The Athlete Who Plays with Heart: Draymond Green

Sports allow us to integrate mind, body and heart. I'm having a hard time thinking of other activities that provide such a "holistic look at life." Most of our day is occupied by the mind and/or the heart. But according to Rev. Dr. Michael Tino the connection of all three is "a spiritual gift." And no where am I more reminded of this gift than at a Golden State Warriors game. While most NBA fans would think I might speak about Stephen Curry, who at 6'3" and 185 lbs. defies the physical odds of who (and what) he goes up against, a recent Grantland piece revealed to me who Coach Steve Kerr considers the "heart and soul" of the team: Draymond Green. Oh and he's a beast too.

If hands could talk, Draymond would never be silent

Overall, I agree with Tino. In the article "March Madness" he writes, "too often in our culture, we are asked to separate the physical, the mental and the spiritual—as if our bodies and consciousness could be artificially split into pieces. But the connection between body and spirit in sports is strong. The grace, strength, and endurance that athletes exhibit on a regular basis—sometimes seemingly without effort—remind us that our bodies, whatever shape they are in, are beautiful and wondrous creations."

Things I will never be able to do: Climb Mr. Everest,
become a meter maid, & this...

Indeed he physicality of sport is on display and leaves us in awe. It's hard not to be wowed by a one-armed slam dunk, the hang time of a volleyball player or the skater who lands a triple axel. We can easily name the athletes who are pure physical specimens. And who doesn't love to see their power unleashed? Especially when I know they complete tasks that I  will never do (or should even try doing). But, as much as we love to see our favorite athletes e.g. Bo Jackson display their giftedness, I think it's high time we also give praise to those who have a great sports IQ and play with a whole lot of heart.

As we were discussing these qualities in Sports and Spirituality, I honed in on emotion. I was curious to know what athletes do my students believe play with a lot of heart. Much to my delight a slew of hands shot up. So I played up the question. I said "Who is that athlete? Who is that player that you know brings all of their emotion to the game? He or she not only wears their heart on their sleeve, they give so much during the game that you might wonder: Did they leave it there? 

I looked one senior in particular. I have never seen a smile that big. His eyes were laser focused on me. He was sitting on the edge of his seat. He couldn't wait to share his response. He made it impossible NOT to call on him.

Who was it? "Draymond Green," he said. I looked at Jake and I realized that while it may seem these two share absolutely nothing in common. Green is a 6'7" 225 lb African-American small forward from Michigan and Jake is maybe 5'9,"—an Irish guy from the Sunset, the two have the same smile. It's a great one. I wondered if he ever thought about that.

When Draymond contributes at any point in the game, he flashes a huge smile. When he earned his first triple-double against the Raptors, he must have given high fives to the entire fan base sitting court side. Today, my students couldn't wait to tell me "Draymond got another technical last night Ms Stricherz." I love that they want to share this with me. The only thing I can say in response? "I know, I'm not surprised. When you play with heart, the emotions run strong."

But the beauty of this example, is that Green is also known for his incredible basketball IQ. As mentioned in the article Spartan Warrior Draymond Green is the Most Improved Player in the NBA and He's Just Getting Started, "his former coaches all fawn over his intelligence.Tom Izzo said in 2012 that Green was “smart like [Shane] Battier, where what he lacks maybe in defensive ability as far as quickness, he makes up for as far as brains.” And as mentioned in the article, he is working out harder than ever before—something that did not come easily to him, I find that in the Warriors #23 we have the integration of all three qualities that arete demands.

So, let us praise those athletes who play with great heart, learn from those who have a great IQ and appreciate those who have raw talent and ability. And for those who are blessed with the integration of all three, I stand in awe before you.

Photo Credits
#23
Typical Night at Oracle

Reggie Ho & the 1988 National Championship: Not the Most Important Thing...

Given the revenue generated by tonight's NCAA national championship football game, it can be tough to remember that the men on the field are student-athletes. I once heard someone say we should refer to many of them as "athlete-students." But, as you learn about the hometown, high school alma maters and intended majors of the young men on the field, you might also realize a number of things. For every student-athlete involved, the opportunity to play in AT&T Stadium is much more than the culmination of their season—it is a dream come true. For many it is a step toward a future in football, but for the majority of the players, this is it. They will return to Eugene and Columbus tomorrow. They will be elated or despondent, tired and sore, satisfied or hungry. They will have classes to attend and assignments to complete. 

