One might think the hours I’ve spent in the last few weeks watching the Lady Baylor Bears would be a waste of time. This waste would have been much bigger if the networks had shown all their games or had not switched over one time to another game that they found more “interesting” shortly after the half. [Never mind that the Lady Bears had the game sewed up by halftime. It was the game promised in the TV guide and was more interesting to me.] One can actually learn quite a few lessons that I’d like to pass along – just to justify my addiction to the team. Like Aesop, I will draw a moral for each of these.
1. The players take as much satisfaction in passing the ball to the teammate with the best shot as in scoring. Moral: In most accomplishments in life, others have passed the ball, run interference, or cheered the goalmaker on. The glory belongs to all.
2. A dependable starter who makes a bad play is given a turn on the bench with Coach Mulkey. Moral: Life has consequences when we live it wrong. We have to expect to take our lumps when we mess up.
3. This benched player was sent back into the game soon and got a another chance. She returned with renewed energy to make up for her mistake. Moral: Once the price for a bad choice is paid, let it go, and get out there to play twice as hard.
4. In a previous coaching life, Kalani Brown’s mother left Coach Mulkey’s team to get married before she finished her college basketball career. The coach called on the mother to repay her debt with her daughter. Her coach and parents have enjoyed watching Kalini’s expertise played out on the court. Moral: Paying debts brings satisfaction.
5. Nina Davis at 5’11” comes in short for a basketball player. Her court play is scrappy and her shooting style unorthodox. She says she taught the shooting style to herself. I find her free throw shooting adds interest to the game since conventional wisdom says she can’t get the ball though the basket from that position, but she does. She may be my favorite player. Moral: Approaching challenges in our own individual manner may work better than doing things the way everybody else does, and certainly will be more interesting.
So there you have it. My entire reason for watching the Lady Bears is that it makes me a better person. I need all the help as I can get in that department so I’m pulling for them to go all the way to Indianapolis on April 3. Sic ‘em, Bears!