Green horns(poetry and comentatary on true life Basketball)

Green horns: Players and coach

Because I was new to coaching and they were new to the games, and it was their first experience outside the university, I have to encourage them to ask the official about a rule interpretation during a regular or 20-second timeout charged to our team. Because I was unable to discuss a judgment decision.

There was a time our play was so bad that I thought all the players will be fouled out and we had no bench, No team may be reduced to less than five players. If a player in the game receives his sixth foul and there is no substitute the player will remain in the game, resulting in a team foul, which was our worst undoing, when most of the players had four fouls to their names

Being over cautious to avoid team foul, lead to more mistakes, Steven Okoye went out injured, and we were soundly beaten

And then the excuse began…
A ballplayer laughs, and blamed me Coachy
Said they outplayed us in every phase of the game
Because Coachy refused to leave him inside
Taking him off for a scrappy player

A ballplayer laughs and said I hate him
Why else I didn’t put him to lead the team
For he wanted it more than a teammate does
And his assumption was we beat ourselves.

Voices said from the stand
It just wasn't meant to be our day
We had our chances but we let them slip away
Because the Coachy know not some basic rules

Emeka was my assistance as the coach
And he was a youth younger than most players
And admitted the best team won today
And that we came up a little short.

I don't want to point fingers
But the bull injury left us short
And therefore the turnovers killed us
And they out-muscled us

Ibrahim say they out-coached us.
Ayo said we got a wake-up call.
Beddie admitted we weren't mentally prepared.
And the coach came out flat.

TC said there were too many defensive lapses.
Voices said our defense was a non-factor.
Jonathan said we shot ourselves in the foot
And the coach dug us a deep hole

Obaro said we lost our focus.
Afeez said we didn’t get the big breaks today
When our defense didn't show up
to replace a disqualified player

I take full responsibility for this loss.
Because we didn't get the job done
they out-hustled the green horns we were
and ate our lunch in the basketball court

we can still hold our heads high
we guys have nothing to be ashamed of
because it is our first major tournament
and the others has twenty years over us

I tip my hat to them.
As the ball just didn't bounce our way
they just made the big plays and we didn't.
we only have to look in the mirror
and learn from what we learned in deed


Green horns: Account of the Game
( a game of promise)

One of my player looks around
He looked hard right and left
I look hard at him from the bench,
pointing out were I found an opening
to the point guard.

He fake left
then spin right,
he release the ball
it's in flight.

Saed; the point guard catches it
the perfect pass from john the bull,
now much closer he get
to backboard glass and line

He fake left
then spin right,
Player and ball rhyming
body dance like poetry in motion,


point guard sets
shoot the ball and miss the shot
yet the cheering crowd
wont forget…
Player and ball rhyming
body dance like poetry in motion

‘FROM PLATFORM TO PODIUM’: call for paper

Call for write-up on ‘Why student love and Play basketball’

I recently sent out a mail, and prints to some student, staff and players in my university that I know like to watch basketball or are still actively playing basketball with us at the sport court. I wanted to know why they love the game, reason to go to open court when it rains, or wanted to make a career out of basketball. I got some really interesting answers...

According to Demilade (200 Level), one of the students who tried to make the final twelve of the university team,

‘I love the game because of the trill, the feeling of fulfillment after the final buzzer, and cheer and the joy of my teams and fans who came to watch. It is simply Unforgettable’ more so since the coach make it a fun for all involved’

Here is another quote by Okhumoya.W. Saed (200 Level); the University basketball team captain

‘I play and love basketball because to me it’s pure joy. As a point guard and the captain of the team, it gives me added responsibility, knowing that when the ball leaves your hand it must be intended to reach one of my teammates or the basket, and if the ball from my hand rises and falls gracefully through the iron hoop and silk netting, l put a smile on the face of my team mate, supporters and fans, interesting knowing that I am the one who put the smile there’

According to AFEEZ, the University NACOSS (National Association of Computer Science Students) Financial Secretary,

‘Today basketball has made me aware of my influence over others, take great pride in my responsibility to them, I am an authority - A model at NACOSS, a person who can make a great impact on the character development because basketball teaches me team work

I play football and basketball, and have had the privilege of representing the university on both games, unlike football; basketball is one of the only sports which you can play on your own. And it’s the challenge of overcoming yourself and the other which keeps me motivated to try to improve.’

Leonard Lawani (100 level) says ‘basketball brings me joy - regardless if my day has been great or horrible. I know basketball will give me that bit of joy. Thank you basketball … and thanks again coachy for bringing basketball to Bells University.
The Coach say ‘As a creative writer, someone who project pain into poetry, the Danfur Genocide, Zimbabwe conflict, and much more such ethnic problem in Africa, these tensions are stressful and stroke inducible, but playing the game I love at such a conflicting moment, can reduce the danger inherent in health problems such as stroke, that is not all the reason why, I also love to play basketball because it is a perfect game, fusing harmonious team play with opportunities for a talented individual to showcase his creativity and skills. There is nothing quite like swishing a game winning shot or making a perfect backdoor pass or running a smooth give and go and smashing into the university two most outstanding players; Steven Okoye and Tosin (yao ming).

