Maine had two Flag(g) days this June!!

[Ralph Damren]

  June 14 = Colonial Army formed with a leader named George

  June 25 = NBA draft , our governor declaired that to be Cooper Flagg Day

SCENE : Mid-March, 2022. My wife and I were returnung from someplace warmer to our home. Traveling down I-95 (Maine's only interstate highway) we decided to stop off in the sleepy town of Newport as they had a McD's. It was near 11 PM as we exited ,expecting to the streets empty only to find lined with fire trucks, police cars and a 1,000+ people. We pulled into McD's parking lot and I inquired of an eldery gentleman what was happening...

HE : We just won the state championship in Portland (120 miles soulth) and all raced back to greet the team. 

ME : I knew Nokomis HS had a good team...

HE: Not just good, but GREAT. We've got a 6'8" freshman that's the best our state has ever seen. He nearly outscored the other team by himself. Someday he may be the best in the country  .

A rickety ole' school bus was pulling off I-95 ,escorted by two State Police cruisers. Fireworks went off, sirens sounded, church bells rang and nearly the entire town of Newport cheered. A 6'8" 13 year-old was the first to step out waving the trophy and yelling : "WE ARE CHAMPS  , WE ARE CHAMPS". iN WHAT WAS A SCENE REMINISCENT OF THE MOVIE HOOSIERS, we passed on a burger and headed down I-95 south. Hnging over the entrance ramp was a huge signe : "LAST PERSON TO LEAVE,TURN OUT THE LIGHTS"

EPILOGUE: Cooper Flagg transfered to a prep/basketball school where he lead them to a natoinal championship. His sole year a Duke, he was All-American, MVP and a given for the first pick in the first round of the NBA draft. ESPN arrived in Newport and attended several of the draft parties.

USLESS KNOWLEDGE YE' NEED NOT REMEMBER...

Newport 2020 census : 3,132
Nokomis HS ; 634 students formed from 3 small high schools in 1968
 7 towns send their kids there, a fire truck from each town was there for the celebration.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, it was a memory I will have for the remainder of my life.    RALPH

[ElvisLives]

I haven’t paid any attention to the NBA since the days of Dr. J, Bird, Russell, etc. Had never heard of Cooper Flagg. Now I see he plays for the Mavs. Cool.

Your personal story was the most interesting part of this. So cool that you just happened to roll through Newport at that moment, and were able to experience pure Americana. Good for you!

Thanks for a ‘feel good’ story this morning.

[Ralph Damren]

Thanks, Elvis, for the kind words. Living only 7 miles from Newport, I feel embarrassed that's my only connection with Cooper Flagg. I do, however, have a connection with Copper's HS coach, Earl Anderson. Several years ago, I fixed Earl up on a blinddate with my best friend's widow. They later married and I, as a notary, officiated the wedding. I called him up on Monday to offer congratts and ask if Cooper and his twin Ace would be around for three more years. Earl replied that I would be surprised to see them around for a few more days.

Ace followed Copper to the prep school and is entering UMaine this Fall. While not of Cooper's talent, he may help UMaine to finally make it to the 'Big Dance' . They finished as the league runnerup last year, and have a better shot next year. Only two states have never sent a team to the big dance, Alaska is the other, but they have a good excuse as they don't have any D-I basketball programms!