How many perfect moments happen in life?

How many times do find yourself in those perfect situations, that go like this.

You’re a great shooter, the very best on the court, and the defense leaves you wide open on the wing.

or (for those non hoopers)

You and the girl/guy you’d love to talk to/date/marry just happen to be at the same place, at the same time, and there is no one around to interrupt you.

Those are just two examples, but If you’re really a great shooter and the person you’re pursuing is thought to be attractive by you, chances are neither of you will be left alone for very long.

So what do you do?

The Jordan Fadeaway

No coach in the world will tell you that taking a fadeaway jumper from 15 feet is a good shot unless your first name is Michael and your last name is Jordan.

Seeing MJ play in person multiple times, the degree of difficulty of said fadeaway was only magnified.

I would sit there in disbelief at how he contorted his body, leaning back so far at times that his shoulder blades seemed to run parallel with the floor.  Then with a flick of the wrist, the ball would more times than not finds its way safely to its home.

How many fadeaways did Jordan take in practice sessions before it became an unstoppable, go to move?

Surely thousands upon thousands.

A Trailblazer

Back in the late 90s, as a high school kid, my brother figured out something that very few ever learn and hardly any are ever taught.

He understood then, when he would go 42-of-50 from 3 pt land, that making 43 or 44 or even 50 would only give a marginal increase in percentages shooting the ball in the perfect situation.

He also understood that during the course of any game he might get three or four of those perfect situations at most.

So he asked the question most never will, why spend hours practicing for the perfect moment?

And hours upon hours he would spend.

During the summer after his sophomore year of high school, he’d routinely take 4,000-5,000 jumpers a week.

However, a nice slice of those were off the move or with his feet in weird positions.

He taught himself to makes shots under distress by preparing for the imperfect moments of the game.

He’d routinely stagger his feet the exact opposite way they should be, by placing his left foot far in front of his right foot and pull up for one jumper after the other.

He’d also spread his feet to uncomfortable widths and repeat over and over.

Keep in mind we were both self taught.  When the 90s were the freshest thing out, we wore out the rewind and play buttons on the VCR trying to learn the game we loved.  We came up before the days of Impact Basketball and Orlando Hoops training.

My brother was ahead of his time…make that IS ahead of his time.  I still don’t know anyone teaching this.

It’s unorthodox to say the least.

I don’t even do it myself despite his constant encouragement to do so.

He always tells me, “You don’t need to practice spot up shooting anymore.  You need to practice everything off the move.”

He usually continues with, ” we’ve made so many shots in our life, that we will always be the best shooters, at most any court, even if we don’t practice.”

In the context of most city courts, that is a very true statement.

Move Association

The Fadeaway, Killer Crossover, Dream Shake, Sky Hook.

If you’re a basketball junkie, then surely images of Jordan, Tim Hardaway, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, just caressed your memory.

They took something that most coaches, before them, would frown upon and made it something they feared and coveted.  

Through hard work Jordan, Hardaway, Olajuwon and Abdul Jabbar made the imperfect…perfect for them.

When Being Great at Something Isn’t Enough

Innovators who put thought to action have shaped, molded and changed our world since the beginning.

They’ve never just accepted the norm.  They pushed beyond it.

The asked why or rather, why not, and then offered a solution.

I’ve always wondered what the dialogue was like when Michael Jordan went to Phil Jackson and told him that he wanted to post up?  Sure more guards start in the post now, but then, it was very much big man land.  How did Phil not think, you’re freakin’ Michael Jordan, just Michael Jordan whoever’s guarding you and let’s let the big guys play the post.  Who knows, maybe Phil did push back at the idea.  Maybe MJ insisted.

He changed the game.

I believe we all innovate, but just a handful actually see it through.  The majority stop when the realization that success requires the innovator to get their hands dirty.  The majority fall back into what is comfortable and that’s why you only see one person doing the fadeaway efficiently (Kobe), and none doing the “dream shake” or sky hook.

God doesn’t make great shooters and legendary moves

If we’re talking just wide open shooting alone in a gym, there is no doubt in my mind that I can outshoot huge NBA names like LeBron James, John Wall, Dwight Howard and on and on and on.  (Due to my physical limitations, obviously that wouldn’t translate to NBA games or playing them one on one, but just the art of shooting the ball, I’ve got them.)

Making shots is something I’ve worked on my whole life.  It has more to do with the fact that I can’t do what James, Wall and Howard can do, than anything else.  And the reason they can’t shoot the ball like me, is because they can do what they do.

God blessed them with physical abilities and size.

But God doesn’t make great shooters and legendary moves.

Now I’m not saying those guys don’t work – so save the hate comments.  But there is a reason LeBron isn’t killing people in the post.  There is a reason Wall isn’t killing teams with jumpers.  There is a reason Dwight can’t make a 12-15 footer and shot 49% from the free throw line this year (and it’s not big hands or his height – all you excuse makers need to give that one up [see Dirk]).  There is also a reason all I can do well is shoot.

We fall back into what is comfortable.  We fear failure and yearn for success, so we do what has got us to wherever we are.

When I go to the gym I practice shooting.  I don’t work on moves off the dribble or going to the basket hard.  I try to get better at what I already do well because every time that ball swishes through the net, I’m getting positive reinforcement to do another.

I love watching LeBron, John and Dwight.  I love what they’re able to do on the court.  They routinely leave me in disbelief.  But imagine IF LeBron worked on his footwork and post moves.  Imagine IF LeBron, John, and Dwight could shoot the ball as well as me.

