Who among the living legends can forget “Big Country”? Living basketball legends like Michael Jordan, sitting there NCAA championship Houston ,Texas….going down to the wire…. All American John Wooden’s alliance with UCLAcoach Wilbur Johns, matching his initials with coach Wooden’s J.W.
II
God’s way…poetry in motion. 7 footers like AAU 7 footer Phillip Oilers Bob Kurland, pioneers George Mikan of DePaul.……the playground legends, the game had come into the reality of the Dream.
Mid America, the birthplace of the hoop..Indiana’s Larry Bird ,the two handed set shot eclipsed by Philadelphia’s ‘prayer’, theone handed “I got rhythm” from downtown..thru the nylon.
Villanova’s dream, far from the maddening crowd.
III
Over shadowing Stanford’s Hank Luisetti’s pioneer one handed set shot….Bill Russell from neighboring San Francisco, evolving the defensive side of the Dream, with Auerbach’sBoston Celtics, Red himself off the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Eastern District High School.
(Wilt Chamberlain’s hundred points with the Philadelphia Warrior hoops)
IV
A revolution from the Fr Country of West Virginia. Clair Bee, coaching.LIU. Jerry West from that mountainous coal country landscape, reclaiming his dead eye, masking hiss deception and rhythm…the wisp the flavor, the rhythm of the 7 footers likeKurland, coming into their own…post WW2…
Lew Alcindor, his initials by the Name Detective, hearing the sound of 70000 last night, “go West young man”, evolving into UCLA’s John Wooden program…..77 straight NCAA wins..10 titles!
V
The New York Knicks having Phil Jackson, numero six man,sitting next to coach Red Holtzman, the son of immigrants (Franklyn Lane High School, CUNY) learning the game from a genius ……masterminding the game from the Continental League to the Chicago Bulls and assistant coach Tex Winter’s triangle ball control …into the paint like the Jackie Robinsoncoordination of eyes and hands… dream acrobats hanging in the air!!!! (in front of the nylon and backboard)
VI
Finally one last moment, the coordination of the hands and eye of a Jackie Robinson, once again demonstrated last night, from downtown. The City of Brotherly Love, resonating the Dream, the poetry of immortality coming home..
Nova’s “I got rhythm” thru the nylon cords.…
The City of Brotherly Love, April 5, 2016
