YOUR BEST AMIDST THE COMPLAINTS

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My recent trip to Italy revealed my “inner control freak.” I was in a situation in Rome where I wasn’t the resident authority. I arrived thinking my role was something that it wasn’t and it disturbed me because I’m arrogant…straight up. On any given day, we motor to work, to class, to practice with preset expectations and often a muted understanding of the hierarchy. In my case, I’m used to being the lead instructor at basketball camps who dictates the complexion of the week’s goings on. But Italy reminded me of a key question: “Will you give your best amidst complaints?”

Complaining is natural so it’s going to happen. When you’re working for someone else, you won’t always do it the way the boss thinks you should. Eyes are watching you, evaluating your methodology, determining your level of effectiveness. But when those eyes fall upon you, what will they find? Do they find you giving your best, most creative work toward a solution that suits the target audience? In other words and in my case, I was instructing mostly Italian basketball players between the ages of 9-to-17. Basketball is played differently in Europe, according to Federation de Internationale Amateur (FIBA) rules. The world has spent the last 30 years attempting to close the gap between themselves and the Americans in this sport. But while giving deference to the United States, that same world consisting of players and coaches from dozens of countries has made great strides in basketball developement. They have their own style and focus. I’m sure I don’t necessarily teach the sport the way they would want me to nor do they value all of the coaching elements I deem essential. Amidst the criticisms, however, I realize that I have a responsibility to give my absolute best to instruction.

THE MAIN THING

How many times have you begun the complaining or acknowledged the criticism about your work only to have it slow you from the task? Italy was one of those watershed moments showing me the thinness of my own skin and how it interferes with objectives. When the complaining begins, you’re prone to anger and a lapse in concentration. The “main thing” is constantly in danger of taking a back seat to emotion-based performance. The next time the negativity starts to flow, check your “effort” gauge to see if it’s on E.

CONFLICTED INTERESTS

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What, if anything, is wrong with this picture?

At least he was honest when he arrested the attention of millions last week to announce his move to the Miami Heat. That’s all I could think when I finally sat down and viewed 10 minutes of the 1-hour ESPN special that revealed where the “King” will offer his services next season. Lebron James repeatedly referred to his own happiness and the best opportunity to win as primary reasons for his departure from Cleveland. It was a quintessential business decision…business from a financial perspective and business from the vantage point of a throneless king. Can you think of a more heralded athlete in the modern era who, despite being freakishly gifted, has no championship at the level he is said to dominate?

Of the 3 Mi-Egos, Lebron’s situation is the most peculiar because he’s not only leaving a franchise but a city whose fans and business community bet the farm on a local kid drafted straight out of high school. The projected losses to business as a result of James’ departure is $20-$40 million. Fans are burning those expensive replica jerseys that might actually be worth something one day. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has gotten into the mix labeling Lebron a coward and a narcissistic traitor. In his open letter, Gilbert called the move to Miami a “heartless and callous action.” Did I miss something here? Has Lebron done something heinous or has he done what the culture of the NBA sustains, opportunism at its finest.

Isn’t this the same NBA that used to draft kids out of high school whether they were Lebron or Leon Smith? I don’t remember NBA owners being especially interested in loyalty what with their ability and responsibility to move franchises forward toward bringing championships to cities. Gilbert has villified a guy who gave seven of his prime years to his hometown. And while the griping is certainly understandable, the malice seems excessive. The people of Cleveland have been incited by the classic ad hominem fallacy, that the dearly departed king was a louse and we shoulda neva laid eyes on him. One business man has attacked another using emotional appeal as the argument type. It’s neither novel nor civil but it can save your investment lest you be accused as the guy who let the franchise get away.

Religion Abroad

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Chiesa Cristiana Evangelica (Evangelical Christian Church) Ostia, Italy

Religion abroad is similar to religion at home. It must be very similar because the Italian pastor I had to pleasure of hearing this morning emphasized the difference between religion and relationship. A sea of people in Italy share the American sentiment that religious affiliation will suffice in this world of terrorists, unexplained natural disasters and the like.

I was reminded today that doing the drill that is religion is man’s version of acknowledging his place in the cosmos. “But religion alone,” said the pastor, “can lead to dangerous things…” I’ve been told while in Itay that much of the culture is connected to Christianity through the Roman Catholic history of the region. They attend church enough to maintain the memership as it were. I found this to be a parallel with the American counterpart of Protestant association. But the pastor gave a timely admonition that spoke to the security that only relaionship can offer. At day’s end, arguments don’t put my heart at rest in the midst of crisis. Church practices and rudimentary elements don’t right the wrongs of thousands of years of humans saying, “I got this.” Isn’t that what we say? It’s always, “Why does God allow this?” while all the while ignoring the sinister humans who day-by-day have chosen to inflict misery on the less fortunate.

We could poll the criminals, the warlords, the thieves, the human traffickers and find them religious on some level couldn’t we? Don’t we all play for some religious team if not superficially? But what resonated today was the encouragement to seek, to discover, to avail oneself. This is what relationship requires. One must cease and desist with the head on a swivel looking to see how many of my friends share my convictions. There can be no wandering eyes in relationship that is sound but there sure can be in religion. At dinner tonight I heard a man lie about his religion so that he could eat what the Muslims were eating. I know this because the man has claimed to be Catholic all week. I’m not sure what religious team’s jersey he would wear. I don’t care. But the relationship he has with God does arrest my interest. Without relationship there can be no 6ixth Man for any of us.