Against 90 percent of the teams/players they face, they will have their way, but the other 10 percent is the problem because that is where champions are found.  It’s a somewhat similar tale for me on a much different level of course.  Against everyday people like myself, my ability to make shots is almost unstoppable, until I face a higher level of competition (see the people I’ve played for this site*) or someone who just knows my game extremely well (see my brother).

The difference between them and me is that it’s not physical limitations keeping them from getting better, it’s a lot of hard work at something God didn’t give them.

The legendary ones are just as gifted as the above mentioned, but they chose to focus on the weakness rather than the strength.

They chose to create a solution before there was a problem.

Michael Jordan wanted to be prepared for any and everything the defense threw his way and he was, maybe not a first, but over time for sure.

That’s why he’s the greatest. 

Time for Change – me vs. the Pros

I’m not getting any younger.  Later this month, I’ll be every bit of 35.  Still young by life standards, but in the basketball world, well not even Kobe is moving the same these days (still elite though).

I’ve spent my entire basketball life working on making a high percentage of shots in the perfect situation.

I know I can shoot the ball well.  Pros know I can shoot the ball well.  Mark Cuban knows I can shoot the ball well.

That’s kind of the blessing and the problem at this point.

It’s too predictable.

It’s time to try something new.  It’s time for change.  It’s time to prepare for the imperfect moments.

How I’ll Prepare for the Imperfect Moments

“I always wanted to be comfortable in any situation.  Playing against bigger or quicker guys doesn’t always afford you an open look.  You gotta make an open look.  Shooting at unexpected times or with imperfect foot positioning makes you unpredictable.  From there what used to be predictable (spot ups) become second guesses for the defender.  Taking the defense off guard creates chaos in love and war.  I want them to panic when their best doesn’t stop me.  I want them to know it’s over before the score says so.  Your jump shot won’t leave you.  It’s just looking to grow.” – Bob Eller

So with that said, over the next month, I plan on introducing the following to my workouts to see what effect it will have on my game.

• Shooting with my feet in weird/uncomfortable positions
• Shooting at least 50% of my attempts off the move
• Working on my floater (both hands)

Will it make the difference against the pros?  Am I just over matched?

Time will tell, but it’s worth the work to find out.

**Please note that I only support the foot positioning drills once a firm foundation of excellence in shooting has been established.

What Will You Do?

So that’s what I’m off to do.

How about you?  What are you doing to make yourself more prepared for those imperfect moments in life?  Are you focusing on improving upon a weakness like Michael Jordan did often in his career or will you just continue lowering your head and running to the basket until father time catches up with you?

Share your story of success or struggle in the comments section below.  I’d love to hear from you.

me vs. MJ…the journey continues.  As always, thank you so very much for following along.

And remember ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE with FAITH and HARD WORK!

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Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

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If you’re new to the site, I set out in August 2010 to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. my childhood hero Michael Jordan.  This site is about that journey…through every valley, to every mountain top of triumph!

After just under six hours of sleep, 5 a.m. nudges me, letting me know that it’s time to work.

It’s Friday morning.  I know that I need more rest, but that will have to come later.

It’s time to have a great morning!

Coffee, smoothie, dressed in Jordan gear and out the door.

For the next 45 minutes or so, I ride alone in the darkness over the thirty-seven and a half miles of cool asphalt, rap music filling the early morning air as I prepare mentally to get better.

I arrive at my destination and the only light that I can see anywhere around, is that which is pouring out of the large rectangular windows at B Meyer Training.

I have no idea what I’ll be doing on this day.

I never know.

For two months my workouts have been different every single time.

I love it that way.

I grab my bag, my clothes, tell myself it’s going to be a great day and enter the gym.

I’m the first one there.

I’m always, the first one there.

Sign in, morning greetings with Dave and Coach B, bag down, it’s time to work.

After 50 or so minutes of push, I’m drenched in invigorating struggle, and I know I’ve gotten better.

But on this day, I’m not done.

Coach Dave Rubin points to the elliptical and says, “Let’s go!”

I take a deep breath, wipe the hard work from my brow and begin walking in the machine’s direction.

**

Every single morning when I arrive at the gym, Dave Rubin, the guy that’s been training me, is already there.  He’s got the music going, he’s upbeat and he’s ready to help me get better.

Dave’s tough, I’m not gonna lie.  His expectations are high, but they’re coming from the right place.  He’s a HUGE Jordan fan.  Some would say that it’s merely a coincidence, but I don’t believe that.

***

I step on the machine, still not sure what I’m going to be asked to do.

30 seconds prior I had thought that my workout was complete.

Dave says, “OK, let’s get better!  I want you to go all out, as fast as you can…let’s go!”

I begin, giving it every ounce of what I have remaining.  Arms and legs pumping back and forth, up and down, in a torturous rhythmatic performance.

15 seconds in, Dave informs me, “We’re gonna go a minute.”

My mind says, YOU DON’T HAVE A MINUTE KEN!

27, 28, 29, 30

The burn begins sliding up and down my legs, as my pace slows.

“You’re slowing down!  Come on, pick it up!  You’ve got to get stronger at the end of games!  You said you wanna get under a minute in the 300 yd shuttle, let’s go!  Push!”

37…38…39…

The burn isn’t moving.  It’s set up camp on my legs, as I try to give more.

My mind says, YOU GOTTA STOP!

44…45…46…

And it burns like hot cast iron skillets have been strapped to my legs!

