3-0 to Start, um Jackpot!!

The last few weeks have been pretty successful to say the least. We started the season on the road and completed a 3 game win streak which in this league any win on the road is a big bonus. We opened up with LA, then went to Reno, and finished up in Utah. All three games were opening nights for the home teams which meant great crowds and a little something extra from those teams. No one likes to start off the season with a home loss for their first game. But unfortunately for them we came in like the plague and destroyed the lovely opening nights for everyone. The LA win was pretty straight forward as we opened the second half with a 22-2 run. Our defense was like the iron curtain stopping all those who wish to pass with a swift kick and two hand push out the door.
We then traveled out that night en route to the lovely city from my family past, Reno. With much anticipation for that game not only because it was the first to be played in Reno, as they are an expansion team and this will be their first year in the d-league, but also because almost my entire extended family would be in attendance. We won the game but I may have played the 3rd worst game of my life some say jitters from family support I say foul trouble from the word go and I could never regain my composure. However after sitting out almost the entire second half I was put in with 2 or so minutes to play. On the following defensive possession I was fouled and sent to the line in the bonus for 2 free throws. I hit the second which gave us the lead that we never gave up and proceeded to win in regulation. So I may have been playing with my head up my you know what for most of the game, but I made my money from the free throw line to edge out our second win.
That night I spent some time with my Dad's mom (gram), my uncle Ron and Aunt Margaret and Aunt Lois, and my cousins Ron and Kiana. Who I must say is growing up to be a very intelligent and stunning young lady. It was great to see all of them especially Gram as I don't get out to see her as often as I would like. Other then the fact that she may ask you the same question 5 times in one conversation she is still enjoying life and ordering us all around. Upon returning to the Hotel I met up with my cousin or good friend or whatever he is, Adam McKenzie. Great to see him and meet his lovely lady and just hangout for a few hours. The next morning I was able to have a great breakfast with my uncle Kim and his great family out at their house in Mogul. (Thank you Aunt Leslie for all the treats, you made many friends in the airport that morning!) I can't believe to this day how many impromptu reunions I have pulled off with the help of all my basketball travels. Another great family trip payed for by the NBA.
Now back to basketball. We left wonderful Reno to finish up our mission in Utah. The Utah team is based out of Orem which is a lovely little town just outside of Salt Lake, nestled right at the foot of the Wasatch Mountain Range. Truly some of God's country. Ok enough mushy stuff and more to kicking ass on the hardwood. Utah has a very athletic team with some veteran guys which made for a great game. I rebounded from my out of body experience in Reno and performed pretty well against the Utah Flash. We had another war on our hands as the game went into overtime which is always exciting to play early in the season. It can show a lot about a team and where they may be headed for the year. It also helps to get some experience in close games. But unlike last year when we couldn't win a close game much less any game, we pulled it off. Once again our defense locked it down in O.T. and our offense was able to explode and we walked away with a confidence building win against a great team in a tough fought overtime game. We were learning how to win. Some say you can't learn to win but I believe that success breeds success and there is a definite swagger that goes along with winning. It's not arrogance but a feeling that every time you step on the court you know you have prepared well and have the skills to win games. Winning is contagious.

It's not the SKILL, It's the WILL

And so it all begins again. I am Healthy, Strong, and ready to kick ass. The last month as gone by too slow. After returning from Spain I began rehab and after only 6 weeks I was completely healed and back in action. Thanks to the great work of Dr. Murphy and his staff I was back!! The boot came off and I returned to the hardwood to start playing and working hard for the upcoming season. The month of October was spent mainly in the gym and at USD working out with my boy Nick Uren. He has helped me get my shot as pure as it has ever been. His dedication to me can never be repaid and I appreciate it more than he will know. So with my life getting back on the basketball track I started looking forward to the upcoming D-league season.
I was to return to Bakersfield, they had kept my rights and really wanted me back. It was a good feeling because ending my season in Bakersfield was one of the best basketball experiences I have ever had. The organization is set to really provide us with every opportunity to succeed, building a brand new practice facility and office complex. Coach Scott Roth was also a big reason for me to really want to return to the D-league and Bakersfield. He is a good coach who runs a team as well as I have seen in a while. He shoots it straight and you always know exactly where you stand with him. There is no bullshit which I am glad to say is the thing that I have had enough of over my career. The focus is now strictly on doing all I can to play as well as I can. Playing ball has returned to the beautiful game I love. I was able to add 15 pounds this off season and so far have kept it on through training camp. I am stronger and shooting as well as I ever have. This is going to be a great year and we are going to dominate the D-league. The season starts this Friday at LA. From then on we start rolling. Games come flying at us 3-4 a week with travel and practices filling the gaps.
I have to say that after the last 10 days of camp I have truly found that this could be the year that things start to happen. Basketball is my life and my life is good right now. The road is long, the journey has begun, and the experience is at hand now to reach out and make it all that I want is all that is left.
Please feel free to leave comments as I have made it easy so you don't have to log in or anything just click and post. Love to all and have a great Turkey Day!

