[1] BASKETBALL DIARIES (R.I.P LARRY 10/29/09)

(THE #1 POST OF 2009 ON MY BLOG! TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF 2009. UNFORTUNATELY I LOST ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS 2 MONTHS AGO. WHICH WAS ALSO A FAITHFUL VIEWER OF MY POST. I WILL MISS HIM FOREVER. BASKETBALL DIARIES IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS ON MY POST BECAUSE I VENT FROM MY BASKETBALL PAST AND ITS FUN TO RELIVE IT THROUGH WORDS. THIS POST ACTUALLY I WAS TIPSY AND JUST VENTING ABOUT ALL MY FUN WITH LARRY. I ALMOST CRIED BECAUSE I TOOK HIM OUT 36 HOURS BEFORE HIS ACCIDENT TO NYC CLUB MANSION TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY. TAKE A READ:







First & foremost I like to apologize to all my family and friends and associates if you've been trying to reach me. Thursday I lost one of my best friends and I really didn't know how to take it. I haven't lost anybody close to me like this since I was 11 when I lost my grandmother. I had to take a step back and just take a deep breathe in life. It happen so quick we were just in nyc mansion together 10/22 partying for my birthday week and now this.



I remember when I first met larry in 1997 at a basketball camp called west rock. It was in the hood but if you were a somebody in basketball you were there. Larry father was a coach, "Coach Kelley" ended up being my coach for 4 years in high school and also ended up being a fatherly mentor to me as well. Larry would always tell me back in 1997 "you gotta come to Career HS next year so we can take over varsity" I was more selfishly thinking I was gonna take over anyway. Funny thing is "we did". We took over. I started 4 years in HS. As a freshman. We were the only freshmans to dress and play as varsity.



(Larry 1st person in the middle row, Me 3rd person in the middle row)



During my four years of High school with larry, we grew. Larry grew so close to me, I remember we discussed our sexual life as sophomores. We both were young but girls seemed to think we really were having sex. I was quiet, but larry was more on the scene so they really thought larry was the ladies man. But we would laugh together saying "if they only really knew" that we are just as virgins as the virgin mary. But we were cool like that.





Larry and I went to so many basketball camps during the 4 years together in High school (Five star, Hoop Mountain etc). Our basketball life made us grow as great friends on the court to best friends off the court. Our junior year "New Haven Register Newspaper had voted us "Best backcourt" in the state. We were the best guards together on a team in the state. I averaged 20, he averaged 21. And it was like that the whole season. Nobody could mess with us. It wasnt hard to find one of us or the other. If there was a party around we were probably there together. My senior year was the most important year in hs. I remember venting to coach kelley(Larry father) about my future and college where i wanted to go. He always told me "you and larry will both be fine long as you stick together". He was right, my senior year i averaged 18 and 8 assist, larry averaged about 19, we won the southern connecticute state championship, i got mvp and it felt like the whole team got mvp because we all loved each other and worked hard for it. From me, frank, big kyle, Wes it was just a great feeling. That year i went to play d1 college ball at quinnipiac, larry went to junior college. The following year larry end up going to quinnipiac while i headed down south.



During 2004-2009 me and larry remained very close. Even when i fell back from basketball. I would always coach him from the sideline because he was still playing college ball. He would be so stressed over it saying he just wants to start his life up because the money dont seem like its coming from basketball. I would always tell him Just follow your heart, if your heart not there no more, move on. This reminded me of myself. It shocked him how i just completely fell back from the love of basketball. I guess it was more realistically i had to move on and start becoming man.



Larry was thee funniest person i ever met. I know i got sidetracked for a second but anyone that knows him will know how good he can dance and how humor he was. He always made me laugh. Larry is probably the only person that has been in the weirdest moments of my life with females thru fights, etc etc. I always tell him "son dont be like me, its stressful". He would smile and say "i know my nigga, i know".





I didnt know my birthday week would be the last time i would be spending time with larry. Thursday 10/22 i opened my door to let him in. We were going to nyc to go to mansion to party before i went to DC. I asked him if he wanted a glass of wine, and he did. I poured him a glass as we talked about his job. He just vented about how hes ready to get another job, and he has it already starting a week later. At the time he was selling cars, and he wasnt comfortable. So we left eventually, heading to nyc. I remember spittin' Gucci mane lyrics off of the Burrprint 3 to him as he smiled saying "you love gucci" i laughed, i told him after tonight you will too. He did, he started singing the lyrics as if he listened all the time. Mansion was fun, funk flex Dj'd, oj juiceman was there, some reality show was there, paris hilton, etc etc. After the club we drove back, he slept the whole way home. I remember taking pictures of him in my segment of "sleepy assasins" and just taking pictures. I laughed and twittered it. Sadly i didnt know that would be the last pictures of him. We got to my house, i gave him dap, and i remember telling him, u coming to dc right? He laughed knowing i was joking. We laughed it off. I asked him was he good to drive home. He said "yes sir". Hit me tomorrow.



That sunday on my birthday i got a text that he got in a serious accident saturday night, sunday morning while i was in DC. I never knew this would be the end....









My heart goes out to his family, his mom, coach kelley, his sisters his friends etc. We all lost a big part of our innerself with Larry. He will be missed. I could of wrote a book about larry but it just still seem unreal to me how this happen. Lastly, i learned i know its easy to say it than doing it but make sure you tell your loved ones that you love them or that you care. Tomorrow is really not promised and things can happen so quick, and i learned alot in one week. Its just ironic how the only tattoo i got with larry was the tat on my arm "god's favorites have a hard time". I shall see you soon kells...