My mind says, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?  DON’T YOU FEEL THAT!?  STOP YOU FOOL!

52…53…54…

My legs, perhaps feeling a pain they’ve never felt, are trapped…between a mind and a heart.

My mind is screaming, QUIT!  QUIT!  QUIT!

58…59…60!

My mind is weak…but my heart is strong!

“Great job! OK, now walk it out,” Coach Dave says as he gives me a fist bump and more instruction.

“Control your breathing.”

“Cheek to cheek…move those arms!”

“Give me some light shuffles.”

“OK, you’ve got 15 seconds and we’re going to do it again.”

My mind is telling me, NOOOO!

He says, “Grab a quick sip if you need it.”

I make one step towards the water and then internally say HELL NO!  I’m about to bust this machine’s ass!

I get back on the elliptical, determined to succeed!

My mind is weak, buy my heart is strong!

GIVING MY ALL!

I may never be able to jump out of the gym or keep up with the likes of the facility’s most recognizable athlete, Dwight Howard, but what I can control is my effort!

My whole goal as I prepare on this journey to play Michael Jordan, is to be the best ME, that I can be.

That’s it!  So I push!  I give my all!  I strive to be the best Kenny Eller that I can be!

When God handed out gifts, he may not have given me the natural tools to be the best basketball player, but HE gave me a lot of determination.

HE gave me heart of belief!

Great Mornings!

Much like I control my effort in those early morning workouts, I’ve learned to also control my perspective.

I awake every morning and I tell myself, it’s gonna be a great morning!  Then, it’s gonna be a great afternoon!  Then finally, it’s gonna be a great evening!

Ask me how I’m doing at anytime and I’m going to tell you, “GREAT!”

April of last year, I sent one of my many hope filled emails along this path to a gentleman who has become a friend and mentor.

Dave Hopla received my email and a couple of hours later we spoke.  Three weeks after that initial conversation, we met and shot hoops together.  Since that time, nearly every few weeks I receive a call from Mr. Hopla, checking in to see how I’m doing.

You see Dave doesn’t deal with good.  He only associates himself with Great!

That’s why he shot 98.92% during his basketball shooting clinics last year.  With over 23,000 attempts, while speaking, he made almost 99%.

It seems undoable, but it’s not.

It begins with proper perspective.

Right before we ordered our lunch some nine months ago, Dave said, “People don’t remember good movies, but a GREAT movie, they recount every line!”

He said, “No one remembers good players, but GREAT players…they’re never forgotten!”

He went on with, “So why would you ever want to be good?”

“Why would you want to have a good day, when you can have a GREAT day?” he added, “It begins with how you think!”

Since that meeting and with the help of some Hopla perspective checks, I’ve incorporated this mindset into my daily life.

I ask people every single morning, how they’re doing and I NEVER hear great, other than the handful of people I’m working with, because they’ve heard my Hopla stories.

I hear, “OK”, “I’m good”, “I’ll be better in a bit”, “Alright”, “Ehhh”, and the list of improper responses rolls out like a red carpet, except their red carpet is leading to a mediocre day and worse, a mediocre life.

Shame on them!  Shame on YOU!  Shame on ME, until a few months ago.

You’ve been given the gift of another day, so be respectful of that and make it great!

It begins with YOU!

Getting Better!

There is no doubt in my mind that I’ve gotten better!  No doubt that I’m more prepared!

And the next time the burn says hello in the greatness of morning, my heart will smile the greatest smile and triumphantly say, “LET’S GO!!”

me vs. Michael Jeffrey Jordan…the journey continues!  Thank you so very much for following along!

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I’ve been working with Dave Rubin and Coach B Meyer for right at two months now.  I really can’t say enough great things about either of them.  I can tell you that I have thouroughly enjoyed every bit of the experience and the improvement physically has far exceeded all of my expectations.  I have just a month remaining on what was my initial commitment, but I can already tell you that the things I’ve learned there I will carry with me for life.  For more information on B Meyer Training, which I HIGHLY endorse, check out BMeyerTraining.com!

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Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

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If you’re new to the site, I set out in August 2010 to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. my childhood hero Michael Jordan.  This site is about that journey…through every valley, to every mountain top of triumph! 

OK, the title of this post may be a little harsh, but if we’re being honest with one another, they both do suck.

The point is, only one is supposed to.  (*see note at end of post)

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I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions.

I didn’t set any this year, or last, or the year before.

Just reading the lines above may send the voice inside your head jumping up and down, screaming in an inaudible, yet judgmental tone, “What!!??  Is he serious???  This is time for change!  It’s 2012!!!!  Wahoooo!!!  Cue the memory fireworks!!!”

I get it.  I used to think that way too.

I would get caught up, just like the majority, in all that is great with the hype of resolutions brought on by the New Year.

The last “New Year’s Resolution” I remember setting came after seeing a movie with the family over the holidays.

The lead actor, Will Smith, was in riiiiii-diculous shape!  That prompted me to go home and research how he had transformed his body from those “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” days. (Yes, ladies, guys really think like this!   At least I did, haha!)

Within minutes of beginning my search, I found an interview that had then recently been done in conjunction with the movie, in which Smith stated that in addition to a weight-training program, he ran some 30 miles per week.

So with little thought and absolutely no planning, I set my New Year’s resolution:  Run 30 miles per week!

I literally went from zero miles, to thrusting myself into 30 miles per week on the first of January.  In truth, I hadn’t run 30 miles in the previous 10 years combined.

