When things go wrong....

Yesterday was the fourth-lowest audience to ever watch the race for the hallowed Green Jacket at Augusta. What people missed was the epic collapse of last year's Masters winner Jordan Spieth as he blew a five stroke lead with nine holes to play, with the biggest fall coming at the 12th hole, otherwise known as "Amen Corner." Suffice it to say, Spieth's prayers weren't answered on this day as he lost to Danny Willett. He maintained his composure throughout the Norman-esque collapse, yet he was unable to recover in time and saw the Englishman walk away with the title.

We all have those moments in life; these moments in which we think everything is going well and before we know it, disaster strikes. Not on the golf course, but in life. A mysterious illness, financial setbacks, the news of a loved one passing away without warning, we all experience things that can change our lives in one way or another. Spieth can recover from this within a month, but the question is how do we deal with the shifts in the wind in our own lives? Do we press on to the goal ahead, or do we allow it to bring us down? The design of maturity is not how we are when things are well, but when they are not. 

What price will you pay?

On the eve of March Madness and as dreams of bracket-busting commences, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a story that may not get as much press, but was quite commendable. The gentleman in the photo is Chicago White Sox First Basemen Adam LaRoche. Or should I say, former White Sox First Basemen Adam LaRoche. Earlier this week he retired at the age of 36. Not a big deal right? It wasn't exactly the end of a Hall of Fame career that we are discussing. Rather, it's the way in which he did it that opened a lot of eyes, and in some cases, hearts.

See, he retired because he was informed by the team president Ken Williams that his 14-year-old son was not allowed to visit the clubhouse as often this upcoming season. During last year, he was often spotted with his father in the clubhouse with the rest of the team. While Drake LaRoche was a popular among his father's teammates, the upper management has set rules regarding visitation by outside visitors. So unpopular was this decision by Williams that LaRoche's fellow teammates threatened to boycott Wednesday's spring training game to support Adam and Drake. It took their manager Robin Ventura to intervene.

I'm going to take this from both sides of the coin. For one, I can understand why the team president took this action. The focus of the ball club is to win, and to be consistent over the 162 game season requires a lot of mental focus and unity among the team. As Williams stated, it wasn't as if Drake was no longer allowed to visit, but yet there has to be some level of decorum, as most jobs you and I work for would not allow us to bring our children 100% of the time. There is an inherent danger into having a teenager in the clubhouse all the time, especially with the risk of an injury. If he was hired to be the team's batboy or work in the stadium that's different.

As for Adam LaRoche, I'm proud of the decision he made. He drew a line in the sand and stood for his principles. I'm sorry, but how many of us are willing to walk away from a job because our boss tells us to leave our children at home? Moreover, how many of us are willing to walk away from $13 MILLION DOLLARS?! That is what he was leaving on the table in his final season. Yes I'm sure he has saved up a pretty nice nest egg in his 12 years in the majors. However, to make that type of sacrifice takes a commitment that we sometimes have to ask if we are willing to make.

I'm not sure if he's married or not, but if he is, could you imagine how that conversation went at home with his wife? "Um, honey, I'm going to retire and give up $13 million because my boss won't let our son hang out as much in the clubhouse ok? We really don't need another boat anyway!"

Regardless, there comes a point in life in which principle must be greater than gain. When you look back at your life, what will be there for you? More importantly, who will be there for you? It's the relationships we establish over time that long outweighs the degrees, the cars, and the social status. What are you willing to give up to make that happen?

Who are you to judge?

As I was watching the ESPN 30 for 30 on the Duke Lacrosse team case of 2006, one theme kept running through my mind. No, not the events that transpired on that fateful March evening, or even the "he said, she said" rhetoric that was played out before our very eyes in the media. It was the fact that there were several lives affected and judgments were handed out before the actual trial began. A coach lost his job, players (innocent or not) had their reputations smeared, and journalistic integrity was put aside in the name of sensationalism.

However, think about this for a second: what if there wasn't such a rush to judgment? Would that have changed the perception of these young men. Again, the focus isn't about what happened or what didn't happen, but what premature decisions can lead to when left unchecked. Bad things happen, but what is even worse is when people are placed with a scarlet letter that isn't removed so easily. We often label the accused based upon our own prejudices. It divides locker rooms, splits organizations, and creates riffs that takes years to mend. Just look at the relationships that come to an end due to judgments (think Shaq-Kobe) to the point where fan bases are fractured.

