It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

[JBMetzEA@aol.com]

<A HREF="http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/itsalright.html">Bob Dylan: It's 
Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)</A>
Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child's balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying.
            *************************
    From elation to dejection. 
    Chris Herren started last night. He was in complete control of the 
offense. Passes everywhere, Vitaly, Williams, Pierce and Walker all were 
getting the ball in their spots and were all running and passing. The team 
played as well as we have ever seen them riding out to a 14 point 1 st. 
quarter lead, until coach? Pitino, as he so often did last season, subbed the 
most dysfunctional lineup we could ever hope to see on the floor together. 
Myskinis, Moiso, McCarty, Carr and Elliot. Soon the lead was gone and as the 
starters made their way back in the lineup, they really couldn't get the same 
magic going again. Then came the real bad news, late in the second quarter, 
Herren stepped back on someone's foot and rolled his ankle. He couldn't put 
any pressure on his foot and was helped to the dressing room, never to 
return. Sprained ankle they said. 
    Kenny immediately came in and played brilliantly. Washington was up by 
one and the lead went to seven by half time. Anderson played well through the 
second quarter, but coach? left him in the whole game (except for 1 1/2 
minutes late in the 4th) and he was beat. Washington kept running Strickland 
and Whitney at him and they wore him out. Coach? didn't sub much at all in 
the second half and the whole team grew weary, Pierce went out with a smash 
to the ribs and Eric Williams banged his knee, so perhaps he didn't have a 
lot of options, letting Washington back in the game to give us the final 
scare/score.
    The good news. Marc Blount can play. He is not much of a rebounder, but 
he can score around the basket and plays defense; blocking shots and denying 
his man, very gracefully, without drawing a lot of fouls. Vitaly, after a 
good start, fueled by Herren's passing, became a foul magnet without another 
basket. 
    Chris Herren made the game fun. He gave the team his enthusiasm and 
willingness to play unselfishly, that was contagious even to Anderson and 
Walker.     Let's hope this is not a serious injury.