QI FORCE
“You have very strong legs...but no chest,” I hear in a thick Chinese accent laying face up, injured and confused in a dimly lit room on a massage table. When you’re seventeen years old, forced to exist in an awkward, growing, gawky body these words land like a slap across my acne ridden face. Ready to storm out of the little room making mandolin music and displaying seemingly demonic torture devices while serving insults in accents; instead, I decided to take a breath, eat the insult, choked it down, took another breath and tried to trust. You see, the diss was just part of the initial evaluation and consultation from one of the most experienced, renowned Doctors of Oriental Medicine in the Southwest, Dr. Jishen Hao. But let’s go back a few weeks to understand how I ended up on my back, fully topless, clinging to hope, body shamed and burned by a tiny Chinese man.
The setting was summer of ‘98, and at a precipice of one’s highschool basketball journey I suffered a debilitating back injury, I remember the exact play. Summer tournament in Albuquerque, Santa Fe High School Demons point GOD John Gately dug out a loose ball and found me ahead of the jumble, fugging sprintin’ down the court. He lofts a pinpoint pass just out of reach from the trailing, hapless defense, I had just left in an absolute wake of athleticism. However, as I tracked the trajectory of John’s pass over my shoulder to assess the timing, jumping and twisting to receive a dime, twisting back down, landing, jumping again and finishing the silky pass with a smooth lay, I think I probably dunked it since that would make this awful story a bit better. But when I returned to earth I felt it, something clicked and my lower back locked up. It was summer before senior year and there were multiple tournaments and camps still on the schedule, where college scouts frequent and high school players with aspirations of playing at the next level must perform in hopes of attracting an elusive scholarship. I was devastated, shook, shocked and in foreign territory navigating my first real sports related injury. In the coming weeks I saw physical therapists, MD’s, chiropractors, voodoo snake oil salesmen and anyone else I thought could help my back. But nothing did. So my father, who had been enjoying receiving acupuncture for his health maintenance, suggested visiting Dr. Hao, and in my anguished, lurching, pectoraly withered state I figured, why not?
There was popcorn in the waiting room. It smelled like smoky herbs and all the lights were low. Dr. Hao and his wife ran a small two room clinic across from a hospital where they were harnessing the healing power of their ancestors. Acupuncture is an ancient practice. It’s simple but not easy. Requiring reserve to be poked and prodded. To succumb to the ancient ways. To trust. The practice is the simple part. Placing very thin, strong, flexible, stainless steel needles, inserted at points along the body’s meridian system to undo blockages of qi, “life force energy” to be in better balance, to heal and maintain the body, mind and spirit. So when Dr. Hao pointed out my wimpy, noodle-armed, prepubescent, little nerd torso, he wasn’t intentionally challenging the ego and budding masculinity of a scrawny teenager, he was noting an imbalance of qi and making a masterful diagnosis, and I think enjoying the jest of the burn a little bit too. Then, after checking my pulses, (yes we have many) along with the color and texture of my tongue, Dr. Hao inserted multiple needles throughout my back and body before leaving me face down on the table for a half hour with instructions to “just try and relax.” This is the not easy part. Turns out keeping completely still with multiple little needles in your body takes a minute to find a relaxed state. But boy when you do. I did end up giving in and “just relaxing.” I fell asleep during that first session. Like a deep sleep. Like a state of hallucination sleep. Like my body gave up and gave in sleep. Like a dream but not mine sleep. Like a little twitchy and blinky, break a fever sleep and to my amazement, the next day I woke up with almost zero back pain, within a week I was pain free and have been receiving acupuncture regularly for the last twenty eight years. I also started doing a few push ups most days.
Weekly Recap:
Seven games on the slate starting with The Standard shifting into top gear and hitting the gas as they thumped IPS 76-45. Everyone was driving on this night as four gear heads managed double figures led by Daniel Lopez and his transmission of efficiency with 20ps, 7rebs, 2 dimes and 2 thefts. Carlos "Los" Quintana also notched a 20 ball to go with 4 steals. Defense was stout as a chassis drifting down dirt roads as The Standard abbreviated the anemic acronyms to 14 first half points. Alex Gutierrez scored the most of the least with 14pts, matching the team's entire first half output. A 2-26 from deep clip sunk any chance of an IPS victory.