Why do you love basketball? What do you think of the University Basketball Team, do you want to play a part, and can you write an article, poem or story about the sport for the competitiveness and intensity it brings. If yes please send me a comment or an article, with a picture of you (not optional) before the 28th of May 2008, and it will appear on the book to be published on 24th June 2008 ‘From Platform to Podium’
Please email me at tribalpoetry@yahoo.com

Or text your email to 08052130879 for membership to Bells-basketball (groups online)
Thanks
Omosun Sylvester
Planning officer

Part Two: When The Whisle Blows

When the whistle blows



the period ends when the goal is made

the goal, if successful, shall count

with good call by the official

When the whistle blows



If a timeout request is made

I needed it to stop the bleeding

Because our shot barely drew iron
and the refs could not let me play



For the fun of it Don lost the handle

And game has turned into a track meet

All male bodies tried for each fame
and I gave good minutes off the bench



We got all the call against

From illegal physical contact

the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct

or violations by team members



I was absolutely livid on the sideline

as players clawed their way back into the game

but yet every jump ball on the ref
is a floor violation by the bells.
An unusual delay

For a successful field goal attempt



We were leading 20 to 14

When a live ball is in flight

With five minutes left on the clock

the officials were right on top of us



upon receiving a timeout request

a defensive player cried in the court

an offensive player prayed in tongues

knowing they're within striking distance now

to claim the price the Host refuse to give

.

now it is two minutes to go

and it becomes a whole new ballgame

and without shame the ref screamed

and all fouls were called against us…

an unhindered attempt for the goal

Ball hitting vertical basket support

And everything we did called travelling,

Double dribble,
Striking or kicking the ball,

A throw-in ,
swinging of elbows,
24-second violation,

this is always a tough place to play



They’re playing with a sense of urgency

And scores came 22 to 18

And in frustration the don was fouled out

And they got a big break there



24 to 18

statistics can be misleading.

statistics tell the whole story.

that's the key statistic.

that's the key to the game

they all tried to steal



we took what the defense gives us

and the ref call for free throw

twice in seven second

giving us a few more grey hairs

And the score was 24 to 22



The ref should get an academy award

for that acting job

they played these games on paper

and we know that score won't hold up



time was out but the game goes on

an excuse that the timer was bad

they diagrammed that perfectly

that's stuff for the highlight film

and in inexperience my player frustrated self

a shot three-point goes through

when the horn sounds ending a period,

24 to 25

Part One: when the whistle blows (True life Basketball Poem and Commentatry)

The Don Attack
...in anger he took the chair and threw it into the basketball court, in anger he walked to the first umpire and confronted him with the fact we all knew, eyes and cheek puffing in rage, he called him a cheat, and in the heat of the moment both side when into the court, and the Don attack becomes a chaos attack, fist let fly, adrenalin released, we lost the match with seconds to go, they bought the game we refused to cheat.

my team are no bad losers, and neither am i, When celebrating a victory or loss we make sure we do so in a way that doesn't show disrespect for the opponents. It's fine and appropriate to be happy and celebrate a win, but we never taunt the opponents or boast about our victory, beause the team i have with me know that winning and losing are a part of life,

but what if your opponent taut you, moreso on a game you never lost, a game stolen from your grasp with seconds to go, what will you do?

now i guess you understand the don attack, knowing that buying off games is not just a part of sport. it is a cancer that eat deep, everywere in the society today

we have had different oponents to contend with in invitational tournamnets and we know they are either mercenary or outside players, reson why that today respect of opponents and referees is hard to come by, because we live in an era in sports wereby mercenaries represents the opponents we play against and the referee are part of a clique that supports the highest bidder, or instance the richest university now is capable of winning the game or as host you are favourite, not because of home tuff, but because as the host you are to be rewarded for the finacial incentive spent on the organisation and so forth

but honestly without the Opponents and Referees, you wouldn't have a competition. Referees help provide a fair and safe experience for athletes and, as appropriate, help them learn the game. Opponents provide opportunities for your team to test itself, improve, and excel.

I knew it is important that you and your team should show respect for opponents by giving your best efforts. You owe them this. Showing respect doesn't necessarily mean being "nice" to your opponents, though it does mean being civil.

but the question that keep nagging at me is this? what if we knew that people we play against are bought,that they are mercenaries recruited from other proffessional bodies? what could we do?

it is difficult to control your team from "trash talking" or taunt these opponent. Such behavior although is disrespectful to the spirit of the competition and to the opponent, but what could cheats expect?. why couldnt the don attack

in my team I could immediately remove a player from a contest if he or she broke an orders in this area, but in a grade A tournament it is difficult to act that way, without the presumption that i support cheats

i have no faults upon the referees, they mostly live below means, and are quite often bought—in many cases many of them have lived and worked together through the nurmerous sport council to become a clique, The level of officiating is never commensurate to the level of play. In other words, there never is a perfection from referees unless that you lobby right

if possible they will make every call against you,stop the contest every 10 seconds, if you are on the lossing side.

i have often lost games with dignity but now i cant feel happy with the new direction, it is hard this way after a loss, to try to help them keep their chins up and maintain a positive attitude that will carry over into the next practice and contest, it is very hard