Unbelievable

As cool as coaching is...there is still nothing that can equal the high of lacin' em up and going at it versus some fierce competition. A few months ago, my boy Dylan asked me to join his Santa Cruz City League team in attempt to accomplish just that.

As it turned out, competition was lacking, as we blew through the league undefeated. Only once playing a game with a 10 point differential.

This landed us the #1 seed in the playoffs. An honor which allowed us to play the 7PM game and rest one going into the 9PM championship.

In the semi's we rolled the team by nearly 40 points, clicking on all cylinders as we'd done all season long.

And as the finals tipped off, we jumped down the oppositions throats', taking a 20-4 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. At this point, the championship seemed to be unquestionably ours. But then it happened...

This wiry, light-skinned kid with an unkempt afro took over the game. Not only did he hit 3 straight 3-pointers, but he mixed in mid range jumpers and pick-and-roll assists to boot, sparking his team to just a 29-27 deficit at halftime.

In the 2nd half they came out overly aggressive, at one point slapping our leading scoring in the face, instantly ending his game with a bloody nose. Moments later they delivered another hard foul on our big man, all of which were called regular, NOT intentional fouls, much to our dismay.

With a little less than a minute left, we held a one point lead. That's when our big got his hands on a ball and tipped it forward, my man Karl got the steal and lofted the ball forward to me as I streaked up the court toward the basket. As I elevated for the lay-up, I was all but tackled by the trailing defender. A blow that drew a few choice words from me and was so blatant that it led one of our players to walk out of the gym as to avoid starting a fight. This too was whistled as a normal foul. Resulting in two shots.

Unable to put pressure on my right leg, I stepped to the line and missed the 1st free throw before sinking the 2nd. With 40 or so seconds left we were up 2. Their main man (who finished with 44 points) dribbled down the floor and waited at the top of the key, allowing the clock to tick inside of 10 seconds before he attacked. I stepped up to double team and he kicked the ball to one of his fellow teammates who had not made a shot all game. He pulled up for 3 and hit nothing but the bottom of the net! Unbelievable.

3 seconds left in the game, and we go down by 1. A position we had not been in the entire season. How could this be happening?

We called timeout. My man Ian drew up a play for me to go long and get the pass from him. As I sprinted up court two men saw to it that didn't happen. Leading Ian to toss the pass to our 6-4 power forward, Dylan. He caught the ball near half court, took one dribble and let it fly....

I watched from beneath the basket as the ball bounced off the glass and INTO THE HOOP!! It's good! It's good! Oooooh MY GOD! I can't believe it! We lost our minds!! Jumping around, hugging and screaming like 10 year olds! It was the greatest feeling I can remember in my adult life. Absolutely exhilarating!

And to add to the magic, not only had Dylan lost his brother Teddy late last year in November, but almost all of his family was in attendance to witness the shot that brought us the title! Truly a compelling story, and an absolutely breath-taking experience. Life is good.

Champions Baby!!

STS9 Gettin their Due!

There's a band based here in Santa Cruz that goes by the name of Sound Tribe Sector 9. (STS9)
I happened to meet these guys the 1st week I moved out here years ago. Just so happened their rehearsal space was located on the property I was staying on back then.

As time has passed I've been fortunate to witness the drive, diligence and focus they've poured into their art/careers. The results of which has earned them respect all over the globe. So much so, that when Jay-Z was struggling to sell out a bill in Denver, they were asked to join the show in hopes of them throwing 'their weight' on ticket sales.
They're 1st wave of 900 tickets sold in 45 minutes. How ridiculous is that? I couldn't sell 900 tickets in 45 days!! :) They'd eventually proceed to sell out the show. And do so in a fashion that raised the eyebrows of the man himself Jay-Z.

That being said, he stopped by and shared a moment with the fellas. Accompanied by the goddess herself, Beyonce I can only imagine how star struck they must have been.

One of the few quotes that's stuck with me throughout time is, "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." That could never be truer in this case. Congrats to STS9 for putting in the endless hours and putting out the endless energy that you do.

Buddha Bless

Storybook Career

The aforementioned Austin Swift continued his dream ride all the way to the top. The Santa Cruz High School alum who brought home a state championship as a senior, has duplicated those efforts yet on a much grander stage.

