Summary
For the future of Ridley, he went to the University of Toledo. He was a freshmen for college where as a freshmen, he could not get a lot of play time. But, when the final game of the regular season came along, Toledo was playing against CMU. Off the bench, Ridley had a decent 6 points and 3 rebounds, they were in the lead. Toledo began getting sloppy, where CMU came back and tied the game. With a few seconds on the clock, Ridley was still in the game, where one of the coaches told him to leave him in the game. So the play was mapped out, where the team captain was to make a close-range jumper. He shot the ball and missed, where Ridley with his high vertical leap, tipped the ball in and won the game. Toledo won 66-64.
Toledo had made it to the championship game, and it was on ESPN. During the championship game, all his family and friends at home were watching, looking at Ridley on the bench. He was the only player that never was put into the game, and Toledo lost.
For the future of Hood, he went towards a downfall. He had an incident with his friend Pookie in a car, where they were charged with a possession of a gun. They were both sent to jail. O'Brien still had faith in him and tried to motivate him into going to college. O'Brien said, "Jail don't change you. Jail just gives you something to talk about when you get out."
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Jack O'Brien is deciding to leave Charlestown High, but Fung, the headmaster bribed O'Brien to stay, where he is left with an indecisive choice. O'Brien wanted to coach at another school at Lynn, but his pride to belong in Charlestown was more important. His attachment to his players was intense that he doesn't want to leave. He had till June 30, to make his decision. Until late August, O'Brien surprisingly entered Fung's office and decided to stay because he doesn't want to abandon the people who need him most. But, another coach was assigned the job, Cassidy, where he and O'Brien worked it out that O'Brien would be the head coach. Lynn was still stumbling on O'Brien's decision. He called the Lynn principal, Mr. Fila, and said he just could not do it.
Quote
"It's Jack O'Brien. I'm sorry. I just can't do it" (Swidey 338).
Reaction
This is the end of the book, where Jack O'Brien called Mr. Fila and refused to become a coach for Lynn. His reputation as a Charlestown coach was to meaningful, where his hard work paid off. To be able to win as much State Championship games is outstanding with the help of the basketball players. O'Brien was like another father figure to his players; through all the struggles of win or losses, O'Brien kept pushing them to strive to success.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Assist 211-280
Summary
Charlestown is entering the playoffs with strong momentum. They were going to be playing at the court of the Boston Celtics. They felt like playing like the Celtics as Ridley said with pride, he would be playing like Paul Pierce tonight. The players huddled together in the locker room and said their prayers as they begin the game versus Catholic Memorial. As the game started, the Charlestown players were looking sloppy, Catholic Memorial was on a 20-12 lead. Spot and Hood was off their game, where Ridley brought on a show with 23 points, which gave Charlestown High the win, 63-52. They were going to the state finals. O'Brien's coaching career had succeeded him into going to his fifth trip to the state championship game.
(It was the last football game of the season (2009) between the two rivalry exam schools, O'Bryant vs. Boston Latin Academy, and we had nothing to lose. If Boston Latin Academy lost, they would not have gone to the city champs. During the game, we made the first touchdown, as the score was 6-0. We played defensively until BLA added 2 points to the scoreboard, by scoring a safety. Seconds were running off the clock, where BLA's quarterback threw a far pass to get a touchdown. They did not complete the pass, where O'Bryant beat BLA, 6-2. We cheered with excitement, as BLA wept their hearts out.)
In the state championship game, Charlestown was facing Oakmont. The Oakmont fans were talking about how dynamic the Charlestown team were, but as shown in the beginning of the quarter, they were on a slump. This game, O'Brien used the full court press, where Oakmont were used to slow-tempo teams, which made it difficult for them as their players were confused. Ridley continued his outbreak from the game against Catholic Memorial, as he began to emerge through the Oakmont defense. He began soaring over their players, making electrifying dunks and 3-pointers. Ridley's dominating performance lead to a 68-48 win, which placed Charlestown as the state champions! The Charlestown players charged onto the court with victory. They huddled together and chanted one last time.
Quote
"People criticize him around Boston, but they don't know all he does for his guys" (Swidey 225).
