BBall and the Bronx

Kent and I went down to San Diego last night to see the Aztecs play Nevada in Men's basketball. 

Nevada has a really good team this year, 15 and 2 before the game and it would be a tough match. 

Practically all of the teams in the Mountain West are really good this year, they might get five in the NCAA tourney.

Nevada is very tall and talented. Steve Alford is their coach, a perpetual crybaby. 

The Aztecs have had his number at home for a long time. He is O and 12 at Viejas.

Has to rankle him.

Last night was a special night. 

One of my very favorite all time Aztecs player's jersey was raised at half time, Michael Cage, as well as Judy Phelps and a star from 1941 from Hoover High named Milton (Milky) Phelps who was killed in a training accident in the big war.

Milky in the middle with the schnozz

What a cool nickname, Milky.

It was a tough game, close, but SDSU prevailed. 

We led most of the way but were tied at around fifty if I remember correctly.

LeDee had another big night. 22 and 12. If he is not an all american this year there is something terribly wrong with the voting. Which there probably is. 

So the Aztecs are now also 15 and 3, trailing Utah State in the standings. We have a young team, I have no idea how good they can be. But Dutcher and Fisher teams almost always progress and get better by March. They get another tough one at Boise State this weekend.

I actually had to go to San Diego twice yesterday so I was totally exhausted when I got home a little after midnight. Taking it easy this afternoon.

Before the game we stopped at my favorite pizza joint in Mission Hills for a couple slices. Bronx Pizza on Washington is the best place in San Diego if you are looking for an honest New York slice and it has been for almost thirty years.

It was recently rated #2 in the state, sixth best in the entire country by Yelp and best in the city by the Washington Post. I would like to see #1 frankly. I used to see the mayor at Bronx and the chief of police as well. Consistently rated number one in the county since 1997.

The place is festooned with great boxing and New York memorabilia. Joint is not fancy, pretty spartan honestly. No affectations.

This is just an honest slice, not a nouveau or trendy slice. 

No truffles or caviar here. Or, god forbid, pineapple.

Last night I had the spinach ricotta, a whitestone and a pepperoni meatball.

Delicious, the spinach ricotta probably my very favorite.

The bummer is that I asked the counter man where Seth was?

He looked at me with a pained look and pointed me towards this photo on the wall.

Seth "Smitty" Smith died of esophageal cancer last August.

I had come down a few times but it was on a Monday or Tuesday when they are now closed.

I never knew. I guess it happened fast.

Seth was a co-owner and he loved Leslie, was so kind to me. 

We never paid for a slice on his watch. We tried. He wouldn't let us. Leslie and I used to sell our organic oranges in San Diego and she would always bring him a box.

The tall guy from the Bronx had a heart of gold and we loved him as did many others.

Heartbreaking.

We will miss you, man, it will never be the same.