Na na naaaaaaaaahh na … HEY, HEY, HEY … — Weekly Newsletter
Na na naaaaahhhh nah … HEY, HEY, HEY … GOOOOOD BYE! (Non basketball fans can scroll down past this story)
The other team’s crowd, the home team, had started that chant (”Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam) with 1 minute 17 seconds to play in their gym.
We were 12 points behind and 77 seconds away from a humiliating defeat..
With their gym and their fans going crazy and chanting … Na na naaaaahhhh nah … HEY, HEY, HEY … GOOOOOD BYE! …
and the other team giving each other high fives and chest bumping, Coach commanded, “SCR*W THAT!!!! WE’RE GONNA WIN THIS GAME!”
Then he explained how.
They inbounded the ball under their goal. We stole it, shot from the 3 point range, made it, and called time out.
Down by 9.
Coach commanded again!
Na na naaaaahhhh nah … HEY, HEY, HEY … GOOOOOD BYE!
They inbounded the ball under their goal.
Repeat of the previous play and we hit another 3 pointer!
Down by 6.
They inbounded the ball under their goal and dribbled it down court. They hurried a shot and missed. We rebounded and raced down court … fast break … lay up … Down by 4!
The chanting stopped.
They inbounded the ball under their goal and we fouled them in an effort to steal the ball. They got to shoot a free throw. They missed. They rebounded and shot again … and missed again. We rebounded and raced back down court. They raced with us and cut off the fast break. We worked the ball around their defense, shot and made another layup. Down by 2!
THEY called time out with 31 seconds on the clock.
Coach commanded again, “WE’RE GONNA WIN THIS GAME!” He outlined the strategy.
They inbounded the ball again. We kept their offense in their back court for 10 seconds and we got the ball back with 21 seconds left!
We inbounded the ball, and passed it around and waited until there was 10 seconds left on the clock. Then we started our play. With 6 seconds on the clock we shot another 3 pointer that went in!!!
Up by 1!!!!
THEY called time out.
Their gym had turned into a funeral home. Absolute shock.
The other team, completely demoralized and wilting before our eyes, inbounded the ball, dribbled down court, threw up a weak last second shot … air ball.
We won … by one point!
It’s never over til it’s over. No matter what your adversity today. No matter what your setback. You can reorganize, regroup, declare a new strategy … command yourself into victory!
In the last 77 seconds of that game, we played to win … they played not to lose.
PLAY TO WIN!