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.
Feb. 13, 2002
Brian Burke Bio
Burke's Edition --
Journal Entry No. 7
There was a lot of good journal material for me this past week. It started up at Holy Cross where I got into a little scuffle. I guess I could start off by explaining what happened for the people who weren't there.
In the middle of the second half I was down at our basket trying for a rebound when one of Holy Cross' players and I got tangled up. I fell face down and was lying on the foul line when he landed on top of me. I tried to get up but it was impossible because he had all of his weight on me. Plus, it didn't look like he wanted me to get up. When I tried to push myself up, nothing happened. I couldn't even budge him. I got a little frustrated and said to myself, if I'm not getting up, he's not getting up either. So I reached behind me and held him down with me. I had him in what others have told me looked like a headlock. It wasn't much of a lock though cause I quickly released him when I felt a couple of shots to the left ribs. I thought that was the end of it. He took some of his weight off of me, so I was getting ready for us to get up. My face was about 2 inches from the court in a pretty defenseless position with him still on top of me. I was listening to the crowd react to a Holy Cross basket down at the other end of the court.
That's when my head hit his left fist. The refs came running in blowing their whistles and everything was out of control. I stayed down to get my thoughts together and try to think about what just happened. My dad ran out to see if I was allright. He's into the games enough anyway without seeing me be used as a punching bag. I wasn't really surprised he was out there at all.
Play resumed once everything got calmed down. It was a six-point lead for them at that point, but we were able to make a run to send it into overtime. They executed in overtime and we didn't. Holy Cross is a well-disciplined team that doesn't make too many mistakes. We happened to make more mistakes than they did and it cost us the game. I was issued a warning from the Patriot League for what happened in the game. I'm not really sure what a warning means or what I did to deserve it, but I got it. I think it just means I need to use self-control more and keep my left temple to myself.
On a lighter note, the American game was one I'll always remember. Not because I made the shot at the end, but because I thought we were going into overtime when Miles' shot was in the air. As much in control as I felt when I had the ball with five seconds left, I felt just as helpless when his shot took off. After the game it was more of a feeling of relief for me than celebration. I felt lucky that the game ended the way it did. My shot could have just as easily missed and his shot could have fallen. It is strange how all the hard work both teams put into it comes down to just a couple of inches either way.
We are happy to be where we are right now. The standings are obviously important, but the more important thing is that we are playing well. Even though we lost to Holy Cross, we know we can go into a place like that and push a good team to the limit. We have confidence now from playing them tough, and also by beating a team as good as American.
The American game was the first time I had all four of my nieces in the stands. Mary Burke, my brother Tom and his wife Barbara's daughter, made her first appearance at APK. Her sisters Christina and Sarah have been regulars at our Saturday afternoon games. I doubt Mary will remember the game because she was only born in November, but she'll be able to say she was there when she is older. My other niece Catie has also seen a bunch of games this year. Her parents are my sister Cathy and her husband Fred. Catie will be a year old on February 22. Her nickname is Peanuts.
The Monday after the American game I was in the post office mailing a package to my friend who is studying abroad in Madrid. Hola Kristen. A gentleman came up to me and congratulated me on the shot I had made two days before. He told me how he's been watching Lafayette basketball for years and said it was one of the most exciting things he's ever seen. It made me think how as Division I basketball players we are mini-celebrities to some people. We aren't in the Big 10 or the ACC and we are never on ESPN, but the people of Easton and Lafayette appreciate what we do. You only get four years to make a mark on a basketball program and a school -- and maybe even a community for that matter. All you can do is work as hard as possible and hope things turn out ok. I've had a lot of great experiences here at Lafayette that I'll take with me when I leave. One of them is knowing you can make a person's Saturday night just a little bit better when you do something as simple as making a jump-shot.
I hope to see everyone at senior day this Saturday. It is hard to believe it is already here.
