LeBron James Gives a Lesson to the First Lady Michelle Obama - Defy Gravity

+LeBron James teaches the First Lady a few of his moves on how to defy gravity.  LeBron gives away the secret sauce in his signature move - that reverse lay up under the rim with 2 seconds on the shot clock (Miami Heat v +Charlotte Bobcats 77-76), where LeBron demonstrates the law of physics - Heat rises. When it gets hot enough, the +Miami HEAT knows how to rise.

Keeping Dr. King's Dream Alive

On Friday, January 17, 2014, the Miami Heat played against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a special day for Dwyane Wade not just because of the win over the 76ers or that he played and helped his team win. January 17 was also his birthday.

Earlier in the week the Miami Heat visited the White House. Several days after that visit Wade would share his special day with the First Lady Michelle Obama, whose birthday was also January 17.

Dr. Martin Luther King, a great leader born on January 15 had a dream that one day we would overcome. Two leaders, both born on January 17 live out Dr. King’s dream. Dwyane Wade and the First Lady, both from Chicago, both challenged with adversities and both leaders dominating in their fields. Both are shining lights in their respective fields of law, politics and sports and, like Dr. King, they have littered history with a litany of achievements.

When D. Wade had an opportunity to develop his family team into a championship team, he willingly gave up what he loved to share with those he loved. When Dwyane Wade had the opportunity to become a father first over his beloved basketball as a leading shot-blocker, he gave up a part of what he loved to give and share his focus with a family that he loved more.

When the First Lady had an opportunity to help bring Dr. King’s dream to life by adding color to the White House, she willingly gave up what she loved as a leader dominating her field to sacrifice the one thing life will not give you back, time.  I imagine the First Lady had to go through some adjustments like being in charge of everything, while at the same time being in charge of nothing.

Dwyane Wade, a father first and Ms. Obama, a mother first also shine at home. They are role models for American families not because they made it, but because they struggled just like the rest of us, yet, overcame the challenges, while maintaining home base. They did not give up. When the road was tough, as I am sure it was and still is at times to help keep our dream alive.

I can only imagine how many times on that road, they may have wanted to say, “Enough.” But, they didn’t. They kept going, allowing us to live our dreams through them. For the millions of little princesses who will never sleep in the White House and call it home and for the millions of boys and girls playing basketball on the streets of American who will never play in the NBA or the WNBA Michelle Obama and Dwyane Wade turned a fantasy into a dream and kept Dr. King’s dream alive.     

I am sure Dr. King would be proud. 

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Warm Up for the Philadelphia 76ers

Thawing out and warming up +LeBron James and +Dwyane Wade of the +Miami HEAT prepare for the +Philadelphia 76ers

A Chilly Night in Washington for the Heat

Looking like they had lost their best friend, in Joel Anthony who was traded to the +Boston Celtics, the +Miami HEAT  came on the court with hearts in mourning. Joel Anthony has been a force beneath their wings to help weather the storms under the rim and in the paint through the last seven seasons, making a career high 456 blocks and playing in 382 games. Joel Anthony won two +NBA Championship rings in 2012 and 2013.

Tonight's game was a steal for the +Washington Wizards but Greg Oden brought a glimmer of light on the court with bouncing athleticism going to the rim. With two-and-a-half minutes remaining in Q1, his team was down but taking a pass from +LeBron James, Oden took it up, confidently executing at the rim, fulfilling a long time passion to play beside +LeBron James.

        

The Miami Heat Visits the White House

The +Miami HEAT visits the White House. President +Barack Obama was presented with a Heat Jersey that reads "POTUS" with the number 44. For those of us who have been living under a rock, that is code for, "President of the United States." President Obama, the 44th President of the United States, is now a kindred spirit of the Miami Heat. Both can relate to fighting for a little respect. Let's Go Heat.

