the gist of it is - he blew up in high school, was barely recruited, had dyn-o-mite grades, got into harvard and played well for their squad, received praise from media pundits, wasn't drafted, signed a free agent deal with the warriors, hardly played, got cut, was picked up by the rockets, played even less with them, released, picked up by the knicks, parked at the end of the bench, slept on his brother's couch, and waited for his opportunity.
when he finally got some court time, lin went bananas. mid-range jumpers, crossover dribbles, bounce passes, driving layups with contact, and a stone cold three in the face of the toronto raptors. spike lee is pumped, floyd mayweather is pissed, and phil collins is warming up in the distance.
my boss tells me that we prepare for opportunity. all of our practice and time devoted to our art is simply in preparation for the chance to shine when it counts. these moments are few and far between, and we rarely see them coming.
i needed somebody to be patient with me. i didn't take private lessons until college, and didn't really get serious about it until graduate school. i started out in vocal jazz groups, unwilling to make the commitment to my horn but certain that i couldn't see myself with a mic in my face for eternity. i moved, tried school, dropped out, moved, tried school again, moved again, moved again and knocked out my undergrad. i made the jazz band, made the top concert band, was cut from jazz band, got stuck in the bottom concert band, and finally made both in my last year. i was losing patience but not sight of the bigger prizes that loomed on the horizon.
i don't have a decorated pedigree either. my graduating class was a whopping 107 kids. i have two-year degrees from a community college and a vocational school. i got both my undergrad and grad degrees from the same school. i took out student loans. i threw away scholarship money. i have my two favorite albums framed and hanging in my office instead of the gratuitous wall of diplomas.
but you know what? i bust my ass for my students. i work tirelessly to develop my own personal sound. i listen to current music and stuff from the past. i go to shows. i try not to size myself up against others. i tightened up my piano chops. i write. i make records. i found an ideology that i'm down with, and will live-and-die by that sword. my teacher believed in me. my folks believe in me. so does the wife. my kids think i'm embarrassing.
my first boss took a chance on me. she told me "hey - somebody's gonna have to give you an opportunity. i want to be that person." how amazing is that!?!? i'm forever indebted to dr. combs, toughed out a year in wyoming, and thankfully never had to wear this costume...
big ups to jeremy lin. here's to persistence and preparation. too bad you don't play for my timberwolves.