The spoils will go to the victors, but the Ducks and Buckeyes on the gridiron will hold one thing in common tonight and tomorrow: what they do in Arlington is not the most important thing in their lives. 

 

You probably think I am in great need of an editor, right? No, this is what Lou Holtz told his team in 1988 when the Fightin' Irish of the University of Notre Dame beat the Mountaineers of West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl. The victory was Holtz's first and only national championship. The Irish haven't had one since.

The 1988 championship season was made possible by an unsuspecting player—a walk-on, a placekicker names, Reggie Ho. The feature of the new "30 for 30 short: Student Athlete" Ho's teammate Tony Rice, the quarterback, said "I have nothing against Rudy. He's an ND guy. But, Reggie deserves more; Reggie's a better story."

Ho said, "Coach Holtz told us, this is not the most important thing in your life. There's a lot of other things that are important. God is important. Your family is important. Remember that! ...And we just won the national championship! For him to get up and say that!? It meant a lot. 

To look at the 5'5" 135 lb Hawaiian's (out St. Louis High School in Honolulu, the alma mater of another athlete competing in a national championship game: Marcus Mariota) today, it's easy to see what is the most important thing in his life. It might be being a good husband and raising two sons. Maybe it is serving as a cardiologist who specializes in electrical therapies for the heart at in Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia. As someone with a pacemaker/defibrillator, I say "thank you." And he does all of this without fanfare. There isn't but one sign of his role in the championship game or season in his office. (Again, this is why I will never achieve something on the highest stage. I think I might get an '88 and interlocking ND tattooed on my forehead I would be so pumped). 

He is clearly a student of a great teacher. Coach Holtz told his players every year, and my classmates at the Freshman Convocation to ask of ourselves an important question. "What's Important Now?" W.I.N. What do I need to do today to succeed? Clearly, Reggie Ho as a student-athlete did that to become a doctor. As noted in the video, he would head to the library after many games to study. "It was hard and I was often pretty tired, but it's what I had to do," he said.

Reggie Ho is another example of why we love college football. To hear stories from Lou Holtz, Tony Rice and Reggie Ho...to consider the odds that were stacked up against both Rice and Ho...and to discover how and where their paths intersected and what it's yielded?! Maybe not the most important things in their lives, but maybe the sweetest. Enjoy

Photo Credits
Dr. Ho
Kicker

Stuart Scott: Laugh, Think, Cry

For my 2015 New Year's Resolution, I borrowed from the American poet and essayist David Thoreau. In his poem Success, he notes the role of laughing often and much in a good life. Indeed. And yet I amended his words. My goal this year is to laugh often and to laugh loudly. 

My niece Grace hamming it up. She bowled
more than a 35. She is 7 yrs old

To laugh loudly is a gift. I believe it should not be fake. It can be surprising to others when our laugh is audible. I love it when people ask me "Are you okay?" because I am laughing so hard. And with this blog posting, I want to extend my gratitude to Stuart Scott for not only his words of wisdom but for making me laugh out loud.

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, my sister and I took our nieces bowling. I don't think Sarah and I have bowled together since middle school, when we found our way onto a bowling league with our neighbors. I mention that because my sister has some skill. Looking up at her score, she smiled in delight. I responded by telling her "Nice job. I heard on the radio once that the President bowled a 35. The announcers made fun of him saying "you have to try to get a score that low." 

That is exactly my kind of humor. To look at a person, let alone one of the most powerful people in the world and rather than say "he stinks at bowling" we marvel at how hard it was for him to perform a pathetic feat. Bowlers score over the course of 10 frames, which you can multiply by two, given you get two throws per frame. This means that POTUS didn't even average two pins per try. And he's a good athlete....It's true, Mr. President, you have to try to do that.

We all say inappropriate things. In addition to a 35, the #44 said,  “I bowled a 129. It’s like- It was like the Special Olympics.” He uttered those words on "The Tonight Show" ad later apologized for his remarks. Whoops.

But it's one thing to hear about a person's performance and it's another to see it. While watching Stuart Scott's legacy on ESPN, I was struck by a SportsCenter clip. I could have been any given day for the veteran anchor. But, on this day, Scott was commenting on the first pitch thrown by rap star, FiftyCent. 

