Just striving to be all I can be.
We all have dreams. Short-term or long-term, big or small, it doesn’t matter; we all have something that we either want to achieve or attain in our lifetimes. But it’s also common knowledge that many people never realize these dreams, and that’s because they don’t do today for tomorrow.
What do I mean? Simple. I mean that too many people don’t
Michael Jordan’s flu game, a significant amount of J.J. Watt’s games, and Isaiah Thomas’ continuing to play after losing a tooth; there’s a reason we praise them. Playing through pain is an admirable quality that we don’t take for granted. In fact, it’s a quality that many seek to attain and grow. But pushing through pain isn’t just limited to sports. In fact, pushing through pain is necessary for one to live their fullest life.
The NBA season starts today, and I can’t wait! With all the big moves this offseason, there are tons of matchups I’m anxious for, and even more individual and team journeys I’m excited to watch (especially the Timberwolves). The NBA offseason wasn’t just about moves within the league, however, as it also contained responses to unnecessary moves and words by President Trump and verbal support for Kaepernick and other’s who’ve chosen to take a knee during the national anthem. Yet the verbal and non-verbal political statements made by athletes of all sports throughout America this year, let alone those throughout the world, are far from unprecedented. In fact, if it weren’t for such racial, political, and cultural statements made by some of the world’s greatest athlete’s, America, and therefore the world, could and would be a very different place. That’s why I believe sports history should be a required high school class.
Sports are almost in full swing. The NFL regular season is already a quarter of the way done, the MLB postseason is about to start, and two weeks from now the NBA season will begin. Even without being a college sports fan, this is enough reason for me to love October. But unfortunately, each time we get to this time of year, I can’t help but think of this one simple fact: right now there are sports teams planning more for their next game than many people do for their entire lives. That’s a travesty.
NBA Street Vol. 2 is the greatest video game of all time. In my opinion, there’s not really any competition. I know some people will disagree with me, especially since there are those who don’t care about sports games at all, but this video game (played exclusively on the illustrious PlayStation 2) should be considered a great one by all.
Between our parents, the media, friends, and more, we’ve had the knowledge beaten into our brain. We’ve been told to be who we are and to be proud of what makes us different. Yet despite receiving this lesson time and time again, it appears as though many people would rather fit in than stand out.
Personally, I find great fault with this. But instead of repeating the lesson we know by heart, I’m going to tell you one ironic fact: everybody
If you follow the NBA even casually, you’ve probably heard of Kyrie Irving’s request to be traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers. And, perhaps more importantly, you’ve also probably heard the vastly different responses of various commentators, players, and coaches. Some say that Kyrie is out of his mind for wanting to leave a team that’s gone to the NBA Finals the past three seasons (and are highly favored to do so again this year), others say that he’s making a smart move due to his fervent ambition to be the face of a franchise, and still others say that if he’s not satisfied with his vital role on the Cavaliers then he’ll never be satisfied. All of these are valid points, but it begs a question that I believe many people wrestle with: what’s the right balance between ambition and contentment?