The Goodman League began its summer season Monday at Barry Farm with a brand-new, reconfigured court, stadium-style bleachers, and a more forgiving playing surface.

Quite a lot of people, including us, are excited about all this. One of them just happens to be Wizards owner Ted Leonsis.

I will take in a game or two this summer - this is great basketball. When I was a kid growing up in NYC, I attended a Rucker League game -155th Street in Harlem. What an atmosphere and what great legends were born. Great nicknames such as "The Goat", "The Helicopter" and "The Hawk" - it was so great to see.

We see where Leonsis is coming from. We regrettably never made it up to Rucker Park during our years living in New York, but we did get into the habit of wandering by the equally renowned West 4th Street Courts, which we lived near at the time.

Frankly, it's rather unbelievable that we've been here as long as we have without ever getting over to Barry Farm. So we'll take the owners advice and head on out there. We hope you do as well.