Team First

How did I convert from being an LA Laker fan for over 20 years to rooting for the Dallas Mavericks? It wasn't because of Mark Cuban, although he's been great. It wasn't because of Dirk, although I love having him on the team. It was because of the Lakers.

The Lakers were a great team and won almost all of the time. They had Magic Johnson as their leader and they played great team ball. Then slowly, but steadily they lost these players. They were still good, but the attitudes changed from team first to me first. I'm not sure who I blame more or Shaq, or the team letting Eddie Jones leave, but I couldn't stand rooting for a team with such selfish players. I literally had no player to root for any longer.

So, for the first and only time in my life I stopped rooting for my favorite team. It was sudden and decisive. I was no longer a Laker fan, but who could I root for. Fortunately for me I have moved to the Dallas area and the folks in Dallas loved the Mavericks. They weren't any good. They were so bad, the announcers would be worried if they only had a 10 point lead during the last few minutes. Of course I've always rooted for the underdog, so it made since to start cheering for the Mavs.

I have to admit it took a few years before I became hooked, but I was certainly a Mavericks fan to anyone who cared to ask. Only after many years of dutifully cheering for this terrible basketball team was my new loyalty rewarded with some success. Although the thing that made me a true Maverick fan was the attitude of the players. The longer I stayed with the team, the more team oriented they seemed to be. The day when Michael Finley stepped aside to let Dirk lead the team was just one example of how they showed teamwork.

Now the Mavericks have ridden their success to nearly the top. I've been disappointed losing first Finely and then Nash. They were keys, not only as skilled players, but also as key role models for how teammates should act. Unlike the Lakers though, the Mavericks continue to bring in players who are team first. They have a great coach, who keeps them centered and focused on playing team ball. Dirk, one of the best players in the NBA, seems to be the most humble superstar on the planet.

I hope that the Mavericks get rewarded for showing us all that working together is the key to success. I would get a lot of satisfaction from their success.

Making a Difference

Often when I'm coaching my sons' basketball teams I feel like I'm not helping anyone get any better at basketball. Fortunately, that's not why I coach. I'm trying to teach these kids about Jesus Christ, and in some cases give them their first exposure to Jesus and how to become a Christian. It gives me a lot more satisfaction when I see behavior improvement in my team than when I see skill improvement.

Not to say that I don't love to see kids learn how to play basketball, but that's not why I'm there. Last year, at the end of the season, a parent came up and let me know that I had helped her son understand how to become a Christian in a way he hadn't understood before. That was a surprise to me, but very satisfying and important.

I'm glad that Upwards basketball gives me a chance to teach kids about God in a fun environment. I'd do it more often if it paid the bills.

OK OK -- Maybe I am a bit b---, but...

Apparently I am doing quite a bit. I have a full life. Whatever you want to call it, but I won't say the word. I have been pretty good about answering emails and voice mails and requests for my attention. I haven't given this response begrudgingly. Instead I've enjoyed the fact that the article I read is making me think twice before saying I don't have time.

Does that mean I'm suddenly ahead of schedule on all my tasks? That I'm sitting around looking for the next thing to do? Not exactly. I guess it just means that I'm putting people in front of tasks. I just realize that sometimes a response is just long enough to show respect, but out of necessity kept short. People really do understand when there are other things going on.

I think living this way boils down to providing honest answers to everyone you interact with. It means you try hard not to brush people off with cliches. I say try hard because after a life time of polite excuses it isn't easy to just give up on it.

Let me know what you've done to prevent the activities in your life from interfering with life.

Maybe I'm not so busy

I was traveling this week and while flying home I read a couple articles in "AmericanWay," the American Airlines magazine. In this Jan 2007 edition, Jim Shahin writes a very entertaining article on being busy. While entertaining, it is also very insightful. My favorite line is, "...the basis for civilized society rests in allowing for acceptable fabrication." The context of this line is that we all say how busy we are as a convenient way to avoid doing something else we are asked to do, or as a way to avoid responding to voice mails or emails. The other person is supposed to graciously accept this as your polite way of saying, you're not important enough for me to pause and help out. Another way he says the same thing is "polite mendacity lubricates the machinery of human interaction." Wow! I'm not sure what mendacity means (asked my wife -- lying), but he comments (tongue in cheek) that without overlooking our poor excuses we are " no better than most animals."

