Will to Win

Tests of nerves. Great competitors embrace them. Memorable battles bristle with them.

Earlier this week I found myself re-reading a passage written by Bill Russell, wherein the career champion described experiences when the level of play between two teams transcended boxscores. Russell did not know when to expect such moments, nor how soon they'd evaporate, burst perhaps by an errant pass or bad call. Yet the prerequisite to each experience would invariably be that both teams engage in the high level of play, that each opponent rose to meet their foe shot for shot.

Staying up into the wee hours this week to catch glimpses of the Australian Open, I've been witness to fierce comebacks and fiercer prolonged outcomes, head-to-head struggles which have tested nerves, demanded the best from each side of the net, and summoned a distinctly transcendent aura to the court.

Earlier in the week Tathiana Garbin showed mettle in her second set against 4th seed (and currently 3rd ranked) Ana Ivanovic. Down 6-0, 4-0, Garbin grew suddenly and resolutely resistant to accepting what would seem her inevitable plight. She broke Ivanovic in a game that not only seesawed on either side of deuce, allowing the underdog to develop some semblance of momentum, but also disturbed Ivanovic's focus when the latter's request to use one of her alloted challenges on a debatable line call fell upon oddly deaf ears--with an electronic sensor failing, the chair umpire seemed too faint of backbone to make an overrule.

The transcendent play in this instance occurred in contrast to Russell's description; unnervingly bad calls threatened to burst the bubble of excellence before it even got afloat, or worse (for Ivanovic, at least), swing the momentum completely to Garbin. Nevertheless, Ivanovic's ensuing display of heart and focus was thrilling, and seemed to spring from both her opponent's steely resolve (Garbin faced 5 match points before ultimately succumbing) as well as her own refusal to focus on matters outside her field of control.

Two nights later, 2nd seed Rafael Nadal seemed to bring the entire court under his control. Down to 28th seed G. Simon, 5-2 in the first set, the charismatic Spaniard turned invincible, willing himself to fend off repeated set points en route to a 7-5 victory. The crushing tide of one-sided excellence showed no signs of abating, as Nadal cruised to a two sets-to-none, 5-3 lead. Undeterred by his Sissyphean circumstance, Simon vaunted his own lion's heart, facing 4 match points with fearlessness and clutch precision. At this time Nadal could be seen pacing the baseline. Sneering, his eye flashed the glint of a predator who's tasted blood, and isn't about to remove his teeth from the chosen prey.

Soon, a dazzling rally cut fresh angles across the court lines, drawing each man to the outer reaches of his field of play before eliciting a looping, topspin lob from Nadal that ducked deftly over Simon's head for match point. In a match where the outcome seemed inevitably headed towards Simon simply being pummeled into submission, the victorious stroke was, in fact, far more entertaining and unexpected. Accustomed to victory (so long as there are no Rogers around), Nadal's flushed grin at the net revealed a deeper appreciation for the moment.

As the man said, both sides have to play strong.

AP Photo/Rick Stevens

Heel Holler: 23

Not exactly a commissioned work, but a UNC alum and
good friend, Rod, requested some fightin words in step with
his feelings in advance of tomorrow night’s  classic rivalry:
[p.s., post loss: Get’ em next time, Rod!]
[p.p.s., post-ACC tourney revenge: Poem or prophecy?
Them freshmen remind me of the A's rookies]

Look out, ya shook up Dukies
Your season so far is a fluke, see
You got the late calls, but in truth
I think them refs got seduced
Or maybe Coach K's credit card deals
Bought some special interest! The Heels
At any rate will check ya
And after Reddick gets rejected
Your whole O will be divested
Sure your big guy seems a savage
When he's got a height advantage
But Shelden's got brick hands, no
He can't hang with Tyler Hansbrough
Or pick off Bobby Frasor's
Passes accurate like lasers
You might lose but even worse
Your alumni wear a curse,
Yeah Dickie V tries to care
But yr boys don't go anywhere
Carolina's youth fly high
Cause of their future's brighter skies
Light blue's victory is clinched
When Krzyzewski's face gets all pinched.

Get the Rebound

I made a trip down to the Rucker tournament in Harlem at 155th, that mecca of streetball where the EBC classic now retraces the footwork and legendary walks on air of Wilt, Dr. J, and Connie Hawkins. I'd never been, so I took the B train up one afternoon, early enough to beat the crowds at the entrance's metal detector.

