HHI's 32nd ANNIVERSARY LEGENDS GAMES

By Your HHI & Athletic Supporter, Jack Strap

32 Years is a long-time and using round numbers 1/2 the years I've been alive have included Hills Hoops Inc. HHI continues on with Mighty Kerr as the Commissioner and they're back in action Saturdays after a Summer hiatus, but on Labor Day Monday we had the 32nd ANNIVERSARY LEGENDS GAMES. There were an Ocean's 11 LEGENDS in action looking to steal (the ball) from each other. The Car Tech Captains were Allan "The Question" I-Vath-son & FUn Frank.

Al's squad was named the "Middle Finger Lakes" (MFL) relating to this pre-game exchange of Messages: 

Jack Strap (JS): Hey Al--can you play in HHI's 32nd ANNIVERSARY GAMES on Labor Day 9/2?

Al Vath (AV): No...I'll be in the Finger Lakes

JS: The Middle Finger 🖕 Lakes?

AV: [No Response and just shows up unexpectedly complaining of a 4am Car Tech IT call he had to take because his guy was on vacation probably ironically at The Finger Lakes]

Anyway happy to have Captain Al who made these MFL Draft selections:

* Junior - whose transportation business has been hurt by accidents with under-insured motorists so me thinks time to open Junior's Corner Store hiring Al Vath as his IT Manager but his employee agreement would say no 4am calls and vacations in the Finger Lakes but never on Labor Day

* Lender Bender - the White Moses Malone who shoots misses, gets his own rebound, shoots misses, gets his own rebound, shoots misses, get his own rebound, shoots misses, gets his own rebound, etc....it's exhausting to watch

* Energizer Boni - The "One Man" Press, Hacker Bob's Successor, Oldest LEGEND, and The Man of Steal (so more nicknames than Apollo Creed)

* Your HHI & Athletic Supporter (& HHI Founding Father), Jack Strap who worked hard to get an Ocean's 11 LEGENDS on the court this AM (needs NIL $$$ for 33rd ANNIVERSARY Recruiting)!

FUn Frank's Team was named "Many Years Ago I Took the Generous Car Tech Buy-Out Package" or MYAITtGCTBOP" but we'll shorten in to BOP and he selected:

* Woooooh Nelly who I used to call (Jeremy) Shockey because he liked to go long for full-court passes and was a Giants Fan - to really show our ages note Shockey last played for the G-Men in 2007

* Pat Steaks - who should have patented those extra-long 3-pointers as Steph Curry stole the idea from him while making Millions & winning a Gold Medal

* Radon Rader - today he was Chris Carter who as Buddy Ryan famously said "All he does is catch Touchdowns" and all Rader (who still plays HHI) did today was hit 3-pointers

* HHI Founding Father & current Commissioner & Grace Church Liaison Mighty Kerr!

The 11th Man Rover was the latest arriving Iron Mike which seems like a "back in the day" fit for Iron as Google says "The Rover evolved from the Strong Safety position and is a defensive player who can cover receivers and tight ends, while also stopping the run - a combination of a safety and linebacker, the Rover requires both strength and speed."

Are You Ready!? I said "Are You Ready for HHI LEGENDS Basketball!!"  

Game 1 saw the MFL jump (figuratively not literally) out to a 9-0 lead noting HHI LEGENDS Rules have changed with shots counting for 2 & 3 points rather than 1 & 2 points. Mike Tyson said "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" and in this case BOP had a plan until they got Bopped upside the head. After some madcap basketball--the MFL finally got to 21 with an easy victory.

BOP didn't let themselves get in such a deep hole in Game 2 so it was more competitive but MFL still got the "W" for a 2-0 Series lead.

Before Game 3 Bender & Strap cockily harmonized some Tom Petty "Even the Losers get Lucky some time". FUn Frank wasn't amused and evoked the new rule where the Stink'in Losers get the ball 1st and their choice of baskets keeping the same one as last game. The turning point of this game was when Junior's Kids (who were much-much better behaved than Bad Jeff's Kids from back in Da Hills Days") asked Dad when they'd be leaving and Uncle Nelly (whose shots weren't falling the 1st 2 games) said when I make a basket. After which he proceeded to make 3 in a row sparking BOP to a Blow-Out Win.

So it was on to Game Four or Fo-Fo-Fo as the Black Moses Malone said during the Sixers 1983 Championship Run. BOP took the Big Mo as in mentum into this game and every indication was that was going to carry them to a series tying victory as they approached 21. But the MFL battled back and finally tied it when the White Moses Malone aka Lender Bender appeared to say forget layups and stepped outside to nail a tying 3-pointer, thus it was 20-20 and if there had been a crowd they would have gone wild. Both teams had nail-biting chances to win it but it was Jack Strap who put everyone out of their misery avoiding a Game 5 nobody (but Boni) wanted with a Daily Championship winning shot from the elbow.

The other good thing about Vath not being at the Middle Finger Lakes was that he took pictures (except for The Doors - not Jim Morrison - pic I took) and an "action-packed" video:

Every year since the 30th I say this is the last LEGENDS ANNIVERSARY GAME but Never Say Never so we'll see noting Backcracker Vinny (who was on vacation for this one as was Gary US Bonds) already signed up for HHI-33. What will continue for sure are the HHI LEGENDS Breakfasts with the next one of those on Black Friday so mark your November Calendar now.