In a nationally televised event, Austin dropped 12 points and added 6 rebounds to help Cal Poly Pomona seize it's 1st ever D-II National Championship. This just one year removed from a heart-breaking loss in this same game last year. You couldn't ask for a better ending...to a season.. to a career. Not only did he help bring home the title, but he was also named MVP of the entire Elite Eight.

Congrats to him and his family, and hopefully this will open the floodgates to bigger and better things in the world of basketball.

"Earth is getting warm but I swear she'll leave us frozen~I'm knockin on the cockpit cuz I swear the pilots dozin"

Just came across this by way of a friend's band's (STS9) website. An interesting watch.

This is James Balog's Time lapse photography of the Glacier activity around the globe.

Living the Dream

Former Santa Cruz High star Austin Swift is bringing his college career to a close in a dreamlike fashion. Not only was he named conference player of the year, but he also made some key baskets down the stretch to help his squad, Cal Poly Pomona, advance to the Div. II Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass.

In the regional semifinals he had a lay-up with .6 seconds left to send the game to overtime, before they eventually pulled off the victory 76-75. He finished with a game high 22 points.

This was just a precursor to his late game heroics as he scored on a reverse lay-up, followed by a three in the last minute and a half of the West Regional finals versus BYU Hawaii. The Broncos would eventually go on to win 78-75. He finished with 19 points and was named the Region's Most Outstanding Player. Quite impressive for a Santa Cruz native. (Quite impressive for anyone on Earth!)

But what's more impressive is the route he's taken to reach such heights. As a senior in High School he was a critical piece of the State Championship team that only lost one game the entire season. This garnered attention from numerous mid-major Div. I programs.

After weighing his options, he settled on the University of Montana. After playing sparingly in his 1st two seasons he took a leap of faith. It's a move that many D-I athletes contemplate but rarely follow through on. I can recall from my playing days, numerous players talking about it, but none of us doing it. However, in Austin's case, he chose to transfer to Caly Poly Pomona which receives not nearly the notoriety of any D-I programs, but as you can see plays at a very high level.

This decision is admirable on so many levels. Although I can only speculate as to what his motives were, it takes a great deal of strength to self evaluate honestly and then shape your future accordingly. Not to say he lacked the talent to play at the Div. I level but rather he found surroundings that resonated with him. And look at the results.

This is not only a testament to him, but his family as well. Their support for him is unwavering which certainly factors in when facing such a life changing crossroad.

Ultimately, Austin's story is such a 'success' story because of what it isn't. It isn't Sportscenter's lead, it isn't on the cover of Sports Illustrated. And these are all the ingredients high school athletes yearn for. Yet lost in these aspirations is the true goal: Becoming the best athlete you can, and truly maximizing your talent. So many kids get so wrapped up in going D-I (myself included) that they overlook many promising opportunities at other levels. That being said, it's truly heart-warming to see a young man step up, make a tough decision and then rise to great heights at journey's end.

But his journey is far from over. Good luck in Springfield Austin, and in whatever life brings you next.

Blessings.

Young Murph...big tings a gwon!

Yo....many of you from the Santa Cruz area have to remember the brother Young Murph. He did numerous shows out here that left folks abuzz, often times moreso than the headliner. Well, he's made his way down to L.A. and linked up with all the right people to bring his sound and vision to life.

More than anything, it's power-full to see a brother take his talents to this height. For those of you that do know him, make sure you reach out via his blog or whatever means, and show the man Love. That's what the great communities do.

His album "Nightime Sunshine" is now available for free at...

http://www.l7dummy.blogspot.com/

"Dare me" is my cut. Enjoy ya'll.

Blessings and Light!

I am

The quote, "You are who you think you are," has never been truer at any time than now. Amidst all these various endevours, from Bartending, to teaching, to coaching, to M.C'in, I notice a very powerful trend emerging. Whatever I'm putting my energy into, rises to the surface. And all the pending connections start to make their way through the rubble.

For the last week or so, I've been listening to hip hop in a different way than I was for the last year or so. I could feel the momentum starting to build. It's a sensation I've felt twice now. Another album is beginning to call itself forth from the cosmos. I hesitate to speak so boldly at such a premature state. But events surrounding are certainly aligning to remind me of one very powerful truth. I AM A MUSICIAN! I AM HIP HOP! (Ok that's 2, but they're kinda one!)

Stay tuned and may the Most High bring forth purpose and direction to all of us!

Bless