Caution. You are entering the mind of a sports fanatic. You are also entering the mind of someone who believes sports can teach us more about life than the score at the end of the game. Take Notice.
Have you ever been told you don’t belong? Hello Pacers!
Big-time Indiana Pacers fan Janet Hart Leonard is enjoying the ride! (Photo provided)
Have your “anonymous” peers voted you the most overrated player? Hello Haliburton!
I’ve always heard it ain’t over until the fat lady sings. Did you hear her sing the grand finale aria in Oklahoma on Thursday night? Final score 111-110.
It ain’t over until it’s over. And with .3 seconds to go, the Pacers took the lead for the first time in the game: 47 minutes and 59.7 seconds for the OKC Thunder. The only thing that mattered was that .3 of a second. The Pacers struck like a lightning bolt, out of the blue with a spark of gold.
I apologize to our incredible sportswriter, Richie Hall. I just have to add my two cents worth of words to the excitement of having the Pacers in the NBA Finals.
Yes, I bought the T-shirt. Chuck said that when he realized I was such a sports fanatic, he knew I was a real “trophy.” His word, not mine. That is not to be mistaken with a trophy wife.
I love an underdog. I love it when teammates seem to like each other and pull off one come-from-behind shocker after another.
As we settle into the bleacher seats in our living room, Chuck asks before every game, “Are we going to remain calm and quiet?” Then we laugh.
Thursday night, the first half had us groaning. Don’t turn the ball over. Make your free throws. Keep the ball high. It got pretty intense. It’s hard work coaching from our living room.
The referees did not upset us like last week when the refs did not understand that a knee to the groin is a flagrant foul! Seriously! If they felt the pain, the call would have screamed, Flagrant! It’s all about perspective.
Rick Carlisle, the Pacers coach, tells his team, Make the adjustment. He deserves this moment. He’s a brave man who trusts his players so much that he chooses not to call a timeout when we all think he will … or should. I love his quote, “In 49 states it’s just basketball, but this is Indiana.”
“Just stay at it.” “We have weird wins.” Says Haliburton. Weird? I say, incredible wins. You have to love Tyrese. Never a ball hog, but when we need a clutch shot … BOOM! Definitely a team player.
Toppin put on the THREE Show. Nembhard found the ideal pivot time. Nesmith knew to hold onto the ball with two hands and smack the ball out of his opponents’ hands with one hand. Did you know he wants to be a public speaker?
Siakam said, We don’t dwell on the mistakes. He always finds time to thank the people who support him. (I had no idea what a Cameroonian was.)
Myles Turner has a wingspan of 7’4” and has proven his ability to fly towards the basket. In June 2013, he tweeted, “What if the Pacers win it all?” What if …
McConnell has a sister who plays in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury. She is 5’7″ and he is 6’1″. They may have been told they were too short to play professional basketball, but they never listened to the naysayers.
In NBA history, teams were 0-182 in winning when down by nine or more points in the final three minutes of the NBA finals. But this team is different. They are known as the Yes’Cers. They never count themselves out until the buzzer sounds.
The Pacers were able to silence the Paycom Center, often dubbed “Loud City.” The fans in the stands were waving fans, but they could not put out the heat that the Pacers turned on in those final minutes. A fifteen-point lead dwindled to one when BOOM Haliburton put up the shot that was seen and heard around the world. Indiana Pacers fans were doing the Happy Day Haliburton dance. The cry has become, What the Hali!
If you haven’t heard the Korean broadcast at the end of the game … check it out.
Richie Hall, again, I apologize for writing a sports column this week. I had to do so. I’ve never done this. I don’t know what will happen over the next few games, but I’m enjoying the ride.
Do not call Chuck or me during Jeopardy, the Fever games, or the NBA Finals. We will be busy guessing answers and cheering on the Pacers and the Fever. If you see me out and about next week, I’ll be wearing my T-shirt.
My final Jeopardy! answer is … What is Pacers in six?
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.
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