Week ONE FINITO: 6ixth Man at NBC Italia 2010

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Andre Klun, Joel Windmer and the old guy

The language barrier proved to have a bigger bark than bite. Some things transcend fluid verbal communication. I know at least this much, that basketball is one of those transcendent bridges. Granted, I had some exceptional Italians translating for me. Shout out to Andre Klun, my Brazilian/Italian brotha who is athlete, scholar and a well developed human being.

As Andre and i worked together this week, we discovered that the truth of what young men and women need is like a steel cable rather than a thread. It extends from hemisphere to hemisphere and is never prey to relativism. I’ve come thousands of miles and found a dynamic person who holds to the cable and isn’t afraid to move peers to do likewise.

Andre is only 22 years old and is in that nebulous of wanting to be an effective coach while also desiring to continue his own basketball career. Despite the crossroads of his young adulthood, however, he possesses the candor and self-awareness needed to subvert the obstacles to any of his aspirations. He’s the type of guy that gets it now and doesn’t need to wait until he’s 30 years old to say, “Well, I’ve grown up.” He’s the example that says to campers, “I’m young and serious enough to do what it takes to not squander whatever God intends to do with my life.”

Andre is the hero of my week because there’s no one better to spur a young athlete on toward proper motive, proper preparation and proper perspective than someone who resembles that athlete. I bark out commands and kids may listen because they perceive that I know what I’m talking about. Andre…that brotha is still young, still in the struggle, merely a few years beyond his comrades headed for the same adversities and disappointments that life and sport brought him. In a world desperately in need of mentors, might I submit to you the notion of finding an Andre and equipping him with everything he needs to spread the WORK ETHIC of a champion like a virus.

Day 4: 6ixth Man @ NBC Italia

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On the way home from camp yesterday I had a riveting conversation with three Lebanese basketball players and one Austrian player who I’ve been training this week. They had many questions about the United States like, “Is it very oganized there?” and “How do you think of Arabs in the United States?” These questions came from kids who understand their own country’s political climate and speak English better than I speak any other language not my own. These questions were sincere and revealed to me that while the world may not revolve around the United States, it certainly pays attention to Americans. From music to Lebron James the Lebanese players are acutely aware of what they perceive to be American values. As one kid told me on the bus, “It’s education first and anything else second…” I was like, “I get it.” In some ways I’d say these young guys look up to us. In other ways, I think that if they knew the deficits we have in the United States where character is concerned they might be less inclined to idolize. Needless to say, these kids were real. They didn’t flatter their own country like patriots tend to do. They highlighted the Lebanese colleges and admitted some other visceral feelings about the political system thee. They wondered why Americans think of Arabs as terrorists when few are. They clued me in to a part of my personhood that needs development.

Day 3: 6ixth Man at NBC Basketball Camp Italia

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In short, yesterday I learned two things: #1 You can continue on in this life after you lose the one ability that gave you identity. #2 If you plan on being successful you need o be able to communicate using a “Bridge Language”. Listen to the audio below.

Italy: Day 1

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I’m in Rome tryin to evade projections. There’s a tendency to absorb the expectaions and/or praises of an impressionable demographic. See, there’s these boys ages 9-17 who want nothing more than to be trained by  an African American, 6’5″, former college player guy from Los Angeles. It’s no diferent than what I wanted at that age. So the kids at camp hailing from places like Lebanon, Dubai, Northern Italy, etc. make it a point to display their swagger, their prowess their Americanness. There’s such a thing as American Stadard I guess, some benchmark of “I’ve arived” that is synonymous with the United States. I’m a bit confused when young men are striving to live like they think I live.

I’m confused because I wonder what images they’ve seen of Americans. Even more importantly, I’m wondering how much one week can actually impact young men I may never see again. On this first day of NBC Camp Italia, I’ve tried to avoid becoming that characture of a personality who kids remember as the athletic archetype who blows into a room, and wastes the opportunity to influence athletes toward healthy living and the Truth of God. The temptation is great regarding this. So instead of thinking I’m so awesome because these kids don’t see a slam dunk very often, I’m working hard this week to have meaningful conversations even if I have to enlist the help of a translator. I’m not the “man” but there’s always a dude inside of me sayin’, “Go ahead…Be the man Norman for just a couple of weeks. These kids have mad love for you.” Gotta fight the pseudo naivete. These kids want to be who they think I am and I can control that desire by being the real me. If they meet him, the real me, they’ll see a guy who has chosen to lead a life that alienates him from the popular worldview. If I had cue cards for the next two weeks in Italy they would have words like, ASK HARD QUESTIONS, DEMAND HONESTY, TEACH DISCIPLINE, MODEL SELFLESSNESS, HONOR FAITHFUL PEOPLE, SUBMIT TO VISION AND REQUIRE THE SAME OF YOUR ATHLETES…all of which should define a week’s worth of coaching even in Europe.