Book I'm Reading: Pat Riley's The Winner Within
I love reading books—be it novels, especially those of John Grisham’s and Fran Peretti’s masterpieces or inspirational books, leadership or sports-related books.
Currently, I’m reading a book by Pat Riley, one of the few multi-titled NBA coaches.
My co-pastor Bong Navarro lent me Riley’s book, The Winner Within—a Life Plan for Team Players.
Find it very interesting, not just because I’m a sports fan and a sports lover, but also because of the decades of coaching and even corporate experience Riley had in the sports industry.
I just finished the first chapter of the book, which talks about the Innocent Climb, a term he coined to describe a team’s ability to come together even in the midst of adversity. And this ability happens even though the team lacks any achievement or accomplishment.
Though written and published in 1994, Riley’s book aims to reveal the importance of recognizing team changes while adjusting into it and making the most of every opportunity.
Riley's fierce competitive spirit and passion to transform mediocre teams into greatness differentiates him from other coaches in the NBA.
I think the most recent success he had ever accomplished in the confines of teamwork happened while he served as general manager, head coach and currently, as president of the Miami Heat.
The Heat, an expansion team during the 1988 season, were a mediocre team prior to Riley’s arrival. But by the time he joined the team in 1995 after a brief coaching stint with the New York Knicks, the Heat began to blossom from one of the favorite whipping teams to a feared playoff team.
Riley’s fierce competitive spirit and value for team play rubbed off into the team. He then, made sure the nucleus of the team be built up strong as evident in Miami’s acquisition of Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets in the mid-1990s.
Mourning and Tim Hardaway, the point and shooting guard, formed the Heat’s cornerstone in leading the franchise to division titles from 1997-2000.
The Heat, then suffered major sub performances during the 2001 season, till the arrival of Dwyane Wade in 2003.
But in three years time, after carefully rebuilding the team through the core of Wade and executing a stunning off-season recruitment that brought in superstar center
Shaquille O’Neal entering the 2005 season, the Heat managed to barge into the NBA Finals for the first time in 2006, facing the Dallas Mavericks.
Riley guided the Heat through adversity. Miami dropped the first two games against Dallas, but the Heat refused to give up, riding on the inspired plays of Wade, O’Neal and their bunch of hungry players to collar the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship.
Adversity, oftentimes, it makes life uncomfortable. But it will always be there, whether you’re a student, a single professional or a parent.
However, you and I have a choice to make each time adversity stares down our face.The great thing about life is, you don’t have to face your adversity alone. God promised in His word to never leave you nor forsake you.
Shaq-Lebron Tandem Doesn't Guarantee NBA Title
Will the Shaq-Lebron tandem produce an NBA championship this 2009-2010 season?
On paper, Shaquille O’Neal’s journeyman route that ends at Cleveland recently can be threatening to a lot of teams from the East.
Orlando must have smelled something fishy in Cleveland, Ohio weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA title conquest, so that the Magic engineered their own stunning deal that brought in former high-flyer Vince Carter to Florida.
But let me dissect for the moment Shaq’s new partnership with the so-called NBA “king” Lebron James.
After leading the Cavs to a franchise-best 66-16 win-loss record, a pair of series sweeps in the first two rounds against Detroit and Atlanta, Lebron and Co.’s supposed trip to the NBA Finals was cut short when “Superman” Dwight Howard and the Magic knocked them out of the “dream land”, turning what could have been a phenomenal season into a nightmarish end.
So, enter Shaq.
The 37-year-old center is a surefire attraction for the Cavs, whose front office is determined to flush in the toilet their forgettable 2008-2009 NBA campaign as soon as the “Diesel” officially joins the team’s practice.
And the Cavs’ immediate aim? Grab the NBA trophy away from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
And that would surely be an interesting Finals plot should Shaq be able to help Lebron and the Cavs square up with Kobe and the Lakers 11 and a half months from now in the Last Dance.
However, before Cleveland even entertain thoughts of facing LA in a Finals match up, they should first set their sight on eliminating Orlando, Boston, Atlanta and even Chicago from the expected tight Eastern Conference power struggle.
Question is, “Can Shaq and his 37-year-old legs keep in step with the Cavs’ running game for 82 regular season games, and probably another four rounds in the Playoffs and the Finals?”
And can Cleveland provide enough backup big men to give breather for Shaq and preserve him in time for the Playoffs where Orlando and Boston are surely waiting?
Lebron, Delonte West and Mo Williams could surely sustain the Cavs’ running game, but watching Shaq run back for a nine-month grind would definitely take its toll on O’Neals’ body and legs.
