Time for Hoops

After a 2 year respite I've made my triumphant return to basketball. Since I have started running again, the transition to running the court should be easy, right?

It's funny how we think of ourselves in the context of the past. If you were posed the question, "are you any good at basketball?" (or any sport for that matter), what would go through your mind. You may go through a thought process similar to that which I do.
First, I imagine myself in my prime, back in college, when I used to work out 5 days a week and stayed on the move constantly. I picture myself as I was then, ready to step on the court against any adversary. Regardless of how good they may be, I'm sure I can hang with them because...well...I'm good, aren't I?

Second, I realize that I may have lost a step, but I'm sure that I'm still a "good" player.

The next thing I know, I'm watching another team play and realizing that the level of play in church league that I just joined is not near the level I used to play back in the day. I chuckle and think to myself "Man, I should dominate".... "should" being the key word.

Once the game begins and I find myself sucking wind, find myself 2 steps behind, find myself wandering nearly aimlessly across the court; I realize that I may not be quite a good as I used to be. Also, I realize that I spend 1/3 of my life sleeping, 1/3 of my life sitting behind a desk at work, and the majority of the other 1/3 being a couch potato. Of course I'm proud of that 30 minute run I went on early in the week. I'm sure that balances out the other 23.5 hours of the day, the 3 huge meals, the snacks, and vegging out on the couch...

The previous scenario is not theoretical. It's not what I think would happen. It's reality.

My friend, John, and I signed up for a church league in Lexington. Our team is not bad, nor is it good. It's just bad enough so that (in my out-of-shape condition) I feel like one of the good players on the team, yet just good enough that I feel a step slower than I was just 2 years ago.

Our first game was 2 weeks ago. On our first possession of the game, I set pick and rolled to the basket, ready for the ball, the pass was made....and I fumbled around with the ball until I ultimately turned it over to the other team. Ugh, where are my hands? Although I was sure it would get better in a matter of minutes, it didn't. After a few mis-handles, I became a pivot man and did not look to shoot at all. By the end of the game I was 1 for 2 from the field, for a grand total of 2 points. Not good considering that I am, by far, the biggest guy on our team. We really need a big guy down low. I hope that I can get it together to fill that role.
I missed our second game due to a trip to the beach. Tonight marks our third match-up. I really hope that I can leave the fumble fingers at home so that I can make my mark on the game and be some semblance of the player I used to be, vaguely reminiscent of that college version of myself that I see in the mirror although it's not really there. We'll see how it plays out.