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!

IT’S OFFICIAL!

On March 1st, at 11am in Dallas, Texas, I will sit down and have lunch with Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks!

The How

If you’ve been following along on this journey of mine to play Michael Jordan since day one, you know that Twitter has been good to me!  From Jeff Jordan to Tracy McGrady, Damon Jones to Coach B Meyer, I’ve made numerous basketball connections through the 140 character social media platform.

I can now add Mark Cuban to that list!

I currently follow 158 people on Twitter, with one of those being billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban (@MCuban).  Just over two months ago, on the afternoon of November 3rd, I opened Twitter on my phone and saw this retweet by Cuban himself.

At first I didn’t really think much of it, figuring the odds of “winning” a lunch with someone like Mark Cuban would be highly unlikely.  So I skimmed through the rest of my Twitter feed and went on with what I was doing…for a moment.

Then curiosity got the best of me.

I went back to the tweet a few minutes later, clicked the link and read that the lunch would go to the highest bidder of an auction taking place on eBay, with proceeds going to charity.

Again, my initial thought was, this will most likely quickly get out of my “giving” range, but the optimist in me, read on.

As I read through the details, the actual prize was a lunch for two with Mark Cuban.

I immediately thought, who could maximize my giving potential?  Who loves hoops and or Mark Cuban as much as I do and is as crazy as I am to go for it?!?!

A minute later, I sent an email to my buddy Karol and just moments after that, he was in!

Do You Really Want To Do This?

A day or two before the auction was due to come to a close on November 11th; I was out for a run when I received a message from Karol asking if I still really wanted to bid on the lunch.  He said he was definitely in, but would leave it up to me.

It was gut check time.

I had then just recently returned from Las Vegas, and Impact Basketball’s Competitive League and while I loved the idea of having lunch with Mark Cuban, I wasn’t sure it made the most sense financially to make an unplanned charitable contribution at that time.

I continued on and finished my run, thinking about what I should do the majority of the way.  I got home, took a shower, while still thinking of all that could be and could come from such a meeting.

Then with just under 24 hours of opportunity remaining, the dreamer in me, said, YES, WE’VE GOT TO GO FOR IT!

On November 11th, thanks to some great bidding by Karol, we won by just an $11 margin, with a final bid in the closing seconds!!

The Million Dollar Pitch

This may come as a shock to most reading this, but I don’t plan on pitching any “money making” ideas to Mr. Cuban.

I know, I know, most people would kill for an opportunity to share their ideas with someone like Mark Cuban, because he has the ability to make dreams come true.

All I want to do though, is get to know him a little, talk hoops, tell him about mevsMJ.com and my journey to play Michael Jordan and ask him one major question/favor.

I plan on asking Mark:  Will you call Michael Jordan and ask him to play me?

That’s it!

In a Position to Succeed!

I can’t control how the upcoming lunch will go.  While I am hopeful that Mark Cuban falls in love with what I’m doing here at mevsMJ.com and wants to make it a priority of his to make my dream a reality, I just don’t control that.

I leave that in HIS hands.

All I can do is work hard and do my best to continue to place myself in positions in which I can succeed.

That’s all any of us can do.

Hoops Instead of Lunch?

Through email we’ve actually asked to shoot hoops with Mr. Cuban as opposed to lunch, but have yet to hear back on that just yet, haha!  If that happens, you know he may just sign me after seeing me shoot the ball!!

Anyway, as the trip gets closer and more details come my way, I’ll be sure to pass them on!

I’m just happy now that it’s confirmed, to finally be able to share with everyone something I’ve known for two months!

me vs. MJ…the amazing journey continues!  As always, thank you for following along and for your continued support!

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

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.

During my time out at Impact Basketball’s Competitive League, I was once again shown the power of social media and in particular Twitter.

During my layover in Phoenix, Arizona, I sent a challenge out to 11 year NBA veteran and three point sharpshooter Damon Jones.  I knew Damon would be at Impact’s event in Las Vegas, but I didn’t really expect him to respond.

Yet he DID!

What ensued was three days of playful trash talk and challenges as shown below in my twitter feed.  While it may not have ended the way I would have liked, the experience still left me thankful.

