I'm Almost Shaq

While the month of January has already been filled with challenges (such as my computer at work having a virus and being out of commission for a week, hosting over 500 people on campus for a high school forensics tournament, and my new year's resolution of two desserts per month), the challenge I faced last night was, by far, the scariest. I was a substitute player for a three-on-three intramural basketball game. The goal was to win two out of three games against another three-man team.

As I arrived at the Pacific University gym, I noticed an abundance of athletic-looking college students warming up. They were tall and looked to be in good shape. My teammates for the night were two forensics friends: T-Mac (all-around amazing guy of many talents, including knowing how to wear our black team track jacket) and Josh Masa (an aweso guy with personality plus and some mad skillz in mime). Of the 20 or so three-man teams present, I was hoping to play the other forensics team, or this threesome from Hawaii that was vertically challenged. We ended up against the shorter Hawaiians.

Here's what I had in my favor:
1. Two teammates who are quite good at basketball and were happy (or at least successfully created the illusion of happiness) that I showed up.
2. Some supportive fans from the forensics team.
3. Tube socks that I brought for my team with colored stripes at the top.
4. Height. Of the six players in our game, I was the tallest.
5. A clearly defined assignment from my teammates: First, rebound the ball and second, do this move where I push a guy with my butt, get passed the ball, and score (apparently this move has a name...). While I was a decent rebounder, I never did understand the butt move thing.

Here's what I had working against me:
1. My hiatus from basketball has extended almost 30 years. I feared that the seventh-grade intramural league at Ozaukee Middle School in Fredonia, Wisconsin, had not adequately prepared me for a college intramural league. I knew that I was lacking in skills and ignorant of any kind of team plays.
2. I ate a little too much dinner. Traci made a great beef stew.
3. Four college students from Hawaii (yes, they had a sub!) that surely were better than me.
We won the first game, lost the second, and were behind in the third. Then we caught up, and won 21-18. My teammates are great ball players, scoring numerous baskets from the three-point area. They were also great coaches, telling me what I was doing correctly, and what to improve on.

Some of my favorite game moments:
1. T-Mac telling me in game three that when I try for a rebound, I should grab the ball, not just hit it away. I was trying to grab it for most of the time we played, but started slacking in game three, and I'm glad he called me on it.
2. A guy from the other team swearing multiple times, for no clear reason. I laughed out loud.
3. Masa under the hoop, shooting and rebounding his own shot, and repeating this move about five times in a row. He was quite determined, and it payed off.
4. I scored points in each game. The other team quickly caught on that I didn't do much in the game, and every so often my teammates would pass the ball and I would score. I made six or so baskets, which is more than my entire career in the seventh grade.
5. Comfort, one of our supporters, let out a loud gasp, expressing her shock, when she saw me make a basket.

After I got home, I picked up Kevin from his high school. He had competed in a wrestling match. We sat in the kitchen, at 10:30 pm, eating and discussing our athletic victories (he beat his opponent 10-5 . Yeah, Kevin!).
So, to Masa and T-Mac - a big thanks for letting me sub for your team, and for giving me a great experience in a team sport. You are the best basketball teammates I've ever had.