Rocky Road

So things in my life didn't level off like I thought they would.

It didn't level off for the team either.

It's been nothing short of your cliche "peaks and valleys" model.  We had a great couple of weekends of basketball, and then a total breakdown.

Times like these test your mettle, and they let you know more about who you are, providing that crucial understanding of who you are and what your identity is.  Some people fold, some people rise to the challenge, some people may even go as far as "evolving" into a completely different self altogether.  While I'm not sure which of these the team and I fall into yet, I will say that having my birthday roll through this turbulent period prompted me to do a quick reflection on things.

For those that don't already know, my disdain for having my name shortened comes out of respect for my father and all the things he's done for me.  While I'm not saying I was a terror child, I will admit dealing with me was not a simple task.  I'm sure he had moments where he couldn't be prouder of me and then I'd do something absolutely stupid and ridiculous that would probably have him asking if he'd been getting through to me or talking to a wall.  Through all of those less graceful moments, he always remained positive, inspiring, and never gave up on me.  I only have to deal with my team for, at most, 16 hours a week.  My dad put up with me for a lot longer.

One thing I always remember was that when I "slipped" he would always be there to explain what I did wrong and how much it disappointed him because he knew I was capable of so much more.  While it may not solve the issues at work or in the other areas of my personal life, it perfectly fits into the struggles we are having on the team.  Hopefully all the talks will pay off and we'll get back to playing with passion and intensity.  Time will tell, but if it worked for me, I'm sure I can find some success applying it to the team.