Reaction
People criticize O'Brien as a selfish man who only cared about winning, but the quote tells the real truth. O'Brien was proud of this team, where all five of the seniors were going to college. As Ridley wanted, he got the Division I scholarship to the University of Toledo. Hood could get a Division II scholarship at Adelphi, Spot had a postgraduate year ahead at Westminister, where he only had to be $500. Other players like George and Robby had acceptance letters from Salem State, where Robby got one from Virginia's Radford University.
Charlestown is entering the playoffs with strong momentum. They were going to be playing at the court of the Boston Celtics. They felt like playing like the Celtics as Ridley said with pride, he would be playing like Paul Pierce tonight. The players huddled together in the locker room and said their prayers as they begin the game versus Catholic Memorial. As the game started, the Charlestown players were looking sloppy, Catholic Memorial was on a 20-12 lead. Spot and Hood was off their game, where Ridley brought on a show with 23 points, which gave Charlestown High the win, 63-52. They were going to the state finals. O'Brien's coaching career had succeeded him into going to his fifth trip to the state championship game.
(It was the last football game of the season (2009) between the two rivalry exam schools, O'Bryant vs. Boston Latin Academy, and we had nothing to lose. If Boston Latin Academy lost, they would not have gone to the city champs. During the game, we made the first touchdown, as the score was 6-0. We played defensively until BLA added 2 points to the scoreboard, by scoring a safety. Seconds were running off the clock, where BLA's quarterback threw a far pass to get a touchdown. They did not complete the pass, where O'Bryant beat BLA, 6-2. We cheered with excitement, as BLA wept their hearts out.)
In the state championship game, Charlestown was facing Oakmont. The Oakmont fans were talking about how dynamic the Charlestown team were, but as shown in the beginning of the quarter, they were on a slump. This game, O'Brien used the full court press, where Oakmont were used to slow-tempo teams, which made it difficult for them as their players were confused. Ridley continued his outbreak from the game against Catholic Memorial, as he began to emerge through the Oakmont defense. He began soaring over their players, making electrifying dunks and 3-pointers. Ridley's dominating performance lead to a 68-48 win, which placed Charlestown as the state champions! The Charlestown players charged onto the court with victory. They huddled together and chanted one last time.
Quote
"People criticize him around Boston, but they don't know all he does for his guys" (Swidey 225).
Reaction
People criticize O'Brien as a selfish man who only cared about winning, but the quote tells the real truth. O'Brien was proud of this team, where all five of the seniors were going to college. As Ridley wanted, he got the Division I scholarship to the University of Toledo. Hood could get a Division II scholarship at Adelphi, Spot had a postgraduate year ahead at Westminister, where he only had to be $500. Other players like George and Robby had acceptance letters from Salem State, where Robby got one from Virginia's Radford University.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Assist 141-210
Summary
Rematch. Eastie had first humiliated Charlestown on their home court, and their back for revenge. Charlestown is now on there 11th win streak, where losing is not an option. Sweat was everywhere. To the players, the coaches, and even the fans. Charlestown came in the game with a surprise when they switched to man-to-man defense instead of full court press. The Eastie players got confused, where they were use to the original plays. It was a risk O'Brien was willing to take, which lead to a success in the long run. During the second half, Charlestown was up by a 41-29 blowout. The crowds were cheering "Let's Go, Charlestown!" and "Let's Go, Eastie!" back and forth like a riot attack. At the end of the game, an Eastie player tossed up a 3-pointer which went in, but it was a little to late. Charlestown won 89-76. Back in the locker room, the team was hyped for the win, but O'Brien had to call out a player named Zach. He was subbed out by his disrupt conduct on the court. O'Brien exclaimed that it doesn't matter if you had the worse game of your life, it's how you put enough effort in and protect your family, your team.
O'Brien was friendly with many coaches from other teams, black or white, in the city of Boston. But these coaches despise his ability to withstand the impossible record he always get a season. These coaches think he's all about winning, where O'Brien thinks they all demonstrate a "green eyed monster". O'Brien's success in racking up these wins is about doing his homework, recruiting players from other communities by attending middle school games and tournaments, to invite the students into Charlestown High. Next thing you know, his team started to win state championship after the next.
