Hello Mr. Frosty. Yep winter just came in nice and fierce in the last few days in Wloclawek. When I stepped off the bus after our long road trip at 5am this morning the weather had definately decided to kick into winter for real. Cold, damp air wiping up your your pant legs is no bueno. May be time for some long john's. Well we got our butts kicked in Turow yesterday. It was just an all around bad game, couldn't throw it in the ocean offensively and they didnt miss ANYTHING in the first half. We have been on a bit of a slide since our 6 game win streak and dropped our last 2 in a row. We got away from playing together and spreading the court. I had a nice double double last week which felt really good and I need to do that a few more times. I am struggling a bit from 3 right now which has really been affecting our game plan. When I am on from outside it really takes pressure off our 5 man and opens the floor WIDE. Makes it harder for the other team to double down and allows our guards to penetrate from every where and dish the ball. We will get right back to where we need to be, top of the Polish league. We are that good and will be at the top at the end of the season.
On a side note I am going to step up on my soap box and preach a bit. I have been following the lockout in the NBA, as a lot of us European players have been, and I must say it doesn't look like there is an end in sight. I am proud to say right now that I am a Profesional Basketball player and Kobe and Lebron are not, hahaha, NICE! I have also read a few articles about players from the NBA who have tried to play over here and all they say is that the living conditions, travel, and lifestyle is terrible. Well you have to be mentally tough and have heart to play over here! The fans are ruthless, refs terrible, and gyms smokey and small. But we love it over here, we play for the love of the game not the money. We play to try and support our families the best we can. I have been given many great things and opportuinties from basketball but I have also given up precious time with family and missed many important events back home but I love and respect this game. I play for the love and I hope that people understand that while it has been great, it is also hard, but the hard makes it great!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Polski
The new season has started, where in the world is Nick Lewis this year? Well if you speak Polish you would know from the title of this post that I am in Poland. Yep Poland the place where WWII started unfortunately. Must say that so far it has been a very good experience minus the 3 hour wait I had my first day straight of the plane for the doctor to get my physical. I got picked up from the airport and away I went with the driver that was provided by the team to take me the few hour drive to Wloclawek (my current home city). On the way we were going to stop and get my physical out of the way so I would be ready to practice the next day. Well needless to say the doctor got the day wrong and as any of you who have traveled in Europe know that NOTHING is open Sunday, which I actually have come to appreciate as it should be a day off to stay at home. So the doctor was not available for 3 hours. So let's travel for 14 hours, get in a small car for a 2 hour drive, and then sit in a parking lot and wait for the doc. Not a great start but hey gotta roll with the punches.
Amid that suspect start the actual transition to Poland has been really good. The gym that we play in is very nice and def one of the best that I have had as a home court while I have been in Europe. Good weight room and training room available whenever I need which is always a bonus. The guys have been very helpful in the transition but it is always difficult coming into a situation having missed the entire preseason and training camp. That is an important time to develop as a team and find everyone's role. I am just going to have to do it on the fly. No worries like the marines say adapt and over come.
Personal note I am over here this year alone as my beautiful wife got a job that was too good to let go this year. She and our little monster stayed home in Seattle. In the current tough times tough decisions have to be made but we are a strong family and the time will fly by! But if any of you could use a Euro vacation I have room and could always use the company. On a climate note however if you come during the next 3 months plan to dress almost like you are going to explore either one of the poles, bit chilly over here...
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question, would be great to get a little 2 way communication this year. More interactive blog. Pass Life of Basketball along!
Nicholas Lewis
www.theplaybig.com
Twitter: @thenickylew
Amid that suspect start the actual transition to Poland has been really good. The gym that we play in is very nice and def one of the best that I have had as a home court while I have been in Europe. Good weight room and training room available whenever I need which is always a bonus. The guys have been very helpful in the transition but it is always difficult coming into a situation having missed the entire preseason and training camp. That is an important time to develop as a team and find everyone's role. I am just going to have to do it on the fly. No worries like the marines say adapt and over come.
Personal note I am over here this year alone as my beautiful wife got a job that was too good to let go this year. She and our little monster stayed home in Seattle. In the current tough times tough decisions have to be made but we are a strong family and the time will fly by! But if any of you could use a Euro vacation I have room and could always use the company. On a climate note however if you come during the next 3 months plan to dress almost like you are going to explore either one of the poles, bit chilly over here...
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question, would be great to get a little 2 way communication this year. More interactive blog. Pass Life of Basketball along!
Nicholas Lewis
www.theplaybig.com
Twitter: @thenickylew
Friday, August 5, 2011
Summer time blues!
Well it's that time of the year again, the hurry up and wait game. Trying to figure out where we are going to play next year is always a stressful time. You just have to keep your fingers crossed and know that hard work will pay off. I also have great representation who work really hard to make sure we get placed on a team that I can take the most advantage of my skills and drive to be successful.
The summer has been great thus far. Been able to spend a lot of time with the family. I must say it is tough going home knowing mom won't be there but life is moving forward and I have spent a lot of great times with dad and the brothers. We are still waiting on summer to come and stay in Seattle so hopefully our last few weeks stateside will be sunny and awesome. I am sorry I wasn't able to get out and see more of the "extended" family but I promise it will be top of the list next summer. Love to you all and I am back in the blogger mode so be on the look out! Also if you have twitter I'm on @thenickylew.
- Thanks for reading and keep checking in!
The summer has been great thus far. Been able to spend a lot of time with the family. I must say it is tough going home knowing mom won't be there but life is moving forward and I have spent a lot of great times with dad and the brothers. We are still waiting on summer to come and stay in Seattle so hopefully our last few weeks stateside will be sunny and awesome. I am sorry I wasn't able to get out and see more of the "extended" family but I promise it will be top of the list next summer. Love to you all and I am back in the blogger mode so be on the look out! Also if you have twitter I'm on @thenickylew.
- Thanks for reading and keep checking in!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Goings On
I really appreciate all the kind words and support I received from the last post. We all know how awesome mom was so I will leave it at that and try not to make anyone cry this time. Things have been moving along pretty well here in good old Strasbourg. Weather has started to turn, we have had a week of sunshine which has been nice to recharge the old batteries.
Basketball is going along and we are still trying to break into and maintain our spot in the top 8 so we can make the playoffs and get some bonuses. We have lost some heartbreakers down the stretch which is very frustrating because one play, shot, or call goes our way and we have 3 more victories. I have been working hard and picking up my defense. It is really frustrating not being able to contribute more but I just keep workin hard and stayin focused.
I have also started my own company called PlayBIG LLC. The goal for me is to start providing summer basketball camps for kids to teach them the much needed fundamentals. I am really excited to be able to give back some of the knowledge and experience I have gained to help kids have opportunities like I did. We are working on a website and trying to lock down dates and locations for our first camp this summer. I will add the website link as soon as we get it finished.
Basketball is going along and we are still trying to break into and maintain our spot in the top 8 so we can make the playoffs and get some bonuses. We have lost some heartbreakers down the stretch which is very frustrating because one play, shot, or call goes our way and we have 3 more victories. I have been working hard and picking up my defense. It is really frustrating not being able to contribute more but I just keep workin hard and stayin focused.
I have also started my own company called PlayBIG LLC. The goal for me is to start providing summer basketball camps for kids to teach them the much needed fundamentals. I am really excited to be able to give back some of the knowledge and experience I have gained to help kids have opportunities like I did. We are working on a website and trying to lock down dates and locations for our first camp this summer. I will add the website link as soon as we get it finished.
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