thanks, coach.....

I grew up with a dream - to be 6' 2", 190 pounds, and play point guard for the Boston Celtics. (I stopped short of my height goal by about 5 inches, but I'm closing in on the weight part!) I spent almost every afternoon from the time I was 5 until I was about 15 in my driveway or someone else's driveway playing basketball.

I started playing organzied basketball in the Kingsport City League when I was 6. I remember Dad taking me to the Ross and Robinson Junior High gym on many cold Saturday mornings. I didn't play all that much the first year, mainly because I was dwarfed ball all those "monsterous" 7-year-old boys.

With just a few games left in the season, I was the only one left on the team who hadn't scored in any of the games. My coach called a time out and drew up a play in the huddle. It was basically a 4-man screen they set so that they could wall-off the defenders and give me a clear shot at the basket. I think it took 3 tries, but I finally made it. I thought I was the league MVP after that game. I went on to play for several more years in city league, for part of a season in junior high, several years in church leagues, a couple of years in intramurals, and then back to the church leagues after moving to Nashville. Alas, the Celtics never called me.

Paul Riley was the coach who made sure I scored my first season. While reading the Kingsport Times News on-line yesterday, I saw that Paul passed away Wednesday morning. I'll bet I hadn't thought about that 4-man screen in over 30 years, but I remembered it instantly when I read his obituary. Thanks, Coach.....