Does that sound silly to you?

How long do you think I kept with my New Year’s Resolution?

I ran 30 miles per week for just over five weeks, until I was sent on a work trip that placed me in 35-degree weather.  That lingering winter cold was a big enough excuse for my resolution to wither away.

I didn’t really “run” again until I “trained” for my first half marathon, two years ago.

Just recounting that story makes me cringe, but is my story really much different than yours?

Have you planned for success?  Have you thought out each phase and visualized your victory?

If not, your resolution this year may sadly falter just like those of New Year’s past.

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“Popular” New Year’s Resolutions

• Lose Weight
• Exercise More
• Eat Better
• Quit Smoking
• Drink less alcohol
• Get out of debt
• Save money
• Volunteer
• Be more organized
• Watch less television
• Improve education
• Learn a new language or musical instrument

And the list goes on and on and on….

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Why New Year’s Resolutions DON’T Work

I could spend thousands of words describing why, but this quote sums it up:

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

The origins of that all so true series of words may be up for debate, but I first read them in a book by John Wooden some 14 years ago.

That quote, while really so fundamentally simple, is seemingly so difficult when almighty inspiration strikes!

And what fuels resolutions after the first of the year??  Inspiration of course!

Why I didn’t launch mevsMJ.com When Inspiration Struck

If I had launched this site when the idea of mevsMJ.com exploded in my head, I would have surely failed.

I wasn’t ready.  I wasn’t prepared.

The idea was there.  The passion was without a doubt there.  The plan however, was not!

Publishing my first post when all that fueled me was a passionate idea, would have almost certainly led me to the same conclusion as running those 30 miles a week did.

Instead I did my best to write and write and write without publishing a word.  While most of the reasoning for my delayed launch was so wrong, taking the time to think through what I wanted to accomplish, and discuss, as well as, come up with some sort of plan with someone who already maintained a successful blog, is a large part of why I’m still going today.

Resolutions ARE Good, but Defined Goals are GREAT!

Please don’t misunderstand me; making a commitment to change and improve oneself is GREAT!

I absolutely LOOOOOOOVE that!

In order for you to really enact change though, you need to take the inspiration and make it a lifestyle and that can only happen with a plan!

Are You Being S.M.A.R.T. About What You Want to Accomplish?

Specific

Measurable

Attainable (all things are btw)

Relevant

Timely

*The above mnemonic has been around for decades and is a great tool to get you more structured as you begin setting goals/resolutions for yourself.

My Big Goal:  Play Michael Jordan 1-on-1

When I set out on this journey, playing hoops with Michael Jordan was the goal and still is.

Was it S.M.A.R.T.?  Yes, even as large of a goal as playing MJ is, it still met every step.

(Keep in mind I originally would have played hoops with MJ, one year from the creation of this site if his camp hadn’t been canceled.)

Sub Goals

Without making this too academic (I’ll let the PhDs do that) I always set sub goals to further breakdown my ultimate goal.

At the beginning I set the following four sub goals:  Get in the best shape of my life, Become the best basketball player I can be, Enjoy every second of the journey, and Attend Michael Jordan Senior Flight School.

Those four encompassed what I wanted to accomplish, but in no way were detailed enough to be measurable.

Sub Goal:  Get In The Best Shape Of My Life!

Taking a look at my goal of getting in the best shape of my life as an example.

It began with training for and completing two half marathons and then continuing to run some 20 miles per week for the next year.  I then incorporated more basketball specific workouts, pulling from my experience at Impact Basketball.  Then in November, I made a three-month long commitment to train with B Meyer and his team.

For me, it’s always been about keeping it fresh and having fun.  It’s also about learning and growing.

At this point my sub goal of achieving the best conditioning of life, has become a lifestyle for me.

If I look at myself prior to beginning this site, to where I am now, everything from my daily eating habits, to my conditioning has improved drastically.

I AM in the BEST Shape of my Life!

I absolutely love and am proud of the fact that I can go run 10 miles anytime.

It began with a 2 mile jog.  It began with a scheduled plan of attack.

On Tuesday morning, I repped out more pull-ups even on my third set of my circuit training, than I can ever remember doing and I was beyond enthused at my progress.

It began with a single repetition.  It began with a scheduled plan of attack.

“A 6 or a 7”

During the first training session I went through with Coach B Meyer and Dave Rubin they constantly gauged my effort output.

They wanted no more than a 6 to 7 out of a maximum 10, when it came to effort put forth on an individual exercise.

Coach Meyer told me, “I could put you through Dwight’s workout (Dwight Howard), but you wouldn’t be able to move for days.  That’s not the goal!”

Instead the focus was on technique and building a foundation.

You see they understand that a 6 or a 7, and a 6 or a 7, and a 6 or a 7, and a 6 or a 7, when totaled is far more than a couple of 10s.

Eventually that effort level can increase of course, but first the foundation must be set.

Why You Should Stop Giving It Your ALL

My natural tendency with anything I really want to do is to go all out!

I think it’s within all of us to want success quickly, so we lie to ourselves and make ourselves believe that if we skip steps we will get to our goal quicker.

When I first started running, I’d be so amped up that I’d almost take off sprinting!  That’d be fine if I was running a short distance, but when you’re running five miles or more, it’s definitely not the way to go (in the beginning).

I had to learn to control my excitement for being out there and distribute my energy effectively so that I could finish strong.

After quite some time, I got to where I could run at a fairly quick pace the entire way, but the foundation of proper conditioning through miles and miles of running had to be set first.

