Basketball

When I was but a wee one I adored basketball. I wasn't very good, but I practiced often and enjoyed the feeling of blowing past someone on the court to go for a lay-up. Granted, those lay-ups hardly ever went in ("Backboard, Andy!) and the occasions I blew past people were during sprint drills, but it was great nonetheless. Then I got to Jr. High. I tried out for the team and was cut. In the first round.

I played a bit for an NJB team where the times I was actually on the court I was simply there because everyone paid to be on a team, thus the time on court had to be distributed somewhat evenly. I scored only one basket my entire season. When time came for the team's awards ceremony where everyone got some sort of diploma-esque piece of paper saying that they were great in this field or whatnot. Everyone got their specialized award-paper saying "MVP" or "Most Assists" or some crap like that. I got something to the tone of "Participator." It was a bit glossed up so that it didn't sound as bad as that, but seeing as the only two people who got that particular award were myself and the kid who hardly ever showed up, I knew that it was the pity award.

Needless to say, I didn't play much basketball after that. I ended up becoming bored even watching the sport. Something about ten guys on a court in a high-scoring match wherein jumps of excitement are had after launching a spherical object into a hoop barely larger in circumference than said spheroid did it for me. The fast-pace and the growing inability to focus on what the heck was going on, along with the ego-driven, athlete-celebrities glaring at one another with an over-abundance of testosterone stopped appealing to the 13 year old Andy.

Basketball for Andy lost its fun, its magic (and Magic), and its intrigue. While you may be thinking: "Where's he going with this?" I'm getting to that. One team out there kept a particular spirit of fun and light-heartedness on the court. Mixing a sport I once watched like a hawk with one of two things that I couldn't live without, comedy, this team is what lets me hold a little bit of respect for the sport. If you haven't guessed it, I'm talking about the Harlem Globetrotters (no, not the Warriors, though they should come out to play). And why do I bring up the Harlem Globetrotters? Because they're coming to San Diego! I don't have tickets, but if anyone out there wants to go see them, I'd be down to get a couple. They're playing February 13th, which is a Friday. Anyone?