Starting the post-season, there was a state tournament called the Boston City League Championship. It was called "the cities" where the odds were that of course, Eastie and Charlestown would face off AGAIN over the city title. As the game starts, Eastie quickly gain a 7-0 lead. Then Ridley scored Charlestown's first 6 points. Hood wasn't having a great game, where he was missing shot after shot. At halftime, Eastie was up by only 6 points, where Charlestown only shot 13-for-40. After halftime, Eastie gained a 12 point lead ahead, where Hood was starting to come alive, layup after layup. At fifty-nine seconds left in the game, Charlestown came with with the biggest lead of the night, 72-69. Eastie's shooting guard got fouled, where it was down to 1 point, 72-71. During Charlestown's possession, they lost the ball where Eastie's point guard threw up an off-balance jumper, which made the game 73-72, Eastie. With a few seconds left on the clock, Charlestown pushed the ball up court, with the final buzzer, missed the game winning shot. Eastie with great excitement won the the cities.
Quote
"Listen guys, we're going to win the state championship" (Swidey 163).
Reaction
After the depressing loss from the cities, never in O'Brien's life had he said before, that he would tell his players that they would win the state championship. O'Brien's faith to the team gave a boost to the players, where he tried to convey them into winning. It is hard to believe, but this is the goal Charlestown High would have to strive for.
Rematch. Eastie had first humiliated Charlestown on their home court, and their back for revenge. Charlestown is now on there 11th win streak, where losing is not an option. Sweat was everywhere. To the players, the coaches, and even the fans. Charlestown came in the game with a surprise when they switched to man-to-man defense instead of full court press. The Eastie players got confused, where they were use to the original plays. It was a risk O'Brien was willing to take, which lead to a success in the long run. During the second half, Charlestown was up by a 41-29 blowout. The crowds were cheering "Let's Go, Charlestown!" and "Let's Go, Eastie!" back and forth like a riot attack. At the end of the game, an Eastie player tossed up a 3-pointer which went in, but it was a little to late. Charlestown won 89-76. Back in the locker room, the team was hyped for the win, but O'Brien had to call out a player named Zach. He was subbed out by his disrupt conduct on the court. O'Brien exclaimed that it doesn't matter if you had the worse game of your life, it's how you put enough effort in and protect your family, your team.
O'Brien was friendly with many coaches from other teams, black or white, in the city of Boston. But these coaches despise his ability to withstand the impossible record he always get a season. These coaches think he's all about winning, where O'Brien thinks they all demonstrate a "green eyed monster". O'Brien's success in racking up these wins is about doing his homework, recruiting players from other communities by attending middle school games and tournaments, to invite the students into Charlestown High. Next thing you know, his team started to win state championship after the next.
Starting the post-season, there was a state tournament called the Boston City League Championship. It was called "the cities" where the odds were that of course, Eastie and Charlestown would face off AGAIN over the city title. As the game starts, Eastie quickly gain a 7-0 lead. Then Ridley scored Charlestown's first 6 points. Hood wasn't having a great game, where he was missing shot after shot. At halftime, Eastie was up by only 6 points, where Charlestown only shot 13-for-40. After halftime, Eastie gained a 12 point lead ahead, where Hood was starting to come alive, layup after layup. At fifty-nine seconds left in the game, Charlestown came with with the biggest lead of the night, 72-69. Eastie's shooting guard got fouled, where it was down to 1 point, 72-71. During Charlestown's possession, they lost the ball where Eastie's point guard threw up an off-balance jumper, which made the game 73-72, Eastie. With a few seconds left on the clock, Charlestown pushed the ball up court, with the final buzzer, missed the game winning shot. Eastie with great excitement won the the cities.
Quote
"Listen guys, we're going to win the state championship" (Swidey 163).
Reaction
After the depressing loss from the cities, never in O'Brien's life had he said before, that he would tell his players that they would win the state championship. O'Brien's faith to the team gave a boost to the players, where he tried to convey them into winning. It is hard to believe, but this is the goal Charlestown High would have to strive for.
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