Derrick Rose: Mental Injury

When you hear the word "injury," what comes to mind?  For most people, images of some sort of physical harm probably comes to mind.  Injury is defined as damage or harm done to or suffered by a person or thing.  Does that include mental harm or damage?  I would argue that it does. In my profession, I analyze mental injuries to claimants all the time.  Psychological injuries can have a significant impact on a person's physical and mental well being. 
  
Derrick Rose was cleared by the Chicago Bulls in March to participate in NBA games. Yet, despite this clearance, he has not played a single minute for the Chicago Bulls.  Some argue that he has a duty to the organization, and his fans to play because he has been "cleared" to do so.  I disagree.  Derrick Rose is not a regular player; he is a franchise player.  He is the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.  He is different.  He suffered a gruesome knee injury about one year ago.  If he comes back too quickly and suffers another injury, his career could be derailed permanently.  It is just not worth it.

Psychological injuries must be understood and respected.  People too often disregard the importance of a person's psyche.  I would argue that a person's mental health is just as important as their physical health in certain circumstances.  Sure, Derrick Rose has the physical abilities to dominate at the highest level of basketball.  But, attributing his success solely to physical talent and ignoring the obvious psychological component results in misguided rationale.  

Let's take a quick look at Derrick Rose's game.  His game is predicated on speed, power, and explosiveness.  Without those components of his game, he would not be the player he is today.  An athlete like Rose has complete trust in his body and his ability to do certain things.  For instance, he knows he can drive hard to the left, then stop abruptly, and change directions.  He knows he can plant his right leg into the ground, then pivot and explode for a dunk.  The fact that he does not have to think about these things happening means everything.  Now, insert an injury and he has to think about so many different things.  Can I do dunk without pain?  Can I take a charge?  Am I capable of doing the things I did before my injury?  Although some may argue that thinking is an important part of the game, I would argue that for a player like Rose, his natural instincts are probably more important.  Therefore, if he is forced to overanalyze his moves because of injury, his effectiveness will decrease exponentially.   


Peace

College Basketball: Are the Eligibility Rules Harming the Game?

April usually means two things for me: (1) my sinus related allergies will make it difficult for me to enjoy outdoor activities; and (2) I will spend inordinate amounts of time watching NBA playoff basketball.  These two things have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  When I get married, I will have a serious discussion with my wife about my need to watch playoff basketball during the months of April-June.  

This blogpost is inspired by a recent documentary I stumbled across while watching basketball highlight videos on www.youtube.com.  The documentary chronicled Tracy McGrady's high school senior year and ultimately the pros and cons of him skipping college and going directly to the pros.  The rules governing this kind of move are a bit different now than they were in the 1990s.

The Rules:

1) All players drafted must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the NBA draft.
2) Any player who is not defined as an "international" player must be at least one year removed from the graduation of his high school class.

*These rules are not all inclusive; rather, they are just the rules pertinent to our limited discussion.

Arguments for the rules

First, requiring students to be one year removed from high school will, at least in theory, facilitate students being more physically developed.  It will also force students to receive one more year of formal education before making the leap to the professional ranks.  However, whenever there is a rule, there is usually a loophole or two.  Brandon Jennings was one of the first high school players to find a major loophole in the rules.  He graduated high school and then played professionally overseas for one year.  His case was a little different because he did not academically qualify for college athletics.  Either way, he was able to meet both eligibility requirements by playing one year over seas.  He certainly did not further his education, but, he did develop physically, and he made some nice pocket change along the way.

Those in favor of the rule also claim that it will help the college game.  In theory, it will force the greatest high school players to play at least one year of college basketball.  This will increase the talent pool in college and make for more interesting, talent filled games.  Has it had that impact?  I would say no.  It has hurt the college game in a number of ways.  These "one-and-done" players usually play one year of college basketball.  Their presence makes it difficult for teams to build continuity.  Gone are the days of the 1990s Big East battles with Allen Iverson, Ray Allen and Kerry Kittles.  Teams are just not as good and I believe the new rules are at least a part of the problem.

Arguments against the rules

I disagree with the rules.  Financially, the rule does not benefit the extremely talented high school athlete.  I think a player who has the talent to become a professional athlete as a 17 or 18 year old should be able to do so.  You do not see any rules in place forbidding tennis or golf players from becoming professional athletes as teenagers.  For those people who enroll in college, I think most go to increase their chances of landing a good job.  I would be willing to bet that most people would gladly skip college if it meant that they could become instant millionaires.  When you have that kind of money, you can always go back to college and obtain a degree.  

I just do not see the difference between 18 years old and 19 years old.  The difference between an 18 year old and a 19 year old athlete is negligible, at best.  At 18 years old, a student can join the United States Armed Forces.  He can legally enter into a contract.  He can be married and is subject to the criminal justice rules that govern adults.  He can vote for elected officials.  In other words, he is an adult.  It makes no sense to me to say that a person is an adult for the sake of serving in the United States Armed Forces, but not an adult as it relates to supporting himself and his family.  

