For those who are familiar with basketball, the three positions in a game of basketball are guard, forward and center. The guard and forward positions had sub positions (point guard, shooting guard, small forward and power forward). If you're playing high level basketball (NBA, college, top high school teams) your position generally reflects the skill set you bring to the game of basketball.
However, in most adult basketball leagues, your position if sometimes determined by height / weight as much as skill. If you're a big and tall guy, you're usually going to be a center or power forward. If you're a decent shooter / ball handler / reasonably tall, you'll probably be a shooting guard / small forward. If you're a guy who can dribble and pretty short, you'll be the point guard.
Drilling down even further, Asian adult basketball leagues are a little more different. There aren't any Yao Ming's running around though you'll get a few 6'3" or taller guys ever now and then. But the reality is that most player fall between 5'6" and 6'1".
For me, I happen to stand around 5'10" and generally an shooting guard / small forward on offense. I usually defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards on defense. For our Thursday night basketball league this sping, I am probably the tallest guy on my team. With the other teams having tough post players, I end up guarding the perimeter AND the post players.
Last night, my team played my friend's team in our league. My friend is 6'1" 180 pounds. He can post and has some guard skills. Seeing I was guarding him, my friend tried to post me and I had to battle just to keep him away from the basket. Alas, I got into foul trouble and later switched to guarding the point guard.
It was definitely a rough night on the court as my team lost 78-72. I scored 14 points but was somewhat beat up banging with the big boys inside and chasing the guards outside. I don't mind the challenge but being an older guy, I can't bang like I used to.
Friday, March 09, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Good Learning Lesson For Jeremy Lin
By now, everyone knows that the Miami Heat beat the New York Knicks 102-88 tonight. Jeremy Lin was harassed the whole night and played his worst game since became a starter two weeks ago.
As I write this though, I am not particularly disappointed or upset by this performance. Like many fans, I have been glad that Jeremy Lin has shown Asian-Americans can compete at the NBA level. It would have been good to do well against a championship contender such as the Heat.
However, I think this bodes well for Jeremy Lin's future. As it's well documented, he was a small guy entering high school and grew to 6'3". I'm pretty sure it took a little while for Jeremy to adjust to this. At Harvard, he didn't start until his sophomore year and he didn't really break out until his junior year.
Jeremy Lin has shown that he is able to adjust and adapt his game over time. Tonight will be a blip and he will be much better off the next time the Heat and Knicks meet. Not many players (even highly drafted ones) can simply get on the court and do well. Jeremy Lin has done pretty good over two weeks.
After playing in the rookie-sophomore game tomorrow, Jeremy Lin will get a break from playing and prepare for the second half of the season. He'll have a chance to practice with his teammates, work on improving his game and be ready to help the Knicks for their playoff run.
As I write this though, I am not particularly disappointed or upset by this performance. Like many fans, I have been glad that Jeremy Lin has shown Asian-Americans can compete at the NBA level. It would have been good to do well against a championship contender such as the Heat.
However, I think this bodes well for Jeremy Lin's future. As it's well documented, he was a small guy entering high school and grew to 6'3". I'm pretty sure it took a little while for Jeremy to adjust to this. At Harvard, he didn't start until his sophomore year and he didn't really break out until his junior year.
Jeremy Lin has shown that he is able to adjust and adapt his game over time. Tonight will be a blip and he will be much better off the next time the Heat and Knicks meet. Not many players (even highly drafted ones) can simply get on the court and do well. Jeremy Lin has done pretty good over two weeks.
After playing in the rookie-sophomore game tomorrow, Jeremy Lin will get a break from playing and prepare for the second half of the season. He'll have a chance to practice with his teammates, work on improving his game and be ready to help the Knicks for their playoff run.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Asian-Americans Love Jeremy Lin because........
Asian Americans are loving Jeremy Lin / Linsanity as evidenced by the tweets, Facebook posts, blogs and memorabilia being purchased at huge rates.
While the major media outlets are taking the angle that Asians love Jeremy Lin because he is breaking stereotypes (true), there is another angle that hasn't been covered as much. Asian-Americans also LOVE basketball just as much as other people. In fact, China and the Philippines love basketball just as much as any other country so there are probably more Asian basketball fans than any other ethnicity around the world. Having Jeremy Lin be Asian and playing basketball is a dream come true for many Asian-Americans.
Focusing on Asian-Americans though, the love of basketball is evidenced by the various leagues, tournaments and Asian-American teams that exist up and down throughout California (and also in some other states).
Up in Northern California, there are at least a dozen organizations that host upwards of 8 to 12 youth basketball teams for boys and girls from 2nd to 12th grade. These organizations host a tournament circuit year round that sometime include teams from Southern California. The Southern California teams also do the same thing.
For adults, there are various leagues that have been around for years and years. The longest standing leagues is the Nisei Athletic Union (NAU) that originated back in 1931. Originally catering to Japanese-Americans, the league is now open to both Chinese and Japanese Americans. Another long standing league in the Chinese Christian Union (CCU) Summer Basketball League. The CCU Summer League has been around since the 60's or 70's and had it's start in Chinatown. The league featured primarily Chinatown churches but began to expand in the 1990's. This past summer, the league had over 70 teams from churches around SF and the Peninsula. These are the long standing examples but other leagues such as the Dream League (SF Bay Area - 10 years) and others give Asian-Americans opportunities to play in a competitive basketball environment.
Beyond leagues, there are various tournaments catering to Asian-Americans. Rather than playing a 2 to 3 month "season", organizers host weekend tournaments in various locations around California and other cities. WHile most of the SF Bay Area / Northern California tournaments usually feature local teams, there are some tournaments involving teams from other states.
Two of the longer standing tournaments are the Las Vegas Invitational which is primarily a Chinese/Japanese tournament which features some 15 divisions of 6 to 8 teams each. Most of the teams are California based though some of state teams join the fun every now and then.
One large tournament (32nd year in 2012) that is organized in the East Coast is the North American Chinese Invitational Basketball tournament. Held every Memorial Day Weekend, the tournament shifts locations every year. In 2012, the tournament will be held in Canada. The most interesting aspect of the tournament? It features teams from all over North America, Canada and even from China. The majority of the teams for this tournament come from the East Coast (Boston, New York, Philly) and Canada but West Coast teams (LA, SF, Arizona) have also made treks to compete in the tournament.
The point in all of this history is that Asian-Americans not only like Jeremy Lin but they like basketball. Yes, there will be the bandwagon fans who only follow basketball because of Jeremy Lin. But there are also basketball fans who liked basketball before Jeremy Lin and will continue to like it after the Jeremy Lin noise has died down.
While the major media outlets are taking the angle that Asians love Jeremy Lin because he is breaking stereotypes (true), there is another angle that hasn't been covered as much. Asian-Americans also LOVE basketball just as much as other people. In fact, China and the Philippines love basketball just as much as any other country so there are probably more Asian basketball fans than any other ethnicity around the world. Having Jeremy Lin be Asian and playing basketball is a dream come true for many Asian-Americans.
Focusing on Asian-Americans though, the love of basketball is evidenced by the various leagues, tournaments and Asian-American teams that exist up and down throughout California (and also in some other states).
Up in Northern California, there are at least a dozen organizations that host upwards of 8 to 12 youth basketball teams for boys and girls from 2nd to 12th grade. These organizations host a tournament circuit year round that sometime include teams from Southern California. The Southern California teams also do the same thing.
