3.21.2006

Serviceable Big Man

I wanted to spend more time on this (common theme in everything I attempt these days) but I'm just not finding it so I'll stick with half-assing things. I'm a big basketball fan and like all fans have been watching the tournament (although contrary to popular belief the tournament is now over). So I'm watching some known team play one of the unknowns. In this case there was no "Cinderella" in the works, just a good but undermanned team playing tough but not going to win against a power conference squad. One of the smaller team's big men pulled down a rebound and the announcer says, "So and so sure is a serviceable big man". What a compliment, huh? As I have thought about that over the last week it has become a metaphor for me. I realize that I'm a "serviceable big man". There are a lot of things that I do just fine. I do them fine because I have natural advantages. My size is my upbringing, my socio-economic status, my education, the support I get from the ones I love, etc. There are a lot of things I spread my time across. And I don't excel at any of them. Am I better than average? Hell yeah. I'm playing D-I, baby. Can I hang with the true big boys though? No.

I'm a serviceable big man.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would call myself a serviceable small man, except that apparently I am not that valuable at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Luke, I have thought about this many times, myself. I'm right there with you.

Matt, we all know that Motorola is stupid.

Anonymous said...

What does it mean that you are playing D-I?

Unknown said...

By saying I was "playing D-1" I was giving myself a few props. I mean, I'm not a serviceable big man playing D-III ball. I can take up space with the best of them, but at least I'm playing with the best of them.

Make any sense?

Susan asked if I meant to post this one to Cancer Dad or to A Night in the Box. I meant to put it here, because I think dealing (there I go with the dealing again) with this stuff has a bunch to do with me feeling basically like I'm taking up space. I picked Luc Longley as my serviceable big man example picture for a reason too. This is a big guy with mad skills compared to 99% of the world. Match him up against the best and he is serviceable, or perhaps a bit more than that. I feel that way. I can sit in the room with the top players in my career, with the top parents, with the top husbands, and etc, but if I don't think if you were choosing up teams right now I would be the first one picked.