... I've checked my wallet more than once to make sure I have my "Get in FREE" card ... I've taken out a loan JUST IN CASE I get tired of hospitality room dogs ... thinking maybe 93dog can talk his "lady" into putting those tootsie rolls back in the HR LOL ... games of years past run thru my mind Wheelersburg vs Belpre , Greenfield McClain vs Vinton Co. games & rematches, Ironton teams, trojandave's Portsmouth Trojans, Chillicothe teams, the Warren Warriors, Persin version vs Davis version Chesapeake teams, Eastern Reedsville under Coach Howie Caldwell , Trimble ... so many great games both district & regional games watched from the Cheap Seats at the Convo ... thought of every game that Lou Horvath has called over the years helping to make "just getting to the Convo for Basketball Thirty" such a special accomplishment for the teams in Southern/Southeastern Ohio ... I smile just thinking about ALL of the memories ...
... I've seen a heck of a lot of basketball over the years ! good basketball !! on equal terms with the satisfaction I get in watching basketball from the cheap seats has been getting to know so many players/coaches/families of players & coaches / the fans of hs basketball ... the people who enjoy the game of basketball Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line have been amazing ... many many acquaintances I have made over the years have remained friends now for years - it's all about the people who make up the "atmosphere" surrounding hs basketball Below the Line - the relationships have been priceless ...
... THAT - the relationships with "the people" that surround the game ... THAT is the "catch22" downside of Basketball Thirty ... I root for everyone and no-one all at the same time ! ... I see so many games, teams, I really try to stay neutral in my feelings for the teams playing on the court - hard to do ! - It is hard to sit in the cheap seats with "friends" on all sides ! even harder to sit in the Cheap Seats knowing/watching teams/players/coaches/parents of players/fans of the teams lose ... I feel for all of them ... the longer I do this the harder it gets ... the number of people I meet from all schools keeps multiplying every season ... the likelihood of the people I meet during the season getting to Basketball Thirty at the Convo is high ! when I go watch games during the regular season it is to watch the BEST of the BEST teams/coaches/players in SEOhio ... the odds of these teams getting out of their sectional is almost a certainty ... the odds of these same teams losing at Basketball Thirty is even greater ... just as the odds of me knowing personally fans on the losing and winning sides increases as well ...
... to all of the fans of teams playing, the parents of the players, coaches I wish ALL of you the BEST ! ... enjoy the moments - EVERY.LAST.ONE.OF.THEM!!! ... everyone wants to win - I wish that everyone could move on in the survive & advance season ... trust me that getting to the Convo IS special ... a moment in your lives that will stay with you the rest of your lives ... the Basketball Thirty moments will become some of the best memories you will have & keep close ... 20 years from now you will be sitting on a deck, listening to the ocean , letting your mind wander , a smile will come to your face ... you will see all of those fans in the stands again, your teammates ... you will almost swear your can hear Lou Horvath on the PA "2 minutes ! 2 minutes ..." ... best of luck to ALL of the teams, coaches, players , fans, families win or lose ... ALL of you are winners, Champions ... I personally thank you for allowing me to enjoy "the game" , "the atmosphere" , "the people" surrounding high school basketball Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line ...
