Summer's Coming

The problem with writing a blog is that you have to have time to keep it updated... I think about it every day, but then other stuff takes priority...like work and that kind of thing. But here are some thoughts for the start of June...

• I love that the Lakers are back in the NBA Finals, and playing the Celtics makes it all the better. No matter how good or how bad the series turns out, it will have some of those "moments" that will live on for years. Like Magic hitting the baby sky hook, Worthy diving head-first to save a loose ball, Rambis getting closelined by McHale or Kareem celebrating LA's first championship series win over the Celtics in Boston Garden. Or even the meltdown of 1984, which might have been the best Laker team during those years. I just don't have those kinds of highlights etched in my memory from the more recent LA championships against Indiana, Philadelphia and New Jersey. But I think my favorite memory from the 1980s championship teams was how we all thought we were responsible for the Lakers' success. We all had superstitions and had to sit in the same seats if they were playing well. If the Celtics (or 76ers or Pistons) played well, we all traded seats. And one year we had the same thing to eat at every game the Lakers won--pepperoni and mushroom pizza...
  

• On his radio show this morning, Dan Patrick tried to pick his all-time Laker team to go against an all-time Celtics team. This is a tough one. I think I'd start Kareem, Kobe, Magic, Elgin and Jerry West. Wilt would come off the bench. I think I always used to think Wilt would be the top guy, but I've seen video of Kareem recently from his days at UCLA, with Milwaukee and the Lakers, and he was quick. He had the touch, but he could block shots and had enough strength to battle Lanier and Walton and the others. I can't imagine Wilt with so many tools, even though he was probably the most dominant center ever. Shaq would be the third center. Maybe one of them would play power forward. I'd figure out how to find playing time for Worthy, Wilkes and Goodrich. But who else fills out the roster? Probably Norm Nixon and Byron Scott, but I don't know after that....Maybe Tommy Hawkins, because I know him and he's a great guy...
  

• I love that there are so many Lakers who are recognizable only by their first names or nicknames ... Wilt, Kareem, Kobe, Elgin and Magic are obvious. And Laker fans would know who you meant with Big-Game James, Jamal and Byron. But if first-name recognition was the only criteria for selecting the all-time team, we might end up with a roster including Vlade, Kermit, Eldon, Sedale, Archie, Cedric, Sasha, Connie, Happy, Spencer, Elmore, A.C., Luke, Flynn and John Q. At least you know who I'm talking about.
  

• It's got to be pretty exciting for Kevin Bosson right around now, with his high school graduation on June 12. After he is presented his diploma, he'll rush over to the Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga to pitch in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin's annual all-star game before heading out to the grad night party. Claremont High usually has a great all-night party at a location they'll reveal to graduates that night. With all that's going on, I doubt Kevin will be looking ahead too far, since he might be tuning in this week to the Major League Baseball draft. He has his sights set on pitching at Cal Poly Pomona next year, but it would still be very cool to hear his name called on June 5 or 6. He's worked out for the Royals and Cardinals in the past week...

• Sid and Sam played over-the-line with cousins Brent and Kevin, and sort-of-cousin Spencer last weekend, along with some other friends. It brought back memories of all the many over-the-line games we used to play. We'd always be able to gather enough guys for a game, and we'd have no trouble finding a good field. But the best were the all-day tournaments that Greg Setlich would organize over at the Pomona College field in Claremont. The place was renovated years ago, but back then, it was not really cared for. The fence down the left-field line was 346 feet away, but only 345 in straightaway center. Then it came to about 320 in right. Because of a big old tree in right, the fence was only 292 down the line. We'd have two games going at once -- one in left field about 15 feet from home plate, and the other in right. Greg would organize the events well in advance and get at least six teams of four guys. Then he'd draw up a bracket and set it up as a double-elimination format. We'd start first thing in the morning and play until the champion was crowned, which usually wasn't until it was almost dark. Oh yeah, there was a keg in the dugout, too. So we'd start playing baseball and drinking beer in the morning and go all day. The two teams who were not playing kept the keg flowing, while the four other teams were on the field. As teams were eliminated, players sat in the dugout refilling their cups. Around noon, somebody would always seem to show up with tons of In-n-Out burgers. I think the Pomona College baseball coach even showed up once, and we promised to clean up, so he let us stay... We'd hold those tournaments once or twice a year, but it seemed we were always playing over-the-line. Great memories. I hope my boys keep playing -- and I'm sure they will -- they keep bugging me to revive the Visitors softball team... Stay tuned...

• Hi Dave. Thanks for reading.

I'd ramble more, but I need to do some work. Leave some comments, including your all-time Laker memory or team... I'll be back.