So basically, we've all heard the worn out line, "Sports aren't REALLY important. It's not like they're curing cancer or anything." And everyone nods knowingly and then we proceed to get deeply into debate about what's best for our favorite team. So, if it's really not significant, why do we do it? Is it possible that it IS actually important but we don't think it's PC to admit it? I know several oncologists, and they're great at treating really sick people, but we can't all "cure cancer". And does anyone remember the line from Dead Poet's Society, "...And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." What is modern basketball if not performance art? What is performance art if not a momentary sharing of beauty? It may be the most creative game ever invented. When I see Jokic go behind his back with a pass, it isn't necessarily planned. He just does it as an spontaneous, inventive thing. And on some strange level it's beautiful.
My father introduced me to basketball and the Nuggets when we moved here from Panama at age 10. Prior to that it was all soccer and baseball as one might imagine on the Eastern coast of Panama growing up. Basketball was a way to begin to "experience America". But it turned out to be one of many special lifelong connections with my father. Years ago, when he was dying of cancer, our last fun outing together was going to a Nuggets game. How ironic is this based on the first sentence of this post? My mother, like all good nesters, wanted me to get plenty of sleep as a kid so dad gave me a tiny AM radio that allowed me to hear Al Albert say, "Issel with the missile..." late into the night in my room. Just another great tie to dad and a secret between us that I thought was special. I've heard hundreds of patients over the years say, "Gosh, I'm glad (insert team name here) is winning. I know dad and mom are watching from above." If none of this matters, why do we say things like this? Imagine the virtual community of the Denver Stiffs. It's the only blog I've ever followed, but it allows the experience of watching a game with friends without the pretense and judgment that often comes with an actual "get-together". Everyone is equal and every comment counts. And the posts that include advanced metrics really add something to the experience for someone like me with less knowledge of such things.
Having rambled on here, I would end with this: As part of the Nuggets broadcast the other day, Altitude had a young man with extraordinary abilities to remember numbers and stats. To many people he may have been seen and heard on the telecast as interesting, and indeed he was interesting and amazing. In truth, my wife and I were riveted by his inclusion. Why? Because he reminded us of someone very special to us and how sport allows everyone to be an integral part just by having a shared interest and passion with others around us. It can enhance a family relationship, it can bring us new friends, and it can give us a little bit of beauty in a very difficult world. I once was at a Reverend Horton Heat concert where he stopped right in the middle of a song where everyone was dancing, singing, and really into it. And he said, "Man I have no idea why this connects us this way but it sure is cool." What if sport and music and art ARE actually really important? What if they are as important to us as those things that "sustain life"? There will always be sadness, death, disease, unkind people, etc. But certain things in our lives alleviate the pain around us. The conventional wisdom is that this is all fluff. But maybe That's the Jokic and the joke's on us. I vote that Down really is the New Up and our shared interests in "unimportant" things matter more than we realize.
john mclaughlin