Damn it!!

Ok so as excited as I sounded for the Spanish experience, it only lasted a week. During the second practice, on Wednesday (9/3) I managed to break my foot. Awesome!! So excited about that... I did not however find out that it was actually broken until I practiced 3 more times and played in that first game Friday (9/5) mentioned in the last post. My foot was definitely hurting through it all and as I wrote I felt good about my life going as planned in Spain. But after a very painful weekend I was informed Monday (9/8) that after an MRI and x-ray that I had in fact broke my foot. I played very well in that first game against a top team in Spain all on a broken foot. Imagine what I could do on a healthy foot? Well I was sent home right away and did not get my contract. (wow what am I a 5 year old, sent home) So I returned home and immediately saw my own orthopedic doctor in San Diego and was placed in a walking boot for 4 weeks.
Not allowed to walk on, run on, workout on, or even shower on my foot outside the boot. Ok I could take it off to shower, I couldn't even imagine how that would work?? I got to sit around for 4 weeks playing video games and driving Jessica crazy. But I did continue to lift and get as strong as I could while rehabing my foot. I also took up swimming because I found out that it didn't hurt to swim and I thought that Michael Phelps needed some competition so I just started swimming. He does make it look pretty easy but I am gonna catch that guy, well maybe if I break his legs first...and his arms. This whole not being able to play bball has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I have never been hurt before or at least nothing that kept me out for more then a practice or 2 so 4 weeks just killed me.
This last week I finally was allowed to take the boot off and proceed with my life. The new x-rays revealed that my foot has healed stronger and quicker then I thought. So I have been cleared to start working myself back in shape and get back on the road to my dream. I feel very strong and far as I can tell there will be no lasting problems. The work has begun again. The road is long but I see it more clearly then ever. I feel really good that the time has come to stop messing around and get there.
Dear Dusty...I am running in the morning and there will be no 4th quarter fatigue this year. There are no decisions yet on what the future holds in terms of where I will be playing but keep checking back for the updates. Love to all!!!

Viva Espana!!!

Well you read it right, I have accepted a contract in Spain. As in the country of beautiful Spain. Well the truth is it is a kind of a tryout over here for 2 weeks but as my agent tells me it shouldn't take that long and as my playing has been so far I think I am in. Ok so now the logistics of the whole thing. I was getting ready to spend an amazing weekend with Jessica and Jake and his girlfriend at our family cabin in the Sierra Nevadas. We were scheduled to leave last thursday and I recieved a phone call from my agent that tuesday that a good deal in Spain may be in the works. Well needless to say I was very concerned to miss the vacation with Jake and Jess. But if it came down to it I was gonna have to leave the cabin early. Well we left thursday night for the cabin and were able to enjoy the entire Labor Day weekend up at the cabin. On the drive down on monday I was on the phone with my agent working out the details for the contract and getting the final itinerary in order. So inside of a week I had made a decision to move back across the pond and start a new European basketball career. This time however I would be moving to a country I knew something about and had visited a few years back, so I have to say I was pretty excited.
Well the plane departed San Diego International Airport bright and early Sept. 2. I flew to JFK in New York and continued on to Madrid, Spain on my way to Malaga and then Los Barrios. The drive from Malaga to Los Barrios reminded me a lot of Phoenix but with ocean front property and San Diego weather. So far so good. Upon arrival in Los Barrios I went straight to the club's office and met with the coach and the president of the club. We chatted for a few minutes and exchanged expectations on the up coming days. First on the list was practice that afternoon after moving my stuff in with an American teammate. The first practice went over very well considering that I had been awake for nearly 24 hours with 13 of those spent in an air plane. But practice went really well minus the fact that it is almost completely done in Spanish, so if nothing else I will become very comfortable with spanish pretty quick.
The last few days have been a blur for the most part consiting of practice, sleep, and 1 exibition game in which we played Malaga which is a first division team in Spain ACB league. This league is supposed to be right up there with the NBA. The league that my team is in is the next group of spanish teams so the league is as good if not better than most other countries 1st division teams. It seems to be a great stepping stone not only for spanish ACB but NBA as well. The website for the team is cbvillalosbarrios.es (you will need to work on your spanish or find a translator) This next week brings 2 more exhibition games and a whole lot of practices. It wont take long to find out if this league is the place for me.
In response to my poll question many of you wanted to know how the whole process works in terms of getting picked up. To tell you the truth the whole thing seems to me to be a crap shoot. Some guys get good contracts and invites to NBA vet camps who have not had great numbers in their career and some guys get great Euro contracts with no NBA interest. So overall who knows. You just have to play your game and hopefully good things will end up happening. Also it helps to have a good agent (thx B)