Basketballism

As of late, it seems that I've had trouble sleeping, be it the food I eat, over-sleeping, or getting a late workout in. But tossing and turning each night has given my mind time to wander aimlessly. And in this wander, I've given a substantial amount of thought as to the role basketball has played in my life, as well as some of the finer points, which are little discussed. This entry will briefly tie in basketball to other aspects of my life, in an attempt to elaborate on the cliche, "It's more than a game." I should preface the following, by saying this account will have a more serious, introspective tone.

Basketball as Escapism

This game of mine has always been an avenue to escape from the world. It seems no matter what is going on in my life, the stress, the problems, melt away when I play the game. This no doubt amplifies my passion, for it, because it remains a positive constant in my life. For Escapism, in my mind is just another means of coping. It's how I distance myself (for better or for worse) from the mess. The more awful the issue, generally, the harder I want to push myself in my workout. My mind focuses more on each movement, the shifting of the ball, the contortion of my body, holding a strong follow through. The only thing in this universe is me, the ball, and the basket. Biologically, this makes sense, for exercise is widely considered a remarkable remedy for poor health, be it mental or physical (depending on the nature of the problem). For those of you do not know, the brain, in response to strenuous physical activity releases endorphin's into the body which give us a natural high, or an overall sense of wellness. Which is another reason I associate a positive feeling with Basketball as Escapism. Whether or not the issue is resolved when I am through with my workout, often times remains to be seen, however, it allows me tackle the problem with the proper positive mental attitude.

Basketball As Localism

There is a strong sense of community (at least from my prospective) as far playing basketball at a high level and being from Washington. I have reconnected with many guys I played with/or against in high school and college, and though we may not have necessarily been close, we share something unique in that playing basketball gave us a bond. Whether its something as simple as reminiscing about hard fought games, or sticking together in the trenches that can be a basketball season.
So when you see or hear of someone you played with/against (from WA) there is a sense of pride and a genuine sense of happiness for that person. In other words, they represent you, and you, them. Family.

Well, I promised myself I would not take you too far down the rabbit hole, that can be my contemplative thoughts, and I'll just leave you with those Basketballisms. So I hope you've enjoyed, and perhaps you understand a bit more about the intricacies that are associated with the game.