Maxwell - Bad Habits

Maxwell is back...and sick as ever! Damn Maxwell...why you wanna hurt 'em like that?

Mama There Goes That Man...Part 2

Took me a few days but you know I was gonna give it to you!
Don't hate the player...HATE THE GAME

High School vs. AAU

All of these coaches make good points. It's so hard and so much pressure on these kids though. I feel bad for the high school coaches however it sometimes feels as if the AAU Club coaches go make the extra effort to get to "know" their players. By get to know I mean, read their faces, their emotions, know what moves them and what drives them to win and get the most out of each one. Because these coaches are squished into a passenger van or SUV with their players on road trips, staying in a cheap hotel and eating at McDonalds with them they get to KNOW their players. That is why at the end of this segment you heard the player say that his club coach is the one he picks to help him out with his future.

Now that my boys are in high school I see the difference between high school coaches and club coaches. I have the additional experience of having their coach also be their father which brings another link into the picture. Coach Dad knows EVERY ONE of the players on his team. He knows how to tell if "Jimmy" is tired, if "John" can give more. He knows that "Bobby" is having a hard time at home lately, that Shawn needs to hear some encouragement to get him going and that the ball should always be in "Paul's" hand at the end of the game because he's going to make that shot or draw the foul. He knows how to call a time out and look his team in the face and say "dig dammit or I'm calling the season and I'm done with with crap". He wants it as much as they want it.

High School coaches often simply just don't have enough invested in their players. They haven't paid for the player who's parents couldn't afford it. They haven't fed 5of the kids in the SUV with them. They haven't picked up 4 of the kids for practice or talked with them 30 minutes after practice while waiting for their parents to get there. They haven't listened to the conversations going on in the back seat. They haven't had an event outside of basketball to watch the kids personalities. Something as small as sitting by the hotel pool while the boys swim and watching how they interact with each other makes a world of difference. Instead, they get the kid often after he's left the house at 7:00am, done a long day at school, had a bag of chips and soda before practice, flunked his math test and doesn't really feel like running lines because his teammate missed his freethrows. The coach has to play "everybody" on the team. He doesn't understand why Seth feels his minutes are being wasted on the "scrub" behind him who is getting minutes because he comes to practice everyday and who just got beat by his man the last three trips up the court. Lastly, the club kid is unconfident in his coach because not only is he usually a highschool teacher who doesn't get on their level but he's given the kids no reason to believe they can relate to him. Highschool coaches tend to do two things. They either feel the AAU player has a big head already so they do not reward them when they do well or kiss their butt so much that the kid doesn't respect him. You'd be amazed just how far "nice pass or good job buddy" go. These remarks can't just be for the bench players. Let's be honest though. Highschool teachers HAVE to be held to a certain standard though. They more often have to deal with the student-athlete. A club coach is in a position to be a little more personal with the player's family. You actually pay your money to this coach to get the best. Can a highschool coach really grab your kid up by the neck and say "get your ass out there and ball". Not really...a club coach can do it and have a replacement for your kid by next week should he decide not to oblige.

On another coach there is the highschool coach who wants to prove so much that the player ain't sh**, that it becomes a personal vendetta to break the kid down to show them and everyone else who will pay attention that "he ain't sh**", instead of doing what an AAU coach tends to do which is say "get out there and get in his chest and lock your man down, I know you can do it". I believe that we all know a "bad" club coach when we see one. It's reflected in his players. As an observer of both sides I've been to a million AAU tournaments and highschool games. This is an on-going battle that will continue for years. As a parent I can only hope that both my sons' AAU coach and highschool coach has the best interest in my son. To make him better, be a role model to him and use his love of the game to help him along the road of being a successful man. This does not mean that basketball will be his life but when he looks back on these years in high school I want him to enjoy these years, make lifelong friends and know that the time has not been wasted but made him grow as good human being. Vince Lombardi said "Winning isn't the everything, it's the only thing" however I hope he meant in the game of life. It's the most important part.

Mama There Goes that Man

Tupac made me fall in love with Hip Hop...Happy Birthday Pac. Gone but Not Forgotten.

