Two years ago, November 11, was on Wednesday, so I wrote a blog that was an ode to Veterans Day, entitled, “The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day ofthe Eleventh Month.” This year, Veterans Day is Friday, which will be, 11/11/11. Though I may approach the subject sideways, I will again be writing about Veterans Day.
Rewind; the last we saw of the naval aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, was May 2, 2011, in the North Arabian Sea. There, religious rites were performed for the burial-at-sea of Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, founder and leader of the militant Islamist organization, Al-Qaeda.
The jihadist organization was responsible for the September 11th terrorist attacks, which resulted in hijacking four
Simultaneously, bin Laden became the global Most Wanted terrorist. You know the rest of the story. A team of NavySeals (Seal Team 6) entered a compound in Pakistan
Fast forward; the USS Carl Vinson has returned State side, and is anchored in its home port, Naval Air Station (NAS) NorthIsland San Diego, CA. There on Veterans’ Day, the carrier will host the first ever major college basketball game, played on an aircraft carrier, in honor of our nations’ servicemen and women. President Obama is scheduled to join the 7,000 military guests in attendance. The event has been dubbed “The Carrier Classic.”
As citizens we have become accustomed to having many details of various wars spun into three-minute vignettes, on a nightly basis. Because of this we, all too often, become anesthetized to various and sundry details pertaining to the size, scope, and mechanics of war initiatives, processes, and machinery. Take air craft carriers, for example. The USS Carl Vinson is 1092 feet long. A football field is 360 feet long, including 300 feet from goal line to goal line, plus 10 yards, or 30 feet in each end zone. So, if you placed 3 football fields end to end, the distance covered would be 1,080 feet, or…that’s right, less than the length of the USS Carl Vinson. For good measure, consider the matter from another context. The carrier has space for 90 winged planes and helicopters. Think about that for a moment.
So, when you are reflecting on how 7,000 fans will be accommodated, or how there will be room for a basketball game to be played on a ship, imagine how many 7,000 seat arenas could fit into 3 football fields, or the space required for 90 planes and/helicopters to take off, land, and/or reside. Problem solved; at least as it relates to the space question. There were myriad what ifs to contemplate, offset, or design around. One of the most significant outlying issues, beyond taking one of our premier warships offline for a couple of weeks, is weather.
The song says, “It Never Rains in Southern California,” but that is just a song; it does (rain in Southern California ). What if it does?
Should that unlikely event occur (and it typically does not occur in November), a makeshift “indoor arena” has been constructed inside an aircraft hangar. In the worst case scenario, if global events required the carrier to be deployed, the event would shift to the USS Midway, which is maintained at a museum in San Diego
Rear Admiral Dennis Moynihan, the Navy’s chief spokesman said of the game, “We think the game is going to be a celebration of service to all veterans. We’re excited about that.” According to Admiral Moynihan and Mike Whalen, director of the Morale Entertainment Foundation, the game will result in no costs to taxpayers, nor any operational issues that would adversely affect the Navy.
So what is the punch line here? Yes, it’s Veterans Day, but…for me, there is more; much more. I am huge basketball fan. This past Friday, National Basketball Association (NBA) arenas across the country were dark. That was significant, because the NBA season would normally have kicked off during the first weekend in November. However, due to a labor dispute between the owners and the Players’ Association (Union ), the pros are on the shelf.
Consequently, the start of the College Basketball season, this week, holds even greater significance than usual. For the moment (and I do still expect there to be an NBA season, even if abbreviated), collegiate and scholastic (high school) ball are the only (basketball) games in town. During the last NBA Lockout, in 1998-99, the season, normally 82 games, was shortened by 50 games. The pre-season and first couple of weeks of this season have already been forfeited. The League Commissioner, David Stern has issued an ultimatum to the players to reach agreement by today. We’ll see.
All of that is cool, but the heart of the matter, for this post is, my alma mater, the University of NorthCarolina, is one of the teams featured in Friday’s match-up. Most people who follow the sport know “Carolina
To weave a little history into the match-up, James Worthy (1982 NCAA Championship Team Most Outstanding Player) and Magic Johnson (1979 NCAA Championship Team Most Outstanding Player) will serve as the Ceremonial Team Captains. The two teamed up during their professional careers as Los Angeles Lakers, when Worthy, the Number 1 Draft Choice in 1982 joined the Lakers, who had made Magic the Number 1 Draft Choice in 1979. They won three NBA Titles together, ('85, '87, & '88). Magic won the NBA Finals MVP in 1980, Worthy won the award in 1988. Johnson is listed among the 50 Greatest players in NBA History.
To weave a little history into the match-up, James Worthy (1982 NCAA Championship Team Most Outstanding Player) and Magic Johnson (1979 NCAA Championship Team Most Outstanding Player) will serve as the Ceremonial Team Captains. The two teamed up during their professional careers as Los Angeles Lakers, when Worthy, the Number 1 Draft Choice in 1982 joined the Lakers, who had made Magic the Number 1 Draft Choice in 1979. They won three NBA Titles together, ('85, '87, & '88). Magic won the NBA Finals MVP in 1980, Worthy won the award in 1988. Johnson is listed among the 50 Greatest players in NBA History.
The Tar Heels return all 5 starters from last year, added a highly ranked freshman class, and are ranked Number 1 in the country, entering the game. Needless to say, expectations are high for a successful year, which includes at least a run at returning to the Final Four in New Orleans, and the possible addition of a 6th Title.
At the beginning of the season, it is important to be talented; they are. It is crucial to be good; they are. It is noteworthy to be highly-ranked; they are. But in the final analysis, when the dust and all accounts are settled, the only question of note will be, “Did they win the final game of the season?
There are nearly 5 months between now and the first Monday in April, when that lingering question will finally be answered. It will take a fair amount of luck, and an equal portion of good health to be a factor in that conversation at that time. But this team has the rudiments to traverse the rugged terrain between potential and actualization.
Both teams will don camouflaged versions of their uniforms, with USA
If, like me, you’ve got a “Hoops Jones: Let the Games Begin!” I have only one thing to say; GO HEELS!
I’m done; holla back!
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