September 20, 2011 (The Challenge, Response and Initial Meeting)

I honestly couldn’t believe it when I looked at the notification on my phone and saw that Jones had taken the challenge.  It was early afternoon and I had just checked into my hotel room in Vegas last Tuesday.

Beyond excited, I packed up my gym bag with a change of clothes and my Jordans and then let the world know that Me vs. Damon Jones was on!!

As I took a cab ride over to Impact Basketball’s facility, my buddy DJ got in on the Twitter action and spoke a little trash for me!

Damon’s response had me smiling from ear to ear!  I had come out to Vegas to spread the mevsMJ.com word and minutes into the experience something amazing was already happening!

I watched the two games prior to Jones’ 5:30pm game and awaited his arrival.

As Damon warmed up prior to his game, I walked out on the court (THANK YOU Impact for the VIP passes) towards Jones, and was greeted with a huge smile and warm handshake.  I could tell he recognized me from our online conversation.  He asked in a challenging tone, “You ready?”  I responded, “Always, when are we going to do this!?”  Jones replied, “Right after this game!  I’ll come find you and we’ll do it!”

In the first half of the game Damon was 4 of 6 from downtown.

As he began warming up for the second half he walked right past me and I said, “I see you!” (A modern day way of acknowledging someone’s success)

Jones very sure of himself responded, “Did that make you nervous!?  You still think you want some of this!?”

I told him, “Of course!”

With a puzzled look he replied, “Really!?!?”

Almost laughing I said, “Yeah, because you thought two of the four you made were off!”

Then in what would turn out to be classic Damon Jones fashion he confidently told me, while shooting a three at the same time, “Naa, I just say ‘that’s off’ to throw the defender off!”  With the ball halfway to the rim, he had now turned back completely to me until he heard it swish through and then said, “See!”

I laughed, appreciated his confidence and knew I’d have my hands full after the game.

The only problem is there was no shoot off on Tuesday.  Midway through the 4th quarter Jones had his knees iced and I was almost positive then that he wasn’t going to shoot with me.

He left pretty much immediately after the game.  I of course proceeded to get my shots in and went back to my hotel room to get some rest, but not before calling him out!

September 21, 2011 (The Response, More Trash Talk and a New Shootout Date Set)

Fairly early on Wednesday morning Damon responded to his whereabouts after the game the night before.

30 minutes before Damon’s 3:30pm game on Wednesday, I saw him sitting on the other side of the court a few seats from Chauncey Billups.  Never one to shy away from a challenge (Remember:  I am trying to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. Michael Jordan), I made my way from my courtside seat, on the other side of the court, over to Jones and we had a good laugh as I sat down next to him and we began to talk.

Damon Jones can flat out shoot the ball!  I know that, he knows that and he’ll tell you so in a playful way if you don’t know that!  I’ve watched the guy for years make shots in the NBA, teamed with the likes of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.  I asked him about his shooting practice and if he counts shots or makes.  As I thought, he said he only counts makes and depending on the schedule would get in 500 makes three to four times a week from various areas on the court.

He told me with a large smile that turned into a laugh, “It takes a lot of work and a lot of trash talk to be as good as me, but keep working and maybe you’ll get there some day!”

Amused and enjoying the verbal jabs, I responded, “I hear you talking, but I don’t see you doing anything!  I’m here!  I’ll be here!”

Jones then asked me, “OK, how long will you be here?  How about we shoot tomorrow at 11am!”

I said, “It’s on!  I’ll be here!”

I then wished him luck and watched the next two games!

September 22, 2011 (The Day of the Shootout and What Could Have Been)

I woke up at 5:42am Thursday morning and while I wish I could say it was nerves about the upcoming shootout, it was not.  That was actually the longest I had slept during my time in Vegas, apparently thrown off by the three hour time change from Florida.

Still, I jumped out of bed, ordered a nice breakfast and sent out a tweet in an attempt to confirm my upcoming shootout with one of the NBA’s best!

I arrived at Impact’s training center around 9:35am that morning.  I caught the last few minutes of Coby Karl’s workout and watched the first few minutes of Eric Bledsoe’s workout before deciding to see if I could go get some shots in on the open half court prior to Damon’s arrival at 11am.

My buddy Karol got in on the action and based upon Jones’ response, I wanted to be as ready as possible!

