Basketball, Birthdays and the Big Apple

 Last week I headed to NYC to spend 5 great days with one of my best friends and 2 of his grown sons complements of my oldest son who absolutely knows how to treat his dad to a wonderful gift for his birthday.   As I boarded the train at BWI on my way to NY Penn Station, I was full of anticipation of a most wonderful time.  My team, the PITT Panthers, were favorites to win the Big East Tourney and to sweep into March Madness with strong momentum. I was looking forward to our regular stops at eateries like:   Fat Annie’s, Stouts, Café 31, Andrew’s Café [think “Monk’s Café” on Seinfeld].   We were going to attend 15 games and be loud guys with excessive zeal as we cheered our teams to victory.   Kind of a “guy heaven” kind of thing.

But funny things happen to plans, even on a guy trip that you plan for a year.

1.  My team loses in the first game.  Not just loses, but really doesn’t even showup.  Talk about poor effort.  Not “Let’s Go Pitt!”, but “Where’d You Go, PITT?” So I get to go to 15 basketball games and root for other teams.  Yoohoo.  Fun.  Yeah.

2. Because we were out of the Friday night games we decided to sell those tickets and have a nice steak dinner and then go to sports bar to watch the games.  On the way out, the concierge at the hotel recommended a steakhouse to us and we decided to check it out.  Impeccable service, mouth- watering ribeyes, exquisite  crème brulee.  The great guy meal—ok, except the crème brulee, but that’s one of my favorites, so it counts. 

3. Ironically, on Thursday night, after my beloved PITT Panthers got bounced for lack of effort, we decided to stay for the dreaded ‘Cuse/UConn wrestling match.  2 first-rate teams, great tradition, heated rivalry.  Yeah, we’ll watch. And did we ever! We were treated to the second longest game in NCAA playoff history.  6 Overtimes.  Desperate lows, maddening highs; unnumbered comebacks, personal and team highlights. A sports’ lovers delight.

*I found that one will face disappointments in life, even when it’s a “lock.” There are no locks in life. Life is uncertain.

One of the big reasons we need God.

*I found that good things can happen in the midst of life interruptions. We found a great steakhouse.

Met a guy named Fred from Albania who happened to be a world class server at our table.  He was so classy that he made up for my utter lack of decorum.  At least I didn’t drop food or my fork. . . whew.   And Fred says I can come back next trip. I will.

*And I found that I could find joy rooting for some folks that I don’t usually root for.  At first, I was just thinking, “At least one of the hated Huskies or Orange will lose.”  At the end of the game I cheered the Orange and hurt for the Huskies.  They played like champions.  I found myself rooting for the “enemy.”   Reminded me of some of  Jesus’ teachings.  “What have you done if you love those who love you?  Isn’t that what everyone does, faith or no faith?  What have you done more than others?”

Birthdays and  Basketball in the Big Apple.  A great place to find Jesus walking the streets sharing the Good News of the Kingdom.  And I did.

Nice way to turn 55.