MEN'S BASKETBALL 2001-02 SEASONBrian Burke returns for his second season as a journal writer for GoLeopards.com. You can get insight into the life of Burke as a Lafayette student-athlete through his weekly journals.
Jan. 18, 2002
Brian Burke Bio
Burke's Edition --
Journal Entry No. 5
After three games in the Patriot League, the team is happy to be where we are. It is easy to say we could be 3-0, but it is also just as easy to say we could be 0-3. If I would have made that jumper against Bucknell we could be undefeated. But, the Holy Cross and American games could have gone either way. I think the first three games will tell you a lot about how the season is going to go. The games are going to be close. They might even come down to the last shot. It's going to be a fun year.
When I saw the schedule at the beginning of the season it seemed kind of strange. Only two of our first seven Patriot League games are at home. This could be an advantage in February because our students will be back on campus and we will get larger crowds at our home games. Plus, when you are on the road during this time of year there are usually fewer students at the games. We like playing in front of bigger crowds at home for obvious reasons.
Part of having a successful team depends on having certain guys pick up the rest of the team when it is needed. Against Holy Cross, Justin made up for my bad shooting by hitting a couple of late three's. When we needed a shot to put away American, it was Ben and Mick who got the job done. Good teams win when they play well, but great teams can win even when they aren't playing well. They do the right things when they need to do in order to get the victory. I don't think we have been playing well lately. The important thing, though, is that we have been doing just enough to get by.
On January 8th, Andy Maurer, Rob (Worthington), Mick, and I went to Lonestar to celebrate Mick's 22nd birthday. You are familiar with the last three names, but the first you may not be. Andy (Big Andy) was on the basketball team freshman year until he decided to make a career change. He went back to his roots from high school and joined the track and field team here at Lafayette. Among other things, Andy is a world-class high jumper. He is a high jumper who is one of the classier guys I know.
When four guys who are between 6-5 and 6-10 go out to a restaurant it is common for them to be stared at. I'm not sure why but it just is. The staring I have gotten used to, but it's the bad jokes/comments that really leave me scratching my head. When we sat down the waitress couldn't wait to say, "So what basketball team are you guys on?" I told her we were the chess team from Lafayette. I think she understood we weren't in the mood to be joking about being tall.
Kids sometimes ask me what it is like to be so tall. I like walking around holding my nieces so their eyes are where mine are and they can see what it would be like to be as tall as me. It must seem like a totally different world. I generally look at my height as a positive. I am 6-5 and don't mind it at all. I actually prefer it to being a normal height. That isn't to say that I can get by without minor inconveniences. Cars can be trouble. Getting in and out of small to medium sized cars can be a production. Maneuvering the legs around the steering wheel is key. And, it can be a far way to go for the body to reach the seat, so you just fall back and hope the seat will still be there when you land. Also, it isn't unusual for me to have my head touching the ceiling of the car no matter where I am sitting. Usually I can just feel my hair sliding against the top of the car. It isn't something I think about. It's normal.
When I am driving a smaller car I usually have to duck to see the traffic light. I like intersections where the lights are on poles on the corners instead of dangling up in the middle of the intersection. The ones on the corners I don't have to duck to see. These cars weren't made with people like me in mind.
In closing, I'd like to thank Professor Norton for his shooting tips. Although I haven't noticed myself getting more arc on my shot, I definitely have more confidence now. Thanks.
