Each of us as a kid had some influence that got us interested in basketball. Maybe it was your first real school coach. Mr Pedersen coach the junior basketball team when I was in high school. I played two years for him but I think it's fair to say that he did not put that love in my heart. Why is it fair to say that??? Well I didn't play organized basketball after that.
For some it might be a friend who got you into it. When I was in junior high, my best friend and I would spend hours on my driveway or out behind his house shooting hoops. We'd even sneak over to the church, turn on all the lights and shoot around for a few hours. One summer, I was convinced that I needed a hoop for our garage so we went out to Canadian Tire and bought a Huffy special and set out to attach it to the house. We managed to do a pretty good job and it is still there to this day, 17 years after putting it up. But, I think my love for basketball came even earlier than that.
My dad grew up playing basketball. I am like him in that we were both skinny little kids who were fast and had a quick shot. When we moved back to Calgary, he took a basketball coaching course and started coaching in the community. The only real thing I remember about that time was the kid with his hair dyed in leopard print.
One of my best memories growing up was Saturday afternoons. After dad finished coaching we started to go down the road to the Jewish Centre on Saturday afternoons. He and I would load up in the old blue Buick and drive down. I was always nervous going in there, not because I was scared or anything, but mostly because I was excited.
Saturday Afternoons was when the guys would get together for a pickup game. We'd go in and get changed, then I'd make my way out to see Edna who would give me a ball. Dad and I would shoot around for a little bit while we waited for Ariel, Elliott and Arnon to show up. There were others but I don't remember their names. There was the guy with the big moustache, and the other guy who owned that movie memorabilia store up north, and that kid with the leopard print hair was there too. The gym always got really loud while the grown ups ran up and down the court. Sometimes I'd watch but mostly I'd go to the other side of the curtain and practice my jump shot. I was only 11 or 12 so wasn't old enough to play with the men.
Except every so often I'd hear them call me over near the end, and I'd get in there and run up and down the court with them, making magic passes (mostly to invisible players) and occasionally taking a shot that would clang off of the rim.
I think that is when I really started to love playing basketball. It was those Saturday afternoons that did it for me.
That love is probably the reason why this time of the year is so special to this day.
Moving on. I was rooting away this weekend while Kentucky beat Louisville and Kansas soiled my dreams by beating Ohio State. This lead to the Championship game last night. In front of a sold out crowd of more than 70,000 people at the Louisiana Superdome, these two teams battled it out. Kentucky came out strong but Kansas battled back in the second half to pull within 5 with a minute left. Kentucky was just that much better last night and earned Coach Calipari his first NCAA Championship. Even with his 1-10 shooting performance, Anthony Davis was selected MOP of the tournament. This is most likely not the last award the Freshman will be earning. Once he turns pro, (which I'm convinced he will do shortly) many speculate he will take the title of ugliest player in the NBA distinction away from current champion Chris Bosch. Just sayin'. Have you seen the eyebrow?
We know Mark won the most ambitious award of this years pool, finishing with 27 points. Jason bested him by 5 coming in with 32, Elaina lost the spousal sub-competition scoring 33 to Als 35 tied with my dad (who lost the offspring sub-category). Sam, who opened the competition talking a lot of trash kind of sputtered out after the first round, ending up with a respectable 36 correct selections. Jeff, Andrew and Matt came in mid pack with 38, 39, & 39 points respectively. Meghan and Dan finished just outside the (fake) money with 41 points a piece.
This years top three performers are:
Pete Rowe with 42. Pete, imagine what could have been if you had realized that VCU stood for Virginia Commonwealth!
Pete Rowe with 42. Pete, imagine what could have been if you had realized that VCU stood for Virginia Commonwealth!
I managed to squeak into second place, and was within an Ohio State victory of sharing in the grand prize trip to Palm Desert.
Which Leaves the lone Saskatchewanite as the victor. Jim (who helped hang my basketball hoop all those years ago) held on for a well earned victory.
So there we have it. Another Tournament in the books. Another GEMBC bracket challenge completed. The road to the Georgia Dome and the 2013 NCAA tournament started this morning.
Thanks for all of you who joined in. It's been great fun.
Thanks for all of you who joined in. It's been great fun.