It doesn't have to be that way, and this case was the perfect example. Unlike in professional sports, it hurts even more in colleges because there are communities and families who also have to deal with the brunt of the accusations, sometimes as much as the players themselves. We have to be responsible for keeping our emotions in check and not create a conclusion before all of the facts have been brought to light. It's because when we jump to conclusions too much, we may not like where we land.

The unbeaten opponent...

Time has a way of letting us know when the end is near. We fight it because we hold on so much to the victories of yesteryear, hoping to get that one last time in the spotlight, or to drink one last time from the cup of victory. I remember watching such legends as Hakeem Olajuwon flailing as a Toronto Raptor, or Karl Malone when he became a Los Angeles Laker, and even more on a local level when I got to see Michael Jordan busting his chin on the court while leading a very young and immature Washington Wizards team. It is always painful to see our favorite legends limp into the sunset in their quest for glory, but I have to say I was pleased to hear that Kobe Bean Bryant announced in the Players Tribune that he's given his all to the sport of basketball and can't give any more.

As he prepares for his retirement this season, I always viewed Bryant as the closest model to MJ, from mannerisms to his cutthroat approach to how he played with teammates, and not always to the Lakers' benefit. Bryant has fought injuries and a team that is in clear rebuilding, but credit to him for coming to the realization that many analysts have seen: there will be no more great moments for him in purple and gold. It is a display of humility for him to admit that he has no more to spend on the court.

The old saying goes, "Father Time is undefeated," and it's for reason. There comes a time in our lives in which we have to realize that we must change. What may have worked yesterday doesn't work today, and if we don't come to that understanding through prayer and wisdom, time and opportunity will pass us by. The late Myles Munroe once said that "the graveyard is littered with books not written". I believe that to be true because we are so desperate to hold on to the past and unwilling to let go and step out in faith.

There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to laugh and a time to cry. I'm sure you've heard that before, whether it was in Ecclesiastes or in the famous song, and the question is: when do you realize that it's your time? Because once it's gone, you can never get it back.

So you're not good enough...?

Above is the following analysis for then Davidson combo guard Stephen Curry prior to him being drafted in the NBA. As a matter of fact, it was the first point that scared the then-GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves David Kahn from drafting him when he instead chose two point guards ahead of Curry. While Ricky Rubio has emerged as a starting guard on a potential playoff team, the other, Johnny Flynn, is out of the league. And what happened to Mr. Curry, you may ask?

Well, that last point of him relying too much on his outside jump shot is one of the reasons he is the league's reigning MVP of the World Champion Golden State Warriors. Despite the doubts cast upon him by many that last year's title was a "fluke" (I'm looking at you Doc Rivers!) Curry has continued to defy the odds and has supplanted even LeBron James in the minds of many as the best player in the NBA. That said, if you just read the scouting report on Curry coming out of college you would think that he had no chance of being successful. He wasn't even offered a scholarship at his father's alma mater Virginia Tech, but did not allow that to deter him from reaching his goals. To this day he continues to demonstrate what one can do when they don't allow the views of others to get his way.

If you thought that report was harsh, take a look at this one...

"Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup.  Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them.  Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room . . . Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.  Immature and has had issues with authority.  Not dependable.” 

Now I don't know what a "fake smile" has to do with being able to read a Cover-2 defense, but what I do know is that this was the scouting report about a quarterback facing his own questions about his ability to be a championship athlete at the highest level. Unlike Curry, he came in with a history of poor decisions (throwing a stolen laptop out of a window) and people wondered if he had the mental makeup that other great players of his ilk had...

It was Cam Newton, and the report was written by Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki. While many derided the report as racially motivated, Newton has taking his tremendous talent to the next level, and is largely considered the MVP of the league up until this point. Despite the naysayers, Newton continues to defy critics and in spite of some of his end zone antics (to which I respond, if you don't want to see him dance, don't let him score!) he has emerged as the unquestionable leader of the Carolina Panthers.