All Men Are Dogs

I hear so many woman walking around saying there are no good men out there, all men are dogs or I can't find a good man. They are all either confused, gay or married - which may be the case sometimes but there is an abundance of good men walking around this earth. They are all over the place but they are not going to walk into your life if you are not ready to receive all that a good man brings. So if you are not in a place in your life where you are ready to receive the things a good man brings it's just not going to happen.

Woman have so many lists. We have so much stuff that we want. He gotta be this and that and making this much money and drive this kind of car. Honestly, when you look at yourself what is it that you bring to the table? You want a man that is physically fit and looks good but you are out of shape and don't take care of yourself or your body. You want a man that is financially stable, takes you out and wines and dines you but you are broke. You ain't got no money and your credit is jacked. You are working a dead end job.

You want a man that is spirtually grounded and has a relationship with God but when is the last time you prayed? None of these things add up. You have to look at yourself and define yourself. What are you doing to attract this? If you are sitting around talking about what you don't want, what he can't do, what you don't want him to have. All the things you don't like about men...well guess what? That's probably what's going on with you. Think about it. If you want love and happiness you have to start with yourself. You have to start to fall madly in love with yourself in order to receive the love you want. When the Queen is ready the King will appear. So get yourself together and define what you want. Align your life with what brings you happiness. If you want a good man GET IT TOGETHER. If you got a good man KEEP IT TOGETHER. Alright? Think about it.

Glad somebody said it...cause I feel it!

LMAO!!!! SKINNY JEANS ARE MADE FOR SKINNY PEOPLE....PREACCCCCCCHHHHH!!!!

My Guilty Pleasures

So last night I wasn't thinking of the many awkward things in my life that I so enjoy. As I've been told more than once I'm a "wierdo" but hey...love me or leave me alone. I thought I'd share some of my guilty pleasures today. Do you share any?

1. Getting my eyebrows tweezed by my sister.
It's a little of the painful pleasure. I hate that just when I'm getting relaxed and starting to fall asleep she says, "done". She is so good at it too and gets everything that the salon usually misses.

2. Workout Pain.
Workout pain is that pain you get when you really worked a muscle that maybe hasn't been worked in a minute. Sometimes I wait a few days to rework my calves just because I love that little pain the next day after a calve workout. Each time you take a step you KNOW you worked out hard yesterday. Also the pecks are good for this too. I did some dips last week and I can still feel it a little today. Okay, okay, I know I'm a little sick and twisted but at least I didn't say "anal pain" right? LMBO!!!

3. Lifetime Movies.
I think I've said this again but I love lifetime movies. I especially love the ones I've seen over and over. My favorites are "Fifteen and Pregnant, The Truth About Jane, Bastard Out of Carolina, The Betty Broderick Story and ANYTHING with Patty Duke. I watch the one about her son getting killed my his wife and her boyfriend and Patty Duke fighting for custody of her granddaughter everytime it comes on. I've also watched the movie about the Cadets who kill a girl in highschool and then go on to the airforce academy everytime it comes on. My family walks in the room and always say "how many times are you gonna watch this".

4. Gossip Magazines and Websites.
I refuse to buy an Enquirer or Globe but I always check out the headlines while in line at the grocery store. If I wasn't so embarrassed to pick it up I might actually buy it. I check Bossip.com and Tmz.com daily though. Just being nosey!

5. Lindor Truffles.
If you haven't had the bag of red Lindor truffles refrigerated, you are MISSING OUT ON LIFE! They are SOOO GOOD!


6. Michael Bisping.
This is the Brit MMA fighter who is currently the coach of the British team on the Ultimate Fighter. Can I say YUMMY! So I said it dammit!

7. 2am informercials.
So I'll admit it. I get caught up in the informercials but only at 2am when my insomnia kicks in. The magic bullet is my current favorite but I also love singing with Dick Clark, Motown favorites, Hip Hop Abs and the Food Saver.

8. Porky's (yes the movie)

I've loved this movie since I was a young teen. It's garbage, a cult favorite and takes a sick sense of humor but when it comes on I watch it. Love it!

My Theory

Okay, so my theory is that there are MORE muppet commercials to be seen because it's OBVIOUS my boo don't miss 5 freethrows in one game. That's just not like him. Vanessa giving him too much nookie (well somebody is), or he just decided to prolong the series a bit longer. My prediction remains the same. LAKERS IN 6!