he went to Murfreesboro and then he went off.
Just thought I'd throw in another objective voice.
the 80% calls in the first half is a joke.
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