I got all nostalgic in the car this morning, as I listened to 'Hola Hovito' about 7 times in a row on the way to work. That, by the way, is easily my favorite Jay tune. The fucking beat is just glorious. Anyway, I'd like to reminisce a little bit on this brisk and blustery Friday morning in Boston.
I love watching college basketball, and I do believe that more parody exists at this level than in any other sport. This is why the logical man never wins the bracket pool in the office. It's always someone; somehow it ends up being a female, who knows relatively nothing about any of the teams. Rather, she uses her own version of logic which entails such rationale as "I'm picking USC over Minnesota because it's soooooo nice in California", or perhaps something like "Hmm, Murray State or Tennessee? Since my boyfriend Allen's last name is Murray, I choose Murray State!". And then the Racers end up knocking off a team that was every analysts sleeper. I would have picked Tennessee in that game because Bruce Pearl wears that sick orange blazer.
Back to parody, though. It runs rampant in college bball. There are too many unknown players who end up having an impact on a team. There are too many great coaches in America who are underestimated in a given year because they had a shitty recruiting season. And then there's those teams that you just can't account for when it comes to their success. There's that team that has no fucking good reason for being where they are, but somehow they're there (Bucknell?). They've got a solid, white point guard, a sprinkle of semi-talented high school standouts and some old-as-shit coach who runs the three-man weave before every game to prep his guys. But they find a way to win. I can't wait for March.
Here's what college basketball needs: the next Fab Five. Was there anything better for a sport than a starting lineup of five freshmen that were so fun to watch that I used to record their games? Every last one of them had something to offer me. Jalen was and is my favorite player of all time. Webber was big, strong and powerful with an attitude, Howard provided the height needed at center and a very solid inside game, Jimmy King was silky on the breakaway and had a nice J and Ray Jackson could D up anyone in the country. And they were 18 years old. 18. The year they stole my heart, I asked for the official home uniform for Christmas. You gotta understand, when I was 13 the only things I cared about were Michigan basketball and Notre Dame football. I had the Michigan catalog delivered monthly as well as Blue and Gold Illustrated as frequently as it was published. I knew about ND recruits before the recruits knew ND was interested in them. But I digress...mom came through and I received the real deal Mich. uni under the tree. Jalen's #5, sewn on letters and number and those sick, long shorts. I still have it, as well as his Nuggets jersey (which has been lent out), his Pacers jersey and a 'Michigan Basketball Is Life' t-shirt. To be 13 again.
Anyway...I yearn for the next Fab Five like nothing else. It's impossible not to root for a bunch of guys like that, is it not? It was great for the game, great for the fans and great for the University of Michigan. I cried when Webber took that timeout vs. UNC, but it almost made perfect sense. Their youth eventually got the best of them but they did amazing things together on the court. So until that next Fab Five arrives somewhere, I'll be following my beloved Minutemen under the tutelage of Travis Ford. Mark my words: UMass will be back in the national spotlight by March of 2008. Remember it, take a picture, write it down, I don't give a FUCK. I used to work with a guy who would talk like Chris Tucker every Friday...I miss that, too. A few of my favorite lines for you this Friday:
"Puff, puff, GIVE! Puff, puff, GIVE! You're fuckin' up the rotation."
"What up big Perm...I mean, big Worm."
"I know you don't smoke weed, I know this; but I'm gonna get you high today, 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do."
"Weed is from the earth. God put this here for me and you. Take advantage man, take advantage."
"Smokey, you know I ain't the smartest man in the world, but, from back here it look like you're takin a shit."
2 comments:
without a doubt, the fab 5 was the best thing to ever happen to college basketball. they were my favorite non-kansas team of all-time, and if it weren't for them, we might still be wearing nut-huggers when we play. were you also the anonymous that almost made my wish come true by finding a hinrich jersey? it was unfortunately sold already, but hope is renewed that i will find one.
you got it, i was. i have a knack for finding jerseys and throwbacks and shit. you missed that auction by 3 days or something ridiculous like that. so yes, there's hope.
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