August 25, 2020

 

I have come to the realization that I am a creature of habit and that doesn’t appreciate idle time like I should.  When I decided to write each day about my experience here in the bubble I failed to realize what a commitment that was.  But I knew I wanted to record the days events because this was going to be unique venture.  That is all well and good.  But then I decided to additionally commit to improving my Spanish each day by taking an on line course and insuring I completed that objective daily as well.  Okay, so I have two commitments that I must accomplish no matter what.  I guess that wasn’t enough as attending the fitness center each day was yet another requirement for me.  I have to tell you, I have not failed with my writing or with the Spanish, and I have only missed the gym a few times.  Of course, I rationalized my absence from the workout room blaming that on long hours the night before or a full day ahead, but for the most part, I have done well with all three choices.  However, some days I wondered why I did this to myself?  Regardless, I am going to trudge through and finish what I started but man, I need to learn to relax.

My one game was the last of the restart with my director Howie Singer.  This was a strange run with him as we never saw him face to face.  We only heard his voice through our headsets.  We weren’t able to take a group picture which is our tradition at the end of each playoff series.  And, as luck would have it, the game was a complete disaster.  From a technical standpoint it was very, very good.  From a competitive standpoint, the Mavericks were never in this game as Kristaps Porzingis was unable to play due to injury and the Clippers were on fire.  My fishing buddy (of one off chance and fifteen minutes) Paul George finally had a long overdue great performance scoring thirty points and clearly enjoying himself on the court for the first time since arriving.

There were six technical fouls called during the contest and way too many video reviews of plays that really didn’t have any bearing on the outcome of the game because Los Angeles had a twenty point lead for most of the game. I hate these types of games.  All I wanted is the clock to run and get the hell out of there. Give me a four point game anytime. 

During the post-game interview George was asked about not only his performance but what brought it about.  He confidently responded that he had been in a dark place for a long time while being in the bubble.  He said it had been a struggle to function during the time of separation from his family, his home, his normal way of life.  His teammates played a major role in helping him out of the darkness that had taken him over.  I think back to the brief conversation we had that one day on the bridge while fishing.  He said you get used to life in the bubble.  That was over a month and a half ago.  I don’t think he ever really got used to it.  It was refreshing to listen to him honestly express the difficulty that had experienced while trying to adjust to this experiment.

Doc Rivers, the coach of the Clippers, held an extremely emotional press conference.  The topic veered from the game towards the social environment outside the bubble.  As a result of yet another shooting of an unarmed black man he held back tears often choking up while expressing his desire for change in our country.  He expressed how his father was a police officer, how when Americans are fighting wars overseas the color of their skin doesn’t matter, how the divide in our country must end.  But then, he made a statement that caught my attention as one of those that will be quoted for years to come…”It's amazing to me why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back.”

I left the arena playing that quote over and over in my head. I held back tears when I told my wife about the interview, my voice cracking when I tried to repeat his heartfelt words to her. No way in hell do I know what it feels like to be a person of color in this country.  But when I listen to those that tearfully express their feelings, I can’t help but wonder how in the hell can anyone not stop and listen and encourage each and every one of us to make a change.  Empathy, we all need empathy.  But this is a song that has been being sung for a long, long time.

When I got back to the resort there were a large number of people hanging out at the pool.  Of course, everyone was where they normally congregated. The referees were at one end, the ESPN crew at another, various support personnel dotting in between, the Turner folks outside the fencing playing dominoes.  I dropped my computer and backpack in my room and mixed a rum and coke and went back towards the pool.  As I walked past the referee pod I stopped to speak with Kevin, one of the clock operators from Houston.  We talked about the current situation facing our country, swapped stories about life on the road, and he shared with me some of his wine that he had shipped in by the caseload.  He wanted to know if I was from Alabama, or attended Alabama because he had witnessed me wearing an Alabama shirt.  Then, to my amazement, Leon Wood, the referee that works out incessantly each morning in the fitness center I wrote about weeks ago, piped in “He ain’t from Alabama.  He’s got a UMass shirt, a Rice shirt, a Miami shirt, hell he has a whole collection.”  That comment made me laugh.  My wardrobe had been noticed.  I will have another glass of wine thank you.