Thursday, July 30
Dear diary,
The NBA is back, with all the hype, fanfare and ball washing of a self-fulfilling prophecy. As I watched the opening ceremonies before the first game started, the camera followed the line of Jazz and Pelicans players, standing side by side, wearing matching Black Lives Matter t-shirts. The loud speaker played recordings of NBA players and coaches talking about their desire for systemic change, while the cameras showed how solemn and stoic they looked. Commanding the attention of the fan-less room, the PA voice introduced the performer for the National Anthem. The players and coaching staff knelt in unison, while the TV commentators filibustered about diversity and freedom of expression, that if someone had stood for the Anthem, they ought not be looked at differently for their different expression, etc. The irony was not lost on me.
Then, the basketball began and after a second quarter alley-oop dunk from Lonzo Ball to Zion Williamson, I forgot all about my feelings of the Association's hypocrisy. I enjoyed the third quarter, sitting in the sweltering heat of the shop, waiting for a job to distract me. Driving home, I listened to the Yankees game after Voit's grand slam, and before Judge's 3-run blast. To make it worse, John Sterling wasn't even calling the game. I do have a new favorite GIF now, though.
The L.A. Lebrons played the L.A. Kawhis for the second NBA relaunch game. I missed 98% of it while I played mind games with my teenage daughter, reminding me of a post I saw: Sometimes you just need to stop fighting and let someone be wrong. So, eventually I caught the last minutes of the 4th quarter, viewing the Lebrons win in dramatic fashion, when Paul George couldn't power in the potential game winner for the Kawhis. It was poetic and pious simultaneously.
Earlier this morning, the PGA teed off the World Golf Championship in Memphis. Brooks Koepka finished Round 1 with a 62, that's -8, for first place all alone. Can he keep it going tomorrow? "It ain't over till it's over." said great Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra.
[From LiVE… here, now at bakeshere.com]
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