Sports

The NBA playoffs have begun and I love to watch basketball. Favorite team is the Jazz of course, but pro basketball all around is a blast to watch. Utah doesn't have a chance to beat the Lakers in round one, but they should squeeze out a game or two. Lakers aren't really that great this year, it is just the Jazz have no big men in the center to protect or rebound against Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum. It doesn't matter anyway, I don't think that the west is going to take the championship. I just don't think that the Lakers have the over the top package to take down the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James should capture his first MVP of the league this year, which is kind of funny if you think that Kobe Bryant just took his first after how many years in the league? Kobe is a great player and always has been, but once he grew up and didn't try to prove he was the best was when he was finally awarded the MVP honors.
This is true in any sport. The day that any great or even mediocre player drops the chip from on top of his or her shoulder is the day they grow. It is that day when everything will fall into place. If you were to watch golf, you would know of Sergio Garcia. You would know that he is a great player, a great player who will never win more than one or two majors in his lifetime. Why? The chip on his shoulder, he is always blaming someone, something or anything else for not winning. The day, if it were to ever happen, he stops whining and just plays the game and let's the game come to him is the day he breaks out of being a whiny wuss.
I used to be like Sergio when it came to bowling. I am not great by any means, but there was a time when I was way worse. Even when I thought I was good, I was not. Just before graduating high school I was in the adult leagues. Back in my time there wasn't much to be gained from junior bowling like there is today. There were not any scholorships to win, and no money for sure, that is why I joined adult leagues way before most youth now days. I wanted to win money. Well, during my first couple of years bowling adult leagues my average never really reached over a 185. I was always betting this one gentleman, who was on our team and it seemed that he would always have all the breaks. The pins would fall his way, and of course they wouldn't fall for me even when I was the better bowler. I probably really was a much better bowler than him at the time, it was just the chip on my shoulder wouldn't let me be that bowler. If you go into any competition with the mindset of losing, then you will find a way to lose. I don't know when or what happened but the day that I basically stopped letting the bad breaks get me down was the day that my average went up 20 or so pins. I can't remember if it was before or after this gentleman stopped bowling, but my highest average when betting him week to week was maybe a 188 shortly after he stopped bowling, or shortly after the chip on my should was gone my average went up to a 213. The 213 average was before the bowling funk have you. The day when I woke up and didn't know how to throw a ball. It was maybe like Space Jam when the aliens took all the pro basketball players talent? I of course would never be even close to them in bowling as far as their basketball talent, but it was similar nonetheless.
Point of this blog, I guess, is to not let the little things hinder you from enjoying the moment. Whether it is sports or a simple game of cards with the family, don't sweat the small stuff. Life is too short. You will never be who you want to be if you get wrapped up in how other's are playing the game. This is what is going on with me in poker. Over the last 5 years it has been how everyone else has been luckier than me. The chip on my shoulder is still there as far as poker, but I am trying to kick it. I always have been a winning player, but the day that I can grow and not let the luck boxes get to me is the day that I start winning a ton more. When that day comes, watch out!