For adults, there are various leagues that have been around for years and years. The longest standing leagues is the Nisei Athletic Union (NAU) that originated back in 1931. Originally catering to Japanese-Americans, the league is now open to both Chinese and Japanese Americans. Another long standing league in the Chinese Christian Union (CCU) Summer Basketball League. The CCU Summer League has been around since the 60's or 70's and had it's start in Chinatown. The league featured primarily Chinatown churches but began to expand in the 1990's. This past summer, the league had over 70 teams from churches around SF and the Peninsula. These are the long standing examples but other leagues such as the Dream League (SF Bay Area - 10 years) and others give Asian-Americans opportunities to play in a competitive basketball environment.
Beyond leagues, there are various tournaments catering to Asian-Americans. Rather than playing a 2 to 3 month "season", organizers host weekend tournaments in various locations around California and other cities. WHile most of the SF Bay Area / Northern California tournaments usually feature local teams, there are some tournaments involving teams from other states.
Two of the longer standing tournaments are the Las Vegas Invitational which is primarily a Chinese/Japanese tournament which features some 15 divisions of 6 to 8 teams each. Most of the teams are California based though some of state teams join the fun every now and then.
One large tournament (32nd year in 2012) that is organized in the East Coast is the North American Chinese Invitational Basketball tournament. Held every Memorial Day Weekend, the tournament shifts locations every year. In 2012, the tournament will be held in Canada. The most interesting aspect of the tournament? It features teams from all over North America, Canada and even from China. The majority of the teams for this tournament come from the East Coast (Boston, New York, Philly) and Canada but West Coast teams (LA, SF, Arizona) have also made treks to compete in the tournament.
The point in all of this history is that Asian-Americans not only like Jeremy Lin but they like basketball. Yes, there will be the bandwagon fans who only follow basketball because of Jeremy Lin. But there are also basketball fans who liked basketball before Jeremy Lin and will continue to like it after the Jeremy Lin noise has died down.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Racial Awareness Thanks to Jeremy Lin
At the moment, there is a quite a bit of discussion of ESPN's decision to use the headline "Chink In The Armor" on their website. The headline was describing the New York Knicks loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night and likely a reference to a big weakness in Jeremy Lin's basketball game: Turnovers.
However, the term "Chink" has some negative connotations in the Chinese American community and that caused a minor uproar. ESPN removed the headline and apologized for it today.
Personally, as a Chinese-American, I don't think the headline "Chink In The Armor" was meant to be offensive. The headline (or phrase) is generally used to indicate weakness. However, it just so happened to be describing Jeremy Lin and so I see why people would be offended.
Regardless of what you think of the ESPN uproar, I think that Jeremy Lin's sudden rise has sudden given Americans (and the entire world) to an inside look of what Asian-Americans have to deal with. There have been quite a few national newspapers which have discussed this.
While Asian-Americans are a large part of the American culture and society, many non-Asian Americans do not know the history of Asian-Americans and the stereotyping and racism that was faced by Asian-Americans over the years.
From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the Japanese Interment Camps to Vincent Chin, there is a history of Americans viewing Asian-Americans as foreigners or a threat to their society. Yet, when racial politics are discussed in America, it is usually a Black or White affair. Asians (and even Latinos) are not part of the discussion.
Jeremy Lin is bringing an awareness of the Asian-American community that should benefit everyone in the future.
However, the term "Chink" has some negative connotations in the Chinese American community and that caused a minor uproar. ESPN removed the headline and apologized for it today.
Personally, as a Chinese-American, I don't think the headline "Chink In The Armor" was meant to be offensive. The headline (or phrase) is generally used to indicate weakness. However, it just so happened to be describing Jeremy Lin and so I see why people would be offended.
Regardless of what you think of the ESPN uproar, I think that Jeremy Lin's sudden rise has sudden given Americans (and the entire world) to an inside look of what Asian-Americans have to deal with. There have been quite a few national newspapers which have discussed this.
While Asian-Americans are a large part of the American culture and society, many non-Asian Americans do not know the history of Asian-Americans and the stereotyping and racism that was faced by Asian-Americans over the years.
From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the Japanese Interment Camps to Vincent Chin, there is a history of Americans viewing Asian-Americans as foreigners or a threat to their society. Yet, when racial politics are discussed in America, it is usually a Black or White affair. Asians (and even Latinos) are not part of the discussion.
Jeremy Lin is bringing an awareness of the Asian-American community that should benefit everyone in the future.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What Jeremy Lin means to Asian-Americans
As a long time Jeremy Lin fan since his senior year (2006) in high school, I am extremely happy that the outbreak of "Linsanity". Even though I thought he could be a "decent" player in the NBA, I never thought he would do as well as he has. Jeremy's break out has also galvanized the Asian-American community and I would like to talk about some of the reasons why.
JEREMY LIN IS THE FIRST TRUE ASIAN-AMERICAN MALE ICON SINCE BRUCE LEE
Even though Bruce Lee has been dead since 1973, he is still one of the mostly widely recognized Asian-American celebrities in the world. No Asian-American (or even Asian born) celebrity (actor / athlete) has completed filled Bruce Lee's shoes. Well known Asian-American actors such as John Cho and Daniel Dae Kim currently have good followings but don't have Lee's star power. Asian-born actors such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-Fat and Jet Li also have their own following but their Asian life experiences don't resonate with the Asian-American population in the States.
The last Asian celebrity that rivaled Bruce Lee was Yao Ming. The 7'6" giant was born in China but spoke solid English and showed a different side of Chinese cultural. Despite Yao's ability to shift between the Chinese and American lifestyles, he was still an Asian born athlete who's life experience didn't reflect what Asian-Americans go through.
Enter Jeremy Lin. The Palo Alto raised kid had to fight through many years of coaches and teams not recognizing his talent and ability. He had to fight through racial taunts and stereotypes of what Asian-Americans males should be. Lin is not as angry outwardly as Lee was, but you can see the fire in his eyes when things go well.
Jeremy Lin is not quite on the level of Bruce Lee just yet. However, the impact in the past couple of weeks is similar and this impact could GROW as the months and years go by.
PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS ARE SUPPORTING JEREMY LIN
When the Golden State Warriors signed Jeremy Lin, it was thought to be a marketing ploy to cater to the large Asian-American population in the Bay Area. When he didn't do well (and eventually got cut by the Warriors and the Rockets this year), the assertions seemed to be correct.
It is now Week 2 of "Linsanity" and we've got people from all walks of life following and supporting Jeremy Lin. Is it NOT JUST an Asian-American fan base. It includes Blacks, Whites, Latinos, other professional athletes and even some actors / actresses.
Jeremy Lin's rising star should be a sign to the American business and entertainment worlds that Americans will support of other ethnicities besides White / Caucasian. In the music industry, it was only recently that an Asian-American group, Far East Movement broke through with their #1 Billboard hit "Like A G6". However, while their other songs received some attention, none have duplicated their success. Prior to the Far East Movement, there have not been many mainstream Asian-American musicians. There are a lot of underground singers and groups but not many are known to the general American public.
In the movie and TV industry, there are quite a few well known actors including the aforementioned Daniel Dae Kim and John Cho. While Cho has had some lead roles with Harold and Kumar, none of the movies were huge multi-million dollar hits. Kim and other American born actors have solid roles but are still not considered as the main lead actors.
