I was reading the paper last night when a friend--whom I will refer to simply as "Mad Dog" because he likes to make an illegal sports bet from time to time--called.

"You've got to get down here," he said, not even bothering with a "Hello".

"Where are you?"

"Faneuil Hall--the Cradle of Liberty."

"What's going on?"

There was a pause, as if he was choked up and couldn't speak.

"We . . . are . . . witnessing . . . history."

I've never known my friend to be much interested in politics.  He misunderidentified George W. Bush at the Washington Nationals opening game last spring, betting me 2-to-1 it was Camilo Pascual of the old Washington Senators.

Come to think about it, have you ever seen them in the same room together?

"Yeah, we're living in an incredible time," I said.  "I'm just glad it's over."

"Over?  It's not over," Mad Dog said, the emotion in his voice audible even over the roar of a crowd.  "This is a new beginning--a new morning in America," he continued.  "I'm almost fifty years old, and I never thought I'd live to see this day."

I was a little confused since the election was Tuesday and he was calling on Wednesday, but I didn't want to discourage Mad Dog's new-found interest in something other than sports.  "It's great you're finally following politics," I said.

There was silence at the end of the line again.  "Who said anything about politics?" Mad Dog asked after a few moments.

"Well, I assumed you were at an Obama rally."

"Obama, Obama," he said, as if wracking his brain.  "Didn't he play for the Golden State Warriors back in the Clifford Ray era?"

Clifford Ray

"No--he's the next President of the United States, you dingbat.  What the hell are you doing down there."

"Like I said--we're watching history being made on 10 high-definition TVs and two projection screens as the 17-time World Champion Boston Celtics play their first game ever--ever," he repeated for emphasis, "against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  I'm at the Green Dragon Tavern, and the crowd is going absolutely nuts!  Course that may be because it's 2-for-1 Bud Light Night."

Same old Dog.  "You mean to tell me that you've completely missed out on one of the most exciting presidential campaigns in American history, but you think it's a big deal . . ."

"It is a big deal," my friend said, and I could tell he was getting emotional again.  "I missed the first Celtics-Miami Heat game, the first Celtics-Indiana Pacers game.  It's easy for you to criticize--you're old enough to remember when the Hawks were in St. Louis."

St. Louis Hawks v. Philadelphia Warriors, 1960

He had me there.  I didn't want to spoil his celebration entirely, but I tried to get him to keep things in perspective.

"Look, Dog--expansion teams come and go . . ."

"But there's never been an NBA franchise in Oklahoma before this year."

The last Oklahoma Hornets game.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Sports Trivia Guy--how about the New Orleans-Oklahoma Hornets?"

"That was a temporary thing--this is change we can believe in!"

"At least until the owners want a new arena built.  I'm just glad they didn't bring the name 'Sonics' with them to Oklahoma.  Everybody would have thought they were sponsored by the drive-in restaurant."

"I love the fact they still have car hops," the Dog said wistfully.  "Also the Sausage Biscuit Dippers."

"It still ticks me off that the New Orleans Jazz became the Utah Jazz, when Bobby McFerrin's the only thing in Utah that even remotely resembles jazz."

"I don't know," the Dog said, his voice sounding far off now, as if he were looking into the future.  "I think it's time we rose above our petty differences and realized that we're all one people, even if we are divided into Eastern and Western Conferences."

"Yeah, you're right.  Think of the changes I've seen in my lifetime.  Fifty years ago the Sacramento Kings were the Rochester Royals.  Then the Cincinnati Royals.  Then the Kansas City-Omaha Kings."

Tiny Archibald

"Yeah--I've seen those old films of Tiny Archibald.  He was something.  Whatever happened to the Kings?"

"They haven't won an NBA Championship since 1951, haven't made the playoffs in two years, and they're 0-4 on the season."

"But this is a year for miracles!"

Copyright 2008, Con Chapman