Curry and Newton are just two examples of what happens when people don't allow the views of others to impact their destiny. Whether it was Walt Disney (fired from his newspaper for having "no imagination) to Meryl Streep (called "too ugly" for the role in King Kong) you can't let what others think of you to get in your way. The only limit is in your mind, and the second you decide to remove those limits, watch how our life will change. Don't let the views and reports of others to limit your purpose in life. Besides, you never know when your paths will cross with someone who also hurdled over first impressions, no matter how wrong they were. Defy the odds!

Who are our rivals?

The final weekend of November has always been a special time for sports fans. Whether it's still recovering from Mom's Thanksgiving dinner, or exhausted from waking up at midnight to fight with millions of other shoppers on Black Friday, it becomes all worth it when you are able to sit on the couch and watch your favorite collegiate team take on their hated rival in what is billed "Rivalry Weekend." Growing up in Georgia this was always a great time for football fans in the south, as we would prepare to watch the Bulldogs take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech (or billed "The Nerds on North Avenue, but I digress), and each year the fans on both sides would revel in the opportunity to talk trash to each other, hoping to have a full year of bragging rights throughout. Even on the local levels, we used to see a lot of battles take place when the Warner Robins football squad would take on their hated rival Northside. It would lead to parking lot fights which would extend onto the gridiron. Some call it passion, I always questioned the mindset of some of these people. I remember the famous story of Harvey Updyke Jr., who poisoned the iconic Toomer's Corner at Auburn University to show his love for the Alabama Crimson Tide. This was just one example of how angry people allow simple allegiances to carry their actions.

Rivalries have existed since the dawn of time. Israelis-Palestine, Christians vs. Rome, Republicans vs. Democrats, there have always been this extreme point of view which tears away at our very fabric as human beings in our need for companionship. What has happened in today's society is a need to seek companionship on the basis that "you must always agree with my point of view, and anyone who disagrees is the enemy." My father always says to me, "you can disagree as long as you are not disagreeable." That's a big difference in how we should treat one another.

We have seen the rhetoric spill over from our sports teams into the political realm. We have allowed an agenda-based media to direct the attention from unity to black vs. white. It has corrupted our thinking to the point where family members can't even come together at the dinner table without turning into a battle of philosophical differences. The question is, do we really know our enemy?

The "Art of War" teaches that concept, that we should 'know thy enemy.' However, we believe that our enemy wears the colors of a different college, or aligns themselves with a different party affiliation, or even has a different skin pigmentation. Our enemy is one that is not of flesh, but one in spirit. It is an enemy who's primary purpose is to destroy us because he knows his time is coming to an end, and we need to recognize that instead of allowing hate to be directed toward our fellow man.

The sooner we understand that there is a true enemy out there that wants nothing more than to prevent us from reaching our destiny in God, the sooner we must submit ourselves to God in order to have the power to resist the enemy's subtle plans. Life is not a game, and the opponent that designs himself to stand in our way can, and will be beaten.

What is Power?

They say that the love of money is the root of all evil, then what is the fear of losing it? Was that the primary decision in former University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe stepping down in the wake of pressure stemming from ignoring the signs of racial tension on the campus? Whether it was the regents pressuring Wolfe to resign (which he did) because it was in danger of losing up to $1 million had the football team skipped its game on Saturday or not, the point is that change had to come. The students, and more specifically, the football players, had enough of being looked upon as nothing more than weekend gladiators who entertained the Columbia faithful. They wanted their voices to be heard and went to an extreme that forced the administration to listen.

One can debate whether or not if they had a perfect record would this protest even have taken place, the point is that there was a line that these young men felt had been crossed by the actions of a heinous few. It drove one young man to declare a hunger strike until changes were made, and more players began to chime in. It led to a campus-wide protest that led to the president's ouster. However, it wasn't just the fact that these protests have changed the face of the campus, it had demonstrated that in this day and age, taking a stand for justice is still an option.

Sports is an arena in which we cheer for our favorite teams and jeer our opponents, and once the clock hits 0:00 we are supposed to return to our reality. There comes a point and time in which the battles that athletes face isn't on the gridiron, court, or diamond, but it's in society. If nothing else all athletes should take a look at what took place in Columbia and realize that they can speak out. We've seen it in the NFL with the stand against domestic violence, and to see it on a major collegiate football power demonstrates courage and sacrifice for the greater good.

This wasn't about money, or gaining more power, but it was about making a difference at any cost.