However, Jeremy Lin's sudden emergence and the fan response shows the world that people will support anyone IF they have the talent. I believe that Jeremy Lin's sudden rise to fame will open the eyes of other industries to consider looking at people's talent beyond the color of their skin. It may take some time but Asian-American lead actors and mainstream musicians should eventually appear and became as normal as an Asian-American NBA player.
ITS OK TO BE SMART AND ATHLETIC
I've blogged about this before. Jeremy Lin was a good student in high school and college. Now he's playing in the NBA. In many ways, he is living many Asian-American male's dreams. There are certain parents who rather their kids focus on their studies instead of sports. I am the believer that both things can co-exist. Now I have an example I can point to in Jeremy Lin. If I ever have kids, I can say "if Jeremy Lin can do it, so can you".
There's probably more things I can write about, but I'll leave it for now. Enjoy the Linsanity.
JEREMY LIN IS THE FIRST TRUE ASIAN-AMERICAN MALE ICON SINCE BRUCE LEE
Even though Bruce Lee has been dead since 1973, he is still one of the mostly widely recognized Asian-American celebrities in the world. No Asian-American (or even Asian born) celebrity (actor / athlete) has completed filled Bruce Lee's shoes. Well known Asian-American actors such as John Cho and Daniel Dae Kim currently have good followings but don't have Lee's star power. Asian-born actors such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-Fat and Jet Li also have their own following but their Asian life experiences don't resonate with the Asian-American population in the States.
The last Asian celebrity that rivaled Bruce Lee was Yao Ming. The 7'6" giant was born in China but spoke solid English and showed a different side of Chinese cultural. Despite Yao's ability to shift between the Chinese and American lifestyles, he was still an Asian born athlete who's life experience didn't reflect what Asian-Americans go through.
Enter Jeremy Lin. The Palo Alto raised kid had to fight through many years of coaches and teams not recognizing his talent and ability. He had to fight through racial taunts and stereotypes of what Asian-Americans males should be. Lin is not as angry outwardly as Lee was, but you can see the fire in his eyes when things go well.
Jeremy Lin is not quite on the level of Bruce Lee just yet. However, the impact in the past couple of weeks is similar and this impact could GROW as the months and years go by.
PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS ARE SUPPORTING JEREMY LIN
When the Golden State Warriors signed Jeremy Lin, it was thought to be a marketing ploy to cater to the large Asian-American population in the Bay Area. When he didn't do well (and eventually got cut by the Warriors and the Rockets this year), the assertions seemed to be correct.
It is now Week 2 of "Linsanity" and we've got people from all walks of life following and supporting Jeremy Lin. Is it NOT JUST an Asian-American fan base. It includes Blacks, Whites, Latinos, other professional athletes and even some actors / actresses.
Jeremy Lin's rising star should be a sign to the American business and entertainment worlds that Americans will support of other ethnicities besides White / Caucasian. In the music industry, it was only recently that an Asian-American group, Far East Movement broke through with their #1 Billboard hit "Like A G6". However, while their other songs received some attention, none have duplicated their success. Prior to the Far East Movement, there have not been many mainstream Asian-American musicians. There are a lot of underground singers and groups but not many are known to the general American public.
In the movie and TV industry, there are quite a few well known actors including the aforementioned Daniel Dae Kim and John Cho. While Cho has had some lead roles with Harold and Kumar, none of the movies were huge multi-million dollar hits. Kim and other American born actors have solid roles but are still not considered as the main lead actors.
However, Jeremy Lin's sudden emergence and the fan response shows the world that people will support anyone IF they have the talent. I believe that Jeremy Lin's sudden rise to fame will open the eyes of other industries to consider looking at people's talent beyond the color of their skin. It may take some time but Asian-American lead actors and mainstream musicians should eventually appear and became as normal as an Asian-American NBA player.
ITS OK TO BE SMART AND ATHLETIC
I've blogged about this before. Jeremy Lin was a good student in high school and college. Now he's playing in the NBA. In many ways, he is living many Asian-American male's dreams. There are certain parents who rather their kids focus on their studies instead of sports. I am the believer that both things can co-exist. Now I have an example I can point to in Jeremy Lin. If I ever have kids, I can say "if Jeremy Lin can do it, so can you".
There's probably more things I can write about, but I'll leave it for now. Enjoy the Linsanity.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Jeremy Lin: WOW!
As I have blogged about Jeremy Lin before, it should come as no surprise that I am a fan of his career. I remember reading about him during his high school days, followed him throughout his college career and was thrilled when the hometown Golden State Warriors signed him to a contract. Alas, Jeremy's NBA career hadn't taken off as anyone expected and many people wondered if he would ever get a chance to show his skills.
However, even the most die-hard of Jeremy Lin fans would have never expected Jeremy Lin to do what he did in the last two games. He led his team to victories over the Nets and the Jazz. He had career highs in points in both games (25 / 28), assists (7 / 8) and minutes (36 / 45).
I don't think it's completely sunken in for Jeremy Lin OR his fans. I think most of us fans would have been happy if he played 15 to 20 minutes and became a consistent bench player. Instead, in two games, he has been the star, outshining his more heralded teammates.
However, if you look at Jeremy's career in high school, college and even D-League, Jeremy has always been a leader of men (or teams). In many ways, we shouldn't be surprised at what he did the last two nights. He has done it before after all.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Basketball: Playing Defense (why it's hard for older guys)
For the past several months, in addition to my regimen of playing league (when in season) and pick up basketball, I have been working out at the gym pretty frequently. In the past, I used to just do cardio exercise with some light weight work. Since my office gym isn't all too crowded, I've spent more time on weight work, primarily focusing on arms, chest and shoulders. However, I decided to do some leg muscle work as well.
The leg work seemed to have a bit of an unexpected effect on my basketball playing. I seemed to get a little more bounce in my step playing DEFENSE. I've never been the quickest guy in the world but in the past couple of months, I've noticed I'm able to stay in front of younger / quicker guys a little bit better. My friends will laugh at this as I'm better known for my jump shooting than defense but I have been moving my feet a little better.
Alas, there is a flip side to this. After playing several hours of pick up ball on Saturday (guarding a couple of quick guys), my knees were quite sore. I think younger guys have more energy and recover faster. If I was asked to play ball the next day, it would have been difficult. Plus, if you focus on defense, your offense suffers a bit. It is extremely hard to be a two way player.
Regardless, it's pretty fun to try to guard quick players at my age. Who says old people can't play?
The leg work seemed to have a bit of an unexpected effect on my basketball playing. I seemed to get a little more bounce in my step playing DEFENSE. I've never been the quickest guy in the world but in the past couple of months, I've noticed I'm able to stay in front of younger / quicker guys a little bit better. My friends will laugh at this as I'm better known for my jump shooting than defense but I have been moving my feet a little better.
Alas, there is a flip side to this. After playing several hours of pick up ball on Saturday (guarding a couple of quick guys), my knees were quite sore. I think younger guys have more energy and recover faster. If I was asked to play ball the next day, it would have been difficult. Plus, if you focus on defense, your offense suffers a bit. It is extremely hard to be a two way player.
Regardless, it's pretty fun to try to guard quick players at my age. Who says old people can't play?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The Life of An NBA Player is not easy (just ask Jeremy Lin)
I haven't been blogging too much recently but watching Jeremy Lin bouncing from team to team in recent weeks gave me a topic to discuss.
