If only I knew something about basketball. I wish I did, but how could I? It just wasn’t in the cards. Sure my dad’s mentor, coach A.B Calvin was a Hall of Fame Coach at Scipio A. Jones High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas and also a staunch fundamentalist. However, he really didn’t know that much and he certainly didn’t teach anyone anything. He traveled the country visiting camps and picking the brains of such luminaries as Henry Iba and other top coaches of that era. You would think he would have put all that information to good use. I still don’t understand how he won all those state championships. The competition in Arkansas at the time must have been awful- at least amongst the all-black ranks.
It’s a shame he never transferred any knowledge to my dad (Eddie Miles). My dad’s a big guy, maybe he could have been pretty good. I’m not saying a college All-American or NBA all-star, but decent? Maybe had he known something or somebody, perhaps it might have worked out for him? Too bad. I’m a little “salty” about it, because had things been different, I might have some legitimate pedigree. Hell, I might have been one of the Barry boys or Danny Ferry even. Imagine if I’d have been privy to quality information growing up, instead of the crap I was fed all those years? What a waste. Maybe I could have been a player too. It would have been nice to play high school ball and even better to have earned a scholarship some place…@#%! Life just isn’t fair.
I can’t think of anything I would have rather done. I really love this game. I’m so passionate about basketball, I’m certain that with the right lineage and guidance, I could have done something special inside the game. Okay, maybe not as a player, but surely as a coach or teacher. As it is, I’ve written a book on basketball (“The Virtual Game of Basketball”). But what could I possibly know- especially about something so technical or “Hi-Sci” (highly scientific)?. I mean, it’s not like I’ve been hanging out at Holiday Inns or anything. I’m definitely not Einstein’s child or the son any other smart white guy. If that was the case, maybe I could be “Manningesque” or like Don Nelson’s boy- as far as credibility is concerned. Even then, I might still be considered a fool… but I doubt I’d qualify as a damn fool.
It’s hard. Sometimes I can’t help but think, what if things were different. It sure would be nice to have black kids listen to me. But who am I kidding. We’re from the same sub-culture, I can’t fool them, they know I don’t know @#$! I mean, you can’t change the spots of a leper. But imagine if all the time and energy I’ve spent compiling information translated into something of value for someone here in the states.
As it is now, I have to stay off Facebook and other social mediums. I’m bombarded daily with questions from players outside of the US about my material. How idiotic of these types to put themselves at the mercy of my answers and low-level information. No wonder the US players are the intellectual giants around the world of basketball. European players are frickin’ clueless. They’re just lucky they have superior athletes. Otherwise they wouldn’t stand a chance against our players.
I swear. If I knew something about this game, I would try hard to share the wealth. I would exhaust myself trying to move players forward. Really I would. I’d proposition players of all ages and all levels – all the time. I’d live at the gym and be willing to teach anyone willing to learn, regardless of what they thought about me. I really would try to be the bigger person and “tee tee my dub” (try to make it work).
IF ONLY I KNEW!
