My friend Cikku was sifting through some papers and shaking his head. When I asked him what he was doing he showed me some photos of last September 11, explaining that he had received an email asking everyone to prepare to commemorate one of the blackest days in the history of the USA.
Cikku then asked me if I remembered where I was that day.
I explained that I was in Sicily at the time because my team was participating in a tournament as a pre-season warm-up.
I remember that we were resting in the hotel when one of the players came to my room to tell me the news. The day before our team had played against the basketball team from the US nuclear base in Sigonella and that same player had commented how patriotic the Americans seemed to be as he watched them fold the Stars and Stripes with inimitable care.
God bless America
A group of players are currently sweating it out in Oakland as they prepare to represent the USA in the World Championships to be held later on this month in Indiana. They are a group with a cause.
With the likes of marquee players like Kobe Bryant, Shaq and Allen Iverson many are saying that this team could lose a game in the Championships.
This is something that none of them seem to be happy about.
Ben Wallace, voted last season's defensive player of the year, seems to be the most vocal about this saying that the team is still made up of quality players, and that they are in Oakland because they all want to do their country proud.
He insists that if anything the talk about them losing is only going to motivate them and promised that the team will be more aggressive than any USA team made up of professional players. This does not augur well for the rest of the world.
Yao is the time (sorry!)
Last night, the USA met China in a friendly that might only be friendly in word! Before the match, China said they will have Yao Ming in the team. He is the number one draft in the NBA and it appeared that all of the USA players were raring to match up against him.
In China's first friendly, against Canada, Ming showed some deft touches but the fact that he lacks upper-body strength was exposed.
Wallace and the other big men, Antonio Davis, Jermaine O'Neal, Elton Brand and Raef LaFrentz will be eager to get a psychological advantage before the league starts.
Yao admits that he will find it tough against heavier opposition at first, and has said that he intends undergoing a tough weight regime to build up some bulk.
For the time being it would be better if he played in Alaska rather than Houston since ice is easier to find up North. He will need plenty of it.
Quick draw
Most senior teams in Malta are now well into their pre-season training as they prepare for the first competitions of the season.
Anyone interested in seeing the draws for the Shield may surf to www.mba.org.mt for full details. It is good to see this website regularly updated. Keep it up!
Stephen Buttigieg may be contacted at footwork@keyworld.net