Nothing But Iron: Sometimes it Just Be That Way February 5, 2006 by Steven R. Lagman, M.D., C.A.S.W. I sat there in front of my television feeling the full frustration of the inevitable outcome of the Purdue Boilermakers feel-good puppet show starring the Wisconsin Badgers as the puppets, wondering what it must feel like being ranked one week and a bubble team the next, after getting steam rolled by what was the conference version of a Mini Cooper. The next day I woke up and got a taste of it myself. Most of us know that Sunday morning pick-up basketball at the West Madison School of Middle Agedness is a dozen or more levels below Division I college ball, and we know that in the best en-fuego, he’s-simply-unconscious, prime-time-player frenzy of my basketball life, I probably scored ten points, but even so, some of the same emotions must apply. Lucky for you, I will refrain from the kind of gory detail that might cause nausea or vertigo or send you screaming from your computer monitor, but it was one of those mornings where I couldn’t do a damn thing right. I missed four of six layup attempts, was oh-for-everything from the arc, had twice my weight in turnovers, and I was a step slow to just about every rebound and loose ball. So egregious were some of my passes that afterwards I had to spend two hours in the District Attorney’s office just to convince him not to drop the indecency charge. At one point I had to bench myself just to squelch rumors of a point-shaving scandal. In case you’re not a fan of low-level hoops, you should know that gambling, let alone point shaving, is exceedingly rare in pick-up games. Had it not ended when it did, I would have driven back to the airport parking ramp in Milwaukee to see if I could lose my car again, just to get my mind right. So you could say I have a different perspective on the Badgers struggles, some of which are understandable and some of which are inexplicable. The last several days of Wisconsin’s season can be summed up well by a quote from a Division III player who became famous only to those who are familiar with his insightful words: "Sometimes it just be that way." Lost in all the negativity is Bo Ryan’s level-headed leadership. He doesn’t blame, lament or wonder. He looks us in the eye and says he has seen these players hit these shots, and he expects that they will hit them again. That’s probably good enough for the Badgers. If so, it’s good enough for me. Bring on the Hoosiers. The good news is that Wisconsin could still contend for the Big Ten title. On what evidence? you ask. Exhibit A: Penn State beats Illinois at Illinois. The defense rests. Actually, the defense doesn’t rest. I don’t like the sound of defense resting. My column rests. _____________ Nothing But Iron is an amateur, sometimes daily, sports column. The author, who writes self-deprecating commentary not to complain, but to entertain, wishes to emphasize his deep appreciation for the ability to run and jump and fall and get up again, with extra emphasis on get up again. ©2006 DrTM Enterprises. All rights reserved.