While I have to agree with why many of us say we are busy, it is clear that Jim doesn't approve. Neither should we!

I have never been more busy in my working life than I have been over the last 18 months or so. I've put in more time, had more emails, gone to more meetings, and traveled more in the last 6 months than during my entire 15 year career prior to that (no joke). I look back and see how many times I have said how busy I am, and stopped to talk about how busy I am. Again, looking back, I realize that many of the times the subject came up I was either asking for help, or trying to avoid giving it. I stand chastised! For Jim's article is primarily about what a poor excuse being busy is. He gives a great example about an encounter he had with Lee Atwater, and states that if Lee had the time to not be too-busy, then no one can use the excuse. At least they can't use it validly.

So, what am I going to do about it! It is still January. So, I'm going to resolve to not to be less busy, but to not let my busyness stop me from being a responsive and helpful person. It is too easy to say I'm busy, and in doing so avoid getting things done.

New England Finds a way to Win - I Find More in Life

As a life long San Diego Charger fan I was feeling pretty bad after the Chargers lost. It is bad enough having your team lose, but when the team is so promising it feels even worse.

Soon after the game, the family pulled out our latest Ga'Hoole book for our reading time. I sat back listening, but also contemplated the loss. Soon though, I realized that I was letting a game (important as it was) intrude on a special family time. When that struck me, I was disappointed in myself for valuing this game so highly. I decided to take my turn reading a chapter, and wound up enjoying the reading time with my family even more because of my little mental victory over the football disappointment.

I don't want to minimize the loss many loyal fans feel when their favorite team loses, but it is just a game. These games are meant to entertain, and this game was entertaining. I hope all football fans, whether they win or lose, can remember to value the daily things of life more.

Today at church our pastor's sermon was about valuing Today, the present. It was a little like a seize-the-day sermon. Although he never said those words. The sermon struck a chord with me, as I am looking for something to be more passionate about. I guess today I decided to be more passionate about my family than I am about football. If I can make that a true statement (instead of just some words in my blog), then I will have become a better person.

Of course, I still would like to find something more exciting to be passionate about, like endurance running. If family is my passion, what should I do to act on that? How can someone be more passionate about their family? How can that make a difference in the world? Am I just copping out, picking a passion that I can't avoid? Something that has no real way to measure progress or success?

Maybe I am. Either way, there's no harm in working to be a better father and husband. I can still look for other passions. As Dean Karnazes showed, family may be the one thing that truely allows you to achieve your passion.

One and One...or maybe not

Today both my boys played in their first basketball games of the new season. They play in Upward basketball, and I coach both their teams. Now I'm not much of a basketball coach, but I believe I fit the mold of an Upward coach. This is a league with special rules that emphasize team play and giving everyone a chance to play. Those are things I wish every league would value, and I always emphasize. At the same time the kids are learning about basketball, the coaches take time to teach them about God and how to come to know him. Like I said, a perfect fit for what I like about sports.

That said, the league does keep score for the older kids. Although they don't keep win-loss records for any age. Of course, even if the league doesn't keep score for some younger teams or standings, all the kids and many parents know the score. So, I'm one-and-one.

My younger son's team started out the day getting whipped by the opposition. I felt bad that they couldn't be more competitive, and even a little guilty that maybe I hadn't prepared them. At the same time, I felt good that each boy did play a fair amount of time. They all got an opportunity to touch the ball and be involved in the game. The other team just played better. So the day started 0 and 1.

Later in the day, my older son's team whipped their opposition. I was informed after the game that this was the first time my older son's team had ever won (in any season of basketball)! Once again, I was most pleased that the boys played their best, each had a fair opportunity to contribute, and played with good attitudes. I was also openly proud of my son, as he played his best game ever. While he's not the best player on the team, he has learned to play with his strengths. 1 and 1, or maybe 2 and 0 (2 feel good games to none).

Press On

This morning in our church service we sang a song we've sung many times, Press On. The verses talk about times when things are difficult and we're worn out. Then the chorus says "In Jesus' name, we press on." I find this so applicable in work and with my family -- really in all areas of life, but never more literally than when I'm running in a race or doing a long run.

There are always many opportunities to quit. This song encourages us to remember that through Jesus we can continue.