With the guys at Impact being cool with me using the court, I grabbed an NBA ball, headed down to the other end and began shooting around 10:45am or so.

Then around 11:30am I got the following message from Damon.

Disappointed for sure, I continued to get my shooting work in, changed clothes and then enjoyed the day’s games and DJ’s Twitter response.

Could I have beaten Damon Jones in a shooting contest?  Who knows!  All I knew was that the experience would have been great and I would have without a doubt done much better than Damon ever would have expected.  I know I can shoot the ball!

I ran into Jones as he was leaving Thursday evening, having just made 10 three pointers in his game.  He wished me the best on my journey and told me to stay in touch.

As I’ve learned with this experience that is mevsMJ.com, sometimes the journey outweighs the final destination.  Even though Damon had backed out, I couldn’t help but feel thankful for the experience.

September 26, 2011 (NBA Ball and More Damon Jones)

One of the first things I did this past Saturday morning when I got back from Vegas was look into getting an NBA ball.  When I got waxed by Garfield Blair in 1-on-1, we used his NBA ball and I was thrown off a bit by the different feel (not that the ball would have mattered in our two games).  Then at Impact I got to use the ball the pro’s use on two seperate occasions for extended periods of time and decided that if I’m going to be playing NBA guys, I need to get used to their ball!

I sent a quick text to one of my contacts and Monday I had my official NBA ball!

I of course had to let Damon know and assure him that we WILL have a shootout ONE DAY and I will be coming for his self proclaimed, “World’s Greatest Shooter” crown!

Thank you Damon Jones!

I want to thank Damon for his kindness and availability.  Sure he backed out twice (Damon, did Rudy or OJ text you that I was popping those nets Thursday morning?? Haha! :-D), but he could have easily done what so many others do and never even responded to my initial challenge.

Will we ever have a shoot off?  Only time will tell!

What I can assure you is that if there is a next time, I will be even more prepared and ready!

LET IT RAIN!

me vs. MJ…the amazing journey continues!

Sitting in the last of a long row of folding metal chairs lining the sideline of the court I studied the footwork of Rudy Gay, Roger Mason and Jared Dudley as they went through their morning court workout with the founder of Impact Basketball, Joe Abunassar.

My eyes red and heavy from lack of sleep the night before did their best to paint mental canvases of the player’s execution on each drill.

In an empty gymnasium just off the Las Vegas strip, on a Wednesday morning in September, I was being shown exactly what the best do to get better and I couldn’t have been happier!

John Wall

Forty-five minutes into their workout in walked one of the most electrifying point guards in the NBA, John Wall.

The night before as I was shooting around on the court after the games, I dribbled up to John as he walked across the hardwood floor and playfully asked, “You wanna play some 1-on-1?”

With a slight smile he responded, “I’m too tired right now man.”

It made sense.  He had just dropped over 40 points in the game some 20 minutes earlier, hitting the hole like the roadrunner.

Now less than 12 hours later he was back in the gym ready to work on his game.

As he walked down to the court he took a seat in the chair directly next to me, kicked off his slides and began putting his shoes on.

We talked briefly about my journey to play Michael Jordan before Rudy, Roger and Jared came over to greet John, having just completed their workout.

Me, Roger, Jared, Rudy and Stephen Jackson

Because John had chosen to sit next to me out of all the empty chairs, I soon found myself next to Roger and Rudy, who had taken seats next to John before he proceeded to begin his workout.  Then Jared pulled up a seat at an angle on the other side of me and for the next 30 minutes or so I listened as they talked shoe contracts, music, and what players were leaving to play overseas.

Then in walked Stephen Jackson and as he was giving handshakes to the guys, because I was there with them he reached out to me and said, “What’s up man!”

Wearing my Jordan Six Rings shirt, Jackson noticed and said, “I have the white one, but I haven’t seen the black one.  I like that!”

It was all quite surreal to say the least.

I’m Trying To Get A Game of 1-on-1 vs. Michael Jordan

Over my three days at Impact Basketball’s facility I told Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Corey Brewer, Jermaine Taylor, Rudy Gay, Jared Dudley, OJ Mayo, Damon Jones, Kenyon Martin, Corey Maggette, Marreese Speights and Dahntay Jones about my journey to play MJ.

