Friday, May 22, 2009
"They Haven't Been Here!"
Saturday morning after Game 2 - I knew it - its my fault through writing this post that Lebron hit Cleveland's version of "The Shot" win Game 2.
Being a old school "superstitious sports fan" I almost hesitate to post this but I'm typing with my toes crossed. The Orlando Magic gave the Cleveland Cavaliers their first playoff loss of this season in Game One of their Eastern Conference Series the other night. "King James" and the Cavs had swept their 2 previous series 4 games to zip with most of the games being blowouts.
Game 1 of the Magic series started off the same way with the Cavs well on their way to a blowout over the Magic. The Magic had just finished a 7 game series with the defending NBA Champions, Boston Celtics, winning the Series in Boston and making history. The Celtics had NEVER lost a Game 7 win leading a Series 3 games to 2 in 17 straight series. To say the Magic had been tested in the NBA's version of "war" would be an understatement and it prompted the title of today's post.
As the Magic were coming back on the Cavs in the decisive third quarter of Game 1, going on a 30 to 18 run, Cleveland called time out in an attempt to slow the Magic's momentum. In the Magic huddle, the Head Coach, Stan Van Gundy exhorted his players by saying, "Keep it up - they haven't been here and we have!" Van Gundy was reminding his team that they had been tested and inferred that the Cavs had not.
Is there a lesson for all of us in those words? Through his statement Van Gundy was reminding his players that they had been tested in their 3 losses and their 4 wins against Boston. You know the time between the loss of game 5 which put Boston up to an insurmountable / historic lead of 3 games to 2, and Game 6 in which the Magic won forcing a Game 7 in Boston, must have seemed like a million years for the Magic players. There was plenty of time to reflect on their 3 losses and for doubt to creep in, heck, even history was against them. But if you know the story, the Magic came back to win two straight games, Games 6 and 7.
Wait - can "losing" build strength and fortitude for the future? Can being behind in a game or life build perseverance for the future? Van Gundy believed it so and apparently his players did as well.
James had something to say about having "been there" when it comes to being tested. In James 1 he writes:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Joy is not the first thing that comes to my mind in the middle of a trial and shame on me for not understanding that. Maybe I "haven't been there" yet or if I have, I need to call a timeout and remember.
Being a old school "superstitious sports fan" I almost hesitate to post this but I'm typing with my toes crossed. The Orlando Magic gave the Cleveland Cavaliers their first playoff loss of this season in Game One of their Eastern Conference Series the other night. "King James" and the Cavs had swept their 2 previous series 4 games to zip with most of the games being blowouts.
Game 1 of the Magic series started off the same way with the Cavs well on their way to a blowout over the Magic. The Magic had just finished a 7 game series with the defending NBA Champions, Boston Celtics, winning the Series in Boston and making history. The Celtics had NEVER lost a Game 7 win leading a Series 3 games to 2 in 17 straight series. To say the Magic had been tested in the NBA's version of "war" would be an understatement and it prompted the title of today's post.
As the Magic were coming back on the Cavs in the decisive third quarter of Game 1, going on a 30 to 18 run, Cleveland called time out in an attempt to slow the Magic's momentum. In the Magic huddle, the Head Coach, Stan Van Gundy exhorted his players by saying, "Keep it up - they haven't been here and we have!" Van Gundy was reminding his team that they had been tested and inferred that the Cavs had not.
Is there a lesson for all of us in those words? Through his statement Van Gundy was reminding his players that they had been tested in their 3 losses and their 4 wins against Boston. You know the time between the loss of game 5 which put Boston up to an insurmountable / historic lead of 3 games to 2, and Game 6 in which the Magic won forcing a Game 7 in Boston, must have seemed like a million years for the Magic players. There was plenty of time to reflect on their 3 losses and for doubt to creep in, heck, even history was against them. But if you know the story, the Magic came back to win two straight games, Games 6 and 7.
Wait - can "losing" build strength and fortitude for the future? Can being behind in a game or life build perseverance for the future? Van Gundy believed it so and apparently his players did as well.
James had something to say about having "been there" when it comes to being tested. In James 1 he writes:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Joy is not the first thing that comes to my mind in the middle of a trial and shame on me for not understanding that. Maybe I "haven't been there" yet or if I have, I need to call a timeout and remember.
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You can't tell? :)
Before the Magic the "C's" were my favorite team. With the advent of the hometown Magic - you always have to support the home team.
Before the Magic the "C's" were my favorite team. With the advent of the hometown Magic - you always have to support the home team.
Hey, I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years and never had any use at all for the Lakers, Dodgers, or whatever the local hockey team is.
Great thoughts, Cecil. This is one I'll be thinking about all day. "They haven't been here and we have" or "I've been here before; what did I learn?"
Just checking in. I don't really care about any of those teams. However, tonight is the Champion League's final between Barcelona and Manchester United.
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