To Russia, With Love

OK, like the rest of you, I was under the mistaken impression that Russia was our former Cold War enemy. There was nothing good about Russia. In the 50's and 60's you could be blacklisted in Hollywood just for mentioning Vodka. There is democracy in Russia now. There has always been democracy in Russia. Like many, I just didn't realize it until recently. Senator Joe McCarthy be damned, I love Russia.

I don't know much about Russia, Ohio. None of what follows here is necessarily factual. It is not a work of true professional journalism. It's just what I believe. Pure and simple.

Russia, Ohio is home to approximately 442 Americans, according to the Key to the City website. The Russia School District is home to 1,662 decent folk as of the 2000 Census. There are 143 families within Russia's .93 square kilometer village limits. There is no surface water in Russia to speak of, which makes it difficult to go swimming on a hot summer day. It is 79 miles from Russia to the state capital of Columbus, Ohio.

One of the many reasons I love Russia is that every one of the 1,662 residents of the village found at least 1.5 friends (the one being easy, the .5 being much more difficult and potentially criminal) to drag along with them on their journey over those 79 miles to Columbus and the Boys' State High School Basketball Tournament. There must have been about 4,000 Russians at the Value City Arena, cheering loudly for the locals.

Their local boys 'done good'. They beat seven straight teams in the tournament to earn the right to meet Delphos St. John's, a perennial small-school, state power, for the Ohio Division IV State Championship and they damn sure were going to make everyone in attendance know how proud they were of that fact. I heard them loud and clear. For one day at least, I was proud to be a Russian.

My first revelation about this small school of just 50 boys in the top four grades, was that I was mistaken about their name. I thought I was watching Russia (RUSH-uh) High School. Turns out I was watching Russia (ROO-she). What is it with us Ohioans? Why do we think we have to change the pronunciation of foreign nations and cities when we borrow their names for our cities? Witness Lima (LY-ma), Berlin (BER-lin), etc. Anyway when Swami Jr. and I sat down to watch the Russia versus Delphos St. John State Championship game we were unprepared for what we were about to see.

This was a different type of basketball than we had witnessed the night before in the two Division I semi-final games. Slower, less skilled, played closer to the ground. But compelling just the same. St. John's took a quick 11-2 lead. Russia appeared out-manned. Russia's nickname is the Raiders. Don't mistake them for that vaunted team of football ruffians on the West Coast. Their team was comprised of Ralph Malph, Potsie Weber and Richie Cunningham trying to match-up with Michael Jordan's Toon Squad. This was a team of guys named Scottie, Danny and Cody, those nice boys who live down the lane. No way were these guys going to compete with a parochial powerhouse the likes of Delphos St. John's, whose girls team had already won a State Division IV title just one week before.

But the sea of gold t-shirts at the far end of the arena was having none of our nay-saying. 11-2 and rising we thought. 11-2, with the Delphos student section mockingly chanting, "U-S-A!, U-S-A!", recalling this country's Olympic Hockey victory over the USSR in Lake Placid.

Russia has a talented 6' 8" center. His name is Dane Borchers. There is another Borchers on the team, Jay a 5' 11" sophomore. Might be his younger brother. Don't know. There is another Borchers on the bench, Dave, an assistant coach. Might be his father. Don't know. There is a street in Russia called Borchers Street. Might be named after one of his relatives. Don't know. Dane Borchers is a very good player who needs to get the ball often for his team to succeed. This I do know.

There is a kid named Josh Cordonnier on this team. Looks like he could be the son of Ralph Malph from the Happy Days TV show. He is the walking definition of 100%. He's a throwback to a time when you didn't have to be all that talented, you just had to work harder and want it more than your opponent. At the start of the game I was pitying Josh. At the end of the game I was standing and applauding him. Last I knew, he had 18 points. Everyone of them hard earned. A poor man's Larry Bird. Just do it baby! Scottie, Danny and the rest of the team were taken from the same mold. You can close your eyes and see these kids shooting at a net-less hoop nailed to a side of barn with, "Chew Mail Pouch" painted on the side. They play until the West Central Ohio drizzle turns the hard dirt court to mud.. When they come in from the rain, Danny's mom probably has a warm batch of brownies waiting for them on the kitchen table.

This Russia team is not a team for the new millennium. It is a team for the era of our fathers. A team of Bob Cousys, Bill Russells and Jerry Lucases. A team for those who remember when it was about 'The Game'. Not about the shoes, or the money, or the posing, or the magazine covers. It wasn't about national rankings or rookie cards for high school juniors. It wasn't even about the players and the coaches. It was the game that mattered. There are about 4,000 people is West Central Ohio who appreciate that. After last Saturday, I suspect there are several thousand more across the state that appreciate it. I know there are at least two in Northeast Ohio that do. Thank you Coach Paul Bremigan and all the Scotties, Dannys and Danes across this country who still coach and play this game the way it was intended. All out, all the time. The sum is greater than the parts. No 'I' in team. 110% effort!

Go ROO-she!