They all for the most part were very supportive wishing me luck on my quest.

While I wasn’t able to get anyone to agree to play me, I did get some encouraging feedback and at one point was shown a move by John Wall.  I’d describe it, but Mr. Jordan might be reading!  Oh, what the heck…it was his patented spin move!!!  How cool is that!?!?

On another occasion as I was shooting one evening, I did a little hesitation dribble towards Chauncey Billups, prompting him to say to me in an encouraging tone, “Oh, that’s what you’ve got for Jordan!”  I then ran right next to him on the court, launched a NBA 3 pointer over him, that swished, to which he said, “Nice shot!”

In all, to list every single interaction with a player would take much more than a single blog post and for some reason I’d like to just keep some of them for myself.  All I can is, it was an amazing experience for sure!

Impact Competitive League Action

In my time in Vegas I watched eight fairly intense games of NBA basketball.  I’ve never been closer to the action, including my days in TV, as I was last week.

With a couple hundred people there to watch daily, I could hear the trash talk, the shoes squeak and all that falls between the two.

It was awesome!

For the fans that did show up, they got an up close and personal look at a group of NBA guys that just love to play ball.  Stripped away was all the formality that has become today’s NBA.  Left was a group of highly skilled men that love the game and appreciate the fans, even interacting with them at times during the games.

I also saw numerous players sign autographs and stop to take pictures after the games.

Shooting In Front Of NBA Players

Thursday morning as Eric Bledsoe was working out on one end, the other half of the court was open, due to Coby Karl having completed his morning session.

Always equipped with my Jordans, I walked down and asked if they mind if I shoot on the other end until the next workout began.

After getting approval, I proceeded to get some shots in for the next hour and 15 minutes in front of the top trainers and players like Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo.

At first, to be honest, I was a bit nervous.  I had just watched Bledsoe make almost every shot he took and now I was shooting with an NBA ball, which is a bit different than what I routinely use, in front of a group of basketball’s best.

The adrenaline was sprinting through my body, but after a few minutes I found my rhythm, took a deep breath and was fine.  I honestly don’t know if they watched much of what I did, but I know they heard that net pop, haha!

What I Learned Watching NBA Guys Workout

They are so freaking good!  Like in all walks of life, some go harder than others, but the consistency is amazing!  The footwork, the elevation, the fluidity and ease at which they move, the conditioning, the explosiveness and their ability to make the majority of their shots was so inspiring!  They are so efficient on the basketball court!

There is such a gigantic difference between them and most everyone else that plays basketball and getting to see them workout further proved that and blew my mind.

They made me want to work even harder because I know now how great you can actually be at the game I love so much.

My Impact Family (Thank You!)

Last year I reached out to Impact Basketball and told them about my dream.  Matt Hiller who trained me some 11 months ago has been like a brother to me and I can’t say enough good things about him or Tom Carollo who hooked me up with VIP, all access passes to the Impact League event.  Great men, no doubt!

Impact Basketball truly is a class act organization and I’m so happy and thankful to have them on my side.

I’d like to thank Impact Basketball creator Joe Abunassar for his hospitality as well.  Very much appreciated!

I also want to thank every single person at Impact Basketball for having me and for their kindness.  Means the World to me!

More Impact Basketball In My Future

I’m actually looking to possibly make another trip to Vegas next month for some more hoops!  I simply can’t get enough!  There is talk of perhaps putting on another two week league in late October and that has me already wanting to book some airline tickets!

While those details are being worked out, I will without a doubt make my way back down to Sarasota to work with Matt and Tom very soon.

Life Is Amazing If You Allow It To Be!

I’ve been saying all of 2011 that “Life is Amazing If You Allow It To Be!”  This is just another example of that and for it I’m so thankful.

Never be afraid to go after your dreams!  Amazing, wonderful things are waiting for you, if you just take a long stride and believe!

me vs. MJ…the now cross country journey continues!  As always, thank you for following along!

Full Video Recap of Impact Basketball’s Competitive League Series

httpvh://youtu.be/ZneQFX2kZho

 **Check Back Thursday For…Me vs. Damon Jones (The Shootout That Almost Was)

Later this morning I will land in Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time.

