JayBirdSlim:The Man, the Mission, the god!

I just got back from a trip to AZ to watch my lil sis graduate from high school (big congrats again sis…love ya) and it as so truly interesting to me to see how things have changed…and oddly how things have not. One of the funnier little things that happened because I decided to take and use the camera I received as a graduation present when I escaped high school (which, with how often I did homework on the bus on the way to school often times amazes me.) The fact that I used the camera wasn’t the funny part but that that camera is in fact 16 years old and people using it had one of two reactions. They either took a snap shot and gave a perplexed look when they checked out the back panel to see what the shot looked like only to find the back of the door that holds in the film…OR….they asked the same basic question “Wait, this camera actually uses film?”

Surprisingly it didn’t make me think I was old, considering how a few of the photographers were older than I am, but how truly used we so often are to instant gratification. I admit I enjoy the thrill, the anticipation and possible let down of getting film developed and seeing how wonderful or horrid mt photographs turned out. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing my photos right away but there is that beautiful curiosity, no matter how small, of “is this going to work?” that I do miss more often than not.

Which, in my sleep deprived state back here to the east coast, got me thinking about other little things I realized briefly while out on the west coast. In no particular order, here are two of the big ones…

I missed how the sun slowly rises here in the east. If you haven’t been to the southwest, or at least AZ when the sun comes up it comes all the way up. 4:45am you can go outside and it looks like it’s noon. I’m generally a wake up mostly awake kinda guy but something about waking up to a soft sun is nice.

Uncertainty. I remember that feeling I had when I graduated from High School all full of confidence and swagger. I remember right along with those feelings that one nagging little feeling that I had no idea where things were going. This might be something that drives other people nuts, they crave the certainty, but for me the thing that makes success such a thrill and so exciting is that chance that everything will just crumble at your feet. Call me a thrill seeker if you will but that makes life such a joy to live…the not knowing for sure how it’s all going to turn out. I don’t remember having the same level I had in those moments after officially graduating at any other point in my life. I knew after college what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to do it. I know now what I want and generally where I want to go. I miss the mystery I guess.

May seem weird but, that’s me…

As for the flip side somethings never change. The high schooler’s absorption in the moment. The silly and almost 100% inside joke-dom of the graduation speeches. The wonderful pockets of truly rambunctious parents and friends in the stands yelling random things to the grads interrupting the ceremony. The strange “it’s over but it’s just another day” atmosphere around the whole thing. Oh…and of course…pictures…pictures….pictures.

There are so many little things in life that change and so many little things that don’t…I just have to keep trying to pay attention to them each and every day. Especially since it’s those things that make all the difference.

That’s right, I said it!…or well…..wrote it at least. Kobe Bryant does not deserve to be in the top tier of the elite players in basketball history. Does he have as much if not more talent than most of the people on that list? Probably. Does he score point? Mostly. Does he have a lot of rings? Definitely. Then why do I, a lifelong Laker’s fan, think he is a sham? Easy…because of games like last night and game 4.

Kobe has always had a sense of “entitlement” surrounding him. Ever since he opted not to go to college and go directly to the professional ranks he has seemingly expected the title of greatest player ever to just be handed over to him. So laissez-faire games like last night happen. Kobe assumes if he puts it in cruise control he will just coast to glory. He takes games off. He may get up that morning at 6 am to practice…but (and I can’t believe I’m using this quote in a positive way) “Practice? We’re talking about practice?” Allen Iverson may have whined and moaned about practicing with his team but you have to give him credit he always put 100% into each and every trip up and down the court during a game. The same thing can’t be said about Kobe. He thinks he can flick on a switch and suddenly the game will be handed to him. “Oh Kobe is going o actually play now…games over…doesn’t matter if they’re down by 20+…that’s the rule.”

When you look at the greats, Jordan, Magic, Bird, Chamberlain, Russell etc… they all have one thing in common. They became great because they put everything they had into the game and earned greatness. Lebron seems to understand that you don’t become great just by winning some titles. It takes something more than scoring, or defending, or practicing.

As fans people generally don’t ask much of their players. They can use steroids and really it’s ok, they can gamble, commit adultery, swear, not be role models, it doesn’t matter as long as they play the game with everything they have. So when you hear me talk about Kobe and wish he would just lose in such a humiliating way that it wakes him up don’t ask me how I can say that and call myself a Laker’s fan…Kobe, as Magic implied in his rant, has earned the title of being called a Laker yet in my book.

Gotta say the Vikings pulled a “What the….” something fierce this weekend by drafting Percy Harvin. You might remember a certain series of events under Mike Tice involving any number of crazy behavior all culminating in a sex party on a boat. Well the Vikings supposedly had learned their lesson from that experience and worked to overhaul their roster of “bad egg” type players. Well Percy Harvin not only has a history of having off the field trouble but also failed a drug test, testing positive for Marijuana, at the combine. The kicker, if you don’t know, is that the drug test at the combine is neither random nor surprise in nature. So…Harvin KNEW the drug test was coming and basically said “I could give a crap I’m gettin high!” FAAAAAAAAAAAN-TASTIC! Couple him with our bevvy of “Who the hell IS this guy” QB rotation and it should be a truly fun year to watch my team! I predict a rollercoaster of a season! WOO HOO!

On a different note the Raiders decided to use their early draft pick on a guy that was so far off the radar ESPN didn’t have ANY video clips or even the time the guy had in the 40 yard dash on hand. Gotta love that AL DAvis…he’s crrrrrraaaaaaazy…..hehehe

Check out the latest Duck of Doom ad and tell me what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmIYz_4HR2E

As Journey said in their classic rock anthem the parts keep moving and the pieces keep falling into place for the Virginia Tech Hokies! The Wake Forrest Demon Deacons beat Duke last night to not only unseat a recently ranked #1 team (I mean who really cares about that?) but also allow there to be a three way tie for first place in the ACC. Arguably the most powerful conference in the country. Let’s say that again…the Hokies of Virginia Polytechnic and State University are sitting atop one of the most powerful basketball conferences in the country.

Somebody pinch me.

We’ll see if it is all for naught tonight when the Hokies play the Clemson Tigers who are renowned for late season swoons. If they fall to us we actually will take first place outright by half a game!!!!! Oh the humanity of it all!