This of course is applicable to anything in life.

Success is a process that requires days and days of hard work.

Knowing that, you must pace yourself!

You always want to do the best you can do, but it’s true, sometimes a little less over and over again equates to more.

Accountability Partner(s)

Even with S.M.A.R.T. goals fully planned out, written down and detailed, you need to establish accountability partners.

This is with anything in life!

Find people with similar interests, partner up and hold one another accountable.  As I’ve stated in the past, if you can choose, find someone that is currently better than you at whatever it is you want to do to partner up with.  This is how you truly grow and get better!

January 1^st DOESN’T Cause Change, YOU DO!

Whether it’s the first of January, August 22^nd, or any other day, you can make a decision to change at any moment!

Set a goal, make a plan, gain accountability and make your dreams come true.

It’s never been about the New Year, it’s always been about YOU!

Happy New Year!

Yes, yes…the journey continues!!!

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*Note:  My Dyson does a great job!

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BIG NEWS UPCOMING!

So I’ve whispered about the upcoming news to a few and very soon I can let everyone in on what is coming up!

I will tell you that it IS about basketball and it’s not about vacuums!

Giddy up!  It’s going to be a fun ride/flight (hint, hint)!!!

Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

As the final days and hours of 2011 come to a close, I can’t help but reflect on my official slogan for this year, which was “Life is AMAZING, if you allow it to be!”

For me and my journey of playing Michael Jordan 1-on-1, 2011 was beyond amazing and for that I am so thankful!

Having said that, there were definitely some struggles over the last 365 days, but overall it was without a doubt more than I ever could have expected!

Here is a recap of all that was 2011 for mevsMJ.com!

-1st Quarter-

(January, February, March)

Looking back, January seems like years ago.  I began 2011 gaining my first 1-on-1 match-up win (Me vs. Scott Spencer) and feeling like my game was getting stronger and stronger.  Unfortunately then, but rather fortunately I suppose as I reflect now, I got injured on the next to last day of the month (Pop Goes The Dream) and was faced with painful rehabilitation that consumed the next eight weeks, testing me both physically and mentally.

During the rehab, even though I wasn’t playing, some great things still happened!

The very next day following my injury in the most surprising turn of events, I got some Jordan love! (Jeff Jordan promotes mevsMJ.com!)

Over the eight weeks of rehab I wrote 18 different posts including (Dear MJ:  My Letter to Michael Jordan).  Then exactly 62 days after the injury that left me devastated, I made my comeback in the last part of March against now Virginia Tech Hokies freshman Robert Brown, a good friend and the very first player to really believe in what I’m doing here on this site! (I’m Back!!!!)

-2nd Quarter-

(April, May, June)

I gave my life to the Lord when I was 23 years old (Yes, I’m a huge Jordan fan, but no, I didn’t plan that!)  I’ve sprinkled my faith over many of the posts I’ve written on this site and I mention that to say that I always feel that God has a plan for me.  During the injury I believed that and as I went through the second quarter of 2011, HE left me amazed as things began happening so quickly that I could hardly keep up!

April began with me meeting up with a talented young man named Ziarekenya Smith!  He had gained National accliam for his Jordan typeface, pictured to the right.  (God Inspired Designs)

From there, a simple hope filled email returned back to me, someone I now call a friend and mentor, Dave Hopla. (My time with Dave Hopla, World’s Greatest Shooter)

Then, still in April, I took on my first real professional basketball player, in what was the worst showing of my life! (Me vs. Garfield Blair)

May began with another no and then the biggest YES to date! (Nick Anderson Called Me!!!)

While nothing ever materialized with Nick, it was beyond cool having the former NBA player call me on MY cell phone!

Later in the month I had the blessing of getting to know and workout with then one of the top high school coaches in the country and now George Washington assistant coach, Kevin Sutton! (My First Workout with Coach Kevin Sutton!)

June came around, I played much better against my second professional player (Me vs. Andy Gebru) and had my third rematch with Robert Brown (Me vs. Robert Brown – Round 3).

-3rd Quarter-

(July, August, September)

The third quarter of 2011 kept up the momentum with me spending a little time with Tracy McGrady and even getting a shout out from T-Mac himself! (My Time with T-Mac)

On August 22nd, mevsMJ.com turned 1 year old. (me vs. Michael Jordan – 365 Days Later!)

In September I flew to Vegas for Impact Basketball’s Competitive League, where I told Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Corey Maggette, Jared Dudley and more about my journey to play Michael Jordan and almost had a shootout with NBA Sharpshooter Damon Jones! (Me vs. Damon Jones – The Shootout That Almost Was)

-4th Quarter-

(October, November, December)

In October I switched things up a bit and did my first video post (Where Are You Going?) so that everyone could actually hear me speak!  [Side note:  I often wonder how people sound when I’m reading their blogs/posts.]

A few days later, by reader request, I posted a video of me draining 22 of 24 from the 3 point line. (Is This Why NBA Guys Won’t Play Me??)  So pretty!

Mid November, I began working harder and sweating more than I probably ever have in my life! (Me + B Meyer Training – The Man Behind Dwight Howard)

On Thanksgiving day, Eric Griffin and I helped one young man’s dream come true, in what was one of the most fulfilling moments of my life.  (Thanksgiving Day Dreams)

Then the moment I had been waiting for happened!

→Michael Jordan KNOWS!!!←

I‘m still blown away by what happened in the first moments of December, the last grouping of days of 2011!