I won’t be there to vacation or to gamble.

I’ll be there for Impact Basketball’s Competitive Training Series, which is a league featuring games with up to 60 current NBA players!

I’m going because I LOVE the game of basketball!

I’m going so that I can spread the mevsMJ.com word!

I’m going and I will challenge some NBA players to a game of 1-on-1!

I’m going so the pros can get a good up close look at the guy that WILL play Michael Jordan!

Be sure to check Twitter and the mevsMJ.com Facebook page for updates throughout the week and expect a full report when I return!

The journey of me vs. Michael Jordan continues!  Thanks for following along!

####

Here is some action from week 1 (Video):

httpvh://youtu.be/lGBInMzQ8cQ

In 2010 I went from hating running to enjoying it.  From sitting on my couch to running over 530 miles.  I ran two half marathons.  I ran during the week in the mornings or evenings for fun.   From last summer through my injury, on the last day of January, I ran every Saturday morning (8-10 miles) with friends.

I loved it.  Loved how strong I felt.  Loved being able to run 10 miles at a nice pace, while talking with friends about their week.

I would discuss running at work, with friends, with anyone that would listen and even here on mevsMJ.com.

The pop in my calf muscle ended all of that.

I ran my first 2.5 miles last week in the past four months!

The Dilemma

MY GOAL:  Play Michael Jordan 1-on-1.

TRUTH:  Running long distances DOES NOT help me prepare for my goal.

I first realized this when I attended Impact Basketball training in November.  In a short period of time Matt Hiller had me gasping for air as I stood at the free throw line.  I had never been so short of breath in my life.  At the time I was running 18-20 miles per week and was able to run 5 miles at a 7:23 pace.

The realization hit home again later that month when I handed to ball to the #79^th ranked high school player in America, Robert Brown and played him 1-on-1.  Fourteen points in to game one, as I went to pick up the ball, I felt like I was going to pass out.  I was exhausted.  He wasn’t.

Finally, during the rehab of my injury it really hit home.  Speaking with numerous trainers and players, no trainer suggested running long distances and no player, and I’m talking even a former NBA All-Star, ran long distances as a way to prepare for basketball.

It made sense.

Basketball is about a series of explosive movements, not a steady speed for miles, even if that speed is considered fast.

Back to Hooping!

I’ve been back to hooping for just over two months and right now my game is feeling great!

Sure I got my butt kicked again by Robert Brown and then by NBDL draftee Garfield Blair when I first came back from injury, but since then I’m on a roll!

Over the past two weeks, of my last 12 games of one-on-one vs. “regular people” I’m 11-1.  I’m not just winning the games, I’m dominating!  My last four opponents I’ve outscored 60-12 combined (games are to 15 points).

I’m now less than two weeks from my match-up with Andy Gebru (played this past season professionally in Brazil) and besides a couple of nagging injuries (groin/ankle) I couldn’t be in a better place!

I’m ready to test myself again against the best and see the hard work I’ve been putting in turn into a better showing!

To Run…or Not To Run?

Due to understanding what is going to benefit me most in my preparation for Michael Jordan, I just haven’t been running.

Instead, I’ve been doing mostly everything on a basketball court and playing as much 1-on-1 as possible.  It seems to be working.

Still, last Wednesday evening I slipped on the Nikes, headed to the trail and ran.  I didn’t run very far, just 2.5 miles as I stated earlier, and it definitely wasn’t as easy as it was the last time I had run, though I did manage a 7:35 pace.

I didn’t run for conditioning.  I ran because I kind of missed it.

For me at this point right now, the answer to whether I should run or not comes down to what this journey is all about:  Doing something I’m passionate about!

While I can tell you I won’t be running 20 miles a week anytime soon, I may slip in a 5 mile run here and a 10 mile run there.

I’ll do it on days because I miss it, or for the comradery and most importantly because it brings me a little joy.

After all, a little joy is all we are ever really in search of isn’t it.

me vs. MJ…the journey continues!

Thank you for following along!

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100 Facebook Fans/Likes!!! (Wahooooo!)

Special THANK YOU to my FIRST 100 mevsMJ.com Facebook Fans/Likes!! The 100 of you will always be the first!  Very special to me!  If you haven’t already LIKED the mevsMJ.com Facbook page, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? <—It’s a LINK!

