It’s for the Turk Tonight

Photo Credit: Zeke Smith, Carolina Blue; Atsur at Carolina, 2.21.07. 

You know what’s great about a blog? Absolutely no need to lie about your bias. Here, I can wear my red and obsess all day about my ball team and my favorite ballplayer. Today, and for the last several months I have been talking about Engin Atsür so much I barely know what to say about him. Ever since Herb Sendek talked about having to make a left turn at Wilson to get to Istanbul to meet him, I have been an Engin Atsür fan. I knew so much about him, when he went to his home country to play for the FIBA World Championship, I was helping educate people in Turkey about his accomplishments.

Tonight is my last chance to feel my heart stop when that three-point shot leaves Engin’s cool, collected palms and sails through the air towards the basket. Tonight is my last chance to watch him during drills and count how many of those he sinks in practice. For the past four years, I have counted his pre-game three-pointers. Almost without fail, every single game where Atsür has sunk over fifty percent of his three-pointers in drills, we have won our home games.  

Tonight is my last chance to scream "Go Engin!" when he brings the ball up the home court for the perfect pass. Tonight is my last chance to look for the Turkish flag down in the student section. Tonight is my last chance to take note of anything and everything Engin does so I can rush back home and post it for all my Turkish friends on InterBasket who don’t get to see Engin play 21 games a season in person.

Tonight is my last chance to scour the net for Engin pictures to post on the board for all the girls in Turkey who are going to make Engin the biggest, best-known ballplayer in that country’s history. I know, because they promised me. Right girls?

Tonight is my last chance to be assured that when the ball is in Engin’s hands, things are more or less going to work out okay. Tonight is my last chance to be amazed that the team of which I am so proud is now 6,000 square miles around. Big enough to encompass thousands of miles of sea and space to bring us a ballplayer who would make 105 career starts, take down J.J. Redick and Boris Diaw, and never, ever play like a rookie. Even when he was a skinny freshman who didn’t even know what "to hoop" meant.

Thanks Engin. I’m glad we were able to teach you how to eat barbecue, drink Mountain Dew, and say the F word on national TV. I’m glad you taught us how to say merhaba (hello) and abi (brother). I’m glad you came to N.C. State. Around here we say, "don’t be a stranger." I’ll be going to Turkey in 2010 to see the FIBA World Championships, and I plan to wear my NC State Jersey and cheer for the team that wears red. I expect you to be there. I figure it’s the least I can do.  

Coach Lowe said the team owes it to Engin to win this last home game. I figure it’s the least they can do, too.

Tags: engin atsür, north carolina state, wolfpack basketball