There are many more arguments to be made on either side.  However, in the interest of time, I will refrain at this time.  I may revisit this discussion again at a later date.

Peace

Kobe Bryant: One Injury Away

All athletes are one injury away.  That may mean one injury away from retirement or one injury away from injured reserve or one injury away from being cut from the NBA.  Fans like to believe their favorite players are indestructible.  As fans, we do not want to imagine the NBA without our favorite players.  That said, there are two things in life that are undefeated: (1) the IRS; and (2) Father Time.  Kobe Bryant is 34 years old and has been in the NBA since he was 17 years old.  When he began playing professional basketball, he was not even old enough to legally sign his first contract.  The other day as I was watching ESPN, I saw a statistic that is very telling.  Kobe has played 17 seasons in the NBA.  But, with his deep forays into the playoffs and Olympic competition, he has played an additional three years.  Those years represent a lot of miles on his aging legs. 

When other great players reach the twilight years of their respective careers, their minutes are limited by their coaches.  Kevin Garnett (draft class of 1995), Tim Duncan (draft class of 1997), Ray Allen (draft class of 1996), Jason Kidd (draft class of 1994) and others have all seen their minutes reduced drastically.  In some cases, their coaches place them on the inactive list, so they may rest.  Sometimes, players need to be saved.  I know the Lakers were in a tough battle for a playoff spot, but I find it hard to believe that Phil Jackson would have played Kobe 45 minutes a game.  But, then again, Kobe respects Phil.  Phil possesses the stature that makes it okay to tell Kobe to sit down and rest.  Mike D'antoni, on the other hand,  does not.  After all, he has never guided a team to the NBA Finals, much less won a championship.  

Whether you are a Kobe fan or not, if you love basketball, you have to respect his game.  He has been a warrior for many years.  He is a throwback type of player that believes in entertaining the fans, no matter the cost (even to his own detriment).  So many of the younger players miss a game because of headaches or sprained ankles.  It is truly a new day and I know there is a fine line.  Players make so much money now that they are constantly worrying about losing what they have attained via sponsorships and other branding opportunities.  During the 1980's and 1990's, super star players were not making the kind of money that slightly above average players make today.  I get that.  But, where is the showmanship and love for the game?  Nobody can say that Kobe does not posses those traits.

I have seen a few polls discussing whether Kobe will come back to the NBA.  Kobe will be back.  Now, the better question is, will he be the same player upon his return?  This brings me back to one of the first points I made--father time is undefeated.  That said, I just do not know if Kobe can recover from a torn ACL and return to his elite level of play.  I certainly hope that he can.  I know he will push himself during rehab.  I just do not know if his body, after 20 years, is capable of answering the call yet again.  Only time will tell.

Peace

Rick Ross and the Wrath of Reebok

My parents always told me that every person is responsible for their actions.  They always advised me to choose my words very carefully.  Apparently, Rick Ross either never heard this advice, or maybe he chose to ignore it.  Throughout his career, he has been able to say controversial lines with little to no consequences.  However, his latest lyrics have him in hot water.  The media is making an example out of him.  

The lyrics he spoke in his song U.O.E.N.O are descriptive and quite offensive.  The lines that have caused him problems are: "I put Molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it; I took her home and enjoyed that, she ain't even know it . . . "  I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt when I analyzed the lyrics but I still came to the same conclusion.  He was dead wrong.  He tried to argue that his lyrics were not about rape because he did not say the word "rape."  I think that argument is weak.  Any person listening to the song can make the logical step from a person being given a mind altering drug and another person taking her home and "enjoying that" while she did not even know it.  Those words are clearly alluding to a nonconsensual act.  

Some argue that Rick Ross is the media's sacrificial lamb.  I disagree.  He is not blameless under the current situation; therefore, he is not a sacrificial lamb.  I do believe that other artists have said similarly offensive lyrics that have gone relatively unnoticed.  However, as a successful artist with a lot of influence or at least perceived influence on young fans, he should have known that he would be held responsible for his words.  He would be held to a higher standard. He has to understand that the crime of rape is one of the most morally reprehensible acts anyone can do.    

Rick Ross has accumulated millions of dollars from his music and other business ventures.  Why he would make a song that alienates a segment of the population that has always supported him?  Woman have always supported Ross.  Did he really think that his lyrics would be swept under a rug and forgotten?  Maybe he did.  Maybe he began believing that he was bigger than the law, and above reproach.  Maybe he really thought he was the "Boss."  Either way, he was wrong and his business venture with Reebok was lost along the way.  

