Backyard Basketball Dreams

Posted by: Chris Andrews on October 24th, 2010

The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.

It was a warm evening in early November, 1997, when from my backyard you could hear the voice of an announcer, “John Stockton brings the ball down the court, passes down low to Karl Malone.  The score is 25 -19, with the Jazz on top of the Sacramento Kings.  Malone backs in it, kicks it out to Bryon Russell on the wing, he puts it up for three…its gooooood!”  It wasn’t Hot Rod Hundley, it wasn’t Ron Boone, it was me, Chris Andrews, at age 14 playing a game of hoops in the backyard by myself…against myself.  I had a lot of responsibilities on the court that year: I was the announcer; I was the ref; I was the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center for both teams; I was even the statistician.

I don’t remember the final score of that game in my backyard, or the specific stats (I kept stats for both teams, including assists, rebounds, blocks, fouls, and free throw percentage), but I do remember how much I loved being a member of the Jazz in my own way.  I loved getting double-doubles for Malone and Stockton, giving Vlade Divac technicals for flopping, and “off the court” I loved cheering my Jazz on to victory.

Now, times have changed for me and it’s been awhile since I’ve played any games quite like I used to in my early teenage years, but the passion for Jazz basketball has never changed.  I teach high school and one class I am privileged to teach is the Sports Broadcasting class.  I can bring a lifetime of passion for my favorite team as well as some interesting perspectives from several students as we discuss sports everyday in class.  Although I don’t make it to many home games, I don’t miss many from the comfort of my couch (well, I watch a good majority of it standing in front of the couch hooping and hollering).  I may never be a member of the team in any of the roles that I used play in my backyard basketball dreams, I will never relinquish my role of dedicated fan.  Whether I get the privilege of being a Jazzbot this year, or continue to support the team with my fandom, I know I will definitely Bring the Noise this year in whatever role I am honored to play.

Replies: 3

 

Views: 426

3 Responses

1. Trudy Hendricks says:

   October 25, 2010 at 8:59 pm

   A lot of dreams are born and fed in the back yard or at the neighborhood park. It’s a sweet summer memory to be shooting in the early evening. My brother and I, though we were both grown would go to the local hoop and shoot for an hour or so, then walk to our apartment complex and drink huge glasses of iced tea and eat a bag of red licorice. We decided a lot of things back then about life. Things that still hold true today. One of them was that there really is no such thing as a good shot, there are just shots, you either make them or you don’t. That’s where we created our game, Jedi Basketball. It’s thirty years later and I’m still playing it.

   It sounds like you were walking toward a lifetime love of the game, too. In your own way, on your own path. How very, very cool that you are teaching sports broadcasting class. Sounds like you are well qualified indeed!
2. utahfan994 says:

   October 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm

   Did you ever lose!?
3. Danny Hansen says:

   October 27, 2010 at 5:43 pm

   Ha Ha I kept stats too.