Look forward to it

College basketball was a little; make that a lot, different back when my generation was coming of age. I mean, back then you got the chance to know the players due in large part to the fact that they stayed around for at least two years sometimes three years before going pro. 

Television was a lot different too. Nowadays, you can find a game on just about every single night of the week. It wasn’t that way back when I was growing and if you got word that your team was going to be on, you scheduled your entire day around that game. I grew up a Louisville fan and although I bled Cardinals red, my favorite player was from right here in the great state of Texas; Clyde “The Glide” Drexler of the Houston Cougars. 

I can vividly recall the play that made him shoot to the top of my favorites list like it was yesterday. It was during a road game against the vaunted Syracuse Orangemen. Clyde caught a long rebound and was running a one-man fast break with two Syracuse defenders clawing at the ball as he stormed down the court, full steam ahead. They kept clawing and harassing and then out nowhere…he shot up and unloaded a vicious tomahawk dunk that sent the arena into a frenzy! 

From that night on, Clyde was my dude and whenever Houston was on, I was right there watching. When he went to the NBA, he continued to be my favorite player. Yes, the whole world was trying to be like Mike but for me, Clyde was the man! Drexler was quite the player but my favorite memory of him wasn’t a rim rattling dunk, a three-pointer, or shot at the buzzer. No my favorite memory took place during an interview. 

Trailing 3-1 in the semi-finals of the Western Conference Playoffs against Phoenix, Drexler, now a member of the Houston Rockets, were left for dead. But somehow, some way the Rockets won the next two setting up the decisive Game 7. But there was one small problem; the game was being played in Phoenix…where the Suns were all but unbeatable.  

The interviewer pulled Clyde to the table and began peppering him with all the statistics about Phoenix. He mentioned their impeccable home record, the three all-star players they had, and the raucous Phoenix crowd. Yes, that interviewer painted a gruesome picture of colorful, insurmountable odds that upon hearing it made me wonder why Houston would even board the plane.  The Glide listened and when the time came for him to respond he looked at the interviewer and simply said, “I’m looking forward to all of it”. 

Wow…

A couple of nights later, Houston defeated Phoenix powered by Drexler’s 29. It wasn’t his jumper, his ability to rebound, or his amazing vertical that allowed him to lead the way. All those things came into play at certain points during the season but on that night…the most potent tool in Drexler’s arsenal…was a made-up mind. 

***

At some point, you’re going to find yourself facing a Game 7. Do yourself a favor friend, don’t listen to all the ones who say you can’t. Ignore the ones who tell you that you won’t. Dismiss the odds that say it’s unlikely and above all, walk into the situation with a made-up mind. 

A made-up mind says you might lose…but I never will. A made-up mind says you won’t…but I will. A made-up mind says odds, whatever those are, might matter…but not to me. A made-up mind…it’s the most powerful tool in your arsenal and when you use it, the victory is yours. 

The only thing to do from that moment on…

Is look forward to it.