Reebok is one of the biggest, most successful sports apparel companies in the world.  That said, the powers-that-be at the company had no choice but to release Ross from his contract. I do not know the statistics, but I imagine that women are responsible for purchasing a high percentage of all Reebok products.  And, again, rape is the worst of the worst crimes. If Reebok laid idly and allowed Ross to proceed with his career without punishment, it risked alienating many women and men.  That means the company would risk losing money.  Reebok made a business decision.  Rick Ross had to pay the price for his insensitive lyrics.  I bet he will think twice before writing that kind of lyric going forward.  

Peace 

House Party: What's Your Favorite Scene?

I am sitting on my couch watching the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets game.  This game is not boring, but for some reason, I am not able to focus.  It probably has a lot to do with the fact that this game has no significance and I know both teams will be in the playoffs.  As I looked to the right of my television, I saw one of my favorite DVDs, House Party. It is absolutely one of my all-time favorite movies.  I watched it for the millionth time this past weekend.  And, no matter how many times I watch it, I still laugh and enjoy it like it is my first time seeing it.  That is the sign of a classic; that is the same feeling I get when I listen to Illmatic, Ready to Die, or Reasonable Doubt.  The movie also makes me reminisce to my childhood.

Many of House Party's cast members made their respective debuts into the entertainment field.  And, it shows that a low budget movie can produce big box office results.  Think about the great entertainers who starred in the movie.  Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Kid N Play, Robin Harris, John Witherspoon, A.J. Johnson and Daryl Mitchell.  Martin Lawrence's career blossomed after his role in House Party.  He has had one of the most successful Hollywood careers of all the cast members.  That is somewhat ironic because Kid N Play were the bigger stars during the early 1990s.  Kid N Play recorded several studio albums and starred in other movies. Tisha Campbell was Martin's co-star in their hit television show, Martin.  Witherspoon has made a career of his nappy hair and inappropriate jokes.    

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Kid decides to sneak out of his dad's house, even though his dad told him he could not leave.  Each time I watch the movie, I wonder why he did not put his foot over the letter that was delivered to his house.  If he had thought quickly on his feet, his dad would have never known about his little altercation at school, and he could have avoided the proverbial beat down coming his way.  In the alternative, I always thought he could have told his father his version of the story.  That would have taken the sting out of his situation at school and he would have probably been able to attend the party.  But, had either of those things occurred, the movie's plot would have been totally different.  Consequently, the movie probably would not have been any good.  I digress.

What is your favorite scene from the movie?

If I asked 100 people this question, 98 would probably say the famous dance scene at the party.  That party was so live.  It reminded me of college when some of my best friends hosted house parties at their town house.  As much as I like and appreciate the dance scene, I am a hip hop head, and therefore the rap battle is my favorite scene.  A runner-up scene is when Bilal is mixing and scratching and Chill keeps bumping into the table.  "Chill, don't bump the table"! 

If you have not seen this movie, you need to check it out.  It is just as relevant now as it was when it was released in 1990.


Peace

NBA Playoffs: Quest for the Ring

I love this time of the year for a number of reasons.  The weather is great and you can watch basketball almost everyday of the week.  Some say that the NBA season is too long and that the players do not give maximum effort during the regular season.  As a result, they do not watch NBA games until the playoffs.  I, however, love the game.  I cannot recall a time, nor will there ever be a time when I do not enjoy watching basketball.  That said, let's discuss some playoff basketball.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference championship will run through the city of Miami.  The Heat have had an outstanding season.  They were able to win the championship last year when they relied heavily on injured players including: Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Mike Miller.  This year, however, the Heat are healthy.  D. Wade has regained the form that made him an MVP candidate.  He has been the picture of efficiency and is shooting over 50% from the field.  Chris Bosh is enjoying a great year on the court as well.  As if those players have not impressive enough, the Heat's bench players have been producing.  Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Norris Cole, Mike Miller, Chris Anderson and even Rashad Lewis seem to be on a mission.  Oh, and there is some guy named Lebron James who is pretty good.  

The New York Knicks are another team that has had a very nice run this year.  Mike Woodson has done an excellent job.  He has dealt with injuries, and other controversy that comes with coaching one of the most storied franchises in NBA history.  Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith are carrying the offensive load. Tyson Chandler has anchored the defense and they look to be a formidable team going forward.  They have experienced a great deal of success against the Heat in the regular season.  However, if they advance to the Eastern Conference finals agains the Heat, they will lose in 5 games.  Their team is too one dimensional and I believe Lebron and Shane Battier can slow Carmelo and he will become a high volume, low percentage shooter.  New York will not beat Miami.

