Crabbers and Captains in Puerto Rico

I've been alive for approximately 1,080 weeks.

And of all of those weeks the one I recently spent in Puerto Rico has to be up there with some of the best. Right behind the week following the Steeler's fifth Superbowl victory, and right behind the week I made my first communion. I mean, the former was bragging rights to all my Cincy friends - and anyone for that matter - and the latter contains the day that I, as a nine-year-old child made upwards of two grand.

This trip might not have given me any bragging rights over anyone other than the occasional jealous friend that only went to their grandparents house in Allentown, Pa, which is apparently somewhere outside of Philly - sounds like fun. And it certainly didn't make me two grand. But nonetheless it was a fantastic weekend.

I went with my parents and my two younger brothers for what might have been the last "family" vacation we all go on. If it was the last, it was certainly appropriate because it was also the best.

I spent the week laying by the pool, hiking in the rain forest, touring the largest rum distillery in the world (Bacardi, for those curious), and playing blackjack in the hotel casino.

Now, my first casino and blackjack experience was not as profitable as that glorious day 11 years ago when I made the easiest two grand of my life, but I made some money. Which, if you know me at all, pleases me beyond words.

Ya, Eric, that's cool and all, but I thought these posts were usually about sports.

You're right, and that brings me to the greatest part of my 7-day adventure onwhat I think has to be the greatest island in this hemisphere, at least. On Sunday evening, my family and I got the chance to attend the 5th game of the Superior Basketball League final series.

The what?

The Superior Basketball League, or SBL, is Puerto Rico's version of the NBA. (Coincidentally enough, superior is also the name of Bacardi's most famous rum). My mother went to high school in Puerto Rico, and still has friends in the area, and one of them was nice enough to get us tickets. I sat two seats from center court. Eight rows up. Not bad.

Going into this game, I didn't know what to expect, and I think that made it all the better.

Imagine my surprise when I realize that I know two players on the court (one from each team).

Here's two names from the depths of NBA rosters everywhere. Are you ready? First, we have my personal favorite and former Michigan stand-out, Robert "Tractor" Traylor. And taking the tip against him was Iowa State's Marcus Fizer.

Traylor played for the Santurce Calebrejeros (Crabbers) and Fizer works for the Arecibo Capetans (Captains).

This would be good enough, but it was the way the Spanish-speaking announcer introduced Traylor that really got me. Mind you, the entire game was in Spanish. The only thing I could decipher was the score, and the names. Traylor was introduced as...

Numero cinco y tres....RRRRRRRRRobert "EL TRACTOR" TRRRRRAYLOR (remember to roll your R's, kids).

Hands down one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

"Tractor" (as his jersey read), to his credit, actually impressed me, and Fizer the same. Fizer is the size of a small SUV, and dominated the glass. The game was also similarly impressive, and the quality of play was not much less than a Final Four-caliber game here in the states. The SBL does have one thing that even great college venues in the states cannot even hold a candle to - noise. The decibels in that coliseum had be teetering on illegal. I can not even begin to express to you in words the amount of noise in there after every basket. And I mean EVERY basket. The score was 4-2 and you would have thought someone just one on a buzzer beater from 3/4 court to win the title. It was truly unbelievable. I don't know what makes the noise level any different from anything in the states, but the difference is definitely there. It might be a culture thing, and the passion that all foreigners have for sports. (i.e. soccer hooligans in England), or it might just be the acoustics of the venue. Whatever the reason, I have never been more afraid of noise in my life.

It all made for a great experience, and in a tight game, Tractor's Calebrajeros won to go up three games to two in the best of seven series.

Fun SBL Facts:

- The Crabbers won the best-of-seven series four games to three to win their sixth SBL title in nine years.

- El Tractor is actually in legal trouble back here in the states and will be returning soon to be sentenced, but not until he dropped 24 points and snagged 10 rebounds in the seventh game.

- Crabber guard, Ricardo Dalmau, who scored 15 points including a clutch 3-pointer in OT of game seven is actually a prominent CPA in the San Juan area. He plays SBL basketball as a hobby.

Overall, the game was a once in a lifetime experience that would be hard to duplicate. I am extremely saddened to say that the best time I ever had at a sporting event was outside of the continental United States. Maybe it was the noise. Maybe it was the passion. Maybe it was the fact that it was the finals. Maybe it was more intriguing because it was in a different language. More probably, it was Benny and Jay-Jay the mascots who were easily funnier than anything a mascot in the states has yet to show me. Maybe it was any one of these things. Maybe it was all of them. I guess I really don't have words for how exciting it was.

But I ask you, what are the chances that two former NBAer's and college standouts are playing in a Puerto Rican basketball league against each other in the finals, and I happen to be there to witness it?

Probably about the same that anyone in the states is aware of the SBL.

I'm aware, and I couldn't be happier about it.