The Show...

1 p.m. and change...Main Street, Springfield MA

I arrived with my gear in the trunk, seeing that I had no intention on playing, I didn't mind checking out the competition. I noticed that only half of the block was on lockdown so it was obvious that not many people were invited to this event. One of my stomping partners were there and asked me to play in place of someone who didn't make it. Running back to my car, I questioned the Man on whether or not this was fate, or my retirement party. All games to 16, losers outs, 3 pointers count as two, double elimination. Here's how it went down.

First game (wasn't there but found out they won by forfeit)

Second game - Played, scored 5 points had a couple of alley oops to add to my assist total (6) shot the ball well, cleaned glass a little, made work of the person guarding me cause I just blew by his ass repeatedly, best line of the spectators watching....

"Stay on your toes Dougie (Dougie???) he's abusing you with that first step, stay in front of him and make him go left...he has NO left hand!!! (talking to another on looker) But shit he's quick."

they almost had it right, I was leaving him with the first step, even made him slip when I used it and came right back to the spot where I started, some made it seem like I made him fall, but I did point out the wet spot on the court to not make it seem so bad. I'm left handed, when I heard that person say that, it was music to my ears, he ended up on the right side of me leaving the whole left lane open. My boy, who knows I'm a leftie said just to take it to him, and that I did. I pulled up a jumper and that was an easy two, then I gave him a simple cross that made him think pass and shot the ball on him again. He started talking shit saying that I couldn't go left and all I had was jumpers (someone I know should be smiling right now). He stayed flatfooted on the next possesion and I had his ass on the top of the key I started to dribble with the left but fumbled to throw him off a little, seeing that he was playing my right, I showed the left to be suspect, I stepped on him again, and before taking liftoff for a layup, I noticed my guy leaving his man and at the last second, lobbed a behind the back alley that he ooped and stopped the game (the ball rolled into another court and THEY stopped because they saw what happened). Dougie looked at me and I looked back, smiled and let the crowd react to what just happened...

another victim....

he was taken out of the game for awhile...there was another alley oop by myself and then a good couple of drives (with the left). We won 16-3.

Game two: Found out we were in the Top Gun division. I'm cool with that because I've been there before (1996 Team Foot Locker and went 0-4 not a good show) anyway, we were shooting around and the other team shows up I notice this guy about 6ft 7 with that Bill Laimbeer look on his face, he stays in the paint and my teammate says "if we play them, you are guarding HIM" . Look, I don't mind guarding anybody, but this is half court basketball, and with rebounding having to be a main factor in 3 on 3 you would think to double team that fucker everytime he gets the ball, OH HELL NO. I had him one on one, when I drove on him, no one really moved around, when the ball went up, he boxed me out so good that when I jumped for the ball, my ass was out of bounds. I was still shooting good, but with a big ass hand in my face I ended up like 3 for 8 (two for two on two pointers get it? and one layup on a drive) two other points came from foul shooting. But we still lost, 16-7. We were done after that. 2 and 1 is their record now, and still I have Magazine Park to conquer a little later.

What? You thought the party was going to stop?

Acoording to some, I'm just getting started, and to think, there is always next year to look foward to.

Thanks coach K*, for the inspiration, for the love, for the support, for everything, although you weren't there, you was, and for that I appreciate you. No matter what happens, there is NO replacing what you did for me. Next year will be even better, and this time things are going to be different. That's real talk yo' :).

I'm out, yall be cool
daChamp