After the 5pm women's game came down to a thrilling close, announcer Al Cash, still not tired of the nickname-bestowing-play-by-play he'd been parlaying, pacing the sidelines for an hour, asked if there were any out-of-towners. I played it cool, and shouldn't have-- I'd like to think my moment in the sun would have come had I gotten to test handles against either the Ohio kid or the local named "Chunky" selected to play one-on-one.

But no, my fate would be different.

My large white tee may have made me feel appropriately clad for the venue, but still left a lot of pale skin on display. The announcer soon walked up and looking square in my eyes asked "--and what's your deal, man? you ain't from around here."

All eyes and ears are now on our convo. Asked what I did I said "writer." So I must know a little poetry?, he pushes. I let "sure" come out in response, trying to recant as he says "then come out here and give us a little poetry!"

"I meant POULTRY" I protested, but no dice, the gig was up. At center court he made fun of me a little ["you're sure you want to leave your bag on the sidelines? This is Harlem, pal...So, you must have come to town today to buy drugs, yes?"] then handed me the mic in order to read a poem. With ESPN2 camera in my face, and what seemed a thousand more onlookers in the stands, I recited the only poem I had memorized, one I wrote a long time ago:

"Missed" 2.8.93

The genius tramps a heavy trail
picks up flowers on her way
without words for what she's gathered
or time to wonder why
no need
even under jealous leer
she knows
looming round the bend bloom more
while those now relishing her grasp
only hope for a bit of handcrafted
upheaval in her wake

A poem which means a lot to me, but does not rhyme, nor did it really capture this particular moment. What did hold the audience's attention was my hand, quivering as it held the mic. Nevertheless, I got through it, our emcee prompted the crowd to give me a hand for "showing some heart" and the young kids near my bleacher seat proudly handed me my bag as I returned to my seat: "Here Pete! You dropped your pen, Pete!" A positive enough experience, if humbling.

Thing is, as the DJ kicked the music back into gear (where had my beats been, bro?) my mind raced with [plu]perfect responses. The rest of the night I couldn't even watch the men's games. Junie "GE" Sanders and Black Wall Street fast broke the competition on their way to what would prove to be a championship run, but I was just mumbling to myself as obsessively as if I had a syndrome. By the time I left the courts, though, I had the rough outline of the "Rucker Suite" posted below. As the experience still resonates through my imagination, I offer as well an evolved version of my original Rucker mic offering:

"Missed" Remixed 8.18.5

It was blank verse, a bass solo, nothing too loud
I rewrote it full of flow, more apropos for a crowd
Its meaning always clear but the rhythm was hidden
Now syncopated recreated so you all will feel let in

The first line observant of individual force
“The genius tramps a heavy trail”--visionaries change our course
Imperfection and invention make their impact on all
The next line points more specifically to those in the thrall
“picks up flowers on her way”--you ever fall in love
With a brilliant mind that answered to some call from above?
Or marched to a different drummer, a different beat than you ever felt
Them folks can move mountains & make your scenery melt
Or build a new technology that sweeps you along
They makin’ all the money while I’m singing a song
Their effect on you is something they’d rather not heed
“without words to wonder which or time to think of why, no need”
Another's individual import as a topic is blurry
Each creates their own destiny, but don’t even worry
“even under jealous leer she knows”--you’re born you die, the story goes
Don’t overestimate your heroes or demonize your foes
“looming round the bend bloom more”—but our genius ain’t overwhelmed
'Fact we respect their poise so much we say, you take the helm,
As “those relishing her grasp” we “only hope” for fifteen minutes
Cause these tidal waves are fun to ride, their swell, hell, it’s infinite
“a bit of handcrafted upheaval in her wake” is our glory
Those few moments we’re little stars in the whole crazy story

That’s why we say ‘What up god?’, we respect the power
Any man feeling bad enough can bring our final hour
Or give us reason to live, a new way to see light
The intense ones are tricky, some strangers want to fight
But the genius in them is sure to rock your world
If you’re paying attention a new path will unfurl
And you’ll be walking down a heavy trail of your own
You made an impact right back--2 geniuses got thrown