Great Expectations

Melo unloads for 50 on South Beach!

Winston Churchill once said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” Mahatma Gandhi gave it to us like this, “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.” The 15th century physicist, Blaise Pascal, kept it simple but on point with, “Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought.”

When I looked around the NBA on Tuesday night I saw examples of greatness that can only be defined by boyz willing to give their teams everything they had and allowing the outcomes to be what they would be. As much as I dislike the person of Kobe Bryant I’ve got to respect his game 100%. He plays the game with passion and a desire that we haven’t seen since Jordan laced them up.

With boyz still trying to make the playoffs and tied for the 8th spot in the West this dun put up a triple double 23-11-11 to lead the Lakers past the Mavs 101-81. Melo came to work last night on a mission on South Beach and put up 50 on the Heat. Yeah, I know LeBron, D. Wade and Super Mario were out but for a boy to put up 50 was still impressive. On some real talk, he could have pocketed 60 but he didn’t bring a big enough bag. We’ve seen what LeBron has done this year to the point of remarkable love him or hate him. We even saw the greatness of Shaq getting his jersey retired last night too.

My whole point here is to say that competitive people compete by nature. Duns didn’t even like to play Jordan in a card game much less play him on the court because of his competitiveness. This cat got so caught up in competing that he allowed the Bulls to screw him out of millions of dollars during his career. Like I've said before, he’s ranked 87th out of the top 100 NBA salaries of all-time at $90 million with nearly $60 million of that coming in his final two contracts with the Bulls.

Kobe puts up a triple double!

So if boyz will compete at that level just to play the game that they love, again I ask you why is Derrick Rose still sitting on his butt talking about his mind ain’t right when he's been cleared to play? Competitive people can’t see other people compete and not compete bruh!  Dogs can’t see other dogs running and not run. Birds can’t see other birds fly and not fly. Thieves can’t watch other thieves steal and not steal. I know you’re sayin’, “What?” Hey, I grew up in the G around a bunch of criminals so every now and then I see a boy climbing through a window but you get my point.

My older brother Jimmy once told me, “In order to be GREAT you’ve got to be EXTREMELY good at doing the things that require ABSOLUTELY no talent.” It requires no talent to be on time! It requires no talent to be disciplined! It requires no talent give your very best all of the time! It’s the little things all stacked on top of each other that makes you great. Not just the natural ability that one is blessed with.

See at a certain level everybody has talent playboy! The difference comes in what you’re going to do with it. The one common denominator in all great people is that they all are to some degree delusional. They always think that they’re better than they actually are. However, in thinking that way long enough they become better than they should have been because of the power of thought. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks so is he." So Derrick Rose isn't the man his mouth thinks or declares him to be but what his heart thinks. I'm talkin' but y'all ain't listenin'!.

The fact that Rose is afraid to play tells me that he doesn’t have the DNA to become great. Either you have it or you don’t pimpin’!  He has great talent but talent doesn’t make a boy great. I can show you plenty of talented people that have underachieved because they couldn’t get past the power of thought. Like my man Bliase said earlier, "Man's greatness lies in his power of thought!"

So for all of you Bulls fans waiting on Derrick Rose to take you to the Ship. It’ll be the Titanic playa and you may as well get in the bed like those old timers did and go down with that joint. This cat isn’t anywhere near the realm of greatness that you need be to win at this level because he lacks the mental fortitude to overcome adversity. Churchill already told you that the price of greatness is responsibility and when you take boyz money you should be responsible enough to play! Y'all can stop me when I start lyin’ playboy!

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