We were short, but at least we were slow.
I recently ran into one of my oldest friends at a 4th of July party and fondly recalled how he went nuts one evening and poured in 23 points for our freshman basketball team, leading to our only victory of the season. We went 1–21. Shut up.
I was on the bench that game with a cast on a broken wrist. We were playing a team that was so bad that we couldn’t believe that we lost to them earlier in the season. It was embarrassing. Their point guard looked like he was 9 years old.
I would like to say that there was some kind of electricity in the air…like we knew we were going to win that night…but nope. No electricity in the air. Maybe some static cling from my sweater…maybe. But that’s it.
Here’s the deal: we had some talent. But we were uninspired.
Thinking back, I don’t think we knew how to practice. Our practices were good for teaching us how to run on offense. We were good at running an offense. But how to score from running that offense, we had no idea.
We would pass to whom we were supposed to pass, and then go set a pick where we were supposed to set a pick. Over. And Over. And Over.
But this night, my friend had enough. We were going to win this goddamn game and he was going to make it happen. At halftime, he said “screw it” and went off. The whole team threw the playbook out and rallied behind him. Coach, finally conceding that his playbook was shit, knew to shut up and let it happen.
Oh, and it happened. When we won, I swear to you that we launched off the bench and stormed the court screaming like we just won the championship. We finally had a win! Someone find a ladder and get me some goddamn scissors so we can cut those nets down! I’m not overreacting, you’re overreacting! Scissors…now!
The lesson we learned that night was something that is relevant in all walks of life…
It’s good to have a playbook, but know when it’s time to scrap it, say “screw it,” and play your game.
We went on to lose our last few games. Probably by a lot. But to this day, there’s a piece of that game that lives inside me every time I step on a court. Part of me is bummed that I was sitting out injured, but the rest of me is happy that when that buzzer sounded, we didn’t all plan to storm the court…we just did. All of us. We all felt it and it just happened.
Sooo….still waiting for those scissors…
#bewhatyoumake
