When I was a kid I LOVED to play basketball. I actually almost played in the NBA. They told me I have everything it takes - except that I am not a good enough basketball player. Or large enough. Or fast enough. Nor could I jump. I was also skinny like a rail so I would have had to beef up. Plus I wouldn't play on Shabbos. THAT was the real reason. They didn't want me because I wouldn't play on Shabbos. But I knew all the rules and sweated a lot. Plus I LOVED wearing sweat bands and white high tops. I also liked to point to a guy who threw a good pass just like the pros. I didn't have any tatoos but in my heyday it wasn't meakev. I could also say cliches like "We are just gonna have to take it one game at a time." "We played our best but they were the better team." "We're going to have to learn from our mistakes and do better next time."
Back to my story. I used to hang out at Riverside Park on 76th street to "shoot the rock" [or "the pill"]. Of course I only played because the Rambam says that to serve Hashem you need a healthy body.
Right.
So once I was playing by myself and who showed up but Pat Cummings, a player for the Knicks! How cool was that?! We decided to play one on one against each other. We played 3 games and I let him win [:-)] 2 out of 3.
He was really nice to me the whole time. I was trying to do fancy shtick with the ball and he let me. When we finished he said "Make sure to tell all your friends that I beat you 2 out of 3". Meaning, that you beat me 1 out of 3.
He left a little Jewish kid with a kippah on his head with a GOOD feeling. THANKS PAT, wherever you are. I still have positive memories about twenty five years later.
The mussar haskel - always try to make kids feel good and it's OK to lose on purpose sometimes. When you lose - you win. [That is also one of my favorite pieces of marriage advice: When you have a fight and you lose - you won. If you won - you lost. Keep that in mind sweet yet at times competitive friends:-)]