Photo: Mandel Ngan AFP

New York Knicks Beat Miami Heat But The Biggest Loser was JR Smith

On January 9, 2014, in a game against the +New York Knicks, +Miami HEAT star +Lebron James makes 32 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists but it was not enough for the Miami Heat to bring back a win from +Madison Square Garden.

In Q1 the Knicks were down 8-3, but their bench overflowed with “happy” when +Andrea Bargnani went up with an impressive reverse lay-up.

+Dwyane Wade advances the Heat with a jumper for 2 (10-9), then with a steal and behind the back shuffle he goes to the rim and adds 2 (16-11). 

The +Norris Cole “Train” was moving fast, so fast, he ran right over the ref; mowed him down on the floor. “Move it Ref, move it, you’re in the way.”   

LeBron hits 3 (20-17) but +Carmelo Anthony would not stand for that. Mello added  a total of 29 points in the game. 

Michael Beasley goes up for 2 and gets fouled going up then adds 1 at the line for a three-point play (23-21). LeBron climbs up into the stratosphere for a throw-down bringing the first quarter to an end (27-21).

In Q2 Dwyane Wade explodes an execution that adds 2 (37-33). Amar'e Stoudemire goes up against Miami’s Chris “Birdman,” Andersen (29-29). In a Heat_Knicks show-down Andersen takes the ball away from Stoudemire but the Knicks get it back.

Wade races into the paint but tight defense on his wings makes him reconsider. Wade makes a quick, 180-degree left-turn but before he does he sends the ball on its way up towards the rim.  Wade falls forward in the opposite direction but the ball flies behind him up and in - that ties the score (35-35).

+Chris Bosh wants to make a shot but something within says “not yet” so Bosh hesitates just long enough til it’s safe and when his inner guide says go he safely goes for 2.      

LeBron transforms a lay-up into a 2-point throw-down (42-41). Rashard Lewis follows that with a triple (45-41) then comes right back with another triple (48-42). The Knicks lose track of time and lose a 3-point shot as the second quarter comes to an end (48-43).   

A LeBron James_Norris Cole play in Q3, they take a turn-over and blast open the rim for 2 (58-52).

Wade hesitates for 3 then runs in for 2 instead (62-58).

A Bargnani play makes LeBron barking mad. LeBron steals a turnover but gets stopped when Bargnani sends him to the line for 2 instead. +Tim Hardaway Jr., helps to advance the Knicks lead in Q3, ending the quarter (71-75).

In Q4 +Ray Allen hits 5, I mean 3, and gets fouled by Stoudemire, but the Heat is still down. Chris “Birdman” Andersen completes a shot when LeBron gets trapped under the rim. That brings the Heat within 6 (81-87). With five minutes left in Q4 the Heat is limping. Mello hits 3 and Wade responds with 3 but the Knicks go on a tear and win with a final score of 92-102. 

Bad Boy, J.R. Smith sits on the Knicks bench in a 
dapper-dan suit watching his teammates win without him.    

Smith played high school basketball for the first time at +Lakewood High School. He later transferred to the powerhouse Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, where he averaged over 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

In the fall of 2003, Smith signed a letter of intent to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where stars like +Michael Jordan were nurtured. Subsequently in April 2004, following a 25-point performance at the +McDonald's All-American Game where Smith was named game co-MVP with +Dwight Howard, Smith opted to enter the 2004 +NBA Draft, instead of going to college.

Over his career, Smith has played for the New Orleans Hornets (2004-2006), +Denver Nuggets (2006-2010) and +New York Knicks (2010-present). In 2011 during the NBA lockout, Smith played overseas for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Smith was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month three consecutive times in January, February and March of 2005. “Star-studded” J.R. Smith has been referred to as having “kick-ass moves.”

On April 13, 2009, while with the Denver Nuggets Smith scored a career-high 45 points and made a franchise-record 11 three-pointers during the game, one shy of the NBA record.

