Neriah
Today Jacq and I are back to work. The nice three day vacation was nice but it's back to the game. Coach was nice to let us know all star weekend starts tomorrow. I forgot all about that shit since my whole family situation got in the way.
"We're depending you rookie." Coach said as we sat around the court. We have to fly out to Toronto in a few hours since we're all going to support Jacq. That's a nice suprise considering the fact we just got off the flight to come back to Cleveland and now we have to leave again.
"What the fuck am I gonna do? I haven't practiced for any of the events." Jacq asked laid out across the bench with his eyes closed. Noah was driving us crazy last night. He didn't want to go to sleep at all. So i had to call Teyana at five in the morning and luckily she was up with Junie. We couldn't figure out was wrong with Noah. He wasn't hungry, he wasn't to cold or to hot, he didn't need his diaper changed, and it wasn't diaper rash. So he was up screaming till Teyana suggested we try scratching his back and it worked. I was so mad. But it got him to stop crying though. I wish babies could just tell you their problems but that's impossible.
"Well you're lucky you have all day today and tomorrow to figure out something. The celebrity game is tomorrow which means while the rest of the team is enjoying the show, you'll be busing your ass with me till you get everything down. Now that's over. Everybody get up and give me 10 suicides we do have a real game to prepare for." We all got up. I moved to the side lines to watch them but Coach waved his finger for me to follow him.
"What's up?" He sighed as we walked out the arena.
"We need to talk." We headed inside his office and I could feel something was off about him. I sat in the chair across from Coach and got comfortable.
"Neriah I've had a great experience working with this team over the years. I lead the Cavs to two finals in a row and this year will make a third. Even with great success there comes great down falls. The NBA and a few members on the team have made a decision to let me go." He pursed his lips and looked down at the pictures on his desk.
"What? Why?!" I tried not to be to loud but I just can't believe that.
"I'm not supposed to share this with anyone but my relationship with the members of this team has declined over the years."
"But you're good for the team. It doesn't matter weather if everyone hates you, you lead this team into a winning streak with two back to back NBA finals. How could they do this?" I sat on the edge of my seat when feeling the need to punch something boiled over me.
"The NBA wants a certain uniformed look for each team. They want all members on the team to be the best of friends. Have you noticed after a game we don't go out and celebrate, we all give each other awkward High fives and go on our separate ways. Other Teams go out for dinner and go out to movies and shit. But this team plays together and tolerates each since they all love the same sport and want to win and that's not what the NBA sees as a team. So they fired me and they'll probably put me on a lower ranking team."
"That isn't fair." Why would they fire him for something so stupid?
"It isn't. But that's how life works some times. So they let me stick around but I appointed you Coach for the rest of the season. And if the NBA sees fit they'll hire you to be the permanent coach once you graduate." He pushed the sleeves of his sweatshirt up and leaned back in his chair.
"I'm not ready for something like that." I ran my fingers through my hair trying not to rip it out.
"But you are. This team has never worked as a unit like they have until you came. You challenge them each and every practice. You have given them the tools to become a well oiled machine and they have become the most watched team in the NBA as of today. Not because of me, but because of you. I've been working for this company for 24 years and I've never seen a team that works so well together. You did that. You lead them to the championships this year. You did, not me. Someone else can come in here and try to do what you do but I don't trust anyone but you to do what you have done and succeed." He reached over his desk grabbed my hand tight in his. "I believe you can do it Riah. The paper work is finished, All you have to do is sign and the team is yours." He let my hand go and looked through a draw in his desk and pulled out a stack of papers. He flipped through them till he got to a paper with a dotted line at the bottom.
All this is overwhelming. "Can I have time to think about this?"
He shook his head and put a silver ball point pen in front of me. "I wish you could but they need an answer by today. You could've had all the time to think but you were out of town." I sat back in my chair and thought.
Of course my immediate answer is yes. I'd be the first woman to coach men's professional basketball in the United states. That's a huge deal.
This is my dream but can I handle this?
-------------------------------
