When a big game and a big can of energy drink collide

I’ve tried for over an hour to write something smart, engaging and funny to give those who weren’t at the MK Basketball Centre a taste of what it was like to experience Friday nights 99-96 Riders win over the Lions, but as I possess none of those qualities I’ve struggled to write anything at all.

The talented Miss Karis Buckingham-Jones has done an excellent job of writing up the action and making you feel like you were there but I wanted to do something a little different for you.

I wanted to convey to you my emotions.

Now don’t think that just because I’m a man I don’t have a sensitive side (I normally only show the emotions of anger and hunger) because I do. I tried a couple of different ways of expressing myself but none of them captured exactly what I wanted…

I wrote down a check list covering the aspects of the game that made it a fascinating affair:

Players wearing the jerseys of their former rivals – check
Superstars/potential MVP’s present – check
Team basketball – check
Coaching changes – check (everything is A-okay on the Paternostro family home front by the way)
Midweek words designed to stir things up – check
A history of hatred between two franchises – check
Physical play bordering on assault – aggressively check
Rabid crowd – check
Buzzer beaters – Check x 3 for Cameron Rundles
Another chapter to the already brilliant rivalry – check

I started writing an acrostic poem to capture the true wonderfullness (that’s definitely a word) of the February 17th clash:

Really have I never seen before such stupendous wonders as Friday night’s encounter
If ever there were a time when giants faced giants this would be the clash.
Downright dirty and upright in motion both teams fought until they breathed no more.
Erst beliveth a win was in reach but the truth was as real as the very sun itself.

R
S
L
I
O
N
S

But that made no sense, words were used that I didn’t understand / didn’t exist and I felt dirty to even put my name to it.

I even tried painting how I was feeling but that didn’t work as paint by numbers is fairly limited when it comes to expression of self.

In the end, I found the perfect way to describe my emotions having experienced first hand what was arguably the game of the 2011/12 BBL season and one that, in my humble opinion, represents so beautifully the game of basketball and the potential of the sport in this country.

I present to you, Elf eating a bowl of his favourite things.

Click Here – Don’t judge me.