He said "you have to actually try to be that bad. That's horrid. Again, not as bad as Carl Lewis. At least Fifty can sing. Fifty's a rap mogul. Fifty can rap. Carl Lewis threw that thing down (and his imitation of Lewis here is hilarious)."

As his co-worker asked "Does that compromise his street cred?" replay after replay of Fifty's non-feat is featured in the background.

Scott replied,  "The brothers ain't playing baseball in the street, so he's still got street cred. He just ain't go no baseball cred."

At this point, my laugh is robust. If you haven't seen how bad this throw is, check it out here.

And this prompted me to do what any living, thinking, breathing person would do next. I typed in "Carl Lewis first pitch" into YouTube. What I found was brilliant. The announcer could not have set it up any better. As Lewis walked to the mound, the audience is asked to welcome "nine-time Olympic gold medalist. and world record holder Carl Lewis." I'm thinking to myself, Who else has nine Olympic golds....wow." And then "that happened." Scott's imitation was perfect. 

In another fit of laughter, I thought Maybe Lewis should have sprinted to the mound? Is it funnier because he missed the throw back from the catcher? And he threw from the base of the pitching mound! It is horrid (thank you Stu).

In the movie "Dead Poet's Society" Mr. Keating tells one of his students "We're not laughing at you, we're laughing near you." I've always loved that line. The truth is of course that we are laughing at you, but it's not in a spirit of ridicule. No, there are some things we should take as part of our humanity. Barack Obama and Carl Lewis have done the unthinkable, but they're no different than any one of us. They have limitations which all too often the public does not see. 

Stuart Scott got to meet both men (I'm not sure about Fifty) and the President paid tribute to him when he passed. The world got to know Scott a little better through the tribute at the 2014 ESPYs as the winner of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. And I simply want to say "thank you" for making me do what Coach Valvano asked us to do each day: Laugh, Think and Cry. You didn't have to try hard to do that. 

Photo Credits
#44 bowling

Stuart Scott: Stay With Me

"Everyday I am reminded that our life’s journey is really about the people who touch us."

I wonder how many people think of the ESPN sportscaster and anchor, Stuart Scott, when they hear these words. They should, for he said them at the 2014 ESPY award ceremony.

Scott, the winner of the 2014 Jimmy Valvano Perseverance Award, died at the age of 49 from stomach cancer on Sunday, January 4. The other side of the pillow now feels that much cooler. And yet he leaves us with what I just referenced—his own words. And that is what I want to recognize in this tribute.

Long before he was federally prosecuted for doping, Lance Armstrong was a divisive character among sports fans, especially cycling enthusiasts. A seven-time winner of the Tour de France, he "earned" each title after battling testicular cancer. Those who came to his defense as an athlete and a person, would often quip that much to his credit: Armstrong beat cancer (truth be told, the man underwent chemotherapy for cancer that spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen).

Let me be clear, battling cancer is a physical and mental challenge that I wish on no one. Any person who is diagnosed with this horrific disease carries a heavy cross; they must be literally scared for their lives. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and fortitude to undergo the necessary medical treatment, to carry on from one day to the next, to strive toward an alleged 5-year anniversary of good health and to hope and dream beyond that. That being said, I have never believed that someone "beats" cancer. Why? because I have a hard time believing that some "beat" it and others do not. You may point to the reality that some do, but I don't see some as "winners" and some as "losers." Who would dare enter that fight? And for those that do, what system determines who "wins" and who "loses." With cancer, no one comes out "on top." Each person finds a way to break through.

In 2010, a young woman who is part of my life's journey, died of lung cancer. Jill a non-smoker all of her short life was 22 years of age when the Stage IV disease spread to her abdomen, her ovaries and her breast. No one wanted to "beat" cancer more than Jill. She "fought" until the end. I can't look at her teammates, her parents and close friends and believe cancer beat Jill. It didn't. It's never had the last word in her life and it won't in the life of Stuart Scott.

Lance Armstrong had great doctors and medical resources. He is no different than Jill. They both engaged in the same fight. One is living to tell us about that—I'm glad he is. Jill however is not—I wish things were different.