I don’t like lifting heavy things.  Never have.

I suppose if you’ve ever seen me in person on in any picture that is pretty evident.

What I do like is GETTING BETTER!

At the time of my injury, I was in the best shape of my life.  I could run for days, I was trim (more so than usual) and felt I could play hoops at a fairly high level for a sustained period of time.  Fast forward two months and with no ability to do any activity whatsoever, well, the above physical fitness just didn’t stay the same.

My first few sessions of physical therapy had me gasping for air within minutes.  It bothered me.  To go from where I was to that was a bit discouraging, but the thankfulness inside of me just to be able to DO anything far surpassed any frustration felt.

Still, one of the goals I set forth when I began mevsMJ.com was to get in the best shape of my life.  I knew then that I needed to be at my PEAK when I played Michael Jordan one-on-one and now I’m looking to Tony Horton and P90X to help me get there.

Later today will be my tenth workout thus far with P90X and besides the Yoga (kinda boring to me…I know I need to expand my mind) it has been a lot of fun.  Fun of course if you consider being exhausted and soaked with sweat, enjoyable.  I just look at it as getting better.  The harder I work, the better I get.

Love The Support!

I got an email the other day from my good friend Matt Hiller, who trained me at Impact Basketball.  He told me to stop thinking of myself as the underdog in my one-on-one match-ups!  He told me to be confident!  He closed with YOU GOT THIS!!!

I’ve talked in the past about how important a great support system is.  I’ve wrote about how important it is to have people that will “call you out“.  Matt is so right!  (If you’re reading this, thanks bro!)

Mental and Physical Adjustment

So I’ve made an adjustment in my thinking and now an adjustment in my preparation with P90X.  As Horton always says, “Do your best and forget the rest!”

I’m doing just that!

Thanks for following along!

*Note: I hope to have a post detailing my experience with the best basketball shooter in the world, Dave Hopla, completed on Thursday.  The time with Mr. Hopla far exceeded my expectations!

March 10, 2011

Mr. Michael Jeffrey Jordan
23 G.O.A.T Court
Charlotte, NC  32292

Dear MJ:

When you came into the league (NBA) in 1984 I was seven years old.  My big focus was getting to know my new classmates and learning how to read small books with a few words in a big font on each page.  You went on to win Rookie of the Year with a stat line of 28.2ppg, 6.5rpg, 5.9apg, and 2.4spg.  I had a knack for being able to spell and led my class in gold stars.

The very next year you got injured and played in just 18 regular season games.  I can’t say that I was fully aware of how tough that must have been on you then, as I was just in the third grade.  Even though management wanted you to sit the year out, you came back, helped the Bulls to the playoffs and put on a show.  On April 20^th you dropped an NBA playoff record 63 points on Larry Bird and the Celtics in the first round!  Unfortunately I was unable to see the game live, as we only had one TV and at eight years old I didn’t get to pick the channels.

At the age of 28 you won your first title with the Chicago Bulls.  By this time I had read every article I could get my hands on and every book I could beg my parents to buy for me.  I knew so much about you and your teammates that I felt like I was a part of the team too.  I was also starting to put quite a few hours of my own into learning the game of basketball.

By the time you had won your third straight title I had just finished my first year of JV basketball.  I was just 5’9” at the time but used to pray that I would be tall and even tried hanging on the monkey bars because I heard that’s what you did growing up.  My parents are only 5’8” and 5’6”, but your parents weren’t tall either, so I thought I had a chance!  The best thing about my game in those days was my Jordans.  I had the shoes, the jersey, the shorts and shirts.  I watched every VHS tape I could rent from the local video store over and over again trying to pick up on every little thing that made you great.  Books written about you consumed my nights.

Throughout my high school life I was never really that good at the game Dr. James Naismith invented.  I got my butt kicked over and over again in hoops, but never gave up.  I was totally self-taught and finally by my senior year I was catching up physically and skill wise with the other guys.  Even though I was more B.J. Armstrong and less Michael Jordan, I had a blast and had fallen in love with the game.

You went to baseball and I followed.  I even had my Mom take me out of school one day and we drove 2.5 hours to see a spring training game in Sarasota.  You didn’t play much that day, but around the sixth inning as you were leaving, you walked right by us, literally just feet away.  I was one happy kid!

