Love and Success: “Love and Basketball” Revisited

<p><br class="clearer" /></p><h2 class="title"><a href="http://casaraelgibson.squarespace.com/journal/2010/3/18/a-black-womans-disguise-series-volume-3-love-and-basketball.html"><br /></a></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="full-image-block ssNonEditable"><span><img src="http://casaraelgibson.squarespace.com/storage/love-and-basketball.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1268966987396&quot; alt="" /></span></span>&nbsp;</p><p>Ten years ago <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Y2R1/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=center-2&amp;pf_rd_r=1JHXX575W5HXQXTXEH57&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=470938631&amp;pf_rd_i=507846"><em>Love and Basketball</em></a> made its debut in movie theaters across the United States ushering in a familiar, but daring way to characterize black romance in the new millennium. After riveting late-90s films such as <em>Love Jones</em> (1997) and <em>The Best Man</em> (1999), <em>Love and Basketball </em>appropriated black romance in another direction, cultivating two romances that many black people desire to have: pro-athlete status and true happiness. Protagonists Monica Wright (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/SanaaLathan#%21/SanaaLathan?v=wall">Sanaa Lathan</a>) and Quincy McCall (<a href="http://twitter.com/omarepps">Omar Epps)</a> both want pro-athlete status and true happiness. Monica is the stubborn and hot-tempered female basketball star whose dream is to be the first female player in the NBA. Quincy McCall is a high school All-American who vies to be like his father who is an NBA superstar. Monica and Quincy&rsquo;s relationship started with their love for the game.&nbsp; Their love for basketball and amp competitiveness fosters a special love that blossoms from childhood to adulthood. Monica and Quincy always knew they loved the game and each other, but the game challenged their love and tested their commitment to one another.</p><p>&nbsp;Monica and Quincy&rsquo;s love went through trials and many tribulations. It is mid-way through the third quarter (when M and Q are both college basketball stars at USC) when their love begins to crumble. Monica earns a starting point guard position with the lady Trojans and secures her status by playing with maturity and compassion. Quincy is unsecure about his status as a rising basketball star. He finds out that his father&mdash;the man whom he modeled his game after is flawed and his dream to be an NBA star is based on a lie. Quincy&rsquo;s familial issues conflict with Monica&rsquo;s new found success, forcing Monica to choose between pro-athlete status and true happiness. <br /><br />The climax of Monica and Quincy&rsquo;s romance sets when the two lovers part ways after an emotional disagreement: <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monica: I never asked you to choose</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Quincy: You never have to</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monica: I am a ball player if anybody knows what that</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; means it should be you</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&amp