Coincidence or Key to Success?

It has been difficult reflecting on any subject other than basketball as we returned to Ohio, and watched the Cleveland Cavaliers reach a pinnacle that was a first for the franchise.  Many of you know that my suppressed desire to be a basketball coach many years back leaks out every now and again and so it does when the CAV's playoff games are being broadcast.  In fact, I was driving back from Florida to Ohio, the day of the breakout 48 point performance by LeBron James against Detroit and I stopped after almost 800 miles on the road to watch the end of the game.  It was amazing that I did not get tossed out of the motel I stayed at in Wyethville, Va. that night as my voice box and excitement level peaked together.  Then on Saturday night, it was great fun to be part of the crowd urging the CAV's on to win the Eastern Conference Championship in Cleveland in front of our home crowd.  After watching a lot of bad games for a long time, it was so great to share that night with a client and friend, John, from Willard who also has seen a lot of heartbreaking games over the years. 

That's when I started to think about several sporting events from the last year.  All summer and fall in Ohio, Ohio State's football team is undefeated and ranked # 1;  from October to January, Florida's football team is undefeated and wins a national championship; from December thru April, Florida's basketball team is ranked in the top 5 in the country and wins a second NCAA championship; and now the Cleveland Cavaliers are reaching a new level of success never seen in their prior history.  Those times somehow coincided with our schedule between Ohio, and Florida....

You are probably thinking by now that you can connect the dots.   If you are thinking that my presence in all of these areas is somehow related to the success of those teams... you would be wrong! 

But there is a close correlation because of the presence of someone else who I hold near and dear in my life.  That person is my wife, Marlene who today marks 41 years of standing beside me in marriage; and supporting me in all our work together.  If those teams want to take advantage of the winning presence of a wonderful, giving human being, they should make sure SHE is in the "house"!   It has made all the difference for me, it would most likely work for them as well.     dls

Sent June 11, 2007

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