Basketball Game

Last night was the traditional basketball game between our elementary school and one of the other town elementary schools.  The teams are made up of staff and parents from both schools, and the bleachers are always jam-packed with families and students.  This year was no exception.  Despite the fact that the game is rigged to end with a tie every year, the kids get infused with a manic anticipation that THIS might be the year that their school actually wins!

Julia got to play flute in the pep band this year, which was a source of pride and excitement:

Madeleine sat in the stands with her foam finger and her pom-pom and let 'er rip throughout the entire game.  Not caring that she was whapping people in the head with the plastic tufts from her pom-pom, or screaming directly into their ears, she cheered and leaped around the stands in delight.  She had even insisted on making her own sign for the game:

However, seeing that she had both hands full with cheer paraphernalia, she needed to rely on me to hold the sign.  She was very quick to point out my short-comings in the sign-holding area.

MADELEINE: Mommy!  You're supposed to hold up the sign!
ME: Do I have to hold it up the whole time, or only when our team gets a basket?
MADELEINE: Uh...the whole time!
ME: My arms might get tired from holding it up the whole time, though.
MADELEINE: Okay.  How about when we get a basket?

At the next basket, I held the sign up as promised.

MADELEINE: No, Mommy!  You have to move it UP and DOWN!
ME: Oh.  Sorry.  (waving the sign up and down)
MADELEINE: Uh...no, Mommy.  You have to do it slower.
ME: (waving the sign up and down more slowly)
MADELEINE: (examining me critically) Okay.  Good.

Equally critical was Madeleine of the traitors who had switched to play on the opposing team, merely because they were now employees of the other school.  For instance, the assistant PE teacher that had taught Madeleine last year, but who now teaches across the way at the opposing school.

MADELEINE: Mrs. K is NOT my friend anymore.
ME: What?
MADELEINE: Because she's playing on the OTHER team.

Yikes.  Harshness.  All you have to do is play ONCE for another team and you are on the OUTS with Madeleine.

The funniest part of the evening was that somehow, the memo about ending in a tie did not make it to the actual players.  With four minutes to go in the game, the opposing team was up by two points and the players were still furiously trying to score more.  The PTC parent in charge of the event had to run over to the referee to pass the crucial information along, and a quick time-out was called.  Unfortunately, only the team that was up by two points was told, so after our team scored an additional two points, the teachers and parents were gunning to score more.  With seven seconds left on the clock, and our team up by two points, another time-out was called.  The other team was given the ball, and threw desperate shot after desperate shot to score a basket, but the clock ran out.  Of course, the score-keepers quickly awarded a bonus two points to the other team, but before the score-board reflected the miraculous tie, the kids from our school were leaping off the bleachers, screaming wildly, and celebrating in the middle of the gym.

I could see Julia and her friends, but totally lost Madeleine.  I wondered if she had gone to say hello to her teacher, who was one of the players in the game, but she was nowhere to be found.  When she finally returned to the bleachers, I asked her where she'd been.

ME: Madeleine, where did you go??
MADELEINE: Oh.  To ask Mrs. K why she played for the OTHER team.

Oh.  I see.  No congratulations to the teachers on our team, no hugs or hellos, instead a scathing rebuke of the traitorous ex-PE teacher/friend.  Sportsmanship.  Madeleine sure gets it.

I tried to explain the need to end on a tie to the girls.  Julia totally got it, but Madeleine didn't understand why the score-keeper would just award two completely unearned points.

MADELEINE: But why didn't they just get a BASKET even after time ran out to get the points?  Why did they just GIVE them two points?
ME: Well, they tried to get a basket.  They had a bunch of chances, but they couldn't get it in, and the time ran out.
MADELEINE: Well,  then. why don't they just TEACH THEIR TEACHERS how to play basketball better?


Yeah.  Seriously.  Who cares if this is a volunteer opportunity to play in a game that's a fund-raiser for the school?  That is NO excuse not to be in tip-top basketball shape.  We should be holding clinics to get these teachers on their A-game!  Otherwise they DESERVE to lose by two points!

Congrats, Eagels, on your accidental win!