Today was an interesting day to say the least. So here goes. Woke up in Omura to another warm day. Crazy schedule. 8:30 breakfast then, because we were playing at 2pm, a 10:30 pregame meal. I went at 8:30 and had some OJ and 2 strips of "pork belly" and some scrambled eggs. Also tried a small bowl of an interesting breakfast choice, Beef Stew. Not quite the beef stew we are used to but not bad. Headed back to the room and watched some film with the team. After that, Mike, Allison and I chatted about today's game, about the current national championships being played in Winnipeg and about basketball in general. That took us to about 10:20 so we headed down to be with the team. I tried some noodle type soup and some pork. I also had a sweet corn soup which was fantastic. 2 great soups in two days. Throw a little rice in with it and BAM got yourself a nice bowl of soup.
After lunch, Allison, Livia and I went for a short walk near the hotel. The walks have to be short because in 40+ degree heat, sweating like a pig is not optional. Went into a little kitchen store then we went looking for a watch or a battery for my watch. It died yesterday. So we see this little shop and Livia said she felt we could get a watch there. It said DVD's and stuff on a sign. So in we go. It took us about 30 seconds to figure out that we were in a japanese porn store. Yikes. Not the best when you are representing your country. I knew I couldn't find a watch in there but I did look around for about an hour just to see if I could find one. Just kidding. We went next store to a big variety store and they sold watch straps and alarm clocks but no watches or watch batteries. So we sweated our way back home after that. It was nearly 11:30 and we were leaving at 12:30 so enough time to pack up and grab a quick shower.
If you can imagine 40+ weather in shorts and t-shirt, imagine it in a golf shirt and pants. Christ it was hot. Especially when the hallway windows are left open everyday. I almost swam to the bus. JUmped on and took a few minutes in the air conditioning just to cool down. So off we go to the game. Walk into the gym over an hour before we tip off and there are a few hundred people there already. Fantastic. We hit the court at 2PM and didn't show up until about 2:20. We were the absolute shits for the first few minutes. No passion, no hustle, no execution. We were down 7 with a minute or so left in the 1st quarter and woke up a bit with a few hoops to be down 17-15 after 1 quarter. A little better in the 2nd as we battled a little better. Went into the half down 29-28. Halftime we made a few adjustments and went back at it. We played much better defense and had better offensive spurts to allow us to go up 42-39 after 3. We got up by as much as 7 in the 4th and then they battled back. They tied it at 50 with 3 min. left. It stayed that way for a bit and we went up 56-54 with about 11 seconds left. Timeout China. With their three point shooting we could be in trouble. We told them to challenge all 3's and rebound hard. After a mad scramble they got the ball out deep from the basket in one of their best shooters hands. Her heave left her hands as the time expired. I had a great angle and it was dead straight for the basket. I am thinking we are done. It hits the front of the rim and bounces out. We steal a win 56-54. Needless to say the girls felt very good. We felt the defense was very good but our offense struggled at times and we buried our own energy earlier. Something to work on for sure.
After the game there was quite a delay as two of the girls were helping collect donations for Tsunami relief and there was a lengthy press conference. Mike and I went outside to talk with Japan's assistant coach, Tom. He is from the U.S. and has been coaching for 2 years in Japan after playing here for 10 years. Very interesting guy. He told us about their pro league setup where the players work for corporations that sponsor the team. They have a very rigorous training schedule but get rewarded quite well. Their day consists of 6:30AM wakeup to go and shoot in the gym. 7:30 breakfast. Practice from 10-12 and then 2-5. THey must also do conditioning, have supper and then shoot from 7:30 to 8pm. A hectic and tough schedule.
He also told us that his team was in the playoffs and drove to Fukushima before the earthquake for the 2nd game of their series. He said they were practicing and without warning the building started to shake violently side to side. Many of his players got out but him and 2 players stood under the support for the basket. It was the only place they could go. He said almost immediately all of the windows busted and pieces of the ceiling and walls started to crash down around them. After 1 minute the whole building started shaking violently back and forth in the other direction. He said it was very scary. I can't imagine what that would be like. He is a great guy so we had a fantastic discussion about basketball.
So after this we piled onto the bus and headed up the street. As we did there were a lot of fans on the street waving and screaming at the bus. It is exciting to see people so excited about basketball. We drove a few hundred yards up the street and there is a Starbucks. Well as you can imagine, the bus had to be stopped. As we headed across the street, kids were running and screaming looking for autographs. People in Starbucks were excited and wanting to touch the players and get autographs. I ordered my Caramel Macchiato and waited for it. A bunch of young girls who watched the game came in with an adult. They were excited to get autographs. As I got my drink it was time to spring into action. I told the staff and the players to watch as I went over to two very enthusiastic little girls. Probably about 11 or 12. They were getting autographs from 2 players. They couldn't speak english at all so with a "psst" I got their attention. I looked at them and showed them a Japanese 1 yen coin in my hand. I took the marker out of one girl's hand and gave it to her friend. They weren't sure what was going on. I opened her hand and showed her my coin. I tossed it into my hand a few times and then tossed it into her hand. Of course it had changed to a toonie. That moment is why I love magic. Their eyes got wide, they squealed and started shouting. The team go quite a kick out of it and those two young girls will remember for a long time the coach from Canada who made magic. It was just an awesome moment.
As we left the shop and went outside there were two older girls, probably in their mid-late 20's who wanted a picture with all of us. Then there was another group and another and then a few cars pulled over for pictures. The little girls were giggling with excitement when they had their picture taken. As we crossed the street to get on the bus another group ran across the street and delayed us a little bit more but what a fun delay it was. While all of us coaches love winning with our teams, the reason I think we all coach is because we love the interaction with the kids and there is no feeling quite like seeing the look in kids eyes when they love basketball. Just an incredible feeling.
So we finally get on the bus and get rolling. Heading to Fukuoka. What a beautiful countryside we travelled through. Green and beautiful and perhaps the cleanest country on the face 0f the earth. We drove about an hour or a little more and landed in Fukuoka. A very nice city. As we arrive we stop on a bridge. Not sure why. There are all the hotel people with carts. The bus can't get down the road by the bridge so they met us. Took us to a fantastic hotel. As we arrive our interpreter, who can't really speak english well, tells us that "in evening, very many pretty woman here...they on road and...and...and..and" then she started to blush so I said "prostitutes". She said "you look, no touchy". I had to laugh out loud. Settled into a very nice hotel and then down to dinner. Some chicken, two types of fish, rice, salads, squash soup (fantastic & makes 3 for 3 on the soups), udoh which is a noodle soup, breads and desserts. A decent dinner.
So there is a lengthy update to a full day. A great day actually. Tomorrow we are up for breakfast at 8:00 and then shoot around at 9. video at 11 and lunch at 11:30. Game at 3pm. Last full day in Japan. Busy day ahead so now on to video.
Until tomorrow.
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