Survive and Advance

"There's a tradition in tournament play to not talk about the next step until you've climbed the one in front of you."  - Coach Norman Dale

I thought of this quote after today's round of 16 game when Eldest told me the top seed in the CYA 4th Grade Basketball Tournament had lost their Round of 16 game, and said "That means we could win the championship!!"  Norman Dale's wisdom never fails me.  Upon returning home from the game, I made Eldest watch Coach Dale's speech before the state semifinal game.

It is natural for people, especially children, to dream about glory.  When playing basketball in the neighborhood, either alone or with friends, you don't pretend to make a basket to cut the score to 46-37 in  the third game of your sophomore JV season in high school.  You make the NBA Championship winning basket in Game 7, with the clock hitting 0.0.  Glory, however, doesn't get you to game 7.  As coach Dale says, focusing on what got you there, that is how you keep moving forward.

For our boys, they did just that in the Round of 16.  With one exception.  The boys rebounded well, played good team defense and made their shots.  Eldest, who is not the best basketball player, pulled in four rebounds, one steal, several well set screens and some good defense to contribute to the win.  He played his position well, and found himself wide open under the basket several times.  Unfortunately, his teammates couldn't get him the ball.  Regardless, he did his job.  They all did their jobs and earned a 10 point win.  Even the teammate who decided that he could make 20-foot jump shots couldn't prevent a fairly easy win in the 4th quarter.  I could've smacked that kid the 4th time he air balled a college 3 point length shot that isn't even worth 3 points in our games.

Later today, we play the first team to beat us.  In my expert opinion, we are the better team.  We should have won the game earlier this season.  We should win today.  However, one thing Norman Dale never told his team (probably because they were underdogs throughout) was that in tournament play, you can never let down.  The better team doesn't win.  The best team on that day, at that time, in that place wins.  We see it every March, in conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament.  Perhaps the team that wins is the one thinking about that game, instead of the Championship.  Hopefully our boys are up to the task today.

Reflections on What Has Happened

1. William and Mary Men's Swimming gets second in the final relay of the CAA Championship to finish second in the meet.  For one more year, the dream is dead.

2.  UVA is really setting me up for an emotional fall.  Beating Syracuse by 19 makes me think this team should accomplish something.  A 2nd round exit in both the ACC and NCAA Tournaments would be disheartening this year.

3.  Didn't take long for Russia to start playing some old games once the Olympics were over, huh?

4.  Boys ages 4-9 love the Lego Movie.  Everything is Awesome.


What to Watch For

1.  Survive and Advance - Part 2 (or Crash and Burn)

2.  Giant snowfall.

3.  Oscars.

4.  College basketball tournaments heating up.