Racism isn't the problem...

Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way...

6-time NBA Champion and Hall of Fame American Basketball great Michael Jordan

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times,

I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over

and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan)

No matter how hard you try in life...sometimes, the ball just doesn't bounce your way...

CONCLUSION: Yes, the past gets a vote--that's why today matters. Because tomorrow beckons...

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Point 1: No matter how good life may get for a season...a single moment can take it all away...(so don't take any measure of success for granted).

What then? What about tomorrow (see Point 2 below)?

Point 2: No matter how bad life may get for a season...a single moment can make it all worth it again...(so don't give up, do make adjustments...but don't give up on yourself or on life).

What then? What about tomorrow (see Point 1 above)?

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UNIVERSITY OF OREGON (1876 - ):

More than likely because I grew up in the West Coast state of Oregon, I've always been a University of Oregon Ducks fan--any sport. Recently, their basketball team made a noble championship run during the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) March Madness tournament.

Would have been their first NCAA basketball championship appearance since 1939...

Final four (inches and seconds from making school history)...they took all the right shots...but the ball just didn't bounce their way...

They did all the right things as well as any team could hope for (all teams make mistakes--even the winners)...but in the end, quite literally--after repeated missed free throws by their opponent--the ball just didn't bounce their way...

And they suffered a heart wrenching, 1-point loss to North Carolina.

Sure it hurts, but is that the end? No.

Really disappointing for players, coaches and fans, but do we all fold up and quit? No.

Tomorrow beckons...

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MICHAEL JORDAN (1963 - ):

Missed more than 9,000 shots...

Lost 300 games...

Missed 26 game-winning opportunities...

Led his team to 6 NBA Championships...

Landed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame...

Will forever be remembered among the greatest basketball players of all time.

Sometimes the ball just didn't bounce his way...but he ate failure and burned it as fuel to propel him towards his next success...

Ironically, even for Michael Jordan, tomorrow still beckons...

Championship rings gather dust...

Can't live in the past...it's not physically possible...as hard as some people try...yesterday's news (the good and the bad) is well, yesterday's news...

Yes the past gets a vote--that's why today matters...

Because tomorrow beckons...

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BERTEL THORVALDSEN (1770-1844):

The famous, 19th century Danish sculptor...

When asked by an admirer, "Which do you consider is your greatest statue?"

Thorvaldsen replied, "My next one."

How cool is that??!!

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When people ask "what's the best thing you've ever done?"

I haven't done it yet...

When people ask "what do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?"