Calvin Johnson announced today his retirement from NFL. His was an illustrious career on the field—a career fraught by disappointing team outcomes; a career ended gradually by physical abuses incurred fighting double- and triple-coverage. Johnson was the sole purpose for my tuning into a Detroit Lions game at any point in my adult life.
Prior to my adult life was an adolescent phase of impetuosity and intemperance. Conjoining these two eras of my life was a period of reformation during which I focused on slam dunking. At age 12 I was 5’1” and could tap a regulation backboard; my father, 6’, last dunked at age 35, with a volleyball. I loved basketball and I loved the dunk. I remember doing 360s on those FisherPrice hoops. So it was natural at that point when I needed it most. At present I am slowly crafting a cohesive account of the slam dunk including its history, its suitability as an Olympic event, and standardized contest protocols and rank assignations.
Anyhow, circa 2006 I was 20 or 21 and immersed in cultivating my ability to dunk. Hint: it was never spectacular, especially after losing my abs and glutes to grad school. Near to my childhood home was a basketball court that was often glazed with sand. The court opened to an inland waterway dotted with commercial and recreational watercrafts. Surrounding the court was a playground as well as a rickety building and facilities fit for parties and cookouts. There was a water fountain that dispensed warm, brackish water. Since 1979, my hometown and surrounding area has hosted one of many youth sport camps replete with former professional players and coaches. Unbeknownst to me, in 2006, several players from the Georgia Tech football team were involved in the camp.
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| Calvin Johnson dunked on that hoop in 2006. |
It was an average June day in the south. It was fucking hot. And probably really humid. I went to the aforestated court and noted a teeming crowd upon my arrival. My warm up probably did not deviate from my usual routine of freethrows, end-to-end lay-ups, and HORSE shots.
After I started dunking—y’know, some simple two-handers and one-handed lobs—a man about my height but noticeably bulkier beckoned for the ball. He and I took some shots amidst minimal conversation. A group of guys accompanying him sauntered onto the court. I will add that I was disengaged in college football at this point and really, any sport other than dunking basketballs.
When that man went up for his first dunk, the ball ricocheted off of the backrim into the blue sky and the rim uttered a shriek before locking in the down-position, which it often did. The goal shook for what seemed like an actual minute. Some of the other guys and myself dunked, in sort of a cipher. An audience of kids and parental units congregated about the court. They applauded our performances. It was kind of exciting for me. Some of the guys complimented me on my jumping ability before the crowd dissipated and the bunch departed to devour hamburgers and the rest.
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| Tashard Choice. |
I later learned that then running back at Georgia Tech Tashard Choice was the man my height. I thought it was neat to have dunked with him since he was a stand-out in college and played professionally for some time but I never revisited the experience until a few years ago. Throughout our exhibition there was a tall, reserved member of the group who was utterly jacked. All of them were, but he was remarkably chiseled. I realized at that point some years later that the quiet one, I am almost certain, was Calvin Johnson. He dunked twice, I believe. Before the audience came, he corralled someone’s rebound and threw in a simple one-handed dunk. I recall him commenting concisely on the rim height being less than regulation, an observation that I confirmed; it was about 9’8”. After the crowd assembled, Choice commanded everyone’s attention due to the sheer power with which he dunked. Calvin Johnson’s second dunk that day came in front of the crowd. It was a windmill following a short walk-up and I believe it was one-handed. Everyone cheered. He is 6’5” and the rim was <10’ but it was soooo effortless for him, and his strength was evident in the trembling hoop.
In summation, that was a ramble about unknowingly encountering a unique physical talent, Calvin Johnson, among a group of unique physical talents, division 1 football players—at least two of which played professionally. Standing 6’5” and weighing ~240lbs, Johnson was even more confounding and perplexing offensive matchup due to his 4.35 second forty speed. And it is unsurprising his effortless dunking that day nearly 10 years ago considering his 42.5” vertical leap. Football is a game, but it is game I love and it is unfortunate that he is unable to remain young forever.
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