hoop dreams

I was never the athletic type. Although, in grade 5 or 6, I represented the class in the intramurals, competing in what might have been the 100m dash. Despite not being the leanest guy in the class, I had strong legs that gave me an incredible burst of speed. I was like a cheetah flying through the blades of tall grass of the savanna. Of course, I came in dead last.

Also, whenever I'd join basketball camp (MILO Best, if I remember right), I'd always sprain an ankle or a wrist and sit the rest of the workshop out. One time, I fractured my left forearm because I tripped and landed on it while were playing tag during recess.

I was, and am, lampa.

So I've lived out my sports dreams vicariously. Specifically through my NBA Fantasy League. Which, by the way, now merits a geek tag. But why? It's just like a virtual role-play, wherein you are General Manager of your own professional basketball team, complete with stats and live drafts. That's why.

But still, I don't doubt that (real) sports can bring out the best in you. Basketball in particular; just watch Samuel Jackson scream at and mold those kids in Coach Carter.

As of late, the most famous fan and player of the sport is Obama. In this Politico article:

"We hear all the chatter about Obama’s creating a team of rivals, much like Abraham Lincoln did. But basketball provides a better context for his choice of strong characters and former competitors. He’s simply not threatened by talent or old rivalries, and as a team leader, he wants the best and smartest players on his side. Accustomed to playing on teams, Obama is confident he can mold them into a unit...

Michelle Obama famously asked her brother, a college basketball star, to play Barack after they first met to see if he hogged the ball and called too many fouls. Basketball isn’t just a game — it’s a test of character."

In the end, basketball might even change the world.