Did I mention...

The stained wood glistens with a shiny overcoat of sweat.   The echoes of shoes squeaking harass the rafters as the ball pounds the floor.  The goal is simple and I've been practicing for years.  Get the ball in the basket.  It’s crunch time and my attention is focused.  Get the ball into the basket… simple enough.  My mind is numb of distractions.  I am in “The Zone.” The score is tied with 8 seconds on the clock.  I rebound the ball and head towards our basket. The music and crowd are shaking the arena as I dribble up the court.  I cross my man over… step back… shot fake… fade-away… swish.  Game Winner…  What a simple game.  The crowd goes wild and rushes the court.  I smile and raise my arms, looking for someone to high five.  I am picked up by the crowd and escorted to the locker room.  It’s one of those “Rudy” moments that every athlete dreams about.  Simple game… get the ball in the basket.

This exact scenario runs through my mind before every single game.  It’s my visualization technique I’ve used since college.  Most athletes do it, but not many have mastered the practice.  To be honest, I’m somewhere in between.  I’m a huge believer in visualization and focusing on goals, but rarely am I ever in the position to actually achieve that moment. I just like to be prepared. I think in all the years of basketball I’ve only had 1 game-winning opportunity.  Even then, I didn’t take the shot and I passed it to someone who had a better look.  That is just my nature.  Not that I shy away from that moment, but I would rather someone else have that glory if it’s better for my team.  Maybe it’s my way of being Selfish.  MY TEAM is better off if WE take the easier shot. 

Everything is still copacetic down unda… We are in the last month of the season and really starting to put things together as a team.  You wouldn’t know it by our record (3-7) but for anyone who has been on a team knows, sometimes moral victories build their way to real wins.  We are just one of those teams that haven’t fully gelled yet.  The problem with our slow development is that we only have 5 games left.  We have solid pieces all around but can’t seem to puzzle it together consistently.  This was no more apparent than two weeks ago on the Cairns-Townsville road trip.  It’s one of the crazier road trips I’ve ever had in my career.  The travel was insane… First we drove 1 ½ hour from Gladstone to Rockhampton.  Then after a 2-hour delay we flew to Townsville.  Then Saturday morning we drove 4hours to Cairns to play at 8pm.  Immediately after the game, we drove 4hours back to Townsville (got to hotel at 3:30am).  Then we played Townsville the next arvo (The Australians word for afternoon) at 1pm.  Yes, the travel was ridiculous, but so was our sporadic play.  We got beat by Cairns by 40pts and then won against Townsville (the better team) the next day by 4.  After all that travel, Cairns making us their bitches, all the shitty gas station food, we somehow woke up after a couple of hours of bus/motel sleep and played great basketball.  Something we haven’t been able to do consistently all year. 

That day the pieces just fit.  It felt natural like we had been a great team all season.  We were disciplined, focused, and played together.  More importantly… we were so tired and beat up, that we stopped thinking.  We just acted and reacted… one of the most important, yet overlooked aspects of high-level athletics.   We had every excuse in the world to fold, but instead, we came together as team and did our job.  This game was a great example of non-thinking.   At this level, we are all so practiced that sometimes WE are the only ones that get in our own way.  We overthink every move, every play, and every moment.  The goal of every athlete is to find “The Zone” which is the moment in the play where things slow down… where things are effortless… where the mind settles… where the mind stops thinking.  Sometimes... it just happens... and that day was one of those days.

HIGHLIGHT FILM FROM FIRST HALF OF SEASON

Oh what else has happened… hmm…?  Did I mention I coached my first professional basketball game?  Did I mention Nicolette was our team manager for that same game?  Did I say that I grew a goatee to make myself more aggressive?  And that it has worked and I’m averaging 25.3pts 7.5rebs 6assts while shooting 59% 3’s and 90% free throws during that time?  Did I mention Nicollete works two jobs now, starting at 5 am?  Did I tell you I have two stitches in my chin right now after being smashed in the face during a game?  Did I mention the opposing team’s women’s team’s point guard happened to be a doctor and stitched me up right after the game?  Did I say she stitched me up in our dirty locker room while Nicollete filmed it?  Did I mention I won my 3rd game MVP in a row but it was given to someone else because “I’ve won too many in a row.”?  Did I reference that my parents and sister are coming to visit this week!!!?  Did I remark that I golf 2-3 times a week because my gym membership allows me to golf for free?  Did I mention I’m golfing so much because I want to beat my brother when I’m back in Philly? Did Justin read this? Does Justin know that it’s on and that is a real challenge?  Did I mention I am terrible at golf and would like someone to teach me really quickly? Did I mention that our team picks a different theme for every bus trip?  Did I mention last week's theme was "short shorts"? Did I say I taught myself how to make legit Thai Red Curry? Did I mention I have found only ONE Mexican restaurant in Australia?  Did I mention that sucks because I usually eat burritos three times a week? Did I comment that after these next 5 games, I may hang up the boots and be a grown-up?  Did I mention that I could write a full blog on any of these but I don’t feel like it?  Did I mention it's bedtime?  Goodnight.