27th
And I thought I had a good Saturday night
My brother sent me a text message late on Saturday night as I was in a cab on my way home: Hawks winning!
Those that know me are aware of my addiction to NBA Basketball and also my irrational fanaticism for my two hometown teams. My current fascination is with the soap opera known as the New York Knicks simply because I live in New York, but having grown up in the Atlanta suburbs in the ’80s & ’90s, my first and true allegiance is to the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks weren’t really on my radar until my sixth grade year, when the Brawner Psychiatric Institute promoted an elementary school tour with the Hawks mascot, Harry. Under the slogan “Hugs Not Drugs,” Harry the Hawk danced comically and did whatever mascots normally do at games on the stage in my school’s cafeteria for the delight of my elementary school with intent to get us to think twice about trying/using illegal drugs. Mind you, this was the ’80s: Nancy Regan was asking everyone to “Just Say No,” and DARE was just getting off the ground. If ever there was a concept to reach media saturation, keeping kids away from drugs was certainly one.
I don’t remember very much about what happened that early afternoon, except that I had gotten to shake Harry’s hand after the show was over (maybe it was just a high five?), but the one souvenir of his visit was a promotional vinyl 7” record (some people call them 45s) that everyone in school was given. Under the name The Tall Boys, four Atlanta Hawks players recorded a “Hugs Not Drugs” rap record. Unfortunately, the greatest Hawk was not among them, and I’m sure if ‘Nique had been, the results would have been more Deele than Kurtis Blow. Instead, on this record you get to hear Cliff Levingston, Jon Koncak, Tree Rollins, and Kevin Willis tell us that you “don’t have to die from gettin’ high” and that they “get high on basketball.” Classic stuff, really. Jermaine Dupree (sic) even gets a shout out in the “Special Thanks” section of the liner notes. So that should show you how (in)credible this record really is.
Flash-forward to the present. My Hawks are in the post-season for the first time since 1999. Taking the eighth and final spot in the East, they’re matched against the Boston Celtics, arguably the best team in the league and also a rival at least from back when I was growing up. No one expects Joe & Al, et al to win (myself included to be honest) this best-of-seven series. In fact, lots of people that seem to know a lot about sports and such have been breaking out the dust pans. Games one & two, played in Boston, were blow-outs, won by margins of 20+ points, and a similar outcome was expected for Saturday night’s game in Atlanta.
I checked my cell phone to see that at 10:58 PM my brother sent that text. I called him for details. ATL up by nine with under two minutes to go. The world was turning upside down. As soon as I got home, I checked the box scores. Improbably, the Hawks shot well, played solid defense, finally got Smitty & Bibby going on offense, and actually won a game against the East’s number one team. I know this one victory isn’t on the same magnitude as winning the series, but it still makes me feel proud. I don’t honestly believe we’re going to be this year’s Warriors, but this one feels great.
And so, in honor of the Hawks improbable playoff victory, here’s a blast from the past.
The Tall Boys - Hugs Not Drugs (MP3)
You will find me glued to TNT on Monday night hoping against all odds that we can keep the ball rolling.
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You got served by DJ Queazy