There are probably many young basketball players / athletes / kids out there who look up to the various NBA players and dream they could be out there. However, I would be willing to bet that most of the players young athletes idolize are the stars: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, etc, etc.
There's nothing wrong with idolizing stars but their lifestyle and basketball careers are remarkably different than fringe / borderline NBA players like Jeremy Lin. Stars don't have to worry about where they will play for or if they will make money. Teams will pony up a ton of cash and sign a star at a moment's notice.
What most young athletes don't see is that mid to lower level NBA players have to work really hard and even then there is not a guarantee they will play in the league. It's perfectly fine for young athletes to dream about playing in the NBA but the reality is STAYING in the NBA takes a lot of work for players who are not stars. Plus there is a ton of uncertainty to deal with. But if a young athlete has some ability and the dedication to improve, they might be able to make it.
How does this relate to Jeremy Lin? Well, Jeremy is a player on the fringe at this point of his career. He is now with the Knicks after being cut by the Warriors and the Rockets. He hasn't gotten a ton of opportunity to show what he can do and it remains to be seen what will happen with the Knicks.
No matter what happens to Jeremy in the future, I hope Asian parents will take note of Jeremy's example and not other Asian NBA players like Yao Ming. While there is nothing wrong with Yao as an example, Yao is/was a star much like the Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Jeremy's career path is much more realistic (if not as interesting) path that the MAJORITY of NBA players have to go through.
Unfortunately, Jeremy's current career path may actually cause parents to discourage Asian parents from letting their kids from playing sports. They might say "Look at Jeremy, he's jumping from team to team and doesn't know where he might be a few weeks from now".
All of this is true but nothing in life is ever set in stone. Just having a good education these days is no guarantee that you will get a job. These days, experience and connections matter more than just pure education. The flip side is that Jeremy loves basketball and wants to prove he can play in the NBA. He is more than willing to put the work in.
I'm a believer in pursuing whatever you're passionate about. That's why I support independent Asian-American movies, musicians and artists. They might not be big names but there is stuff I like. I support Jeremy Lin not just because he is Asian but because he is basically a "regular guy" that people can relate to. I hope that Asians (and others) take note of Jeremy's example.
There are probably many young basketball players / athletes / kids out there who look up to the various NBA players and dream they could be out there. However, I would be willing to bet that most of the players young athletes idolize are the stars: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, etc, etc.
There's nothing wrong with idolizing stars but their lifestyle and basketball careers are remarkably different than fringe / borderline NBA players like Jeremy Lin. Stars don't have to worry about where they will play for or if they will make money. Teams will pony up a ton of cash and sign a star at a moment's notice.
What most young athletes don't see is that mid to lower level NBA players have to work really hard and even then there is not a guarantee they will play in the league. It's perfectly fine for young athletes to dream about playing in the NBA but the reality is STAYING in the NBA takes a lot of work for players who are not stars. Plus there is a ton of uncertainty to deal with. But if a young athlete has some ability and the dedication to improve, they might be able to make it.
How does this relate to Jeremy Lin? Well, Jeremy is a player on the fringe at this point of his career. He is now with the Knicks after being cut by the Warriors and the Rockets. He hasn't gotten a ton of opportunity to show what he can do and it remains to be seen what will happen with the Knicks.
No matter what happens to Jeremy in the future, I hope Asian parents will take note of Jeremy's example and not other Asian NBA players like Yao Ming. While there is nothing wrong with Yao as an example, Yao is/was a star much like the Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Jeremy's career path is much more realistic (if not as interesting) path that the MAJORITY of NBA players have to go through.
Unfortunately, Jeremy's current career path may actually cause parents to discourage Asian parents from letting their kids from playing sports. They might say "Look at Jeremy, he's jumping from team to team and doesn't know where he might be a few weeks from now".
All of this is true but nothing in life is ever set in stone. Just having a good education these days is no guarantee that you will get a job. These days, experience and connections matter more than just pure education. The flip side is that Jeremy loves basketball and wants to prove he can play in the NBA. He is more than willing to put the work in.
I'm a believer in pursuing whatever you're passionate about. That's why I support independent Asian-American movies, musicians and artists. They might not be big names but there is stuff I like. I support Jeremy Lin not just because he is Asian but because he is basically a "regular guy" that people can relate to. I hope that Asians (and others) take note of Jeremy's example.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
My Holiday Tradition: DONATE!
Some years ago, the company I was working for at the time had a Christmas / Holiday toy donation program. Employees would donate toys and the company would give them to local charities or programs like Toys For Tots. I really took to this program because less fortunate families and/or kids struggle just to have a home, food or other basic necessities. Families can't just afford to purchase toys or other fun things for their kids.
That year, I made an effort to purchase some toys for donation. As I was shopping, another idea came to mind. Rather than purchase ONE toy, I purchased two toys. One toy for a boy and one toy for a girl. I figured it would be fair to purchase one of both genders.
I continued this tradition until I left the company a few years later. My last couple of companies don't have any official toy donation programs. So for a couple of years, I purchased toys and donated them at malls or other locations that need donations. Last year, I just made a monetary donation to the local Toys For Tots programs. This year, as I was at a mall, I saw a Toys For Tots donation both, I went back to purchasing two toys again.
It's a small way to contribute back to the community during a time where there are many families that are struggling. When kids are happy, I believe that will help the family feel better overall even if their circumstances haven't completely changed.
For those who want to make a difference this and any other holiday season, consider making a donation to a charity that you support.
That year, I made an effort to purchase some toys for donation. As I was shopping, another idea came to mind. Rather than purchase ONE toy, I purchased two toys. One toy for a boy and one toy for a girl. I figured it would be fair to purchase one of both genders.
I continued this tradition until I left the company a few years later. My last couple of companies don't have any official toy donation programs. So for a couple of years, I purchased toys and donated them at malls or other locations that need donations. Last year, I just made a monetary donation to the local Toys For Tots programs. This year, as I was at a mall, I saw a Toys For Tots donation both, I went back to purchasing two toys again.
It's a small way to contribute back to the community during a time where there are many families that are struggling. When kids are happy, I believe that will help the family feel better overall even if their circumstances haven't completely changed.
For those who want to make a difference this and any other holiday season, consider making a donation to a charity that you support.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Things To Be Thankful For - 2011 Turkey Day Edition
Some years ago, I wrote a list of things I was thankful for and emailed them to my friends. Since we have the power of Facebook and blogs, I am going to note a list of things to be thankful for in 2011!
In no particular order:
In no particular order:
- Family: Mom/Dad primarily, but to all my cousins that are out there. I don't see them a ton but thankful when I do see them.
- Friends: Too many to name, but thanks to everyone I come into contact with. You all have been a blessing to me, especially in times of need.
- Job: Yes, I've been laid off twice from my current position and still chose to come back once again. But I am not complaining. I am thankful to have a job during a tough time in the economy.
- Basketball: Many reasons I put this down. One, I love being involved in the sport. Two, it's good exercise. Three, it brings together friends whether it's the Saturday guys I play with or the leagues I play with.
To conclude, it's easy for a lot of people to look at what we don't have (me included!). However, try to remember that we are blessed with many things if we stop to take a look. It may be as simple as the air we breathe or the fact that we have a roof over our heads. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Coach vs Player-Coach
Being a basketball (or any sport) coach is a challenging task, even for the professionals. In my years of involvement of basketball, I've been lucky to have been a player, coach and referee. If being just a coach itself is tough, imagine being a player-coach.
