Forty-Four

I turned 44 yesterday.

The Iceman (George Gervin) also wore that number on his jersey when he played for the San Antonio Spurs.

This was during the time I really started tuning into basketball... somewhere in the early 80s. I'm mostly tuned out now, but in those days I would play or watch whenever I could. Because there was no ESPN and barely any cable, there wasn't all that much to see. While I would coincidentally catch a game here and there, my daily fix often meant checking the newspaper for the scores. To be a little more accurate, I would glance at the final score and then I would study the stats.

I don't follow the game closely enough to know what changed since then, but during this time you could usually count on most teams in the Western Division (especially the Spurs) scoring a colossal number of points. And when they played Denver with Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe, the totals went up from there. The Spurs might put up 133 points only to lose by six. The Iceman, Artis Gilmore, Johnny Moore and Mike Mitchell... It was ridiculous... glorious.

I don't remember when I fell in love with the Gervin or the Spurs. Probably at the same moment. Watching him play made me just love the game, the same way Tarkenton did with the Vikings, the way Kellen Winslow did with the Chargers. Win or lose, my teams then are my teams now. I'm stubborn that way.

Wait... Where am I going with this? There's a point, I promise.

Gervin didn't really play defense. He played offense... putting big numbers on the board, all season long. Unsatisfied with my production in the past couple of years, I'm hoping a little of the number 44 magic rubs off on me in 2012. The plan is do to do more, be more, see more... and maybe weigh a little less. Working out, eating better, reading scriptures, taking pictures, calling family, writing notes, being grateful, less sitting, more hiking... it's all there in the game plan. Okay, there isn't really a game plan... just a desire to make a little more out of my forty-fourth season.

I can't promise I'll play any defense... but with Tracy's help,  I plan on chucking up a lot of shots.