Flight School

If boot camp is all the rage now, I wonder if a dunking-focused training program would also draw a crowd. I'm sure there are hordes of like-minded wanna-be's out there who would benefit from the shared energy and inspiration of a community.

Just imagine how much fun you could have with the marketing.
...

Fade from black.

A man is lunging down a busy city street.

People stop to stare. He spots a pretty girl and approaches her.

She doesn't know what to make of him, especially when he begins to perform squat thrusts right in front of her.

Confused and a little scared, she begins to walk away.

Sound of a powerful spring - "Boing"

The man reappears out of nowhere. He's jumped right over her from a standstill; now they're eye to eye for a second time.

He smiles. This time, she smiles right back.

Over: Flight school. Learn to fly - chicks dig it.

...
Badass, right?

40-39

There's so much to say about the last two days, I don't know where to start.

I could cut to the chase and describe the final moments before and after victory. But I've already replayed those seconds in my mind. And I know the memory will survive, vivid and intense, for a long time.

I could salvage those little, isolated moments instead, sharp and profound revelations at the time.

I try, but I can't find the words to revive them. The body rejects the transplant.

So now I'm staring at the screen, waiting for some other set of words to flow naturally from my brain into my fingertips, letters that will repair and protect these experiences and emotions.

But then it hit me. I was wrong about something. It's not that I don't know where to start - I just didn't realize that it was time to finish.

Congratulations to all the competitors, coaches and parents. Sport was played, fun was had. Balls were thrown through hoops.

It's raining outside my apartment and time to get ready for dinner. Work tomorrow.

Frankfurt on Friday; Croatia next Wednesday; Barcelona after that.

Spring!

The Music's for the Sad Man

Munich's a beautiful city and basketball's an incredible game. Don't even really know why, just is.

Got to watch a group of kids take a big step forward today, discover their own ability to improve at something as a direct result of practice and commitment. Pretty cool.

I would hire a dunking coach if I could, go to dunking practice. That would be fun.

Grateful too that I got to play organized sports as a kid. Soccer, baseball, hockey.

Thank you coaches. Thank you municipal recreation programs.

March 18

Munchen.

Also did some drinken’ and schmoozen’.

Thank you, thank you.

Seriously though folks, it’s great to be here. Gonna put my own thing on hold for a couple of days, channel all those pie-in-the-sky vibes towards the team I’ve been coaching.

Felt like a whole lot of Monday/Wednesday evenings, a lot of weekends too.

I already know it was worth it. Still, it would be great to have the proof.

The Zone

Played a real game tonight against a real team. Refs. Fouls. 4 quarters and free throws and everything except for a shot clock.

We lost and it wasn't because I couldn't dunk. A more reliable jump shot would've helped though.

On the flip side, organized sports do a great job of demonstrating the significance of confidence as it relates to success, however that may be defined. More often than not, if you truly believe that you can achieve the desired result, the intended outcome is more likely to unfold than if you merely desire it.

To that end, what could inspire more confidence than possessing the ability to rise above the competition and manually deposit the ball?

Exactly.

Octo Punti

That's quasi Italian for 8 points, as in the 8 points that Reggie Miller sunk on the Knicks in 95.

Yet another tremendous athletic accomplishment that didn't require dunking ability.

Still, would've been a lot cooler if he had.

The Good Kind of Problems

When you're stuck between going to bed before 11 or staying up a little longer to eat leftover chocolate croissants.

Does this have anything to do with my goal?

Yes, in that once again, the day defeats the dream - the day that just was, and the day that tomorrow will be.

At least the chocolate croissant will still be there in the morning. And so will the dream.