I think if the Cavs want to last the distance in the 2009-2010 season, Cleveland needs to add up more bench support like a good back up center, a reliable power forward and some quality minutes from some players in the free agency market.
Shaq is no spring chicken. He sure can contribute as evident in his 17 points and eight rebounds average in 74 games with the Phoenix Suns last season.
But Father Time is Shaq’s biggest enemy from now on. And if Cleveland’s front office management will simply be contented with the Shaq-Lebron partnership, the probability of another frustrating season is not far for the Cavs.
Should that happen, Ben Wallace and Sahsa Pavlovic would have the last laugh.
That would be more painful than the 2009 season Playoffs meltdown.
33 (Thirty-Three)
33. Thirty-three. Sanse-san (in Chinese). That’s my age starting yesterday (June 27). Celebrated it with my wife and baby David at Medical City. David was confined for four and a half days due to fever, diarrhea and vomiting.
But as David also got discharged last night, I took the time to celebrate this milestone with my wife at SM Megamall and watched Transformers 2.
My birthday was like a blur. We drove out of Medical City around past 6 in the evening, dressed up for our date, arrived at the mall before 8 p.m., ate and watched movie.
One thing I realized, a birthday celebration ends in just a few hours, but how I lived each day of my birth is what truly matter.
At age 33 and beyond, there are several things I hope and want to accomplish:
- write books that could inspire people and point them back to God, the True Source of hope and life;
- jog with my wife and kids (when they learn how to jog as they grow up);
- everyday say, I Love You to my wife;
- teach my wife, Bea and David the importance of studying, speaking and writing Chinese;
- teach college athletes that a career in any sport (basketball, taekwondo, volleyball, etc.) is a mere “breath”—you’re great today, but a has-been tomorrow—but a life completely devoted to honoring God makes them a champion in life and for life.
33…I know there’s a whole lot more that God wants me to do. I’m excited with life.
I was reminded of these passages I read a few days ago. And this is my prayer for the rest of my life…
Psalm 92:13-15, “13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’”
History "Today": Tyson's 91-second KO Win Over Spinks
June 27, 1988. Exactly today, world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson continued his unblemished winning streak following his trouble-free first round knockout victory over Michael Spinks.
The power-punching Tyson, the youngest boxer ever to win a world title fight at age 20 years and four months, clinched his 35th straight ring victory in just 91 seconds as he made short work of the taller Spinks before an animated crowd in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
His lightning-quick win included two powerful knockdowns against Spinks, before eventually clinching the devastating win and retain the three world title belts—International Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association.
Tyson also handed Spinks his first-ever professional boxing loss, ending the former light heavyweight champion’s winning streak at 31.
Spinks’ defeat proved his first and last as he decided to hang up his boxing gloves for good.
Lessons From Ants
Ants. They are small, but definitely pesky. I just recently cleaned our kitchen area by completely removing all the utensils, and then, spraying the entire area with an insecticide.
But guess what, two days later, the red and black ants were back.
Sometimes, I wonder why God created them, if they’d only be squashed mercilessly by ant-haters like me.
But their constant presence in our house reminded me nothing is accidental, and therefore, lessons can be learned even from ants.
Some people might wonder, “Lesson? What lesson can ants teach educated people like us?” Oh, there are plenty of things we can learn from them.
Sure, ants don’t possess brute strength that lions, elephants or hippos have, but these small creatures, were cited by King Solomon in the book of Proverbs as one of the tiny creatures around where we could learn a thing or two in life.
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
From King Solomon’s observation, we can get some insights.
Ants don’t hold election. They don’t have presidents, or senators or congressmen to direct their next food attack, but they still get the job done.
For example, leave your cookie jar open, and in a few minutes, you’d see an army of red or black ants swarming all over your favorite Chips-A-Hoy cookie. They work hard and store food, anything they could find.
Funny, isn’t it? In our nation, we’ve got tons of positions and titles created in our government, but too many times, we still get disappointing results.
Ants save a lot. Because we live in a time where it is tempting to buy every gadget, appliance, food and other material possessions you want, our tendency is to spend, spend, spend and forget saving. Not these pesky red and black ants.
When they see a litter, they just contact their fellow ants through their reliable antennae and presto! A swarm will grab the morsel of food.
Ants know when it’s time to gather or time to hide. I guess what insecticides fail to do completely, rainy season can fulfill, that is, keep these ants away from our house.
That’s because come rainy season, ants are holed up in their mini-caves, basically, not hiding, but enjoying a feast of what they gathered last summer.
Okay, the next time you see ants in your house or room, before squashing them, maybe, remember these lessons from these small creatures.