In what played out like some scene from an inspirational movie, I met Michael Jordan! (Michael Jordan Knows About ME and mevsMJ.com!)

As I wrote when I began this post, LIFE IS AMAZING, IF YOU ALLOW IT TO BE!

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Through all that has happened on this journey, the part I never really anticipated is all of the great people that would come into my life and become true friends.

This mevsMJ.com walk has always been about truly believing that anything is possible with faith and hard work and I really feel that through 2011 that became more eveident than ever!

I’ve always believed in me vs. Michael Jordan and now I’m sure a few more people do too!  That’s a great thing!

For every person that has read a post, for each one of you that has believed in what I’m doing, for those who took time out of their life to help my dream come true, for those of you that I’m fortunate enough to call my friends, I say THANK YOU!

2011 was an unbelievable ride!

Off to 2012 we go!

me vs. MJ…the journey continues!!!!!  Thank you for following along!

Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

So last week, as you may have seen in Saturday’s post, I began individual performance training at the B Meyer training facility in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

If you didn’t see Saturday’s post, Coach B Meyer has been featured in Men’s Health, USA Today, and ESPN to name a few and is the performance coach for many professional athletes, including the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard.  It’s safe to say this is the real deal!

Through my first four sessions it has been an unbelievable experience!

Truthfully, I’m not really a morning person or a “working out” person (besides running and court work), but over the past week I’ve been so excited to wake up at 5am and go workout with Coach B and his program coach Dave Rubin that I almost can’t sleep the night before!  I’m thrilled because I know I’m getting better!

Last week I was scheduled for two sessions, but then on Friday morning because I was so amped, I sent Dave the following text, “Man, I wanna workout today!”

I really didn’t expect anything from that but within a few minutes Dave had made time for me in his schedule so that I could come by and get some work in!

That to me is an example of, as my buddy Andy says, “Good people!”

It’s the best feeling to have people that want you to improve as much as YOU want to improve and that’s what I’ve got with Dave and Coach B!

I’m thankful, for sure!

Initial Test Results

So I did a series of tests on Friday, ranging from vertical jump to 300 yard shuttle, so that I could track my improvement over the period of training and I thought I would share the initial results:

Vertical:  23.6 inches (no steps, just straight up)

Max Push-Ups:  30

Max Suspension Pull-Ups:  15

Broad Jump:  6’10”

300 Yard Shuttle:  1:12

Measurement of waist at belly button:  32 inches

Measurement two inches above belly button:  32 inches

Due to me not working out at all prior to last week (besides running and playing hoops as previously mentioned), I’m satisfied with the initial results and know that I will see great improvement as I continue to get stronger!

Operation NBA Body is in full effect!

me vs. Michael Jordan…the journey continues!  I’m getting ready!

Are you Mr. Jordan?

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HELP ME:  I’m working hard over here and I need your help!  Please share this site with at least one person today and help spread the mevsMJ.com word!  All things are possible with FAITH and HARD WORK!

Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and Facebook Fan Page.

“Come on Ken!  Stay up!  You’ve got this!  Just a few more seconds!” were the encouraging words coming my way from Coach B, as I lay stretched out on the floor early Tuesday morning, arms and chest raised, head tucked, in full Superman mode.

With effort dripping from my brow, it seemed only fitting that my initial evaluation/workout would include the Superman near its conclusion.  After all, the man that is Coach B, Bryan Meyer, is the performance coach behind probably the best physical specimen in any sport, Superman, aka Dwight Howard!

Will You Help Me Get Better?

“Will you help me get better?” was the humble request I sent Coach B’s (@CoachBMeyer) way a couple of weeks ago through Twitter.

I wasn’t sure if he would even respond, due to his schedule and the fact that he didn’t know me, but he did!

Over the next couple of days we exchanged a few messages and then this past Monday afternoon I was at his B Meyer Training facility, in Altamonte Springs, Florida, discussing my goal of playing Michael Jordan and what this site is all about.

More Than A Game of 1-on-1

For those of you that have been with me since the beginning here at mevsMJ.com, you understand that this journey is much more than a game of 1-on-1 vs. Michael Jordan.

While MJ is the end goal, this site is about pushing the limits of what is viewed as possible by the majority and maximizing the potential we all have in whatever venue you choose to do so.

Me + B Meyer Training

I’ve written in the past about preparing for WHEN, not if, your goal will happen and that’s what working with Coach B Meyer and his staff is all about!

I’m preparing for WHEN I check the ball in to Michael Jordan!

While I may never be able to do the things that Dwight Howard can do, I do want to maximize every bit of Kenny Eller! (Note:  I didn’t say that I wouldn’t be able to do what Howard can do!  Always gotta think positive!)

So over the coming weeks, I will wake up at 5am, drive some 50 minutes a couple of times a week, to work with Coach B and his staff to become the best me that I can be.

I must tell you that after my first three sessions I already feel stronger and more prepared!  (Don’t be afraid Mr. Jordan! ;-))

My Commitment

My initial commitment is to train for a minimum of three months and to give every bit of myself in each session.

I sincerely want to get BETTER and I know that working with Coach B will get me there!

I may not be where I’d like to be currently, but I can already see where I will end up and that is beyond exciting!

Session number four is early Monday morning and I CAN’T WAIT!!!

me vs. MJ…the soon to be in NBA shape journey continues!  As always, thank you following along!

Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and Facebook Fan Page.

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For more information on Bryan Meyer and his B Meyer Training, connect with him on Twitter (@CoachBMeyer), through his Facebook Fan Page and on the B Meyer Training website.

