Now that I'm retired

Since I haven't played a serious game of basketball in about four years, now, I guess I can officially announce my retirement. Check for the announcement on the crawler on ESPN2.
For a guy who loved playing the game for more than 30 years, I can't believe I've actually given it up. I'm not sure why I quit playing. I guess it could have something to do with the extra hundred pounds I'm hauling around in my gut.
I could get into shape but I don't think I could ever compete like I did when I was younger. In any event, I'm not motivated enough to find out.
I do miss it a little.
I miss the hand-to-hand combat under the basket.
I miss playing against my buddies.
I miss talking trash.
I miss opponents trying to figure out if I'm right handed or left handed.
I miss my lefthand jump hook.
I miss the feeling of being in the zone, knowing the ball is going in as soon as it leaves my hand.
I miss playing on the dirt court with dust and rocks, tree roots, a wooden backboard and a bent rim.
I miss hearing the words, 'run it back.'
I miss playing against strangers and having to figure out their game.
I miss setting hard picks.
I miss practicing a move by myself, then using it in a pickup game and it works.
I miss playing one-on-one with my brother.
I miss shooting from way downtown.
I miss playing after the rain, using the mudholes on the court as screens.
I miss hearing the words, 'one mo to see 'em go.'
I miss playing hard.
I miss drinking water straight out the hose between games.
I miss the feeling of invincibility, not worrying about possible injury.
I miss trying to dunk.
I miss playing in the dark.
I miss whooping somebody's butt.
I miss being the underdog.
I miss playing while girls are watching.
I miss my step back jumper.
I miss picking teams.
I miss getting picked on a team.
I miss being on the team that stays on the court all day long.
I miss doing the dirty work.
I miss playing the game.

Lady Trojans pull off upset

I was in Fordyce last year when Parkers Chapel played against Bearden. The Lady Bears absolutely mauled the Lady Trojans 40-10. Coach Mark Young put two starters back into the game in the fourth quarter to make sure his team got into double figures.
"That was embarassing," said Young.
After struggling to get into double figures a year ago, the Lady Trojans saw sophomore Dana Gray pop in 30 points, including six 3-pointers Tuesday in a 48-46 win at Bearden.
When Young called in the result Tuesday night, I asked him several times if he was serious. He asked me why I wasn't there.
I had my reasons for not making the trip to Bearden.
First, Strong and Norphlet had another important conference game and this one was about 10 minutes away instead of 50.
Second, Parkers Chapel was coming off a loss to Norphlet and a lackluster win at Hampton. These less-than-impressive showings didn't infuse me with a lot of enthusiasm for a possible upset.
But, perhaps the biggest reason I didn't give Parkers Chapel much of a chance against Bearden was simply - I was there last year when they struggled to get 10 points.
When I said the Lady Bears mauled Parkers Chapel last year, I mean it, literally. It looked like full-grown women against little bitty girls. The Lady Trojans didn't belong on the same floor with them last year.
Bearden returned the bulk of its team this year. I'm a Dana Gray fan but how much difference could she make.
Well, it's hard to downplay 30 points. Gray makes the Lady Trojans better but, the team's improvement is a team thing. The team has a more aggressive, hard-nosed attitude. Credit the sophomore class for its enthusiasm. Credit the juniors for their athleticism. Credit the seniors for their memory.
I didn't think Parkers Chapel had a chance to win because of what happened last year. The Lady Trojans knew they had a shot - because of last year.

Santa, please visit Smackover

Honestly, I don't have a lot to add in this report. I watched Norphlet beat Smackover 52-39 on Monday. The Lady Leopards look to be for real.
I'm anxiously awaiting Tuesday's game against Strong, which will start the separation process in the 2A 7East race.
Smackover coach Marsha Cowling can't seem to catch a break.
Before the season started, Nickole Frazier tore her ACL. Viana Stanley, who moved from El Dorado, didn't play early and her status was uncertain due to transfer eligiblity issues.
Stanley finally gets on the court and the Lady Bucks start clicking. Then, she hurt her foot at Sparkman and sits out a pair of games, which Smackover lost last week.
Stanley returned to the court on Tuesday but Kendra Marsh hurt her knee in the second half and couldn't return.
Marsh's status is still uncertain and Cowling said Stanley's injury, which could be turf toe, will probably hamper her all season. Throw in Lauren Rogers and Jo Jones, who are both still coming back from torn ACLs from last year and you can't help but feel a little sorry for the Lady Bucks.
No doubt about it, if Cowling could get her team fully healthy, Smackover would be one of the best teams in the area and a conference favorite. As it stands now, the Lady Bucks are limping into the holiday break with three straight losses and games against Parkers Chapel and Norphlet looming.
That's a tough way to start a season. If anyone deserves a Merry Christmas it's Coach Cowling and her Lady Bucks.