I coached kids basketball for 14 years and the challenges were running practices, skill development, motivation and preparing the kids for the games. Coaching during the game was not always easy but probably the best part of being just a coach. However, my best skill as a coach was identifying a kid's best talent and putting it to the best use for the team. After all, five Michael Jordan's or Lebron James' do not make a team. You need the Rodman's and Paxson's too.
As I went away from coaching kids and playing myself more, I eventually started being a captain / coach to some of my adult league teams. With the adult leagues I play in, there isn't practices. I might have say in the players if the league was a draft league but this wasn't always the case. Season by season, the challenge was you had a changing set of players with varying skill sets.
As time went on though, I realized the hardest past WASN'T figuring out the players on my teams. That was actually the easy part. The hard part was figuring out how much I SHOULD PLAY, especially if you're not having a great night. You see, some of the other team captains are talented and highly skilled. For myself, I am the jack of all trades and fit into a team in many different ways. If I'm on my game, I'll play more for sure. If my game is off, I might play myself more to see if I can work through things. Otherwise, the hard choice is to sit yourself.
Coaching at any level is tough and it's even harder when you have to "coach yourself". But I wouldn't keep doing it if it weren't enjoyable at some level. :)
I coached kids basketball for 14 years and the challenges were running practices, skill development, motivation and preparing the kids for the games. Coaching during the game was not always easy but probably the best part of being just a coach. However, my best skill as a coach was identifying a kid's best talent and putting it to the best use for the team. After all, five Michael Jordan's or Lebron James' do not make a team. You need the Rodman's and Paxson's too.
As I went away from coaching kids and playing myself more, I eventually started being a captain / coach to some of my adult league teams. With the adult leagues I play in, there isn't practices. I might have say in the players if the league was a draft league but this wasn't always the case. Season by season, the challenge was you had a changing set of players with varying skill sets.
As time went on though, I realized the hardest past WASN'T figuring out the players on my teams. That was actually the easy part. The hard part was figuring out how much I SHOULD PLAY, especially if you're not having a great night. You see, some of the other team captains are talented and highly skilled. For myself, I am the jack of all trades and fit into a team in many different ways. If I'm on my game, I'll play more for sure. If my game is off, I might play myself more to see if I can work through things. Otherwise, the hard choice is to sit yourself.
Coaching at any level is tough and it's even harder when you have to "coach yourself". But I wouldn't keep doing it if it weren't enjoyable at some level. :)
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Changing Nature of Halloween
Where I live, I've noticed a trend the past two to three years. When I was younger, every Halloween, there would be a stream of kids coming by with their parents to get candy. But I started noticing fewer and fewer kids stopping a few years ago and then the past two to three years, there has been ZERO kids stopping by.
I had heard that parents had decided to take their kids to the local malls where the stores were passing out candy. Being at the mall tonight, I saw it was true. There were a ton of families and kids there including someone I knew. I guess I can understand why parents have been doing this. Safety at night is an issue though I can't say that my neighborhood is all that bad.
The funny thing is that I talked to a co-worker in Virginia today and he was still taking his kids out to the neighborhood. I'm not sure why parents in my area are not taking their kids out to the neighborhood but it is an interesting trend I don't think will change anytime soon.
I had heard that parents had decided to take their kids to the local malls where the stores were passing out candy. Being at the mall tonight, I saw it was true. There were a ton of families and kids there including someone I knew. I guess I can understand why parents have been doing this. Safety at night is an issue though I can't say that my neighborhood is all that bad.
The funny thing is that I talked to a co-worker in Virginia today and he was still taking his kids out to the neighborhood. I'm not sure why parents in my area are not taking their kids out to the neighborhood but it is an interesting trend I don't think will change anytime soon.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Writing For Dollars
A couple of weeks ago, I made a tough decision to take a leave of absence from high school basketball officiating. The reasons for this are plenty but nothing I really want to discuss at this point in time. However, the decision was not made without having some plans in mind.
Some weeks ago, I felt I had an inkling to start writing more again. I do various blogs throughout the year. I write a monthly column on Apple II and other retro video games. A couple of years ago, I had embarked on freelance writing covering high school sports.
The reason for freelance writing was that high school sports coverage is pretty sparse in the area I live in. Since I was unemployed at the time, it was a good idea to try and I did it for the better part of a year. The issues I ran into was that I was a freelance operation and I had to do everything myself. When I returned to work a few months later, I continued to write as much as I could but it proved difficult to juggle freelancing with my job. Eventually, I stopped my freelance writing.
However, another enterprising person saw the same gaps in high school sports coverage I did and started up his own website and got a staff of writers to work with him. In fact, I was asked at one point to contribute to this site. I declined as I was busy with work, officiating and other stuff.
Alas, as I had an inkling to write again, I asked the website if I could potentially contribute to their site as a writer. The owner/editor noted that he would love it if I could help out. At this point, there is nothing formalized but I do plan to contribute as much as I am available to watch games.
It was time for a change and I am fortunate to be given an opportunity to try and do something different.
Some weeks ago, I felt I had an inkling to start writing more again. I do various blogs throughout the year. I write a monthly column on Apple II and other retro video games. A couple of years ago, I had embarked on freelance writing covering high school sports.
The reason for freelance writing was that high school sports coverage is pretty sparse in the area I live in. Since I was unemployed at the time, it was a good idea to try and I did it for the better part of a year. The issues I ran into was that I was a freelance operation and I had to do everything myself. When I returned to work a few months later, I continued to write as much as I could but it proved difficult to juggle freelancing with my job. Eventually, I stopped my freelance writing.
However, another enterprising person saw the same gaps in high school sports coverage I did and started up his own website and got a staff of writers to work with him. In fact, I was asked at one point to contribute to this site. I declined as I was busy with work, officiating and other stuff.
Alas, as I had an inkling to write again, I asked the website if I could potentially contribute to their site as a writer. The owner/editor noted that he would love it if I could help out. At this point, there is nothing formalized but I do plan to contribute as much as I am available to watch games.
It was time for a change and I am fortunate to be given an opportunity to try and do something different.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Being in shape is not quite the same as basketball shape...plus misc topics
Typically, a group of guys I know play pick up basketball on Saturday afternoons. For as long as I have known and played with these guys, we have hardly played full court basketball. I'd say 99.99% of time we have played half court games with the rare exception of playing full court. Most of the guys are in the mid 30's and some are older than that, so running full court isn't always optimal.
In the past few years, we have hardly missed many weeks. Of the 52 weeks in a year, I'd say we play 80 to 85% of the time. Obviously some guys come and go due to various thing but we usually get enough to play regardless.
Alas, the past three weeks, we have not played. There were several reasons for that. One, several guys were out of town. Two, the gym we normally play at was closed for gym floor maintenance. Since we have grown to love playing indoors, the remaining guys decided to just skip playing.
As someone who typically plays a lot of basketball, I realized how much I have missed playing the past few Saturdays. First, since I didn't really play Saturdays for a few weeks, I lost a little bit of stamina and feel on my jump shot. That affected me in the first three games on my Thursday night basketball league. I was getting up and down but not as well as I normally do. Plus, my usually reliable shot was just not going in. When my shot is going, it's pretty automatic. But the past three Thursdays, I felt I was pushing my shot.
