The Jackpot

"This is some BS homie! I should be starting!"

We constantly hear coaches telling players that in order to be great you've got to put in the work. The legendary Packers head coach Vince Lombardi once said, "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." It's highly motivating to hear those types of quotes because we all need that extra push sometimes. Let's be honest, who doesn't dream of being successful at what they do? The unfortunate thing about life is that you've got to be born with certain skill sets in order to fulfill those dreams, especially if you're an athlete.

I know that every kid that plays sports wants to become a professional athlete. Any time you talk to a group of young people and you ask them what they want to be when they grow up they say, "I want to play in the NFL or the NBA" 90% of the time. However, those dreams don't always come true. Why, because there's only so many positions available. So only the very best in the world at those positions will be allowed to play. Therefore, if your kid hasn't won the genetic lottery of skills, size and speed they won't make it to the pros or even to the major college level as well.

Last summer LSU offered eight grader, Dylan Moses, a scholarship to play football for the Tigers in 2017. The 6'1" 210 lbs linebacker showed up at their camp last summer and ran a 4.46 forty yard dash, had a 34 inch vertical and a 9 foot broad jump. Now the defending national champions, The Alabama Crimson Tide, has just thrown an offer on the table too. Now granted they're just words because you can't legitimately offer a kid until after his junior season.

However, this cat posted a 4.46 at 6'1" 210 lbs playing linebacker in the eight grade! It's called hitting the genetic lottery and it is what it is. I don't care how much some other kid works out and puts in two or three a days they won't be able to do what Dylan can do. You can't teach a person how to be tall or fast or how to be smooth as silk. Those are genetic markers that either you get or you don't.

Do you really think that Anthony Davis learned how to be 6'10" after only being 6'3" and playing guard when he was in 9th grade bruh? Do you think Shaq willed his way to being 7'1" and smooth? Do you think Dieon Sanders and Bo Jackson figured out some secret formula on how to become professional football and baseball players at the same time? Sure, all of these guys put in mad work in order to get better. However, they had a certain amount of genetic gifts to start with. Of course, Jordan got cut from his high school team but he already had the genetic markers to be great. It took him to be cut from the team to tap into what was already there.

That's why I trip when I see the way over the top dad at the little league field trying to re-live his childhood through his kid by forcing him to play sports. I'm always blown away by the delusional glasses that some of these parents are wearing because with the naked eye it's clear that their kid can't play but they act like they can't see it. The kid is terrible or is as short as Tattoo but dad is trying to make him become a great basketball player.

Dylan Moses, 8th grade bruh!

I laugh when I see a kid that's 5'9", weighs 290 lbs and runs a 5.4 forty and dad won't give up the dream of him playing major college football. Dude, they've yet to invent a position in the game of football that your kid can play bruh! He's too short to play offensive or defensive line and too heavy and slow to play a skilled position. Go find something else for him to do or just let him play for the love of the game and be cool with him playing high school ball. He ain't gonna play so stop making a fool out of him and yourself. He doesn't have the genetics.

Here's an early indication as to whether your kid has the markers or not. If you nor you wife were any good at playing anything or none of your siblings or your wife's siblings were good. Then there's a great possibility that your kid won't possess the skills either. Athletic skill sets just don't randomly show up playboy.

Kids like Dylan are the type of cat that eventually gets drafted and becomes a young rich athlete. If he continues to develop, is humble enough to keep learning, goes to class and stays out of trouble. He'll be a millionaire in 7 years. It is what it is. Stop trying to make your kid the next LeBron. If he's got the genetics he'll become the next LeBron if not he won't. You don't have to spend all of your freaking money traveling to AAU tournaments or putting him on travel teams for him to get a scholarship. If he can play somebody else will pay for him to travel. Trust me! Don't let these cats talk you into going broke because your kid will miss out because everybody else's folks are spending a fortune on it. If he's got the genes he's getting on the bus.

I know plenty of cats that grew up in the hood that didn't pay a dime to travel or go to camps because they had the right genetics. Do you think LeBron's momma paid for him to go to St. Vincent St. Mary? Not a chance homeboy, she barely kept clothes on his back let alone paid for him to go to private school.

So all I'm saying is that you've got to be born with something in order to get something out of it. If your kid doesn't have the skill set to play sports stop forcing a square peg into a round hole. He was definitely born with other skills and gifts that he has to tap into. Not every kid is supposed to be a great athlete. That's why there are thousands of professions to choose from bruh! Find the one that fits his genetic markers and stop embarrassing your kid by forcing him to do something that he obviously can't do. It's no fun sitting on the bench bruh but somebody's gotta do it!

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Get @ me on Twitter: jaygravesreport