The Decision II

I have decided to officially retire in my same gym that started my career - Bethany UMC. There was a small chance after taking a year off last year that I might have the desire to play again but there will be no Brett Farve announcements here, no friends coming over to convince me to keep playing (that has happened before and I ended up getting hurt). My jersey and shoes are retired and just like that something that I have done for the better part of 34 years playing in various organized leagues (90 percent at Bethany) throughout the lowcountry plus a couple of years just playing in the yard or at friends houses before I was old enough to play, it is over. It was so much a decision but a realization...

Can I still play? Yes
Can I still shoot? Yes
Can I still dribble and pass? Yes
Can I still rebound? Yes, but I don't jump as high so I miss a few
Can I still play defense? Yes, but about two steps slower

So why not still play?

The realization that I am 43 not 23 or even 33, out of shape and those two steps slower are really frustrating when you used to be one of the quickest on the court...hustle, quickness, basketball smarts/knowledge were the only assets I had. I could shoot decent but wasn't going to light you up for 30 a game every game (occasionally, I could catch lightning in the bottle and shoot lights out). I was more likely to make a bunch of steals, frustrate the opponent, make a bunch of easy lay ups...(notice, I didn't say dunks...they didn't allow dunking in most of the leagues I played in...but it didn't matter because I couldn't hold the ball, for a brief couple of years after high school when I could dunk anything I could hold but a basketball was never one of them), and make my opponents suffer through 4 and quite a few times 5 hacks/fouls. I will be honest and say the majority of the time, I got my moneys worth in that department. There were plenty of fouls that were called that weren't fouls but more often that not it was a foul and I got away with a lot more than got called...I can be honest. My theory was you got 5 might as well use them.

The realization that I couldn't just show up lace up and start. I invoked the elder rule (AI, actually got it from me) for a number of years(basically, because I was the elder of the team, I started)....practice (not that any team I played on after high school had an official practice but we did have times when we would get together and play) was something that I exempted myself from. It was nice to show up at game time lace them up and start the game. I often had to explain this rule to new teammates...life's tough and you got to pay your dues.

The realization that sitting on the bench sucks...no explanation needed.

The realization that the last five times I played, I got injured in 3 (Here's your sign) of them including the last one (a knee to knee hit - that I lost) that still hasn't fully healed and probably won't until I go see a doctor to see what's up but it doesn't bother me every day so I haven't been to the doctor. In my career, I only ended up seven stitches, one dislocated finger, countless jammed fingers and two ankles that have been turned more times than a wrench at the Ford assembly line (and I didn't end anyone else's career or cause them to have to go to the hospital). I was able to walk out the gym the last time on my own two feet, the same way I walked into the gym the first time.

I have enjoyed it but I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. I met a bunch of good people along the way and I have met a bunch a jerks. I learned that Mt. P has a gym that doesn't have a/c and is desert hot in the summer. I have played in medical scrub pants inside out because the refs decided to enforce the no pockets rule and I had to give my shorts to a teammate so they could play. I have played against a bunch of Citadel, Chas Southern and C of C players (some were better than others and some taught me a few lessons). I haven't lost a game since 7th grade (just like Greg McElroy until he played SC this year...might not be 100% accurate but I won way more games than I lost). I still want to shoot around some and have a goal at the house. I want to teach Aubrey and Wyatt if they have any interest.

There's talk about retiring the Bethany Red number 24 (I am the only one talking about it). I think it is fitting since I am pretty sure I hold the record for most consecutive years playing / most games played / most minutes played / most fouls in that gym. I have played basketball in Bethany's gym for 34 years - 1975 - 2008.