In the 1970/71 NBA season, I played against Lew Alcindor, now Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the Milwaukee's first round draft choice out of UCLA. A rookie, he was already a force and he would remain one for the rest of his 21seasons in the league, most of which were spent as a Los Angles Laker. My one memory of Jabbar from those day was how impossible he made it for any player to drive the paint, to do anything in the paint, for that matter. Since a lot of my game, even back then in my last year in the NBA when I was less than my physical best, had to do with getting put backs off the offensive glass, playing against Kareem was particularly frustrating.
That was then, this is now. Kareen is long in retirement. I am even longer retired. Today, I hardly think of Kareen as a professional basketball player any more, He has published non fiction and fiction, written articles, led progressive discussions about race and society. He is quoted often on a variety of subject that affect this county and the world. No, I can't think of him as the man with the sky hook or the player who swatted away my meager efforts to score. When I think of Kareem in 2021 in terms of basketball, I think of him as the one player that exemplifies the soul of the NBA.
If it were the power of the NBA, I would think of Wilt Chamberlain; if it were the skill of the NBA, I would chose Michael Jordan; if it were the finesse of the NBA, I'd select Steph Curry; if it were the energy of the NBA, I'd see Magic, and for basketball smarts, I'd select Larry Bird. (Wasn't it Bird who said once, "I wasn't a very good student, but I'm a PhD in basketball?") And so he was. And so it is that the core, the spiritual intelligence of the soul of the NBA belongs to the thoughtful, scholarly, and empathic Hall of Fame Center, Kareen Abdul Jabbar.
Why am I writing this today, when it is something that I've long believed? It is because on Facebook this morning I saw Kareem's thoughts on NFL QB, Aaron Rodgers. Kareem said, "Rodger's ignorance regarding the science of immunology brings back to life the old stereo type of he big dumb jock. His utter lack of even the most basic knowledge is shocking."
DUMB JOCKS, that's what Donald Trump and his ultra conservative, racist minions have been calling us from the time Colin Kaepernick knelt on the field during the national anthem to the statement that Lebron James should keep on dribbling instead of speaking out against racial inequity. And Rodgers, by his stupidity about COVID has played right into these despicable Trumpian people's hands.
I wonder if All State Insurance Company that is providing Aaron Rodgers with a hefty paycheck to endorse their product believes we're all a bunch of dumb jocks? Dumb enough to buy their insurance? Rodgers will assuredly become the poster child for Anti-Vaxxers. Is All State hoping to cash in on the Anti-Vaxxer market?
Well, as the saying goes, I guess Aaron Rodgers should just keep passing the football and stop talking about medical science as if he know what the F--K he's talking about.
A VERY LARGE ETC: For those of you NBA fans who didn't see Steph Curry's magnificent 50 point production against the Atlanta Hawks, you missed some beautiful magic. Curry is Macavity the Mystery Cat, (When opponents try to guard him, he is never there.) the elegance and grace of Barishnikov, and Henri Matisse (critically defining color and shape in modern 20th century art.) - oh, yes, Curry and the Art of Basketball.
I watched with mild interest Markief Morris's hard foul on Nicola Jokic and the Joker losing his temper slamming the back of Morris. And now the NBA is in an uproar. Not to mention a few Serbian brothers now versus the brothers. How the NBA has changed? In the NBA of 1960's and '70's that episode would have been considered a little manly disagreement, emphasis on the little. Here's a small poem on the subject from the prospective of a man who played in the NBA in the Sixties.
In the Moment by Tom Meschery
and I'm caught
between curbing my anger
or punching the player
who just fouled me.
Oh, what the hell, I think.
7 comments:
Thank you Sir for all for your posts. I repost them to our San Jose Mercury New Warrior's Fast Break Blog so the Warrior fans can follow along.
Thank you Sir for your thoughtful posts. I repost them to our Warrior's Fast Break Blog on the San Jose Mercury News site so we can all follow you.
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For me growing up in LA in the early ‘60’s, yours was always a name to conjure with. I was pointed here in a roundabout way. And I’m glad I found you. Such a dumb jock. Ahem.
Hi Mr Meschery, I just found your blog, and I love it. I'm not much of a basketball fan, but I do love my football! And, I never memorized Chaucer.
Your former AP English student
I'm publishing my first volume of poetry and I have written a poem about you. I would like to get your approval and any thoughts or edits. Please respond if you get the chance. Thank you for everything you have and continue to write.
I would agree that Kareem is the Soul of the NBA. A complicated man, but what a sage he is. Consider the 1968 Olympic boycott, his coaching experience on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, and his views on vaccination.
I just read the NY Times article about Wilt's 100 point game. Wonderful, insightful quotes from you. You'll always be the "poet laureate of the NBA," and in my opinion, an underutilized asset. When I was a junior high kid in Akron, I was fortunate enough to see Wilton get 66 against the Royals. I have written a screenplay about one of Frank McGuire's players at St. John's, Coach Al McGuire. I think we know where Frank's cuff links came from.
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