“Courtside Sitting in Dyckman” The following is an observational essay written while observing the annual summer Dyckman basketball tournament. August 16, 2012Humidity is heavy in the summer air. The sound of the ball bouncing on the asphalt of the field is drowned out by speakers broadcasting hip hop and reggaeton. The smells of nearby food carts fill the heavy summer air. The neighborhood itself is a cultural and ethnic melting pot (just like all of Manhattan), blending mostly African-American and Dominican culture into a few square blocks. Conflicting cultures can be as volatile as summer heat, yet, just like all of New York City, they settle and coexist. I'm lucky enough to have a place right in the middle of it all. I can hear a conversation in which two passersby discuss Alex Rodriguez, who is a product of this very neighborhood. With just over an hour left until tip-off and already Monsignor Kett Playground aka Dyckman Park is already packed with spectators for the culmination of what has been a truly entertaining tournament. Fans were treated to star-caliber gameplay from New Jersey's JR Smith, Tyreke Evans, Brooklyn native Gary Forbes, as well as Sundiata Gaines; the former star of Archbishop Molloy. As more and more spectators take their seats, there is a clear buzz in the air. In recent months, teams have battled it out on this court for bragging rights. New York City Summer League basketball has long been linked to Holcombe Rucker Park, another long-standing outdoor league; however Dyckman is rapidly gaining popularity. The annual summer league was started in the 1980s to keep New York City's youth from getting caught up in the drug and gang epidemic...middle of paper...it's first come, first serve. There is no waiter to bring you overpriced snack bar food. It's more like sugar waters, halal trucks, dollar pizza slices, and of course, Latin American food carts. and play in front of the masses. This is the closest some of these people will ever get to a real NBA game. There is no promise of getting to a game over at Barlcays or MSG. This is all for them. What makes this place so attractive? It's the blunt style. They can serenade and shower players with “oohs and aahs.” He high-fives his lantman after a stellar dunk or a killer crossover. While Spike Lee sits courtside and shells out thousands of dollars to see "Melo and Company," I'm seeing basketball how it was meant to be played.