I woke up yesterday morning and the first thing I read was, “That would not be possible.”

It wasn’t the response I had hoped for when I sent out the the request, but I emailed them back, thanking them for responding nonetheless.

Head up, I then sent out the following update to Twitter and Facebook:  “Woke up to a ‘That would not be possible’ this morning, but I won’t stop until I hear it from Michael Jordan himself!”

Then a few hours later something HUGE happened!

Something that very well may be the turning point in this journey of mine to play Michael Jordan!

The BIG NEWS!!!

At 10:29 a.m. on Monday, May 2, 2011 my cell phone rang:

Me:  Hello this is Kenny.

Caller:  Ken…(long pause)…this is Nick Anderson.

Nick Anderson’s NBA Career

Nick Anderson averaged 15.4 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Orlando Magic over his ten year career with the team and over 14 ppg during his 13 year NBA career.

Anderson was the first ever draft pick of the Orlando Magic (11^th overall).  He is also the Orlando Magic’s all-time leader in scoring, steals and games played.  He ranks third overall in rebounds behind only Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal.

How “The Call” Happened!

I received a text from a good friend of mine asking if I had ever gotten in touch with Nick Anderson.  I replied no, that I hadn’t.  In the past, in passing, I had mentioned to her how cool and BIG it would be to make contact with someone like Nick.

She then said, if you write him (Nick Anderson) an email about your site and forward it to me, a friend of mine said that he could forward it on to Nick for you!

A few minutes later I sent the email.

An hour later I was talking with Nick Anderson!

Talking with Nick Anderson

After I got over the shock of who was calling me, I explained to Nick exactly why I began mevsMJ.com, what I’ve done thus far and what I’m looking to accomplish and he loved it!

He said,

“My dream growing up was to always play in the NBA, so I can relate to what you’re doing.  You only live once, so you might as well go after your dreams!”

Nick went on with,

“I’d be more than happy to do anything I can to help you.  You’ve got my cell phone number now, lock it in, call me tomorrow and we can set a time to meet at a court and shoot around.  We can start from there.”

Blown away by his kindness, I thanked him profusely, asked him at one point, “Seriously?!?!?!” and threw in some “THIS IS SO COOL!!!”

Life is Amazing!

My slogan this year has been “Life is amazing, if you allow it to be!” and that has never been more true than now.

When I began this journey in August, if someone would have told me that in a little over eight months my cell phone would ring one morning and on the other end would be former NBA player Nick Anderson, well, it would have been tough to believe…even for me.

The kindness of people along the way has been the most inspiringly rich part of this journey of mine to play Michael Jordan.  The selflessness and want of others to HELP ME achieve my childhood dream humbles me and I am so forever grateful.

I really can’t fully express in words what I’m feeling right now, other than to say that I am so thankful.

Me and Nick Anderson

Thirty minutes after our conversation, still so very excited, I sent Nick a text message that said, “Wow, I am so thankful!  You have no idea how much I appreciate this!!!”

Nick responded back, “You are more than Welcome :-)”

So later this week, I will meet Nick Anderson on some court somewhere here in Central Florida!

Proof, that if you work hard, have faith and believe, anything truly is POSSIBLE!

Proof that right behind the disappointment of a NO could be the BIGGEST YES you’ve ever heard!

me vs. MJ…this fantastic journey just went BIG TIME!

Stay tuned, it’s about to get VERY COOL around here!

Thank you all for the love, support and for following along!

**Note:  I want to give a very special thanks to my great friends Dani Sebaali and Eric Nourse for being amazing people and for connecting me with Nick Anderson!  You have no idea how much this means to me!  THANK YOU!  YOU GUYS ROCK!!

Two Sunday afternoons ago, just a couple of days after being dominated by Robert Brown, I hurt my back as I attempted to show my brother how high I could jump.

Following numerous games of one-on-one between myself, my bro and a friend, I let pride and FACT take over.

My brother had taken a series of pictures of me and my friend playing against one another.   In each of the photos, both of us were not more than a few inches off of the ground at what he said were the “peaks” of our jumps.

Now, I will never be known by my jumping ability, but these pictures were ridiculous.   I felt like when the Magic brought in Dwight Howard for his pre-draft workout and “mis-measured” his jumping ability, prompting Dwight to barely jump and say at the same time, “they said I was right here” and touch the previously incorrect mark.  Funny stuff for sure! (click here to watch the video.  Go to 1:56 for the fun to begin.)

So I, like Dwight had done years before with the Magic, had to show my bro just how off his photos actually were.

Owww That Hurts!

Three jumps in and I felt a twinge in the right side of my back.

I woke up the next day and could barely get out of bed.

The Back History

Around 12 or 13 years ago I hurt my back when I slipped on a wet spot in a gym, going up for a lay-in.   Since that point, there have been a handful of times where I move the wrong way on the court and my back freezes up on me.

Add that to the fact that I have some scoliosis going on and well, my back was never made as one might find in an anatomy book.   No big deal, it’s what I’ve had my whole life.  I used to joke that had I not had scoliosis I would have been 6’6” like Jordan.

I saw the chiropractors and the massage therapists and nothing ever really seemed to help long term.  Rest was always the cure.

Not Too Concerned (I Can’t REST Now!)

So with that history, I wasn’t all that concerned even though pulling myself out of bed Monday morning was a struggle.   I had been through this all before.

