Last night the Kansas Jayhawks trailed Oklahoma State by one point with 18 seconds left in the second overtime. The Jayhawks had not scored a single field goal in nearly ten minutes of overtime futulity. Elijah Johnson fouled out long ago, leaving the struggling Jayhawks in the hands of backup, Naadir Tharpe. Tharpe’s stat line for the night was 2-11. Translation. He made two field goals in eleven attempts. Naadir had four turnovers. He led the Jayhwaks, in other words, in giving the ball away before they had a chance to shoot and in throwing up bricks, not baskets, when he did.
In spite of all this, he had the ball in his hands as the final seconds ticked away. He crossed over his defender and launched off his left foot while contorting his body to further shield the ball before softly letting his little floater of a shot go. The ball hung in the air for what seemed like forever and then slide through the nylons; nothing but net. OSU had time for a well guarded shot of their own but didn’t come close. Jayhawks win. Tharpe makes according to Coach Self, “the shot of his life.”
Earlier in the day, during the wrap up of practice 46, we watched Al Kooper pull off a similar shot. He had wanted so badly to play with Bob Dylan that he simply showed up at the recording studio, uninvited. Once inside, he quickly realized his dream wasn’t going anywhere. The guitar player in front of him was stud city, Mike Bloomfield, the best in the business. He took a seat in the production room where he belonged.
Opportunity comes to those who wait.
Midway through the recording, Producer Tom Wilson moves the organ player to piano. Al sees his chance. He launches himself from the production room, uninvited again, and takes his place at the organ. As the band begins another take, he plays the organ right along. Truth is he plays the organ a little off. And Dylan likes it. He tells Tom to turn up the organ.History is made. The second best selling song of all time, Like a Rolling Stone, is all organ; all Al.
Today, remember, you are NOT judged by how you start anything. It’s all about how you finish. Nothing will be handed to you worth receiving. You will have to make it happen. Great shots and great parts come, oftentimes, when we least expect them. When you slow down and disect them you will notice deep seated belief at the root.
Leaders are believers, remember.
As a Jayhawks and Dylan fan,I’m grateful Naadir and Al kept the faith. It’s easy to start out all kinda giddy and chuck ’em up with confidence. Going 1-10, however, reduces most of us to passive performers who just want to escape the stage and let somebody else finish for us. Writing your OPUS is a good start. Popping it out month after month, year after year is better. Rinsing and repeating until it’s second nature; freakin’ MAGIC. Lots of you are off to a good start and all kinda giddy with your newfound clarity. Keep practicing and preparing. Tougher tests are coming. Few will finish well. Be ONE of the few.
Remember, it’s all about how you finish…
BUILT TO LEAD 