On December 23, 2009, Smith scored 41 points against the +Atlanta Hawks, which included 10 three-pointers. He finished the 2009–10 season with the second most three-pointers in the league off the bench.

On February 1, 2012, Smith scored 60 points off the bench during a 122–110 victory by the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association over the Qingdao Eagles. During his time with the Golden Bulls, Smith won a Foreign Player of the Week award, and was selected (but decided not to play) as a starter for the Southern Division 2012 Chinese Basketball Association All-Star Game.

Despite his many successes, Smith has experienced a series of events that keep “stars” below “star-status.”

On December 6, 2006, five months after Smith was traded from the New Orleans Hornets to the +Chicago Bulls, then six days later traded to the Denver Nuggets, Smith played as a Nugget guard in a game between the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets at +Madison Square Garden in New York.

A fight broke out after a flagrant foul by Knicks guard Mardy Collins was committed on J. R. Smith in the closing seconds of the game. Other players joined in and the confrontation turned into an all out pig-in-the-mud brawl. All ten players on the floor at the time were ejected after the altercation was finished. When the dust settled and suspensions were announced, seven players were suspended without pay for a combined total of 47 games. This altercation was one of the most penalized on-court fights in NBA history.

The violence in this brawl that scattered to both ends of the court and briefly spilled into the stands caused the image of other NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony and Nuggets coach +George Karl and Knicks coach +Isiah Thomas to suffer.

In Smith's first trip to the NBA playoffs during the 2006–2007, season his rhythm was off. In the first four games of that play-off Smith failed to connect on any three-point shots. Then in game four Smith was criticized for “poor judgment” when instead of following the play of his coach to send the ball to +Allen Iverson, instead Smith attempted a 3-pointer from 50 feet with eight seconds left in the game. Coach George Karl said, “that play insulted the dignity of the game."

On October 13, 2007, J.R. Smith was involved in an incident at a Denver nightclub that got him suspended for three regular season games.

On April 27, 2013 Smith was suspended for Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs after elbowing +Boston Celtics' Jason Terry in the chin.

On July 11, 2013, four days before undergoing surgery on his left knee, Smith re-signed with the Knicks in a contract reportedly worth $17.95 million over three years, however before the season started, on September 6, 2013, Smith was suspended five games for violating the NBA's anti-drug program. The suspension was without pay and set to start only when Smith was fit to play after the knee surgery.

On January 8, 2014, “Bad Boy” Smith was fined $50,000 for repeated attempts at untying opponents’ shoelaces. “What was he thinking?”

                              A message to J.R. Smith:

Being a star means more than having kick-ass moves. That works well in the one-man sport of tennis or golf, but basketball is a team sport, where success requires being effective in your life, as well as on the court. 

It is unfortunate that you opted out of going with the North Carolina Tar Hills, where you could have developed better as a team player. You can be good at anything but in order to advance to great heights, especially in a team sport, you need a bonded team to ride with you through the ups and downs.

Team play means that you can’t let your team down. Causing embarrassment to a team leader and violating the rules of the game are the fastest ways to fall to the bottom of the barrel.

It is said that the best way to be successful is to help make someone else successful.

Success is not all about you J.R. Success is when you help a team win. It is wonderful that you scored a career-high 45 points with the Denver Nuggets on April 13, 2009, creating a franchise-record 11 three-pointers. It is great that you scored 41 points against the Atlanta Hawks, including 10 three-pointers on December 23, 2009 and that you scored 60 points off the bench on February 1, 2012, while playing with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association. But when you analyze the results, none of those teams won the play-offs or the finals.  

J.R. while you were with the New Orleans Hornets you played 131 games and started in 81 games. When you went with the Denver Nuggets you played in 372 games but started in only 48. You have played over 115 games with the New York Knicks but have only started in 1.

It is a tragedy that a higher power somewhere out there in the universe shinned upon you instead of the millions of other boys in the streets of America who would die for the opportunity you have been given. J.R. you were picked as one-in-a-million to shine that light. However, instead of building upon that talent and multiplying it your actions are causing your talents to be buried.