Besides, how was I going to rest?  Mike Jordan wouldn’t rest!  I needed to work on my game!

By the evening, with the help of some Advil, I was loose enough I wasn’t going to let it stop me from getting my run in.   I ran my four miles, came home and relaxed and woke up Tuesday morning feeling the same way.  Stiff!

On Tuesday evening I decided not to play the normal half court games and instead work more on my one-on-one game with my brother.  It started off ok, then six points in, I could barely move.  It hurt to breathe.  I tried to push through, but was forced to stop.  My back was now worse than it had been!

My body had been telling me to slow down, but I didn’t listen, so my back said ENOUGH and slowed me down itself.

w-REST-ling with Rest

So for the last week I’ve been wrestling with resting to say the least.  Incapable of moving laterally, I have bit down and listened to my body.  I stopped all physical activity.  It hasn’t been easy though.

This past Saturday I was very close to going back out on the court to get some shots in, but after discussing with a few people, refrained.

A Health-y Appreciation

It’s sad that it seems to always take an injury for me to fully appreciate the part of me that is injured.

I suppose most people go through life the same way.   We run, jump, run faster and jump higher and think nothing of it until a sickness or injury halts our movement.  Then we WISH we could just run and jump, even a little.

I feel like I’m being hit over the head lately with making the most of each moment.   This injury, like my brother calling me out, has me so anxious to get out and make the most of each day.

I really can’t wait to get back on the court!

If You’re Healthy And You Know It Clap Your Hands!

Hanging out with my 19 month old niece lately has put a lot of those children songs in my head.

Beyond the songs, hanging out with a little kid who has only been running for a handful of months, and is still trying to figure out how to make her body do exactly what she wants it to do, can give unbridled perspective.

When she runs through my house, she runs all out.  She doesn’t hold back.  She doesn’t get tired.  She doesn’t want to be held.  She wants to RUUUUUUN!

A child appreciates everything because every single thing they are doing is so new.  It’s freedom.  It’s expression.  It’s fun.

Thirty three years of life can wear away at that.  Let’s be honest, it doesn’t even take that long.

Get Out And Move!

The point is, if you can get out and run today, do it.  A lot of people can’t.

If you can jump.  Get out from behind your desk right now and Jump!

If you can play basketball.  Go play!

There will always be time to clean the house and wash the clothes.  Always time to do some more work and make more money.   Always a reason NOT to take time to fully appreciate the gifts we’ve been given.

There WILL come a point in your life where you WON’T be able.

Don’t wait until then to “wish you could”.

GET OUT AND MOVE!

Note:  Below is a picture of the jump that hurt my back, but proof I can jump a little higher than a couple of inches.

Note: I just started a mevsMJ.com Facebook page.  If you like what I’m doing here, do me a favor and click the like button on the page too!   I’ve added a convenient way to do so here on the site, just to the right of this post.  Or you can go to the mevsMJ.com Facebook page by clicking here! Thanks!

Only thing left to do now is buy lots of socks and more basketball shorts!

The next BIG STEP

On October 18th, I will take my Journey to Jordan Camp to the BIG TIME and attend professional basketball training at Impact Basketball, in Sarasota, Florida.

I will be there for one full week (18th-22nd) to train like a PRO.

I’m extremely excited and to be transparent, a bit nervous!

The Real Deal

Impact Basketball is the real deal.

They have trained everyone from Baron Davis to Chauncey Billups, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard, Corey Maggette, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, Tayshaun Prince, John Wall (recent #1 pick in NBA Draft) and the list goes on and on.  (See Alumni)

As you can tell by the list of players above, I’m not their typical client.

Typically guys attending the training are looking to make a living playing basketball or at the very least get a free college education.

When I contacted Impact Basketball, they really connected with what I’m looking to accomplish here at me vs. MJ.  The gentleman from Impact who called me to discuss was almost as excited about it as I am.  His exact phrase was, “Don’t ever grow up!  I love it Kenny!”

So they are doing something they don’t typically do.  They are going to train a 33 year old guy, who was never a great basketball player, in an attempt to get me as ready as I can be to face off against the best hoopster to ever live…Michael Jordan.

I have worked on getting this set up for a couple of months now and for it to all come together, feels amazing!

The Doubt

The nervousness I feel going into this training, has actually caught me a little off guard.

Doubt of my ability.  An inability to belong in such a group of basketball players.  The thought of other players there, wondering what could I possibly be doing training at Impact Basketball.  The thought of the trainers wondering the same.

All of those doubts have put their arm around my shoulders and tried to be a friend, but I sprint forward.

I sprint forward because I KNOW I will learn!

I sprint because I KNOW they will make me better!

I sprint because I CAN NOT let doubt EVER beat me!

I sprint so that I CAN climb my peak of ability!

I sprint so that I can LIVE!

The Process

I don’t know much of what my training will consist of at this point, other than I’ll be working out around 5 hours per day.

I plan on doing some updates from Sarasota, if I’m able to do anything besides train and sleep.

If you’d like to follow along daily, the best way is probably through Twitter.  (You can follow me by clicking here)

Exercise and Prayers

For the 11 days until my training I’ll continue along my workout schedule (see on right side column or click here).

If you could pray for me, I would much appreciate it!  If you don’t pray, wish me luck!

I’ve included a video below to give you a better idea of exactly what Impact Basketball is.

Thanks for following along!  This is about to get really fun!

ps:  Mr. Jordan:  I’m about to get a lot better

Impact Basketball Promotional Video:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koLhFrwv1xY