Today, the Saturday basketball crew finally got back together and played. Just about everyone was a little out of sync early because your body hasn't really moved that much in a while. I struggled with my shot quite a bit today. Because I played in league, I was in ok shape so I could rebound and hustle a little but my shot was way off.
Playing basketball today made me realize how everything works together. Lots of young kids just like to run and play full court basketball. Those pick up games end up being run and gun affairs with minimal defense played. Our guys play hard and we have to keep moving. I think playing with the Saturday crew actually has helped me get my shot more consistent during my league games. I personally don't mind playing full court pick up sometimes but it gets harder as you get older and have to run against young kids.
Lastly, even I haven't played a ton of basketball lately, I did work out at the gym a bit. There is a major difference being in decent (and healthy) shape versus being in basketball shape.
In the past few years, we have hardly missed many weeks. Of the 52 weeks in a year, I'd say we play 80 to 85% of the time. Obviously some guys come and go due to various thing but we usually get enough to play regardless.
Alas, the past three weeks, we have not played. There were several reasons for that. One, several guys were out of town. Two, the gym we normally play at was closed for gym floor maintenance. Since we have grown to love playing indoors, the remaining guys decided to just skip playing.
As someone who typically plays a lot of basketball, I realized how much I have missed playing the past few Saturdays. First, since I didn't really play Saturdays for a few weeks, I lost a little bit of stamina and feel on my jump shot. That affected me in the first three games on my Thursday night basketball league. I was getting up and down but not as well as I normally do. Plus, my usually reliable shot was just not going in. When my shot is going, it's pretty automatic. But the past three Thursdays, I felt I was pushing my shot.
Today, the Saturday basketball crew finally got back together and played. Just about everyone was a little out of sync early because your body hasn't really moved that much in a while. I struggled with my shot quite a bit today. Because I played in league, I was in ok shape so I could rebound and hustle a little but my shot was way off.
Playing basketball today made me realize how everything works together. Lots of young kids just like to run and play full court basketball. Those pick up games end up being run and gun affairs with minimal defense played. Our guys play hard and we have to keep moving. I think playing with the Saturday crew actually has helped me get my shot more consistent during my league games. I personally don't mind playing full court pick up sometimes but it gets harder as you get older and have to run against young kids.
Lastly, even I haven't played a ton of basketball lately, I did work out at the gym a bit. There is a major difference being in decent (and healthy) shape versus being in basketball shape.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sports As A Social Exercise
The past couple of weeks have been interesting for me. Two of my best friends went away on vacation at the same with their respective families. At the same time, I had been expecting to play basketball about three times a week (Monday & Thursday leagues + Saturday get together). However, the Monday and Thursday leagues were merged due to lack of players on both days. My usual Saturday basketball group also did not play in the last couple of weeks with some people away and the gym being closed for remodeling.
All of this forced me to become more adaptable. I hung out with some of my other guy friends (who are usually busy with kids but we had a get together a couple of weeks ago). I reached out to some others I hadn't seen or talked to in a while. Some folks I hadn't talked to in a while actually called me too.
But the toughest challenge proved to be finding an activity to substitute for playing basketball. A few of my friends always say I should play "less basketball" as it's an activity that consumes my time at the expense of other things. Alas, I disagree with the assessment. Basketball is an activity I enjoy and it's exercise. Exercise is always good for the body.
However, as I learned in these past two weeks, if basketball were JUST exercise, I could easily replace it. I could play basketball elsewhere, play another sport or just work out in the gym. In fact, I did do some cardio work AND played basketball at my local gym. While the exercise was nice, I really realized why I was missing some my basketball that I was expecting.
I realized that part of my enjoyment from playing basketball (or other sports) is the socializing. My current Thursday night basketball is competitive but I know a lot of the guys too. While we all try to win, it is also a chance to catch up and talk to folks. The Saturday basketball crew is also like that as well. I was introduced to my Saturday crew from one of my friends I mentioned above. It's been only in the past 2 or 3 years that I have been showing up consistently. It's always good to play but talk to the guys. While I don't share a long history with them, I've become a part of their circle. We have birthday gatherings and other things we do together.
Simply just doing cardio or playing pick up ball with random strangers is good and I've done that plenty of times in the past. However, I don't usually work out with others. Playing ball with random strangers is cool if you want to just play ball. While my basketball playing style is adaptable, sometimes it's just good to play with people you know.
All in all, As I get older, I am realizing the social aspect of sports is become just as important as playing the sport itself. In fact, I see this applying to other activities such as officiating. I was officiating a tournament this weekend. My partner today wanted to have breakfast so we met up early, had breakfast, talked and watched some football before working our games. I plan to socialize more with my fellow officials as my high school season rolls around in the next few months.
All of this forced me to become more adaptable. I hung out with some of my other guy friends (who are usually busy with kids but we had a get together a couple of weeks ago). I reached out to some others I hadn't seen or talked to in a while. Some folks I hadn't talked to in a while actually called me too.
But the toughest challenge proved to be finding an activity to substitute for playing basketball. A few of my friends always say I should play "less basketball" as it's an activity that consumes my time at the expense of other things. Alas, I disagree with the assessment. Basketball is an activity I enjoy and it's exercise. Exercise is always good for the body.
However, as I learned in these past two weeks, if basketball were JUST exercise, I could easily replace it. I could play basketball elsewhere, play another sport or just work out in the gym. In fact, I did do some cardio work AND played basketball at my local gym. While the exercise was nice, I really realized why I was missing some my basketball that I was expecting.
I realized that part of my enjoyment from playing basketball (or other sports) is the socializing. My current Thursday night basketball is competitive but I know a lot of the guys too. While we all try to win, it is also a chance to catch up and talk to folks. The Saturday basketball crew is also like that as well. I was introduced to my Saturday crew from one of my friends I mentioned above. It's been only in the past 2 or 3 years that I have been showing up consistently. It's always good to play but talk to the guys. While I don't share a long history with them, I've become a part of their circle. We have birthday gatherings and other things we do together.
Simply just doing cardio or playing pick up ball with random strangers is good and I've done that plenty of times in the past. However, I don't usually work out with others. Playing ball with random strangers is cool if you want to just play ball. While my basketball playing style is adaptable, sometimes it's just good to play with people you know.
All in all, As I get older, I am realizing the social aspect of sports is become just as important as playing the sport itself. In fact, I see this applying to other activities such as officiating. I was officiating a tournament this weekend. My partner today wanted to have breakfast so we met up early, had breakfast, talked and watched some football before working our games. I plan to socialize more with my fellow officials as my high school season rolls around in the next few months.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The Gift Of friends
In my younger days during middle school and high school, I was a pretty shy and quiet (believe it or not) person. I would interact with people but never really had a friend or group of friends that I consistently hung out with.
That changed in my senior year of high school as I got to know a person that would become my "best friend" for many years into college and beyond. Through this "best friend", I met others that also became long term friends as well.
These people became my default group I hung out with for many years. I personally liked having a stable group of people to hang out with. Through this group of friends, I met a few other people including one person I still talk to regularly.
As I have gone through college and into the workforce, I have opened up to the point where my friends are surprised when I DON'T talk. Alas, as I have matured, I have realized that I am somewhat of an open book. I don't like holding things in and have to get my feelings out.
That is why I am thankful for my friends who have listened to me talk about various things over the years. Obviously, these friendships are not one sided. One thing people really don't know about me is that I listen well and I think my friends appreciate this.
