LonnyGomes.com

I was doing a google search today and came across this article about my brother from way back when he was in college. Back then, he played basketball for Eastern Illinois and he currently is still playing basketball, but professionally in Israel.  In the story, it talks about about his childhood and the writer quoted my brother saying the following:

The Panthers’ junior guard remembers trying to outplay his first tough opponent – his father, Lonny.

And during his seventh grade year while he was living in Windsor, Conn., Gomes got close to defeating his dad.

But, he said, his father wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“Me and my dad always had one-on-one battles in the yard,” Gomes said. “He would foul me and push me; he wouldn’t let me win.”

But the following summer, Gomes’ game got the boost it needed to get him over the top against his dad – a seven-inch growth spurt.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a nicely written article and it was true that by his seventh grade year, he really went to the next level, but *BEFORE* the seventh grade it was a different story, but you wouldn’t know that by reading the article!

The thing that got me was when it says “[Josh] remembers trying to outplay his first tough opponent – his father, Lonny.”

Truth is it wasn’t his *FATHER* but his *BROTHER*! As you can see, from the photo, I started my hooping career while I was still crapping in my pants.

Ballin

The rest of the article was good, like I said it was well written. But what the article DOESN’T mention is about the times I would beat my brother so badly in basketball that I would send him in the house crying. It also *DOESN’T* mention how my baseline fade away was the envy of the neighborhood kids. The article also doesn’t mention how I used to dunk on him at will back in the day. Nope, none of that is mentioned. I mean, yeah … we always tried to beat our dad, I mean what kid doesn’t want to be able to beat his dad in something. But our dad wasn’t his *FIRST* tough opponent … it was his big brother (who happens to be much shorter than him now a days!)

The picture below is from back when we were in Connecticut. I am in the far right in the picture my brother is the one wearing the black Larry Bird shirt (which used to be mine!). The hoop in the background was where history was made. It was a where I ruled –until my brother got faster, taller, and better than me!. I may not be a shot caller but I used to be a baller! So Josh, how about you show me a little love in your next article!

Back when I was a still the baller