Now if you don't know who Willis Reed is, you are either:
1. Too young
2. Don't know your NBA history
3. Never heard the metaphor
4. Don't care
Let me recap for you quickly.....1970 NBA Finals, the Knicks were playing the Lakers and in game 5, the Knicks superstar (Willis Reed) tore his muscle or broke his leg, (depending on who you ask) and it looked like he was done for the series and therefore so were the Knicks. However, after sitting out game 6, Reed hobbled back on the court to start game 7, giving the Knicks the emotional lift they needed as they went on to win the game.
Reed would only make 2 field goals that day but since then, anytime someone hobbles back on the field, court, job site, etc. they take upon themselves the name of Willis Reed.
Why do I bring this up?
Well, if you've been reading this blog, you know I am the coach of a high school girls' basketball team and am in the midst of a turnaround season. We aren't great but we compete almost every night. Friday night we were playing Estancia and had battled back to lead by four points when our freshman standout guard appeared to severely sprain her ankle. She was yelping in pain and the trainer even had a hard time getting off her shoe because, according to her, "It was broken."
Anyway, I had to bring our 6th man off the bench. We have nine girls on the team but I can honestly say, we really only have six, (if you know what I mean). Anyway, we were clinging to the lead with 5 minutes to play when our best player and senior point guard fouls out. It was not a good moment for us as a team as I looked at the three remaining players wondering who would cause the least amount of damage; they didn't look back. Not a good sign. I called one of their names but everyone's shoulders were slumped in anticipation of what the next 5 minutes were about to become.
And then the voice from behind the bench, sitting with her dad, shoe off and ice on her ankle, replies, "Coach, I can play." I was shocked because only a few minutes ago I had helped the trainer carry her off the court and I really thought her ankle was broken. But, she took off the ice, laced her shoe back on, and I put her immediately back in the game.
We were only up three, with 2 minutes to go, but she gave our team a huge emotional lift. In that 2 minutes of time, she got 2 defensive rebounds, went coast to coast and dished off for an assist, and was fouled with 5 seconds left and us still only up three. She had to hit the front end of the one and one for our victory to be secured and she not only hit the first, she hit the 2nd as well and we ended up winning by five.
Willis Reed was reborn and the Lady Breakers are now securely in 2nd place!!!!!
1. Too young
2. Don't know your NBA history
3. Never heard the metaphor
4. Don't care
Let me recap for you quickly.....1970 NBA Finals, the Knicks were playing the Lakers and in game 5, the Knicks superstar (Willis Reed) tore his muscle or broke his leg, (depending on who you ask) and it looked like he was done for the series and therefore so were the Knicks. However, after sitting out game 6, Reed hobbled back on the court to start game 7, giving the Knicks the emotional lift they needed as they went on to win the game.
Reed would only make 2 field goals that day but since then, anytime someone hobbles back on the field, court, job site, etc. they take upon themselves the name of Willis Reed.
Why do I bring this up?
Well, if you've been reading this blog, you know I am the coach of a high school girls' basketball team and am in the midst of a turnaround season. We aren't great but we compete almost every night. Friday night we were playing Estancia and had battled back to lead by four points when our freshman standout guard appeared to severely sprain her ankle. She was yelping in pain and the trainer even had a hard time getting off her shoe because, according to her, "It was broken."
Anyway, I had to bring our 6th man off the bench. We have nine girls on the team but I can honestly say, we really only have six, (if you know what I mean). Anyway, we were clinging to the lead with 5 minutes to play when our best player and senior point guard fouls out. It was not a good moment for us as a team as I looked at the three remaining players wondering who would cause the least amount of damage; they didn't look back. Not a good sign. I called one of their names but everyone's shoulders were slumped in anticipation of what the next 5 minutes were about to become.
And then the voice from behind the bench, sitting with her dad, shoe off and ice on her ankle, replies, "Coach, I can play." I was shocked because only a few minutes ago I had helped the trainer carry her off the court and I really thought her ankle was broken. But, she took off the ice, laced her shoe back on, and I put her immediately back in the game.
We were only up three, with 2 minutes to go, but she gave our team a huge emotional lift. In that 2 minutes of time, she got 2 defensive rebounds, went coast to coast and dished off for an assist, and was fouled with 5 seconds left and us still only up three. She had to hit the front end of the one and one for our victory to be secured and she not only hit the first, she hit the 2nd as well and we ended up winning by five.
Willis Reed was reborn and the Lady Breakers are now securely in 2nd place!!!!!
3 comments:
Dro, I'm surprised with all your NBA comments on here. I thought you didn't really watch it anymore. As you probably know, it's now been ten years since I watched an NBA basketball game. In my opinion, the NBA absolutely sucks. I would rather watch bowling on TV, as sad as that is.
Blaise
Blaise, you might have noticed my NBA posts but they are always directed in the past.
Yes, I did watch the NBA in the 80s, however, I am hardly considered a fan in the present day. I will catch a Laker game now and then and still root for them but it does not affect me either for the positive or the negative when they win/lose.
You guys (or girls..im not sure who blaise is) are smoking off the same crack pipe! The reason you dont like the NBA as much anymore is because you are probably married with kids and dont have enough time to watch it and get excited. When you were kids you were either playing sports or watching sports. I will agree that sports today is way softer than it was in the 80's (a hard foul is now a free throw and the ball, if you touch the QB with your finger on accident its 15 yds, etc.) so I do agree the game has changed but it is still exciting as ever for me. Kobe, KG, DH, Bron Bron, D-Wade, Baby Wilt Bynum, Kwame (JK)?? The list goes on and on. As my 5 year old boy would quote from his favorite movie "High School Musical"........"get ya get ya get ya get ya head in the game!!"
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