Western Conference

The Western Conference playoff picture is not as clear.  I think there are three teams that could win the Western Conference title.  Of those three teams, Oklahoma City has to be the favorite.  The other two teams are the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers.  But, I also think the Spurs and Clippers could just as easily lose in the first or second round depending on match-ups.  For instance, if the Los Angeles Lakers can regroup, they would be a tough matchup for the Spurs in the first round.  If the Clippers play the Grizzlies in the first round, I think they may make an early exit from the playoffs.  The Grizzlies style of play is very physical and they will make the Clippers play a half court game, which does not suit them well.

The Thunder are the clear favorites out west. Although they lost James Harden, Westbrook and Durant have made improvements to their games. And, Kevin Martin has played well.  They can win playing a fast paced game, or in a half court game because they will almost always have an overwhelming advantage at the point guard and wing positions, respectively.  Barring serious injuries to any of their core players, they should represent the west in the NBA Championship.

Eventual Champion

The Miami Heat will once again win the NBA championship.  Their team is too deep and they have the best player in the game.  As good as LBJ was last year, he has been even better this year.  


Peace

Rutgers Basketball: When Coaches Go Too Far

Basketball is a competitive sport that often brings out the best qualities in people.  However, the pressure of winning and impact of losing can have quite the opposite impact.  I watched a video today that is shocking, to say the least.  The video showed a Rutgers basketball coach throwing basketballs and even kicking his players.  He did not stop at the physical abuse; he also yelled and berated his players, even calling some of them derogatory names.  While watching the video, I kept waiting (or maybe wishing) for one of the players to react aggressively towards their coach.   But, when I thought about it, it made sense that the players chose the high road.  They were probably afraid of losing their scholarships.  Where were the assistant coaches and other university personnel who witnessed the abuse?  Someone should have intervened.  

The incident reminded me of the way Bobby Knight often behaved while coaching at the University of Indiana.  Knight has been the poster child for inappropriate behavior among college coaches.  He is known for yelling, cursing and disrespecting players, referees, members of the media and any other person who dared to get in his way during his infamous rants.  On one occasion, he threw a chair onto the floor of a basketball game.  He was given unabashed control over his basketball program and to his credit, he was very successful.  However, He was given the proverbial boot when a video surfaced of him choking one of his players.

I agree that players should be mentally and physically tough.  This is especially important for student-athletes playing in programs that are subjected to high levels of media scrutiny each year. However, there is a difference between being tough and being abused.  Some coaches are given the ability to do the latter.  That is never okay.  The abusing party should be responsible for his actions, but I think the problem is larger than a single coach or even the the respective sports program.  

In some cases, it is an institutional problem.  The pressure placed on coaches by athletic directors and boosters is too great at times.  This causes some people to do things that are not in their character.  It is odd because the university helps create the problem, then when the coach loses his cool, they are fired.  It does not seem fair, but I guess life is not fair.  One thing is for sure, with the popularity of social media and the internet in general, I would not be surprised if these videos continue to surface.     

If you have not seen the video, check it out below.

Peace

To Pre Nup or Not

The other day I was reading an article on www.bleacherreport.com when I came across an article about Michael Jordan's prenuptial agreement with his fiancé.  His first marriage ended in divorce and he paid his ex-wife, Jaunita, $160,000,000.00 to settle their post marital affairs.  For most people that settlement amount would be considered fair. However, there are some people who believe that she deserved half of Jordan's massive empire.  Either way, with his new marriage, Jordan has entered into a prenuptial agreement.  The terms of the agreement provides that his fiancé would receive one million dollars per year for every year they are married.  Once they have been married ten years, she would receive five million dollars per year for each year thereafter.  So, if they are married for 12 years and then are divorced, she would receive 20 million dollars.  

What is a prenuptial agreement?  It is a legal contract between two parties before being married.  These agreements can cover many things including real or personal property and cash investments.  Reading about Michael Jordan's agreement made me think about these contractual agreements.  Would I sign one?  Would I ask someone to sign one?  Would I be offended if someone asked me to sign one?  Would you sign a prenuptial agreement?  The answer to all these questions is the same for most people-it depends.  

The main argument in favor of prenuptial agreements is that the agreements guarantee a certain degree of protection for the party with the most assets.  When properly drafted, these agreements ensure that the distribution of property will be reasonable.  However, Reasonable minds can differ with respect to what is "reasonable."  Some compare these agreements to homeowner's insurance policies.  For instance, how many people purchase homeowner's insurance policies because they believe their homes will be destroyed?  By comparison, how many people enter into a marriage believing that it will not stand the test of time?  I think the answer to both questions is "No."  

There are a few arguments against prenuptial agreements.  I think the biggest argument is that people believe that entering into a prenuptial agreement means that the parties do not believe that their marriages will be successful.  The other argument against these agreements is that they only consider tangible things such as personal or real property.  These agreements do not consider intangible qualities such as love and marital vowels.  

I understand and respect arguments on both sides.  Under the right circumstances, I believe prenuptial agreements are reasonable and necessary.

Peace