NBA Live

Today, I went to swim at Gus' sister's swimming pool -- Val had a stepson who was playing a video game as I walked in the house. He motioned me to look at his game, NBA LIVE '99 was on.

It brought many memories of me playing with Todd Newman in his dorm room and at his apartments where we waged a vicious battle against each other. Naturally, our tempers sometimes took over as we ended up arguing about this, that and there. Todd's wife, Dyan once rolled her eyes and said, "You guys have to be brothers or something!" She had a point -- when I argued with a person, I tend to disparage the person and never talk to him/her for weeks but with Todd, I could not. I can argue and if he said, "Let's play again," -- I would go at it. Just like that.

So when I saw Val's stepson playing that -- I asked if I could play one. He smiled and reset the game. It took me a little while to remember the moves as the kid led 41-38 in the second quarter before I took over on a 18-0 run to the 56-41 halftime. Then shortly, I managed to pass the ball to different players without dribbling for 12 straight points to start the second half.

The kid turned to me and yelled at me which I did not understand -- Val came in and said that the kid wanted to know if I had some practices before with the video game in the past. I told Val that the last time I played this particular game was more than 4 years ago with Todd in the District. Needless to say, the final score has me winning big, 146-98 -- no, I did not steal nor apply any defensive pressures on his players at all -- just that I knew the moves to hit the shots, which is why I managed to nail 74% of field goals. I'm that good, Todd. Beware.

Oh, did I mention that the kid was only 11 years old?

To be a kid again ... !

Cheers,

R-