In chapter ten of my novel, Growing Fearless, there is a story about a baller, like you J.R., who was lucky enough to get a second chance to reverse actions that led him towards failure.

J.R. do not confuse the game of basketball with golf. My book, Business Leadership and Success, (coming soon) compares a game of golf to leadership skills. In golf there is something called a “mulligan” that gives you a second chance to replay a bad shot. Life, however, does not give you an opportunity to say, “I’ll take that shot again.” Neither does basketball. When the clock runs out, the game is over. If you did not make good decisions during the time you had, you are left with regrets, wishing you had made better decisions.  

J. R., consider the lives you have affected. Have you really changed this time or is this another strategy to get back in the game? Transformation takes place in the heart. Only time will tell.

Buy Now     Buy Now   

LeBron's Kiss

Pelicans visit Miami
Photo: Paul Noll

You probably already heard about this but I'm still thinking about it - So is Grandma!

On Tuesday a flock of Pelicans came to visit Miami.




Oh, not those pelicans that invade the golf course. No, no, no. I'm talking about the other pelicans.

*Pelican Flower*
Source: #C.T. Johonsson

Not the flower either.

I'm talking about the newly named +New Orleans Pelicans, you know, the ones that were originally called the +Charlotte Hornet but then relocated to New Orleans to become the New Orleans Hornets. Then got stung by Hurricane Katrina and had to move to Oklahoma City and became the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Then moved back to New Orleans. Now. Charlotte gets the Hornet name back and the birds in New Orleans are officially called the New Orleans Pelicans. After twirling around Pelican's owner Tom Benson has strategically used their resiliency and determination to construct a team that now flies in a fearless formation. These birds have some long wing spans. +Ajinca Alexis # 12 spreads 7'2" high. +Jason Smith # 14 and +Jeff Withey # 5 both spread 7' high.

+Miami HEAT's +Lebron James # 6 came in the game with a spin and a triple, but this one Pelican named +tyreke evans # 1, only 6' 6" scored some points on Miami. Then there was this one pelican named +Anthony Davis. He was a beautiful bird, combining poise, grace, style and throw-down force. When he went up the ball went down.

Pink Pelican
*Photo: Steve*

The Pelican Davis went up against Miami's +Chris Andersen a/k/a "Birdman." Davis took a few rebounds from Miami's Bird. But Miami's Birdman said, "I've got to give you all I've got and he came back with some blocks.

Miami's +Ray Allen # 34 hit a triple towards the end of Q1 that put Miami on top (24-25). Miami was shooting 52 percent but the Pelican Bird, Davis was the leading shooter with 10 points and 5 rebounds in the first quarter.

In the second quarter the Heat came out with the Dwyane Wade/LeBron James show, where D. Wade lobed to LeBron in the sky and that acrobatic bird slamed it in (39-38) (54-50) (61-63).  We had a little soccer in there too. Miami's +Norris Cole # 30 the +Soccer King kicked a ball way up in the stands. Cole's +Football fans liked that and gave him an ovation (44-40).

Birdman's wings were clipped with fouls but he got the job done with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Then the pressure went to +Michael Beasley who also got stung with fouls. They may be Pelicans but they still sting.  At one point Wade gets hit in the head and goes down but his teammates fill in. A +Chris Bosh to Birdman pass (76-89), and +Roger Mason, Jr.'s lob to Birdman (82-104), both make a splash.

LeBron's team was down so he went on a tear to take charge and start hitting some triples (56-53, 61-59, 66-73). One shot by LeBron nearly sent him into the stands. Grandma sitting on the sidelines grabbed her camera to take his picture and guess what he does? LeBron bends down and kisses her on the cheek (80-101). Now, that was precious.  I heard it will be a long time before Grandma washes her face.  Vera E. Gilford, J.D. author, Growing Fearless.