At the ESPYs that night, Scott gained enough strength to leave us with an important message. He said, “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

I encourage you to find out for yourself how Jill beat cancer; it is chronicled in the award winning article "The Courage of Jill Costello." Jill lived to win a national championship, to be a great girlfriend, to help others learn more about lung cancer (it is one of the most underfunded types of cancer because of the stigma it bears. Why? because "patients with lung cancer are assumed to have earned it, having inhaled toxins for years"). Jill did it with courage and with an optimistic spirit. No wonder she was an outstanding coxswain. 

When Scott approached the stage to accept his award, the music in the background was Sam Smith's "Stay with Me." I was struck by its poignancy. 

You have and you will because of your words—your message of perseverance and how you lived your life—a very public one until the end.  Thanks for helping me to laugh, to think and to cry. Stu. Jimmy V has welcomed you with open arms.

Photo Credits
Stuart Scott

New Years Resolutions 2015: To Laugh Often & Loud

To laugh often and much.

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children.

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends.

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others.

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition.

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

That is to have succeeded.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

The first line of the American author's poem "Success" reveals one of my two New Year's Resolutions for the 2015. I hope to laugh a lot this year. I hope to laugh with my students, friends, family and strangers. I love laughing out loud when I read something funny. I can't say that I am similar to my niece Grace who loves telling jokes, but she makes me laugh and smile when I hear them! Someone once quipped "laughter is good for the soul." Well, if that's true—and I believe it is—then it's also good for our spirituality. Ron Rolheiser writes "Spirituality is about what we do with our spirits, what we do with our souls." Amen.

I hope my resolution doesn't strike you as odd or strange. Who doesn't feel better after a deep laugh? Laughter never goes out of style. Jim Martin, SJ the culture editor at America Magazine agrees. In Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life he writes,

“Humor serves some important purposes,” he said. “First, it can remind you of your poverty of spirit. Laughing at yourself reminds you that you are a human being reliant on God just like anybody else.” For leaders, humor is essential, Martin said, “particularly in the religious world, where we all tend to think that we alone are doing God’s work.” 

We feel drawn to religious leaders with a sense of humor. It shows us that they understand their essential poverty of spirit and their own reliance on God. It shows humility, which is also essential in the spiritual life. You take God seriously, Jesus seriously and the gospel seriously, but you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously.”

I agree. A good sense of humor is essential as a teach in the classroom and as a coach on the field. This is why one of my favorite moments this past year involved making my students laugh very loud and very hard.

I think everyone looks like someone else. I love to share my visual musings with others and more often than not they concur. I realize it's important to be sensitive to how and if you are to share your findings with the guilty parties. This fall, I knew I had a worthy subject, who would not shy away from the comparison his face to that of a famous athlete. 

The day after the World Series Championship, I had to find a way to publicly acknowledge and congratulate the MVP Madison Bumgarner. I did so by introducing him next to Arthur the Aardvark, a popular cartoon character among children. Some students could see the match and other couldn't. No problem. It was all a foil to compare Alex, who I have taught for two years now, to the Panda. Pablo Sandoval.

The class roared in laughter. Alex shook his head in agreement. I believe this small bit of humor is why one of my students describe this class as "Loving."

My second resolution is to pay better attention. I want to harness my focus on what I am doing to be more mindful and present. I also believe that paying better attention will help me laugh more often. Some of the funniest jokes and quips from observations about our humanity. Take for example this video entitled "Golf Stereotypes." 

It is remarkably funny for those who play golf, because I know (and you will too) every single on of these stereotypes on the course. I even know which one I think my friends will say is me. It's easy (and fun) to laugh at others. It's equally important to laugh at oneself. NB: If you have not seen this yet and/or the one on pick-up basketball (if you play) posted above, stop reading and watch. 

Martin affirms this is a good thing about our nature. One that we share with the Lord. He writes, "If we believe that Jesus is fully human, as our theology tells us, then that means he had a sense of humor. You cannot be fully human without a sense of humor. That’s a robot, not a human being."

He adds, I believe God has a great sense of humor. Sometimes he gives you something like a nudge and says, Don’t take yourself so seriously! Humor is in fact an essential element in the mirth of creation. We can see how, in many matters in our lives, God wants to prod us into taking things a bit more lightly; to see the funny side of it; to get down off our pedestal and not to forget our sense of fun."

Some of the people I admire most are able to laugh often and much. It's one thing to be funny, it's another to find humor in everyday life. And I believe it's too important not to look for. That's why I'm going to pay more attention in 2015 for joy, humor and laughter.