5'9" + 165 lbs.= All Heart
In the unending cavalcade of gut-wrenching maladies to befall the Purdue University basketball team, they have now lost their fifth of five starters with the dismissal of Korey Spates. Mother of God, what are we to do?
It's not too unlikely that Coach Matt Painter would try and fill the vacated roster spot with a walk-on player. Keady pulled it off last year bringing Charles Davis over from the football squad to offer fans something to cheer for, even if Chuck never put up the big numbers. So I have to do it. I have to pull the old, "Put me in, Coach," idea out of the deep freeze.
True, I've not played competitive basketball (the kind with coaches and fully robed referees) since 1996 when I suited up for my grade school's high school team (technically it's the parish's team, but you can do those things in CYO). I've never been the double-double threat as my rebounds usually dwarf my point totals. But Painter doesn't need the scoring power (well he actually does need it, desperately), but rather from the recent exploits of all Purdue athletes, the Boilers need someone whose been kicked around a bit by life yet managed never to fight back with violence or DUI's. Painter needs the plucky floor general who's also good at getting his homework in on time.
It'll only be a year, Coach. I'll enroll for some graduate work and be the mentor/walk-on that every team desires. I've got a smooth natural shooting motion, know how to bounce-pass (a dying art) and I can hit a conservative 75% of my free throws. Hell, put me on the bench just to shoot technicals. Think of the tens of people that will come out to see me standing shoulder-to-waist with Paul Davis and Marco Killingsworth.
Hack-a-Shaq, freak play, whatever, I'm game for it, Coach. I'll even buy my own shoes.
It's not too unlikely that Coach Matt Painter would try and fill the vacated roster spot with a walk-on player. Keady pulled it off last year bringing Charles Davis over from the football squad to offer fans something to cheer for, even if Chuck never put up the big numbers. So I have to do it. I have to pull the old, "Put me in, Coach," idea out of the deep freeze.
True, I've not played competitive basketball (the kind with coaches and fully robed referees) since 1996 when I suited up for my grade school's high school team (technically it's the parish's team, but you can do those things in CYO). I've never been the double-double threat as my rebounds usually dwarf my point totals. But Painter doesn't need the scoring power (well he actually does need it, desperately), but rather from the recent exploits of all Purdue athletes, the Boilers need someone whose been kicked around a bit by life yet managed never to fight back with violence or DUI's. Painter needs the plucky floor general who's also good at getting his homework in on time.
It'll only be a year, Coach. I'll enroll for some graduate work and be the mentor/walk-on that every team desires. I've got a smooth natural shooting motion, know how to bounce-pass (a dying art) and I can hit a conservative 75% of my free throws. Hell, put me on the bench just to shoot technicals. Think of the tens of people that will come out to see me standing shoulder-to-waist with Paul Davis and Marco Killingsworth.
Hack-a-Shaq, freak play, whatever, I'm game for it, Coach. I'll even buy my own shoes.
posted by Ross McLochness at 11:10 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home