The Late-Great Sam Iacino!
An UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT- With Sam Iacino
Circa:
Way Back When- I was 15 years old.
Setting:
Hoops @ Stefanick Veterinary back Parking Lot, located at 29 S Buhl Farm Dr, Hermitage, PA, where I spent 1,000 hours honing my B-Ball skills. On this occasion it entertained a fiercely competitive 3-on-3 pickup game.
Parties Involved:
On my team was Keith (a 23-Year-Old bruiser on the boards) & the Great Sam Iacino (22-Year Old, former All-State Farrell HS stand out and Mercer County Hall of Famer). In the opposition, was Ray (a 23-Year-Old 6’ 3” wide-body that sets the perfect pics for shooters), Buzzy (a lightning quick speed demon), and Big Bad Bully Jay (a HS Senior, talk’n sh*#t 6’ 2-3” Bigot). Who the hell brought Jay in there anyways?
BACKGROUND:
At 15, (although scrawny as all get-out), I was beginning to come into ‘my own’ and developed into an elusive 1-on-1 player. In this particular game, Sam and I had hot-hands and in a Make it-Take Pickup Game, was utterly frustrating the defense.
THE FLAGRANT FOUL:
We were literally embarrassing the opposition when I drove in for the coup de grace (final point). While air borne- Big Bad Bully Jay SLAMMED me to the ground HARD! I mean, I CRASHED onto the pavement ugly, with the ball fly’n who knows where. Dazed, I looked up and saw Big Bad Bully Jay evilly gleaming victoriously over me. It was such an obvious CHEAP cowardly shot, and everyone just stopped in bewilderment.
Next thing I know, Sam viciously Bitch-Slapped Big Bad Bully Jay, causing him to BUCKLE to his knees and TREMBLE like the little punk-ass chump that he was! Sam stood over him demanding Jay to get up and face somebody his own size, but the red-faced coward knew better and just STAYED DOWN as Sam berated & humiliated him further.
P.S. Game was over at that point, but the statement Sam made that day reverberated into eternity! Man, I can vividly see the scene, (like yesterday)- Sam hovering over the crouched trembling bully in a boxing stance just READY TO UNLOAD; Wanting to PULVERIZE this piece-of-crap!
For some reason I googled Sam today, and sadly found his obit:
https://www.wkbn.com/my-valley-tributes/j-bradley-mcgonigle-funeral-home/samuel-sam-j-lacino-farrell-pa/
B.P.S. Just wanted to take the time to Thank You, Sam- for protecting me on that day and delivering SWIFT JUSTICE. Because of YOU- On that day, the world became perfectly balanced! May the universe accept this Tribute to the Late-Great Sam Iacino. RIP, my Brotha. I’LL never forget what you did. You’ll always be a HERO to me. …from the Lookout Post.