Eisengeiste: Preliminary notes on my upcoming book "A Finger Pointing at the Basket: Zen and the Art of the Finger Roll"

In volleyball you have the spike, and the dink. The spike is raw power (except for the 3/4 down the line, but nevermind that), the dink is pure finesse. The spike sets up the dink, the dink forces the defense to play honest, opening up lanes for the spike.

The dink, and the finger roll, are stylistically second-best. "Best slam dunk" compilations outnumber "best finger roll compilations" approximately 8,000 to one.

Even D Wade can't make it macho

But both the dunk and the finger roll count the same, and for the true connoisseur, the finger roll may be even more satisfying because of the greater variety of ways in which it comes into play. It can be an aggressive finishing move (but watch out, it's easy to screw up) or a bailout option when one's path to the hoop is unexpectedly blocked. Perhaps Doctor J, confronted by a leaping Kevin McHale, could drive the ball through his opponent's hands and finish the dunk. But lesser mortals might prefer, a la George Gervin, to lightly flip the ball over fruitlessly outstretched fingertips. There is honor in both paths.

In the beginning...

Ladies and gentlemen, George Gervin (cue evil laugh):

Steve Jones: "[Gervin] could finger roll from anywhere from fifteen feet in."

(As my old dance instructor, Frankie Manning used to say...):