If our last game was a musical this is how it would've begun:Interior : A dimly lit basketball gym
On the far end of of the court. A multi racial hodge podge of douche bags, also known as IFS, run carefree layup drills.
A loud shoe SHREIK, IFS freezes mid drill, their ball drops as they stare towards the sound. The ball rolls across the court under the foot of:
3 Shadows (Stage Right) standing in the doorway. They step onto the light court. It's Sofa King Awesome. Angry Glances are exchanged the music begins...
..."Snap, Snap, Snap" and then they dance!
Our last game of the season, was very much like a dance off between the Jets and the Sharks except without the pompadours. IFS was looking to the make the playoffs, we were trying to end the season was a 4-4 record, and crush their dreams. The game started off with the pre game choosing of a game ball. The center for IFS took our ball and kicked it off the court like an 6th grade bully as he proudly wore a mesh tank with the name Bear Sterns on it. We knew then, that he was a douche bag, and that their whole team were probably douche bags, and thus began a new rivalry in the legacy of Sofa King Awesome.
The game started off well for us. We were moving the ball, working it down low to our big men, Rob, Russ and Don, and hitting our outside shots respectively. IFS kept the game close by utilizing their jerk off center, Bear Sterns, and their speedy Kobiashi asian point guard. Bear Sterns was playing dirty, dropping his shoulder, leveling our players, complaining to the refs, so Sofa King Awesome, answered back with foul after foul on just him, thus infuriating Bear Sterns to throw the ball point blank at our "Duetsche Center," Rob. A technical fouled followed, and then on the next play, Bear Sterns got the ball again, and Ray "Elbows" Ko answered with another foul in the form of a hug. Bear Sterns totally lost it, just like their stock, and the refs had to warn him, one more outbreak and he was gone. As the second half winded down, your capitan hit the ugliest three pointer from way beyond the arc i have ever seen, banking it home and giving us an 8 point lead going into the second half.
As we ended the 1st half with an ugly bucket, so did our game play that followed. Our 8 point lead was erased because of turnovers. We lost our rythym, and couldnt hit our shots. IFS crept back on easy buckets from bad plays and easy fast break layups. The game was close, defense became tight, shots were few and far between, the tensions rised, the fouls increased, the physicalness climbed, and as Ray Ko stood with ball raised guarded face to face by Kobiashi at the top of the key, Ray swung his body to the right, and CRACK, Kobiashi was on the floor holding his face. Ray's elbow caught the left temple of Kobiashi, and laid him out. The CRACK heard round the gym, is what begun the newest rilviary in NY Urban Men's Professional Basketball league. A woozy Kobiashi immediately walked off the court, threw off his jersey into the stands, and threatened one of our own. "Ill be waiting for you outside," he cried, while the rest of us kind of laughed, the refs kind of laughed, and even IFS must of thought, i'm not getting into a fist fight over basketball.
The next posession we had, IFS tried to retaliate. Divino held the ball, and an IFS latino player who is about 6 inches shorter than Divino tried to elbow him by jumping in the air and throwing elbows because he was too short to hit divino anywhere besides the ribs, as he unsuccessfully tried to elbow divino, he slipped fell, and then wrapped himself around Divino's legs, as D dragged him across the floor. The game then began a hack fest, with everyone fouling everyone, the last 10 minutes of the game were pretty much all foul shots, and in the end we let the game slip away from us, because of rushed shots, and bad turnovers, and lots and lots of fouls.
Highlights
- A beautiful give and go from Russ "The Boss" Ringlestien to Divino "The Highlight" Paran streaking down the middle and scoring over a member of IFS.
- Don "Drop Steps" Janocha, once again showing us how elevated his game is getting by scoring from behind the backboard, and fouling out of the game.
- Rob "No No, No drinks for me, I got a date" Loef with some sweet jump shots in the middle, some big blocks, bigger fouls, and a hot date waiting for him at the end of the game.
- Eddie "Troublemaker" Larios with great defense pressure on both sides of the court, surprising the competition.
- Ray "the Hitman" Ko, leveling the competition and giving out fouls in forms of hugs.
Final Score: Good Guys - 42; Bad Guys - 50 and our Season Record: 3 - 5
Final Score: Good Guys - 42; Bad Guys - 50 and our Season Record: 3 - 5 Even though we had our first losing season this year, collectively as a team we continue to learn how each other play and get better, and better. We just have to be more consistent during our closer games, we have the talent to go further, but sometimes once we get a lead, we sit back on our haunches and guard it, instead of going out and finishing it. I know we will get there eventually. Our team has chemistry that I haven't seen any other team have. Other teams have one or two great players that carry them. Where as we truly are a team that gets support from everyone. But most importantly we are the only team that looks like they are having fun. We even get the refs to laugh, and how many other teams have a blog?! And i'm thinking our own Home & Away Jerseys will be the next step, so we can look really sexy, whether we win or lose. Thanks to everyone for their continued dedication and support to the team, the blog, and life!
Shout outs to:
- Eddie for the photos and amazing job on the 1st season of the blog
- Ray for all the rides home
- Don for the cab rides and ciggies
- Russ for all his half time coaching advice
- Josh for bringing the streets and the jokes
- Divino for on court entertainment
- Robert for playing like its the NBA finals till the last second
- Ted for his one game this season
- Max for the shorts
Till next season fellas, which is in three weeks.
Soy Capitan!