You came back to the league and I taped every game.  Still have them all on VHS.  I began interning in the sports department at the local abc affiliate when I turned 19 years old.  This was right as you and the Bulls were on your way to going 69-13 and winning your second title in a row (5th overall).  It didn’t take the sports guys at the station long to realize how big of Jordan fan I was.  The first time you came to town they sent me out to get a comment on the following day’s big game.  It was late, and you had just gotten off the bus at the hotel.  You didn’t talk to me, actually no one really did, but I was as close to you, Pip, Phil, Dennis, Randy, Toni, Steve and the rest of the guys as anyone could ever be.  I wanted to tell you then how big of a fan I was, but that was against the journalism protocol.

You went on to win your sixth title and I got to see most every game that was in Orlando from 96-98.  I even got to come to the locker room and ask Scottie and some of the other guys questions.  You always had the most people wanting to talk to you and I was always too nervous then to ask you anything.  Instead I would stretch my arm out as far as possible with the mic in hand and battle my way in to get the sound of your voice.  The truth is I felt like I knew ya.  I didn’t want to ask you one of five routine post game questions the guys always asked.  I wanted to go into the Chris Farley “Remember When” skit.  I was a FAN!

You retired and I felt lost.  The team was dismantled and I couldn’t believe it.  I still supported the guys and did my best to keep up with Pip out in Houston when I could.  They didn’t really show all that many Rockets games in Central Florida though.  In the end, it just didn’t seem right with you not playing.

A few years later you came back!  I was 24 years old and had moved from sports to banking as a career.  Those days in Washington weren’t exactly like the days in Chicago, but myself and every Jordan fan in the World loved every minute of it!

####

So I’m not sure if you’re aware, but in August of 2010 I began mevsMJ.com, My Journey to Jordan Camp.  I had been waiting for years to be old enough to attend your Michael Jordan Senior Flight School in Vegas.  The goal of the site was to chronicle each and every step I took along the way as I prepared myself for your camp, which was to be held exactly one year from then.

I began shaking off the rust, conditioning myself and even attended professional basketball training in the beginning of November.  To prepare myself as much as possible, I also began lining up and playing games of one-on-one with top tier players so that I could be at the top of my game when we played 1-on-1 at your camp.

In December 2010, I found out that you canceled the camp this year.  I was devastated.  I had waited years for this, but was determined not to give up.  I knew when you canceled that you didn’t mean any harm.  You don’t even know me, yet.

####

I say all of that to say this.

I want to play basketball with you Mr. Jordan.  I want to play you 1-on-1.  I want to lace up my Jordans, check the ball in and give you every bit of my basketball game.  I get that I’m not the worthiest opponent when it comes to skill level, but there won’t be another human on this entire planet that will put more effort forth than when we play.  I promise you that.

I also want to show people that anything really is possible.  I want to show everyone that a regular guy who’s not even the best basketball player in his town can play his childhood hero and the greatest basketball player to ever live if HE WORKS EXTREMELY HARD AND BELIEVES!

At the end of the day, I need your help.  I need your time.  I need you to believe in what I’m trying to accomplish as much as I’ve always believed in you.

I had a dream last week.  In the dream, as I was walking out of the gym you were walking in, dressed in Jordan gear, bag hanging loosely over your shoulder.  I mustered up the courage and asked if I could please shoot around or play hoops with you.  You thought for a half of a second and said, “Sure, let’s go!”  The thing is I was nervous even in the dream!  The first time you passed the ball to me it felt like it was loaded with concrete.  My arms felt like noodles when I took the very first shot.  I had so much adrenaline running through me.  My dream had come true.

Somehow I hope this letter finds your eyes.  Somehow I hope you take the time to read it.  I hope that you connect with my dream.  I hope you feel my passion.  I pray that you say “SURE, let’s play Ken”, and make me vs. MJ a reality!

Sincerely,

Kenny Eller (Your BIGGEST Fan and NEXT 1-on-1 Opponent)

If you could retweet this letter to MJ, post it on your facebook, send to friends and family, send it to your local paper, anything to help get this message out so that it may find its place in front of Michael Jordan, I would really appreciate it!  Thank you in advance!

