Last year, at my first Friends for Life (FFL) conference, I bumped into Gary Scheiner in the exhibit hall. He told me that they play basketball in the activity center in the evenings. I didn’t have any of my basketball gear (contact lenses, ankle braces, etc) but wanted to give it a try. It was so much fun.

This year I made sure to pack some basketball clothes.

George and Cherise covered my co-hosting duties for DSMA Live on Thursday night, and I got to enjoy some basketball. It was a blast!

We were able to round up a handful of grown-ups and a bunch of athletic younger folks, and we ran full-court ball for about an hour and a half.

Rick Philbin is a basketball stud, and the guy is in amazing shape. He pretty much does whatever he wants to on the court, and there’s not much any of us can do about it. Thank goodness he enjoys getting everyone involved in the game.

Andy Bell also played for a while, and he was a defensive powerhouse! He had at least five blocks. And not just fingertip-deflection blocks. I’m talking full on “smack-the-ball-across-the-gym” blocks. He didn’t bring basketball clothes, so he was hooping it up in blue jeans. I loved it!

Adam & Ben from Vlose Concerns, you guys are hoppers!

You know who made the biggest impression on me? Bennet. Yep, YDMV Bennet. I’m so proud of that guy. He is working hard on his health, and it was evident on the basketball court. Before we started he told me that he hadn’t touched a basketball in a lot of years. I can’t remember how many years, but let’s just say it was more years than my conscious memory goes back.

He worked so hard out there, and totally held his own on the court.

Way to go Bennet! Work on that jump-shot this year – I’m counting on you being on my team again!

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I’m heading to Vegas for the week for the AADE Conference. I’m looking forward to learning a lot, seeing old friends, and making new ones.