Celebrating 25 Years

It was on this day 25 years ago, October 11, 1984, that fate intervened and ultimately gave me my introduction to this great game known as basketball. All too often (and I'm guilty of this as well), we focus on the negative stories around the game from corrupt AAU coaches to high school recruiting to complaints about the mercy rule to the tragic passing of Hank Gathers etc etc.

We often forget about the great stories such as the Bo Kimble tribute to his friend Gathers during that NCAA tournament by shooting his first free throw left handed or the story in Milwaukee last season of an Illinois player intentionally missing (in fact barely even releasing) technical free throws because the player coming in the game wasn't in the scorebook because he returned from the death of his mother. The wonderful South Carolina story that I reposted here last year of a team winning the state title for its fallen coach also applies.

For me, the game is not only a passion but its been a way to open doors, to enjoy the good times and as an outlet from the bad times. Too often the game is viewed in a vacuum and not as a bigger life opportunity outside of the game. How can you take advantage of basketball to improve your life? If basketball gets you into a high quality academic institution and gets you a cheap(er) education, then that's worth taking advantage of.

Not to imply that I'm any better (or worse) of a person for writing what I write here. I'm very blessed that basketball has been very good to me over the last 25 years. If this blog is my way of giving back to the game, then I hope that someday maybe it will add up to what the game has given me.