Some time ago an old friend made mention of one of my most triumphant achievements that has eluded my attention in recent years. We will forgo the argument of what accomplishments this is being judged against (i.e. marriage and sealing to my wife, births of my three children, serving a mission, etc.) and will suffice it to say that it exists in a category of its own.
The Robinson Estate was one which many of us flocked to in our adolescent days. The family was well-known and incredibly hospitable to friend and stranger alike. However, while it was a place of retreat and happiness, it was also a den of intense competition. They have a “Goalrilla” basketball hoop that is in the upper echelon of the known standards of today. It was as if you were playing on a professional stage yet with a playground atmosphere. It created an utter respect for all, yet a deep yearning to trounce whomever ventured onto the driveway at Dutch and Karen’s Manor.
Such was the arena not long after I had considered my retirement from the sport of basketball. It seemed that hundreds were loitering around enjoying a hot evening with a few leisurely conversations as summer boredom had assembled there at the Robinson's. In the midst of this tedium, an idea was spontaneously hatched to hold an event for those who wanted to participate in a challenge for the ages. A two-on-two, single-elimination tournament featuring collegiate athletes, former-high-school stars, and the seasoned church-ball veterans- all craving to be the victor of this contest of contests. Calls were made and the news had spread. People were gathering from miles away.
Feeling nothing short of being inspired, my teammate and I were drawn together like numerous other famous duos had in history: Martin and Lewis, Montana and Rice, Jemaine and Bret, Shaggy and Scooby, and after this tournament….. Sheen and Dressen. You see Justin Sheen was and is known for his many talents and plain genius, nonetheless he was and more than likely still is not recognized as a basketball player. Did that deter us? Absolutely not. In fact I waited as everyone divvied up into their supposed squads which left Justin near the end of the veritable “last kid picked” line. Thanks to their mindless assumptions that Justin was a mere nerd that had no athleticism whatsoever, I being the ying was left with my yang.
No detailed stories need be told of how our success came to fruition. Dunks were made, comebacks transpired, and game-winning shots went down. We beat friends, foes, unknowns, the superior, the un-favored, and anyone else that dared. We won.
Why you ask? Why has this not been told of before in the West Jordan annals of history? The answer is quite straightforward actually. No one has dared admit that they lost at the hands of Justin and I. They have bottled up the recollection of losing the perpetual battle that is basketball to the two people they never would’ve predicted to suffer defeat from. And to be honest, I’d suppress those memories too if I lost to a toothpick-redhead and the kid who scored better than everyone else on the ACT.
4 comments:
It is about time that this story was told.
Thanks for including me in this epic and omitting the fact that my only contribution on offense was to know enough to give you the ball and get out of the way and that my only contribution on defense was to commit cheap fouls and shame people out of calling them (no one wants to admit to being fouled by the nerd with the loud mouth and bony girl arms).
Still, a win is a win. And since such an even will never be repeated, we're pretty much Eternal Champions of the Universe.
We await any challangers to our title.
Just one last thought:
It has always been frustrating that something as epic as an all-West Jordan Open 2-on-2 basketball tournament featuring all of the top players in town has been treated by most as a forgotten footnote in history. The reason is, as you say Tony, because you and I won it.
What people don't often recognize about the two of us, is that despite our broad exposure and reputations for cockiness, we're actually quite humble people who rarely trumpet our own achievements. So with us never bringing it up and everyone else too embarrassed to remember, it risks being forgotten.
Contrastingly, you know that if that Judd kid had won this tournament, it's all we would ever hear about.... even now.
Sheen to Dressen... Dressen to Sheen. I wish I could have seen that.
This really is a story for the ages. I'm disappointed that it isn't more infamous.
I've never even seen Justin run. Or walk fast, for that matter.
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