It's been six months since I went under the knife and I'm happy to say that I'm fully functional.  I saw the doctor last week and I've been approved for lateral movement and jumping (which I had done a little of already).  This means I'm headed back to the hardwood to get my game back and hopefully dunk again.  I've played a little hoops to test out the knee already and I haven't done well at all.  It's actually been downright pathetic.  I have resembled a guy that might have gotten garbage time on the JV team... as a junior in high school.  Truth is, I've never played junior varsity in any sport and have only played three years on any team where I wasn't a starter (my year in the NFL, reshirt frosh, and redshirt soph years at Stanford).  It's kinda sad that I have been reduced to only getting picked up when nine other guys can't seem to make five on four work.

So what has become of me?  I've become that guy that actually goes to the gym by himself to work on his game.  When asked if I'd like to round out that five on five roster, I've been that dude that says "naw... I'm just gonna stay over here and shoot jumpers over this imaginary defender."  After shooting an uncontested 30% from the field and crossing over invisible defender after invisible defender only to miss a wide open layup I begin to think that the junior high DeRonnie could school the 31 year-old version.

The good news is that I'm still able to at least touch the rim (WOO HOO).  I could grab it with two hands in the ninth grade (womp womp).  I guess junior high DP would get the nod today.  Those who know me well, know that I am not a quitter.  I am not a sore loser either, but you best believe that after you beat me in something I will go and practice it every day and challenge you again and again, until I win... and then I won't ever lose to you again.

I'm also not an idiot, so if I don't think I can beat you in the first place, I'll just say my knee hurts.

So while 2009 is still here, everyone should line up and challenge me athletically.  It will give me something to work hard for as I expect to take my training into overdrive in 2010.  A great philosopher once said, "It's ok to lose to your opponent... Must not lose to fear."

Actually that was Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid III after Mike Barnes repeatedly beat Daniel Larusso's ass in during the All-Valley Karate Tournament.  Hopefully I won't have to go through all of that, but you get the point.

Music has always helped me to get over the fear and nerves that come with athletic competition.  You better believe that if you messed up in a game you were gonna get talked about in school the next day (I know this all too well from my 10+ turnover performance in my junior high hoops debut).  The music would help to relieve the angst of possible ridicule, and get me in a zone of concentration.  During my senior season in high school we would be huddled around a boom box listening to 2Pac's From The Cradle 2 The Grave and Str8 Ballin' (which I failed to realized was about selling drugs and not really playing basketball).  Before we won the state championship in hoops, I listened to Only God Can Judge Me Now by 2Pac on repeat.  Before our upset of #5 ranked Texas in 2000 we broke the locker room silence with Drag-On and Juvenile's Down Bottom.  I also remember my first NFL pre-season game and how at least 15 guys were blaring Lil Jon's Bia Bia through their headphones. So to get me amped up and ready for the competition, I decided to put together a mix that I would probably listen to before a game.  Lots of cursing.  Lots of Lil Jon.  Enthusiasm goes a long way in sports.

GET CRUNK MIX