What We Can, and What We Used To Do

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When the Los Angeles Lakers played the Brooklyn Nets, Jarred Allen of the Nets blocked Lebron James at the basketball rim for a dunk. It was only the 9th time in his career that career that someone denied his basketball dunk. In his 16 season career, he has made over 1850 dunks. Over 1850. The Nets ended up defeating the Lakers that night as well.

In the post-game locker room interview, 34-year-old Lebron said, “He’s in his 20’s. I’m in my 30’s. It takes time for me to warm up…” Lebron acknowledged that Jarred made a great block. He also acknowledged that block would be all over Social Media. Which it did. When asked about going up and trying to block Lebron, Jarred kind of laughed saying, “Either way you’re going to be the highlight.”

On ESPN’s “First Take” Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman discussed the block possibly distinguishing the physical decline of Lebron James. I agree with Stephen A in his saying, “No.” Jarred Allen is a shot blocker. That’s what he does best. Stephen A. noted that Lebron has made dunks elevating even lower this season.

Stephen A said that Lebron is making dunks like he has made 4 or 5 years ago. Max’s point is well taken in that Lebron is older now. Then again who doesn’t experience the effects of age? No one. Max said that Lebron can’t dunk the ball like he did at the peak of his physical prowess when he won Championships with the Miami Heat.

Of course, Lebron is getting older. No shit. We all get older. Lebron knows that. I know that. In 2015’s “Creed” Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed asks Rocky, played by Sylvester Stallone, how he beat his Father Apollo. Rocky tells Adonis that he didn’t beat Apollo: Time did. “Time is undefeated.”

Time is undefeated, no doubt. Lebron knows that. I know that. Yet, Lebron rigorously trains in his game: the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. He is the basketball savant dedicated to the mastery of the game.

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Personally, Lebron inspires in his pursuit of becoming greater than he is now, which is the Greatest of All-Time (GOAT). Yeah, some say Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Perhaps. Michael is from the past. Lebron is the present. And Lebron knows his time will pass as well.

Lebron works on what’s missing in his game. In the past he’s trained with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwan to master playing the low post, the center position. This year he’s worked on improving his 3 point shot, aware that’s how one dominates NBA play in this era.

I marvel at Lebron. Here’s a man, who is the absolute greatest at what he does on the planet. He knows it. What is that like to be the greatest at anything? I’ll never be the greatest at Aikido. I’ll never be the greatest systems engineer. I’ll never be the greatest writer.

I believe what inspires Lebron, already the GOAT, to become greater than is his love for the game of basketball. I have that love for Aikido that keeps me pursuing becoming greater than I am now. Yes, time is undefeated. So Lebron gets blocked by a 22-year-old NBA player. I get thrown to the mat by a 17-year-old I taught in Aikido class. Time is also humbling.

Sure I can’t take high falls as I did in my 30’s. Yet, I learn from Sensei Bobby how to revise the way I take falls and be more resilient. I can’t throw opponents as hard as I used to when I was younger. Instead, I enter the attack and practice to “die with honor”. I’m better at matching up with the attack. Apply the technique to myself. Because the opponent doesn’t matter. O-Sensei said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” That’s the game worth playing full out.

Sure, time is undefeated. I know what I can do, and what I used to do. Maybe wisdom is knowing that the twain shall never meet again in my lifetime.

I saw an interview with Lebron discussing his legacy. He had just built a school for kids in his hometown of Cleveland. He said he wants what he does off the basketball court, what he does in his community to define him. In the same way, I hope that as Sensei I pass on what I’ve been gifted from Sensei Dan and Sensei Bobby to the next generation of Aikido students and senseis.

Yeah, it’s a bitch getting old. I feel it every time I come back from Aikido practice. I feel it in my back, in my knees. Would I have chosen to do it differently? Probably not. I began my journey with Sensei Dan nearly 30 years ago on my greater than path. Sensei listened and saw the greater in me that I could neither listen for nor see.

Sure Lebron got blocked going for a dunk. Next time he might dunk over Jarred or not. Lebron keeps doing what he loves to do, for as long as he can do it. I’ll keep throwing and taking falls, because I love Aikido. Sure there are things that I can no longer do. Yet, I’m learning to do new things that I couldn’t do before.

Time shall get us all. But as long as I have the love for what I do in my heart, I can live with that graceful decline. That’s just life.
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