Not new to this, just true to this as Team Nuevo was back in form with a 103-88 performance vs the formidable Killer Bees. Paced from the perimeter by Josh Salazar and his game high 39pts and anchored inside the arch by Gabe Trujillo's 19pts and 17rebs the new kids are showing glimpses of greatness moving towards tourney time. Dom Baca distributed buckets and dimes with 6 friendlies and 29pts. The Bees were stingers out and stayed a threat behind PJ Lovato's 20pts and 12rebs and OG Bee, Brian "B" Fairchild got 16pts and 9 sneaky offensive rebounds but not enough nectar in the end.
A clash of southwest icons produced a scintillating summer contest as our favorite local burger buddies at Blakes Lottabuckets were cooking early up against two seed Santa Fe Style's threatening monsoon storm. TJ Sanchez was a one man flash flood as he washed down 33pts and clapped the backboard with 14rebs. Kody "The Kid" Garcia peppered the sky for a 20 ball and Oliver "Young" Fell was rolling thunder with 13pts and 12rebs. The monsoon eventually closed the burger stand due to too much Style drip but not before Isaac Shanley served some spicy green chile and cheese to his constituents with 31pts and 11rebs. Rocky Miller joined the candy cane crusaders on the cook line with 16 and 6 but couldn't serve an upset this night. Style 95. Blakes 85.
A matchup of underdogs set the stage for the game of the night as Goon Squad edged out Medium Kings 68-67 behind Jaylen Lovato's 26pts and Mikey Lopez's game winner. Izaya Valencia chipped in 13 on this treasure hunt to secure a goonies dub. The mid level royalty Sir Joseph Fresquez of the Santa Fe shire garnished the throne to the tune of 21pts, 8rebs and 2 thefts but even with the mildly knighted Dedrick Johnson getting 12 and 7 it wasn't enough men to defend the castle in this down to the wire battle.
Wednesday games wasted no time setting the tone as we kicked off the runs with an absolute send from both Dad Bods and Mob. The choreographed flashers captured this contest behind Matt "Action" Jackson's 30 ball including the game winner off a nasty Dustin Beylou dime. Andrew "Drew" Ellsworth showed seamless synchronicity with 26pts and 4 friendlies. The Bods were feeling chubby behind David "Spider" Jaramillo's 30 ball, and Adam Montoya was rocking the comb over and hairy back notching 13pts, 11rebs and 5 assists before the Mob synced up to spoil his shooting with an 0-8 cheddar ball clip. Mob 73. Bods 71.
Just catching waves and vibes man, as the molten summer surfing dudes from Heatwave stayed on their burner and gave IPS an 0-2 week 87-71. A rolling swell of sets let all the wetsuits shred the gnar as Julian Gutierrez scored the high with 21pts and 7rebs. Vince Damelio caught a tube or two with 17pts as Jeremiah "Reezy" Jacquez threw up the shaka, 10pts, 8rebs, 2 dimes and 3 thefts. Greg Trujillo was a one man abbreviator with 26pts and 11rebs and Jacob Torresday dropped an APA approved 20 ball but didn't get enough assistance from the long winded IPS roster to steal a win this night.
Ending a thrilling night of hoops, The Standard were gassed up and back with a 92-89 OT win over 0-2 on the week, Killer Bees. Another race team effort of sharing the wheel propelled the smooth shifting Standards behind Bryan Enriquez and his 22pts, 6rebs. Diego Alinas provided the 4x4 muscle with 13pts, 12rebs and 3 dimes while all five starters recorded double digits. The hive was buzzin' after a tough Tuesday and Antonio "Tone" Lovato was doing everything in his power to avenge last night's loss as he zipped in and out of the traffic with 22pts, 8rebs, 5 assists and 3 steals. Luis Alvarado was pollinating the scoreboard with 25 but the bees got the windshield in the end.
Respect the game, Santa Fe Swish
