Face the music...

"Some like it hot and some sweat when the heat is on..."

Power Station "Some Like it Hot"

That was one of my favorite songs growing up in the 1980s. Granted the song has a more provocative theme to it, but the title was relevant to what we saw a few days ago when the mercurial Dwight Howard was a guest on the Emmy-award winning "Inside the NBA." For those who don't follow basketball, this show is known for its witty banter with the excellence of eloquence in Ernie Johnson being the straight man to Charles Barkley's no-holds-barred approach. Though I don't always agree with Sir Charles (especially with his take on today's NBA) he is to be admired for taking on stances that aren't always popular with mainstream sports media.

Once the Oklahoma City-San Antonio game came to its conclusion, Howard was asked during the post-game program by Barkley about his laissez-faire approach to the game. For those who don't know, the self-proclaimed "Superman" has been criticized for how he left the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and for failing to live up to expectations with the Houston Rockets. Below is a synopsis of Howard's response:

“I think I was very likable in Orlando, and the way that situation ended [with him wanting to leave Orlando], I think people felt as though I’m just this bad guy,” Howard said.

He was also asked if he was disinterested in playing, given his penchant for appearing to quit on his team:

 “Disinterested? I’m always interested in winning,” Howard said. “But sometimes, as a big, you want to feel a part of what’s going on. … Now there’s been times where I’ve been upset and I’ve taken myself out of games and situations, and that’s on me, and I have to grow and be a better player at that.”

Now, many of the pundits took that as a shot at teammate James Harden, who has also shown a devil-may-care attitude as a supposed star player. However, the important takeaway from this is Howard's willingness to own up to some of his past mistakes. He showed a sense of self-awareness, which we don't often see from a lot of star athletes whose receptive to negative press is akin to the throes of a jealous media who doesn't understand the sports world. He demonstrated a level of humility, and that is what people are looking for in their favorite stars; a person who is not above holding themselves accountable. He had to have known when he came on the show that they were going to hold his feet to the fire, and to his credit, he responded well.

How often are we able to take it when someone calls our actions "onto the carpet?" Do we dismiss what is being asked and blame others for our shortcomings, or do we take responsibility and say "You know what? I have had past indiscretions that are of my own doing!" There comes a point in time when everyone has to have their come-to-Jesus moment and realize that if they are not on the path they should be, we can't blame our parents, teachers, coaches, spouses, or the government. When we are called into judgment, we will have to be the ones who give an account for our actions, no one else. Be willing to take the heat, and it will provide you with a better perspective of who you are as a person.

Now, about that mauve suit Howard was wearing...