Strong I vs. Strong II

Some people were calling it, Strong's first team against Strong's second team. I won't go that far but clearly, Camden Fairview had a whole lot more firepower than Strong Thursday at the Farmers Bank & Trust Tournament.
The Lady Cardinals cruised to a 61-34 win and the game wasn't that close.
Fairview coach Ronald Rogers didn't even press the Lady Bulldogs, which I thought was especially nice since the press is what the Lady Cardinals do best.
A lot of folks were looking forward to this game. I wasn't and, apparently, neither were the players.
The pregame and postgame hugs had more intensity than the 32 minutes of action. I'm not saying the girls weren't playing hard but they weren't playing as hard as I've seen them play.
In my hundred years of covering sports, I've come to the conclusion that most girls don't like to compete against their friends. I'm a guy and, like most guys, I play just as hard against my friends as I do any other opponent - probably harder.
But, for some reason, girls don't know how to leave it on the court. My brother and I have had knockdown, dragout battles where blood was literally left on the court. It never affected our relationship off the court.
I guess competing comes more naturally for some. Most boys understand the rule, when you step on the court, you play to win. When the game is over, everything that happened on the court, stays on the court.
With that being said, I hope Fairview and Strong don't play each other again this year. The Lady Bulldogs didn't come to win. The Lady Cardinals didn't come to dominate.
As much as I did enjoy the sportsmanship on both sides and the care the players had for one another, I would've also liked to have seen the players get after it on the court. Believe it or not, you can do both at the same time.

Magnolia HS Tournament begins

Oh man, I'm starting to get excited.
First Norphlet shocked me last week and appears to be much, much better than I ever thought they'd be this season.
On Monday, I was quite pleased to watch Smackover and Strong turn in great performances at the Farmers Bank & Trust Tournament in Magnolia.
The Lady Buckaroos buried Hope 51-39, using fullcourt defensive pressure. Smackover's backcourt combination of Kendra Marsh and Viana Stanley can do some things offensively and, as a team, the Lady Bucks showed a solid press.
I'm still trying to get information on the new league Smackover is in, but the Lady Bucks should be very competitive.
Strong, meanwhile, had me down in the dumps following their season-opening loss. I hadn't seen the Lady Bulldogs since then but Coach Gerrald Koonce promised changes had been made. Apparently, the changes worked as Strong pummeled Genoa 71-48 Monday night.
Anastasia Dismuke was Cheryl Ford-like on the offensive glass and Maranda Parker controlled things nicely, handling the ball against the press.
Parker had better be in great shape this season or else some other Lady Bulldog will have to step up as a ball handler.
Other than a lack of depth, both Strong and Smackover looked good and should be factors in their respective conferences this season.

Good move, Coach

Okay Justin Welch, you officially got your coaching stripes tonight.
Norphlet knocked Parkers Chapel from the ranks of the unbeaten Friday with a 36-35 conference win on the road.
It was a great game. I'm not saying it was the most well played game. Both teams committed turnovers and made mistakes. But, strictly from a competitive standpoint, which is what counts the most for me, it was as good as it gets. Both teams got after it, making for a postseason atmosphere in November.
This is going to be a fun year.
Anyway, Coach Welch showed me he learned a thing or two from his days at Union.
Welch went to a type of man-to-man defense against the Lady Trojans, catching them off guard. Parkers Chapel struggled offensively and never got into a rhythm.
What's so special about a man-to-man defense?
Nothing, but I was impressed with Welch's ability to come up with a winning strategy like that in his second year on the sideline.
Welch watched Parkers Chapel struggle at Strong when the Lady Bulldogs went to a man. I didn't notice it. But, I'm not a coach.
Give Welch credit. He played Stephens on Tuesday with PC coach Mark Young scouting. Welch didn't unveil the man-to-man because he wanted to surprise the Lady Trojans.
It was a fairly crafty move.
I like it.
Of course, next time Young and his Lady Trojans will be ready for it. It's going to be fun to watch as some potential chess matches are brewing in Union County. No matter what happens next, Coach Welch looks like he could be on his way to a coaching career.