Player Sighting?

I was going to tell my readership about this yesterday but I didn't want to make it sound like a racial thing and I didn't know who I was speaking of yet so wasn't sure which way the story would go. I thought more about it and it's not racial it's just facts. I live in an area that is primarily white. Not saying that's good and not saying that's bad it's just a fact. In my neighborhood of 50 homes there is one African-American guy and I joke that even he is probably Republican; leaving Kitty Kat and I as the only Democrats in the whole area it seems! Ok, so it's primarily white but being next to the G'bay neighborhood of SacTown there are some people of color living near by (several members of the SacTown King's at least) and of course there are other people of color living around us who are doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc..... Let's just say it's not as white as the time I lived in Eastern Tennessee back in '85. I was scared they might lynch me just for knowing so many black people!

So Saturday was swim team tryouts at the local club, the Ranch as I call it. Out of 50-60 people (kids and parents) there were about 4 or 5 African American's; one coach (a Rasta looking dude), 2 or 3 kids, one mom, and one guy who looked to be about 6'7". The 6'7" dude was wearing a sweatsuit. Ok, let's stop there. NO, I don't look at every 6'7" brotha' in a sweatsuit and assume he plays for the King's. However, this tall guy kept to himself, sitting way back away from everybody, and he and his wife were about the youngest parents there. The club is a bit pricey, in a nice neighborhood, so there just aren't a lot of young families there (color aside). Putting it all together I figured there was a strong probability he played for the King's. I didn't recognize him though.

Serioiusly though, is that racist of the SacTown guy to think it was possible the guy played for the King's? At first blush I thought it was. However, the more I thought about it the fact of his staying away from everybody and his youthfulness (he looked 26-27 to me) are what drew him out in the crowd as much as anything. If he had been a 40 year old, African American, 5'9", with a pot belly I would have assumed he was a doctor, a lawyer or whatever like most other people there. If he had been a white 6'7", stand offish, young guy I would have assumed he played for the King's. Bottom line, I feel pretty comfortable with the racial side of this issue so let's move on to answer the mystry....

I knew they would be posting the kids selected for the swim team on the web site today and I figured I would look through the list and probably figure out who the mystry man was... if in fact he was a King. First kid on list "Jabri Abdur-Rahim." Though I am not a mathametician I can put 2 and 2 together to figure out that the mystry man was indeed the King's Shareef Abdur-Rahim who I know lives in the area. I will be curious if he comes out to the swim meets and such!? Yes, my big dude made the team so we will be going to swim meets every Saturday morning this spring/summer....

Peace out.