SUBSTITUTION BLUE
The Legend
Six years in a row, I sat there; I mean, every Blitz for the past six year, I warmed the bench "That's it" I said in '79, "never again, some of those guys out there are morons" - and sitting here, depressed - "this isn't it, never again!"Christmas '80 "the programme is out "said Lordini. "What programme "said I, pretending not to care. "I'm in the Ballymac Brats" said Bruno proudly - I'm not surprised, I thought to myself. "I'm with the Nomads" said Fizzy. Wish you'd move on I mused. "I'm with Macra"said Shoulders - Strike a Light, I whispered under my breath. " I gave it up last year" I said "it's a woman's game.
I rushed home and scampered through the programme. oh my God!not the Muppets - "Thumbs","Chicken", "The Pup", "MyFella", "Nash", "Downtown" and myself. "They must think I'm Kermit if they believe I'm green enough to play with that lot" - "What a bunch of shapers" - " What is this, a fashion show?".
I could not believe my eyes when I opened my Xmas present, a pair of "Cons", Larry Bird "T-Shirt" and Kevin McHale "socks". Mother, I wanted a bloody walkman. "Michael, I thought you loved basketball, you never stop practising out the back, and wouldn't it be lovely to have another trophy like the one you got in '76". A gold statuette holding a ball. Maybe I should take off the ball and make it an "Oscar" for my passive depiction of a basketball player - I never touched a ball in anger. "The hawks; Junior Boys winners in 1976, quare hawks they were too, leave me on the bench for five games - never again! never again!
I slipped on the shoes, feigning disgust, I went out the back and started ramming in three pointers, 1-2-3-4-5 in a row, eat your heart out Mick O'Dwyer. The lads called, I knew they would, you'd think I was Michael Jordam before they left, with my £3 subscription - they changed my mind - that wasn't hard, for deep down inside, I believed on day I'd play in the Blitz - and then! and then!.
"Someone might be late - break a leg, hopefully!"I placated myself with these thoughts. We stood in a circle, wrapped around each other - buddies to the death-a fusion of flesh and minds. "We'll start this way lads". I sat on the bench- to compound my misery, we had only six. Browne's greyhound bitch was sick-not half as sick as me listening to the same old argot - "cut the back, throw it 'round,set it up.