Roundball

The Canes basketball team is in rebuilding mode, two years after a great NCAA appearance year, where they made it to the Sweet 16. But somehow, the coach, Larranaga, cobbled together some nice wins, and the team made the consolation NIT tournament. They won the first game, and yesterday hosted Alabama. My friend Norman and his brother Richard got tickets. Norman came by early, and we fetched his dad Max. Max is one of my favorite people -- 88 and still going very strong -- up on current events and technology and most importantly, his many wonderful grandkids and great grandkids. The three of us repaired to Bagel Emporium. Max told me he had doubts about the upcoming Apple Watch -- he had seen demonstrations on YouTube and thought it wouldn't be too user friendly. How might this affect Apple stock prices? We drove to the U and parked next to the arena. Richard met us there, and we went to our seats -- 5 rows back at center court. My friend Mike and his boy Chris and wife Loni were there -- back in the cheaper seats. I texted Mike to come down -- there were 4 seats empty behind us. But Mike is a rules guy, and there was no way... The game was one of the most entertaining in awhile -- both teams fought hard and played well. It was close to the end, and the Canes pulled out the win. We sat behind the TV announcers, and when the camera was turned on them, Norman put up the U exhuberantly. This being the age of instant media, a young lawyer in his office watching on ESPN saw it, froze the image, and sent it immediately, where it was promptly posted on FaceBook (tm). One of Norman's friends asked if he was sitting next to Bill Clinton -- I get that I look like him all the time... We left the arena happy, and dropped Max off at his place in the Gables. He's a true man in full -- takes care, still, of his wonderful family, and has a blast doing it. We should all be so lucky... I came home, and got a text. Dr. Barry's son Josh, who has become quite the urban adventurer, was down from Pembroke Pines on his bike, and wanted to visit. He's 17 and gets all around the bi county area on his bike and public transit. He had ridden 10 miles to the Hollywood Tri Rail station, took that to Metrorail near MIA, and then gone to Brickell, where there was an Underline event. The Underline is a planned linear park under the Metrorail tracks -- they hope to ape the success of NY's Hi Line, with better weather. Josh attended, and then took the train south, where he then biked to our house. Wifey happily interrogated him about his future plans, and he held up well -- like D2, Josh keeps things close to the vest. I packed his bike into the SUV, and we went to Guadelajara for Mexican. We caught up, about his life and plans (I don't interrogate -- I get my info slowly but easily), and then I drove him to the Dadeland North station. He made his way back to the Pines, and texted me when he arrived safely. So all in all, a terrific day -- one spent with a very cool older guy, and one with a very cool younger one. And the Canes play on...