2008 Woodie Awards
The Athletic Supporter
Battle of basketball
Eric Mortimer
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Sports
|
Why am I reverted back to a giddy elementary schooler on Christmas Eve who can't sleep the night before my team plays the opening round of the NCAA tournament?
It's because basketball is my favorite sport, and the NCAA tourney is the pinnacle of all basketball.
From the opening tip-off in the opening round the euphoria begins. While the referee prepares to toss the ball into the air and every fan is shouting and jumping in unison, possibilities of past tournament reoccurrences pass through my head.
Mike Jordan, tongue wagging, once again in Carolina blue wearing converses instead of Nikes, hitting the shot heard around the world, a running three outside the arc to win North Carolina's first championship.
Or, on the contrary, the full-court pass to Christian Laetner who turned and buried a deuce at the elbow in route to back-to-back championship for Duke.
One of my most heartfelt moments was in 2002 when Terry Nichols from Maryland hit a fall-away three in the first round at the buzzer to end the University of North Carolina at Wilmington's hopes after Wilmington had led the entire game.
I had to restrain one of my best friends from overturning cars after that. A bare-chested version of his former self, he had suddenly turned a ninja-turtle green in true Incredible Hulk fashion.
And it continues. Any game in this year's tourney has the potential to become as memorable as any of the rest.
My love for basketball isn't only reserved for spectatorship. I can't just stop at watching. After a game sometimes I get the itch to find the nearest court at all cost.
I won't dominate the full-court games downtown, where the competition is stiff and the attitude even stiffer.
I'm more obliged to shots around at a local park. Half of the time it's just me and my slightly under-inflated Wilson, and that's fine by me.
When people do show up they're in my caliber.
There is a lot of panting, a good deal of sweating, and though each random team wants to win, we aren't there to trash talk. Mostly everyone is content to be on the court regardless of the physical consequences.
Be the first to comment on this story