However, I am fortunate to have other friends beyond the ones I talk to. I may not talk to some of these people as much as my older friends but we have common interests. I definitely enjoy the times I spend with all of my friends whether it is talking, playing basketball or doing some other activity.
That changed in my senior year of high school as I got to know a person that would become my "best friend" for many years into college and beyond. Through this "best friend", I met others that also became long term friends as well.
These people became my default group I hung out with for many years. I personally liked having a stable group of people to hang out with. Through this group of friends, I met a few other people including one person I still talk to regularly.
As I have gone through college and into the workforce, I have opened up to the point where my friends are surprised when I DON'T talk. Alas, as I have matured, I have realized that I am somewhat of an open book. I don't like holding things in and have to get my feelings out.
That is why I am thankful for my friends who have listened to me talk about various things over the years. Obviously, these friendships are not one sided. One thing people really don't know about me is that I listen well and I think my friends appreciate this.
However, I am fortunate to have other friends beyond the ones I talk to. I may not talk to some of these people as much as my older friends but we have common interests. I definitely enjoy the times I spend with all of my friends whether it is talking, playing basketball or doing some other activity.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Day Off in San Francisco
Since I returned to work back in late May, I have only taken one day off + one sick day. Thus, I topped out on the number of vacation days I could accumulate. As I had a Groupon for a photography class, I decided to take today off and redeem my Groupon and do the class at Fisherman's Wharf / Pier 39.
It was a great choice all the way around. First, the weather was absolutely lovely I'm San Francisco. Unlike the usual fog, we had plenty of sun. Second, I was the only person who signed up for the class today. So, I got a chance to work with my instructor Kelly one-on-one. She was a nice gal with plenty of knowledge to pass on.
I learned quite a bit about the art of manual photography. Kelly's philosophy was to get students away from shooting in automatic modes. I had tried reading about manual photography but nothing beats practice and having someone talk you through things. I took quite a few shots today for practice. Some turned out well and some didn't but that's ok. It takes a little time to grasp everything.
To cap the day, I went and got a massage and hung out at the bookstore for a little while. All in all, a lovely way to spend a day away from work.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It was a great choice all the way around. First, the weather was absolutely lovely I'm San Francisco. Unlike the usual fog, we had plenty of sun. Second, I was the only person who signed up for the class today. So, I got a chance to work with my instructor Kelly one-on-one. She was a nice gal with plenty of knowledge to pass on.
I learned quite a bit about the art of manual photography. Kelly's philosophy was to get students away from shooting in automatic modes. I had tried reading about manual photography but nothing beats practice and having someone talk you through things. I took quite a few shots today for practice. Some turned out well and some didn't but that's ok. It takes a little time to grasp everything.
To cap the day, I went and got a massage and hung out at the bookstore for a little while. All in all, a lovely way to spend a day away from work.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Championship To Remember and Cherish
Monday night, my team (Black - #1 seed) took on the Green team (#3 seed) in the championship game of our Summer Basketball League. My team was undefeated though hadn't played well the past few weeks and barely beat Grey (#4 seed) 59-52 last week to make the championship game. On the other hand, Green was a mix of young and old guys and they had upset the Gold team (#2 seed) to make the championship.
There was no consolation game prior so I did not expect too many fans and potentially a low key championship game. However, the Green team's young guys brought a bevy of friends and family along. In addition, several of Green's players who had missed a few weeks due to other things, decided to return. Instead of focusing on just a couple of guys on the Green team, my team had to contend with two others (a older big guy and a younger guard). I don't know how my teammates were feeling prior to the game. I was pretty relaxed and actually liked having the crowd there. That usually makes me focus and play better.
Safe to say the championship game was NOT low key and both teams played at a very high level. Both teams had opportunities to win but at the end my team played off a thrilling 73-72 OVERTIME win over the Green team. The win finished off an undefeated (10-0) season. For me personally, I tallied a game high 24 points (12-17 FT's) to lead my team. My teammate Paul added 19 while another teammate Duane scored 15.
I could write a dozen pages on all the happenings during the game but I won't do that. I'll just say that our team had plenty of miscues late in the game, all of which could have lost the game for us. Yet we hung together, stayed mentally tough and withstood Green's challenge to win.
I do give credit to Green though. They were incredibly tough and both teams deserved to win. It was a shame that someone had to lose. There was some obvious disappointment from some of the young kids but they will have plenty of years ahead of them still.
For me, I absolutely loved our team. It's a rare thing to get a team of guys that all get along but we did. Even though we finished undefeated, we had our ups and downs but the chemistry helped us stick together.
Including Monday's game, this was my 12th championship game that I have played in. Monday's game ranks as the best and most memorable. I will remember this game due to the drama, the overtime and all the miscues we had to overcome. Plus, my 24 points was the most I've ever scored in a championship game. All of my teammates agreed that Monday's game will be something they will remember for years to come.
Wrapping up, I am thankful for being given the Most Inspirational Player award for my team. Winning the championship was a GREAT bonus. Thanks to the league coordinators, my teammates and the other teams were a terrific summer. I hope to see a lot of the folks again soon.
There was no consolation game prior so I did not expect too many fans and potentially a low key championship game. However, the Green team's young guys brought a bevy of friends and family along. In addition, several of Green's players who had missed a few weeks due to other things, decided to return. Instead of focusing on just a couple of guys on the Green team, my team had to contend with two others (a older big guy and a younger guard). I don't know how my teammates were feeling prior to the game. I was pretty relaxed and actually liked having the crowd there. That usually makes me focus and play better.
Safe to say the championship game was NOT low key and both teams played at a very high level. Both teams had opportunities to win but at the end my team played off a thrilling 73-72 OVERTIME win over the Green team. The win finished off an undefeated (10-0) season. For me personally, I tallied a game high 24 points (12-17 FT's) to lead my team. My teammate Paul added 19 while another teammate Duane scored 15.
I could write a dozen pages on all the happenings during the game but I won't do that. I'll just say that our team had plenty of miscues late in the game, all of which could have lost the game for us. Yet we hung together, stayed mentally tough and withstood Green's challenge to win.
I do give credit to Green though. They were incredibly tough and both teams deserved to win. It was a shame that someone had to lose. There was some obvious disappointment from some of the young kids but they will have plenty of years ahead of them still.
For me, I absolutely loved our team. It's a rare thing to get a team of guys that all get along but we did. Even though we finished undefeated, we had our ups and downs but the chemistry helped us stick together.
Including Monday's game, this was my 12th championship game that I have played in. Monday's game ranks as the best and most memorable. I will remember this game due to the drama, the overtime and all the miscues we had to overcome. Plus, my 24 points was the most I've ever scored in a championship game. All of my teammates agreed that Monday's game will be something they will remember for years to come.
Wrapping up, I am thankful for being given the Most Inspirational Player award for my team. Winning the championship was a GREAT bonus. Thanks to the league coordinators, my teammates and the other teams were a terrific summer. I hope to see a lot of the folks again soon.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Most Inspirational Player / Inspiring Others
Last night, my Monday night summer basketball league kicked off it's playoffs with an exciting evening of action. The Green team (3rd seed) led most of the game before a furious rally by Orange (2nd seed) in the 4th quarter to take a 1 point lead. Alas, Orange could not hang on as Green eventually won by 4 points. Playing the second game, My team (Black - 1st seed) led pretty much the whole way but Grey (4th seed) battled hard. My team barely pulled away for a 7 point win to join Green in next's week championship game.
