In case, you’ve been living in oblivion and just arrived from the planet Titan, I want to remind you that I am a HUGE Miami Heat fan. In advance of tonight’s game six, I want you to know that if you don’t hear from me in the coming days, it’s because the unthinkable has occurred. (Don’t you dare say it either!)
In anticipation of game six, do me a favor so that there won’t be a need for an APB on me and so that I don’t end up on a milk carton. Cross your fingers, say some prayers, wear your lucky t-shirt…eat your favorite meal. Actually, I don’t care what you do, as long as whatever you do helps my Miami Heat avoid the unthinkable.
I know it’s just a game and my Miami Heat should not need to depend on you, me or any other superstitions to win a “basketball game” but right now I believe they need some additional assistance. My Heat need all the help that they can get because they are just like you and me with a few minor exceptions. We aren’t extraordinarily tall, world-class athletes, who are outrageously compensated because of our ability to run, jump and shoot a basketball. Other than that, the Miami Heat are just ordinary people like you and me.
Over the last several weeks it has become excruciatingly clear to me just how much the extraordinary team I love is composed of ordinary people like me. Over the last twelve games, my Miami Heat have struggled and they have struggle mightily. A team that once won 27 games in a row hasn’t been able to play two good games back to back in weeks.
Accompanying their struggles has been the annoying media criticism which has caused me to pause and not only critique the critics but it has caused me to take a look at the challenges of the extraordinary from the perspective of a normal human being. How would our life be measured if our personal lives and our professional performances were dissected and analyzed frame by frame under the world’s most powerful electron microscope? How would we handle the incessant scrutiny of my Miami Heat?
While I know that we aren’t extraordinarily tall world-class athletes who are outrageously compensated because of our ability to run, jump and shoot a basketball, I think the issue and comparisons are still worth exploring. Despite our height, salary and fame differences we still have so much in common with the Heat.
Immense Ability
You just like the Miami Heat and the Big Three (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) have an enormous amount of ability. However, in your case, you are either unaware of your vast ability or for some unknown reason you have chosen not to use your abilities to your maximum potential. Don’t believe me. Don’t understand what I mean. Consider then your human brain versus a computer.
Most people assume that the computer is vastly superior to the human brain. Most people assume incorrectly. Despite all our technological advances and scientific innovations via the invention and use of computers, computers have yet to approach the power of the human brain. As member of a species that has accomplished among the many things including creating computers, harvesting nuclear energy, exploring space and building the pyramids, we certainly should be doing more with our immense ability than what most of us are presently doing.
Like my Miami Heat, we are classic underachievers. Are you really doing all that is in your power each day or are you living life the way my Heat play basketball – waiting until situations are dire before making use of your immense talents?
Habit of Procrastinating
The critics of my Miami Heat suggest that the team’s greatest flaw is that they lack a sense of urgency. Win a game, lose a game, win a game, lose a game has been the mantra for the past twelve playoff games. What could be over in four games, the Heat make it last seven.
In the same way, we dilly-dally much like the Heat. Earlier this year, you made New Year’s Resolutions. You were going to lose some much-needed weight. You were going to get your finances in order. You were going to get in the best shape of your life. You were going to get out of debt. You were going to spend more quality time with your children. You were going to start leaving work on time so that you could get home early. You were going to make a career change – follow your bliss. You were going to actively participate in the lifespan of all those you loved whom you otherwise tend to take for granted. You were going to…yah dah yah dah yah dah!
Regrettably, six months later, you are just like my Miami Heat still dilly-dallying. You are still waiting on tomorrow to do what you should be doing now or worse you are waiting on tomorrow to do what you should have done yesterday. You like my Miami Heat are still treading water – one step forward followed by one step backward. Six months later, you are right where you started except now you are an example – for all those who admire and look up to you – of unfulfilled potential and broken promises.
Less Time Than You Think
The Miami Heat have 96 minutes remaining in their season assuming they win game 6 and there is no overtime. Oh and just a slight public service reminder, they will definitely have 96 minutes if you do what I asked you to do earlier.
At best there are only two games that remain for my Heat. My Miami Heat are just about out of time. As if right out of a scene from the movie Man on Fire, The NBA Season is Creasy and the Miami Heat are Fuentes.
Fuentes (Miami Heat): A last wish, please, please. Please.
Creasy (NBA Season): Last wish? I wish you had more time.
If my Miami Heat utilize their immense ability and stop procrastinating, they will be Back to Back NBA Champions. If they find a way to play these last two games at the championship level, they will be 2013’s NBA Champion. If they do what they are supposed to do, I will be exceptionally happy; there will be no need for my face to appear on milk cartons nor will an APB be necessary; I won’t cry like a big baby and the Heat will accomplish one of the rare feats in sports.
But if the Heat do what they have done over the past 12 playoff games – well even I hate to say this – the season and the Big Three partnership will be thought a colossal failure. If the Heat treat the remaining games as we do our lives, our careers, our relationships and our children, the Heat will be considered another in the long list of examples of the great historical underachievers.
The Miami Heat have 48 minutes tonight to get another chance to play 48 more minutes on Thursday. In order to get the full 96 minutes, my Miami Heat have to give the maximum effort to the only moments that matter, the present, tonight’s 48 minutes. Without a maximum effort tonight, there will be no chance at a Thursday. I could say the same to you. No maximum effort today, no guarantee for a reprieve tomorrow.
Your legacy just like that of my Miami Heat depends on the maximum effort you give today. Will you give a champions effort or will you keep treading water (taking one step forward and one step backward), breaking resolutions and living a life of unfulfilled potential?
As much as I want my Miami Heat to live up to their potential and the moment, your children and family need you to live up to your vast potential, to stop procrastinating and they need you to do it now.
We know the Heat have at least 48 more minutes to get it right. Do you have any idea how much longer you have? Will you find yourself in Fuentes position asking for one last wish only to discover that you are out of time?