2010 began like most years for me.  Dick Clark did the countdown, the ball dropped, fireworks went off, and the calendar changed.  Truthfully, I’ve never been much into new year’s resolutions because they don’t typically work.  The commercialism of this “change your life” day is rather sad to me, but at the same time, at least it gives people one day a year where they actually think about making some sort of change for the better.

I realized more than ever in 2010 that change has to do with passion, not merely the want to change.  If you are to lose weight, run your first race, play Michael Jordan, start a blog, write a book, etc., there has to be more fueling your fire than just “I want to do this.”  The reason is, most things that are worth having don’t come easy.  When times get tough, more often than not we revert to what is comfortable…unless passion is part of the equation.

Here is a look back on some of the things I’m proud that I accomplished in 2010

• Ran my first half marathon.
• Ran my second half marathon.
• Started mevsMJ.com.
• Went to Impact Basketball Training.
• Played against 7’3″ Akeme Smart.
• Played against Virginia Tech signee Robert Brown (Ranked #84 in USA by ESPN).
• Ran over 530 miles (over 73,000 calories burned).

Why I’m proud of those accomplishments

Prior to January 18th of 2010, I didn’t exercise or play basketball anymore.  I was alive, but I wasn’t doing much living.

I Feel Alive Right Now!

My brother did a rap called, Alive, back in July.  It has become my anthem.

Everything I have DONE this year has made me FEEL SO ALIVE.  I’ve been saying this more and more, but life really is amazing if you allow it to be.

Alive (by Bob Eller) [Audio and Lyrics]

[If you are reading this via email or the RSS feed, click here to go to the full post and listen]

I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now

Verse 1
Life is so fantastic, I can’t even mask it
Feel like MJ, in 98’, the final basket
Yeah I push a little, but I’m pullin’ off some magic
Tricks up my sleeve, call me Inspector Gadget
Ever since my DOB, until the casket
I will cherish each breath like I battle asthma
I wrote the manual, now it’s automatic
Flat linin’ beats like a musical assassin
That means I’m killin‘ it, but you knew that
I keep it hoppin’ like the kangaroo on my hat
I tell you how it is, so you don’t have to ask
That black card says, “Get over here and kiss my ass!”
Future so bright there’s no need for a flash
So take a picture if you want to keep it for your past
Otherwise, let the red carpet show my path
Big 1040, the IRS makes me show my math
Itemize these lines, claim the fame, and deduct lies
Add the drive to be the best, subtract the lack of time
I shine brighter than the rest, haven’t hit my prime
This world is mine until I close my eyes

Chorus
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I, I, I feel alive right now
You can pretend, but it ain’t real
I stand on top, my spot still
I feel alive right now

Verse 2
I am everything possible, don’t you ever doubt me
Put a C before RAP if it is without me
I’m the biggest fish in Lake County
Spittin’ out hooks, eatin’ everything around me
Whether a Corolla or a drop top Audi
Girls holla hola, namaste, chao, and howdy
Chillin’ on South Beach, tan like a Saudi
I control the game with one hand like Atari
Bet you wanna trade places like we’re playin’ Sorry
Cause I’m always on Target like Isaac Mizhari
Welcome to the soiree, this is my story
Dyin for title and livin for the glory

Chorus
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I feel alive right now
I, I, I feel alive right now
You can pretend, but it ain’t real
I stand on top, my spot still

That 3 minutes and 17 seconds of music says it all.  I Feel Alive Right Now!

If you haven’t found something to make you feel alive, I pray that you do soon.  If it’s 2011 that catapults you in the direction of that, all the best to ya.

Looking Forward

The calendar won’t really change much in my approach.  Looking forward, I plan on continuing to work hard, get in even better basketball shape, play the best, train with the best, do some amazing things and ultimately play Michael Jordan 1-on-1.

As a client of mine told me last week, nothing is impossible.  Impossible just takes a bit longer.

Thanks for all of the support thus far!  I truly cherish each and every comment, tweet, and email I receive.

I hope you have a safe and happy New Year!  Here’s to 2011 being one of the best ever!

Music Credit: The music used in my brother’s rap, Alive, is the instrumental of Lil Wayne’s 3 Peat.