Winners!

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So - two championship games this past weekend.

Two chances to see the kids bring home the first-place hardware.

As you can probably guess from the expression on Sam's face, his team lost.

So did Jake's.

But he smiled. Cause he hit a bomb.

The basketball season was exciting for them all year long. They both played well. They both talked great game. They both enjoyed the time on the court and the attention they got. They were well-coached in a good league that taught sportsmanship and emphasized fun.

There were a couple of games that were a little iffy because the parents were screaming from the stands, but overall, no one was taken away in handcuffs, and they were able to laugh off the end of the season loss because they gave it their best effort.

It's weird watching the kids play for a couple of reasons.

First, there's the pride thing. I want them to do well so badly. You hate to see them dribble one off their foot or miss a free throw. When they do it right there's a better feeling than if you actually made the shot yourself.

OK...maybe not.

I really liked hitting long shots.

Yet the worst thing about it is what happens in your own mind. At 48 a couple of trips up and down the court is a tiring thing. Not sure I can even do it without dry-heaving, but when a kid is left wide open in the corner...

...and he misses...

My mind tells me that I would have knocked it down.

Not sure I still would.

But when it was all said and done, I can rest easy that it was a winning year for a couple of boys who's teams finished second.

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