Thousands of people attend basketball games never knowing the group of people who make them happen.

Last night,my son, Jimmy, and I hosted over seventy-five people at Mrs. K’s Toll House restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland. These were and are the people behind the scenes, the people who sell the tickets, scout the leagues, find the sponsors, create the ads, watch the monies that go in and out, light the building, secure the building, and on and on. They call themselves the “Capital Centre Family.”

Bob and Rita Ferry came from Annapolis; he came to the Bullets in 1965. He was our general manager and she was the first young wife I got to know who had to watch over her three little ones while her husband was playing basketball around the country. Now, her son, Danny, who also played basketball is a general manager of the Atlanta Hawks.

We hugged and kissed; we have such incredible fond memories.

At least, twenty-five people took the microphone and told stories; mostly funny and a lot about how great a boss, my husband, Abe was.

He wasn’t my boss although I often called him that but he liked being a boss and especially liked any opportunity to help anyone working for him.

Since we met when we were seventeen, and essentially grew up together, I loved hearing how he turned out from other people. He always had his door open and truly cared about these people’s lives. I know because he used to tell me about them.

Today, I am feeling overwhelmed with the warm feelings that were generated last night.
I wondered why this bond occurred; why do the people who no longer work there still get together for lunch. And, since I am a psychotherapist, I will take a stab at why.

I think it is because it is such an unusual place to work. It is not a nine to five job. There are events almost every night a year, people need to work those events. They need to help each other out whether they like it or not. The show must go on.

They genuinely care about each other’s families attending weddings and funerals and vowing they will always be there for each other.

I am today still feeling the powerful emotions of last night and so proud of the other “family” that Abe created.

Fabulous news! 

I hinted at this some time ago on the blog and now I can tell you that Sister to Sister, The Women’s Heart Health Foundation recently partnered with the wonderful organization, Hadassah.

For those of you who do not know this group, it is a century old organization founded by an American woman named Henrietta Szold, originally from Baltimore.

Its primary purpose was to build an incredible hospital in Jerusalem, forty years before the state of Israel existed.   More than fifty per cent of its patients, then and now, are Arab Muslims; the rest being Jews and Christians.   It is one of the finest research hospitals in the world and we, at Sister to Sister, are honored to be associated with both the organization and the hospital.   It has been a delight to work with them and we are looking forward to many years of collaboration.

Sister to Sister, for those of you who do not know us, is an organization I founded thirteen years ago to help women — all women – learn and understand that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and, with knowledge and screening, that heart disease not only can be prevented but also reversed.

With our connection to the Hadassah organization, we can now reach so many women around the world particularly through our “Smart for the Heart” online wellness program.  Anyone in the world can now take our Heart Risk Assessment and learn their risk. They can then choose to participate in a wellness program.

We have been reaching many international women in Washington for the past years, but now our reach is so much greater!   My heart feels full with this opportunity.

Learn more here:  http://www.sistertosister.org/about-us/news/irene-pollin-teams-hadassah-establishes-women-s-heart-health-institute-jerusalem

 The drop from high to low can be tough!

In sports, life is unpredictable and a constant emotional rollercoaster.  Our local teams are seeing that happen a great deal these days.

For instance,  having your best player go down at the beginning of the season; a season with so much potential!   It is so disappointing for the fans that are waiting all year but it is worse for the owners. Because not only are you rooting, planning and thinking about the coming season, and then realizing it is not going to be what was expected,  but also facing the fans who look to you for the results.

In professional sports, not like other businesses, the fans feel a personal commitment.   Not only do they buy tickets, and come to the games, but they feel involved in the team’s strategy.

Which players should the team go after?

Which ones should be traded?

What other business does the customer feel the right to advise the company simply by buying the product or service?

It is wonderful for the owners on the one hand because you feel the support of these committed fans.  And, it’s terrible on the other hand, when they criticize decisions that don’t work out very well.

So, recently, when the Nationals were on a fantastic roll, the emotions of  fans in DC were on a high and expecting to go higher; and then the drop! From total exhilaration to complete defeat so quickly.

I have been there with my husband a few times, in basketball and hockey.   My husband, Abe, had a better attitude than I did.  He expected that it wouldn’t always work out for us… I always did!

Luckily, he always kept this perspective, because he also had to deal with the media and I didn’t.

But, the bottom line is that we all shared in the highs and the lows; and, I believe, that’s what makes being involved in professional sports such a wonderful experience, whether it is football, baseball, basketball or hockey!

When things are going well, the owners, Abe and I, felt the wonderful support of the fans and boy, it feels great!

TRAINING CAMP!  TRAINING CAMP!

What does that mean?

For me, the former owner of the Baltimore and Washington Bullets and then the Washington Wizards, it means a new beginning.  

That was one of the wonderful things about being involved with professional sports; every year was a new chance; a new opportunity. The excitement begins to build with the opening of training camp.

How much fun each year watching the new players showing off their skills and greeting the old players. No matter what happened the year before — good season or bad —  now was a completely new chance, a new opportunity…. and maybe a championship?   You need to be a “forever optimist.”   You have to able to forget the bad that happened the year before and move on.
As an owner for forty-six years, one’s optimism never changes. This is always going to be the year!

It was always great to see the players again after the summer break. It was wonderful to see them and their families.
I loved hugging all the players…and getting hugged!   They are great huggers!  Oh, sometimes, they are a little sweaty but its okay.

And after training camp is over, the anticipation would build as we were looking forward to  going into the Verizon Center for that opening game,  feeling the energy of the fans  excitedly walking to their seats with tickets in hand, sporting a new t-shirt, and five bags of popcorn and ten beers (at least it seemed like it sometimes!). 

Standing up for the National Anthem…. the fireworks… and the players coming on to the floor for the first time of the season.  All so exciting!

 Abe and I always squeezed hands in anticipation of a new year!