Yeah you probably thought it would never happen to you..
Most professional athletes in general have a system, schedule a rhythm, a routine. Most media experts question our quirky superstitions. The fans love hearing what we do prior to games. We like to take naps at certain times, sleep in the same bed or the same spot nights before the game. We like to chill in our favorite chair or sofa after practice. We like doing the same things, and we like consistency.
We have certain places we like to go out to eat, the same restaurant, the same cafe for coffee or hot chocolate. Pre-game meals can only be prepared by certain folks or eaten at certain places. Even our special treats or deserts are from special spots to go to.
Put these memories away in a scrapbook
We have our seat on the bus, spot in the locker room, spot in the opposing teams locker room. We have our set time with the trainers and when you choose to get up shots, go in the weight room, stretch and get your body ready for the game. Our routine for most determines in some minds if it’s going to be a good or a bad day.
Odom the fans, the media, all see you struggling as of late. In your interviews you have been quoted as not feeling like yourself right now. From a professional athlete to another it’s understandable your routine just got all jacked up and that’s a fact ain’t no excuse.
In Tim MacMahon’s blog and other’s, Lamar is quoted as saying ‘It’s not what you’re gonna do. It’s what can you do. What can you do? I have a few suggestions after going through a trade myself these are some things I wish someone would have told me.
What can you do Lamar?
1. Write down everything you hate about getting traded and not being informed you were going to be traded. Get it out of your system Write the GM a letter let him have it, but don’t send it to him.
2. Throw away all Laker gear. Get rid of anything that reminds you of playing with LA. Except the rings of course, gotta keep the rings that will always boost your confidence during slumps.
3. Don’t listen to sad love songs. Yeah it was hurtful the way L A did you but we can’t listen to Adele right now. Put some Young Jeezy in your rotation check out Nothing, Everything and Never Be the Same.
4. Ask your teammates the best spots to eat, get the do’s and dont’s with the new coach. Find out who gets taped early, late, who shoots first last and how you can accomadate your routine.
5. Gotta change your body language and you control that by switching up your thoughts. Take your finger and start pushing out any old thoughts of how you played in LA, playing for Phil, the last role you played, and switch it to how I want to play now. Out with the old in with the new. (easier said than done, but practice makes perfect)
6. Realize that it could have been worse you could have been in New Orleans nothing against that team but your playing with the defending NBA Champions Dallas Mavericks. You also have one of the best owners in the league in Mark Cuban.
7. Erase all the I’s and Why’s. Man when I was, I can’t believe, Why did this happen to me, and why now? It’s negative just doesn’t help.
8. Keep Being yourself not to yourself. They loved you with the Clippers, Heat and LA. Your teammates will love you in Dallas. Don’t feel like you can’t bond with them or trust them. Your teammates didn’t trade you in LA Mitch did. Well I don’t know about Kobe Black Mamba, you can’t trust a snake. Okay I’m a Kobe hater…lol
9. This one is crucial right now limit your conversations with old teammates. It may be hard but you don’t wanna hear how good, bad, or ugly things are going on back with your old team. Just doesn’t help.
10. Last but not least don’t let this trade, the feelings of betrayal by LA, the new system, new coach, new role take away your confidence. You have to be patient in this adjustment period. Yeah I know being patient for a professional athlete is harder than any game we have ever played. Our confidence is our swag, determines how well we play and you can’t lose that. Like Jimmy V said “don’t ever ever give up”. Well I’m saying “Don’t ever ever ever ever lose your Confidence.”
Embrace your new team their gonna love you.
The media, the fans all miss the greatness of the most versatile power forward that’s you Lamar in the game. Your inspired play last season that helped you get sixth man of the year award with stats of almost 15pts and 9 rebounds a game are sorely missed by all, even LA. Trades whether demanded or not, are just like unexpected events in life. You got thrown a curve ball. It happens, but your to great of a player to strike out, come on Lamar don’t strike out.