In between the two games, the league passed out some awards. The awards were for the Most Inspiration Player for each of the five teams that participated during the summer. In a bit of a surprise, I was given the award for my team.
I've had some personal things I've been dealing with for a few months now. I've had my good days and some not so good days. Basketball was a good get away, whether I was playing on my Monday / Tuesday night leagues (during the summer) for my Saturday pick up games with some friends.
However, getting the award this particular summer was special. I needed a "pick me up" and the award made me feel good. It's not that I needed something external to make me feel better. In fact, the trophy I got isn't a big deal. It was the fact that the trophy made me reflect and clarified some things I need to improve on for the future.
While I am generally cool headed on the court and don't take things personally when someone makes a mistake, I am MUCH harder on myself both on the court and in personal things. I realized I need to take a step back in some of my personal things and be more understanding when things don't go right.
The other thing I realized that I am very blessed in many ways though I haven't been feeling that way a lot lately. I realized that I need to use some of my gifts to (no pun intended) INSPIRE others.
The reason I thought I needed to inspire others is that this was NOT my first Most Inspirational Player award. I've gotten a few awards over the years and I detected there may be a trend. Life may be telling me that I need be more of a good example to others ON and OFF the court.
In between the two games, the league passed out some awards. The awards were for the Most Inspiration Player for each of the five teams that participated during the summer. In a bit of a surprise, I was given the award for my team.
I've had some personal things I've been dealing with for a few months now. I've had my good days and some not so good days. Basketball was a good get away, whether I was playing on my Monday / Tuesday night leagues (during the summer) for my Saturday pick up games with some friends.
However, getting the award this particular summer was special. I needed a "pick me up" and the award made me feel good. It's not that I needed something external to make me feel better. In fact, the trophy I got isn't a big deal. It was the fact that the trophy made me reflect and clarified some things I need to improve on for the future.
While I am generally cool headed on the court and don't take things personally when someone makes a mistake, I am MUCH harder on myself both on the court and in personal things. I realized I need to take a step back in some of my personal things and be more understanding when things don't go right.
The other thing I realized that I am very blessed in many ways though I haven't been feeling that way a lot lately. I realized that I need to use some of my gifts to (no pun intended) INSPIRE others.
The reason I thought I needed to inspire others is that this was NOT my first Most Inspirational Player award. I've gotten a few awards over the years and I detected there may be a trend. Life may be telling me that I need be more of a good example to others ON and OFF the court.
Friday, August 05, 2011
It's a Wrap: Looking back at my 20th season of summer basketball
As I mentioned early in June, I was playing in my 20th season for one of my summer basketball leagues. That particular team had a very GOOD season. Despite some close calls (including two OT games), the team played well and finished undefeated (7-0) in the regular season.
In our particular division, there are 16 teams divided into two brackets (let's call them Bracket A and Bracket B). The top two teams from each bracket would make the playoffs. My team was in Bracket A and so we would play the #2 team from Bracket B in the playoffs. However, the #2 team from Bracket B was probably better than the majority of the teams we played in the regular season and we lost 56-45. While the score didn't look that great, it was due to free throws at the end. We were well within striking distance throughout but missed shots hurt us quite a bit.
My team was obviously disappointed as we had a chance to win the game. Yet, as I look back, I hope the young guys are proud of how they hung in there throughout the season. The team won games in all sorts of ways this season. We played one game without our star, fell behind by 10, but managed to win in overtime. We played one game with six players (meaning I played A LOT) and won by double digits. Plus these guys are still improving and with more experience, they will be a lot better next season.
For myself, I look at things in two ways. As a coach, I think I did alright. I mainly ran subs and focused on defensive strategy rather than offensive. I've never been much of an offensive coach so I was content to let the guys just play. Of course, if there were things I saw that could be improved, I mentioned them. If I wasn't playing, I probably would have been in a better position to coach.
As a player, I didn't do too well. I admittedly had some personal things I was working through and that affected me a bit during the games. But the fact is I was an old guy playing in a young player's league. The teams were quick and fast and I was a little outmatched. I hit a few shots here and there, got some rebounds and tried to fill in where I could. But for the most part, I was a bit player letting the young guys do their thing.
For me personally, while it would have a nice present to celebrate my 20th season in the league to make the championship (and even win it), I was quite happy to just have an undefeated regular season. Yes, we did end up losing our playoff game, but a 7-1 record is still pretty darn good.
To illustrate how good the record was, I have played 20 years in the league. In those 20 seasons, my teams have made the playoffs 9 times. Out of those 9 times, I have been in the championship game 4 times (winning two / losing two). My two championship teams were 10-0 and 8-1 overall. All the rest of the teams had 3 or more losses. Essentially, short of winning the championship, my 2011 team finished with the 3rd best record out of the 20 seasons I have been playing.
All in all, I am proud of my team and was happy I got a chance to play with a different set of guys. I think the young guys have a bright future and my hope is they stick around and grow together. As for my future, nothing is set in stone. I'll still be playing somewhere and if need be, I could play again next summer in 2012.
In our particular division, there are 16 teams divided into two brackets (let's call them Bracket A and Bracket B). The top two teams from each bracket would make the playoffs. My team was in Bracket A and so we would play the #2 team from Bracket B in the playoffs. However, the #2 team from Bracket B was probably better than the majority of the teams we played in the regular season and we lost 56-45. While the score didn't look that great, it was due to free throws at the end. We were well within striking distance throughout but missed shots hurt us quite a bit.
My team was obviously disappointed as we had a chance to win the game. Yet, as I look back, I hope the young guys are proud of how they hung in there throughout the season. The team won games in all sorts of ways this season. We played one game without our star, fell behind by 10, but managed to win in overtime. We played one game with six players (meaning I played A LOT) and won by double digits. Plus these guys are still improving and with more experience, they will be a lot better next season.
For myself, I look at things in two ways. As a coach, I think I did alright. I mainly ran subs and focused on defensive strategy rather than offensive. I've never been much of an offensive coach so I was content to let the guys just play. Of course, if there were things I saw that could be improved, I mentioned them. If I wasn't playing, I probably would have been in a better position to coach.
As a player, I didn't do too well. I admittedly had some personal things I was working through and that affected me a bit during the games. But the fact is I was an old guy playing in a young player's league. The teams were quick and fast and I was a little outmatched. I hit a few shots here and there, got some rebounds and tried to fill in where I could. But for the most part, I was a bit player letting the young guys do their thing.
For me personally, while it would have a nice present to celebrate my 20th season in the league to make the championship (and even win it), I was quite happy to just have an undefeated regular season. Yes, we did end up losing our playoff game, but a 7-1 record is still pretty darn good.
To illustrate how good the record was, I have played 20 years in the league. In those 20 seasons, my teams have made the playoffs 9 times. Out of those 9 times, I have been in the championship game 4 times (winning two / losing two). My two championship teams were 10-0 and 8-1 overall. All the rest of the teams had 3 or more losses. Essentially, short of winning the championship, my 2011 team finished with the 3rd best record out of the 20 seasons I have been playing.
All in all, I am proud of my team and was happy I got a chance to play with a different set of guys. I think the young guys have a bright future and my hope is they stick around and grow together. As for my future, nothing is set in stone. I'll still be playing somewhere and if need be, I could play again next summer in 2012.
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