I knew Pop from just seeing him around but until Reuvane played for me I didn't really say much to him. My first year back at TA, Reuvane's first organized game-tenth grade--he's been in Rhode Island I think--anyway we're at the Park School and he gets called for a foul in the middle of the first quarter. As the ref turns around, Reuvane sort of sent him the international sign for "hello" with both hands---I saw it and took him out of the game and kept him there the rest of the day to teach him that its not the sort of thing you do on the basketball court-something he never did again by the way.. After the game, which we won, Pop comes up to me and our conversation went something like this:
KG: Good game coach
HK: Thanks
KG-Would have been a little easier if Reuvane played more don't ya think?
HK--Sure we needed him--I agree with that
KG-Hes a pretty good player
HK-Best one we have
KG-Why didnt he play more
HK-He did something he wasnt suppossed to
Pop then started telling me about why I should have played him more not wanting to hear the reason I didn't--when he was done singing Reuvane's praises I said
HK-I'm not sure why you're telling me this, I put him on the team, it was my choice, I know how good he is
KG-Then why didnt he play more
HK-Mr goodman, what do you do?
KG-I'm a lawyer
HK-when's the next time you're in court
KG-To'row
HK-Where?
KG-Towson
Hk-What time?
KG-9 o'clock
HK-What court room?
KG-2... why do you want to know?
HK-Cuz I'm gonna go to your job, sit behind you and start telling you what to do and give you my opinions on something I know nothing about...
Pop looked at me and smiled--Touche'.....I hear ya.
From that day on, not only did I never get grief about basketball stuff from him, but to my knowledge, he never let anyone talk about me in the stands without defending me, because what I learned about Pop was once you showed him that you knew what you were talking about and were willing to defend it, he never screwed with you again...that was Pop
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