I can hear the crowd: ‘Airball, airball’

One of the great things my dad did for me and my brother as kids was to build a basketball court in the backyard.

This wasn’t just a slap-up-the-backboard-over-thegarage court. No, this was a green backboard, complete with a schoolyard-type pole cemented into the ground. The orange rim was measured to exactly the NBA regulation 10 feet.

He even painted a free throw line, and he added floodlights to let us play at night.

His reasoning was simple. Build it and they will come. Meaning, of course, that the neighborhood kids would come to our house to play and, thus, my folks could keep an eye on us.

Or so they thought.

Anyway, it worked well over the years.

We spent many nights and days playing game after game. As we grew older, the games grew more spirited, shall we say, but it was always fun.

When I entered high school, I made the freshman basketball team. Those of you who know me now probably think, of course he did, look at his height.

What you don’t know is that in those days I was only 5 feet, 3 inches. I was the short guy on the team, with size-12 feet, whose only shining moment of the year was holding the ball as the players gathered around me for the team picture.

I quit basketball after that for lack of playing time.

Little did I know that by my senior year of high school I’d grow another 13 inches.

Tomorrow night I return to the court in the UCI CEO/Executive Shootout. The event takes place during halftime of the UC Irvine-Long Beach State game at the Bren Events Center.

It’s been a long time ? years and years. Tomorrow night instinct will have to take over. Long ago the shot left me. Come to think of it, lots of stuff has left me over the years, including a wife, but that’s another story. So now I’ll have to just rely on luck.

The shootout will include six teams, all headed by some pretty high-level names. Included in that list are Henry Samueli, Broadcom; Greg Logan, OCTFCU; Robert Farnsworth, Sonnet Technologies; Bob Duester, Newport Corporation; Dwight Decker, Conexant Systems; and my team captain, Jim Mazzo, Advanced Medical Optics.

The object is pretty simple. Teams shoot and try to make the most free throws.

One team wins, and with it comes bragging rights.

I’m considering several strategies, none of which include the possibility of making a free throw. My thought process is to protect myself from embarrassment. My leading idea is to have a jersey made up to wear with the name “Airball” on the back.

My thinking is fairly simple. When my first shot misses everything, rim, backboard and all, the fans might begin the usual chant of “airball, airball,” heard often during normal basketball games.

My teammates and those on the opposing team would then in disbelief realize my popularity and fail to remember my errant shot.

It’s not a strategy I’m proud of, but reality is reality.

All in all, Saturday night should be a great night at the Bren. The Anteaters men’s basketball team is in second place in the Big West. Their win and a University of the Pacific loss would vault UCI to the top of the heap.

In addition, UCI is guaranteed at least the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament that begins next week at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Could this be the year UCI makes the big dance?

Bring the kids and find out.

Oh, and by the way, enunciate when you yell “airball.” I want everyone to hear.