To Live and Die in New York
And the message for pickleball players
In today’s Bite Size Pickleball newsletter:
To Live and Die in New York
Update on Rick’s Hardcourt Heirs Show
TO LIVE AND DIE IN NEW YORK
Just got back from a two week vacation in New York, mainly in the city, but out on Long Island for a couple days on the beach. But I want to discuss the city part! To Live and NOT to Die in the city part. And in order to do that, NOT TO DIE, you absolutely need to learn to Live and FLOW in New York. Let’s discuss what that means for our pickleball game, shall we?
On my journey, I was exposed to, literally, thousands upon thousands of people. In the subway, on the sidewalks, in Times Square, at the 10 shows I went to. Yes, 10 shows. Want to know what to see on Broadway and Off? HMU.
Back to those gazillions of people. Every single one of them, including yours truly, had their own agenda. Many were rushing to and fro, texting while walking in a zig-zag pattern, vaping, and blowing the smoke in any direction they please, panhandling for a few dollars, trying to shove a brochure in your face, etc. Thousands and thousands of people with their own agenda. Within that maelstrom, you have three options.
Let any one of those thousands of people piss you off.
And, if you get affected, trying to CHANGE that which, or thou who, affected you.
FLOW.
When I left on my trip, my overall agenda was to use the experience to practice my flow. How did I do? I would say I came in at a 9.5 out of 10. There was one moment I almost got pissed off at a sad-sack working the counter at a deli who was pretty abrupt with me, and everyone else he came in contact with! Which led me to one of the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL. (I want to come back to that). But for now, I didn’t let the dude bring me down, or the cashier lady who got uppity because I grabbed my own cookie from behind a, slight, plexiglass divider. Moving forward, on with my flow.
There were a couple of other moments that tested me but, for the most part, I was practicing, what Bruce Lee called: being like water.
By the way, if you think AI sucks, look in the top middle of the above “Pixar-like” illustration. It added “Little Surf Hotel” on its own, and the Bite Size button to my shirt. Dismiss AI at your own peril. I use it A LOT. But again, that’s another topic. Back to this wave, and the message for your pickleball game (finally!)
When you head out to the courts, you need to recognize (I love that word) that EVERYONE going out to those same courts has their own agenda, on any particular day. And, who knows where people have come from, what’s going on in their lives, or where they’re going after pickleball. Everyone has their own agenda. And just like my trip to New York City, you have three options: Resist and allow someone to negatively impact you, then try to change them, or BE LIKE WATER.
The next time the court current starts to suck you down into an undertow, let go and let your body drift off to the side, resume your game, rinse, repeat and flow.
P.S. I was talking with a pickleball friend recently and they told me someone was talking shit about them to others. They wondered how that was happening, seeing how the person talking shit didn’t even know them. It disturbed them. I repeated one of those four agreements, Don’t Take Anything Personal. I then went on to expound on how our pickleball life is very akin to being back on the schoolyard playground all over again: Everyone talks shit about someone, or they don’t like someone, or want to play with them, etc. It’s Just The Way It Is, Somethings Never Change. - Bruce Hornsby
But maybe, just maybe…you can be a little more cognizant of your own playground behavior and work to be less “yappy” and more kind. The FLOW KIND.
UPDATE ON RICK’S HARDCOURT HEIRS SHOW
Back to my New York trip. My flight was at 1:25 pm on Sunday. I woke up at 5:00 am and something in me just wanted to go. Probably the thousands and thousands of people built up over the period and wanting to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK.
So I hopped on an 8:30 flight instead, but had to make two stops instead of one. I was still going to be home four hours earlier than the first flight, in time to watch Game 7 of the amazing NBA Finals. BTW, you know what I liked most about that series? Both teams remained classy throughout. I can’t remember even one contentious moment where players got out of hand. And, when it was all over, the losers didn’t just head to the locker room, and the winners didn’t just start celebrating, both teams first did the right thing: They showed appreciation for one another. Class acts.
OK, during my first stop, in ATL, the largest hub in the world, I was scanning the airport for some basketball player to sign up for my show. Like, maybe I’d see Trae Young, or someone, strolling through the airport. No such luck. I get on the plane, and one last check of my text messages, and I discover that we have probably signed former Tarheel great, and NBA stalwart, Antawn Jamison, and his son, for the show. To recap, the show is about former NBA players and their high school age sons who play.
That was exciting to me. It gave me confidence that this thing was actually in motion, and happening. I had previously signed up former Gonzaga legend Dan Dickau, and his son, to the show as well. Now, we were at two father/son duos cast, and two more to go.
Back to my next stop. Salt Lake City. Armed with even more confidence, my flow feeling good, I was walking through the airport, again scouring for possible Utah Jazz players for the show. Remember, something told me to get up and go in New York. So, I’m walking by this little food place and, lo and behold, who do I see? Not any NBA player, but LEGENDARY broadcaster Bob Costas, sitting at the back of the restaurant with his wife. I keep going. A few more feet to my gate. Naw. I can’t keep going. Gotta double back and at least try. Years ago, when I was an actor, one of my favorite teachers used to say, “You already have a ‘no.’” Meaning, why not try? That simple statement has enabled me to try some ballsy sh*t in my life.
“Hi, Bob, sorry to interrupt, but I just need five seconds of your time…”
Bob: “5, 4, 3, 2…”
What a great guy. His wife was very protective but Bob and I immediately warmed to each other and, who knows, he said he would contact me if he thought he could come up with a few gems for the show. Actually, he said, I’d hear from him either way. Again, just an exemplary man. Why Bob?
Within the four father-son duos, I am going to be filling out the show with “talking heads.” Bob would be one of those. Or, something I hadn’t thought of and my lawyer suggested, what about Bob narrating. I told my lawyer (yes, I actually have a lawyer for this), “I’m glad I thought of it.”
Previously, I signed on another amazing talking head. His name is George Mumford and he is the former performance coach who joined Phil Jackson when PJ was coaching the Bulls. MJ, Scottie, and Rodman, didn’t win jack until Mumford entered the picture and taught the players the art of togetherness through mindfulness. PJ took Mumford to the Lakers and he performed the same trick with Kobe and Shaq. Check out his book.
One other notable talking head includes Damien Wilkins, whose father was the solid NBA player Gerald Wilkins, and his uncle was the Human Highlight Film, Dominique. Damien runs the Overtime Elite academy. It’s in ATL and it is an academy where talented high school age kids rigorously train for a career in professional basketball while also undergoing their high school studies. Damien knows a lot about what being an “heir” is all about.
Currently waiting to fill out the remaining two father/son duos. Hoping longtime legend, and sixth man of the year, Jamal Crawford is one, and I have a couple of other cool potentials as well.
It looks like filming will start in a few weeks in Vegas, and spread throughout the summer. Check out the location we’re probably shooting at in Vegas, which is being comped to us, as a sponsorship trade-off, by the Palms Hotel. Nothing like it in the world! (Click link above).
Lastly, I have a meeting with Dick’s Sporting Goods (they also just bought Footlocker) tomorrow for possible main title sponsorship. Obviously, I am super excited about the opportunity, and the amazing creative leap I will get to undertake, and hope to pull off an amazing show. BTW, the name of my company is Creative Leap Studios. You can find the website if you want.
In the meantime, I had so much fun being back out on the pickleball playground yesterday after 16 days off. But I DID enjoy the time away from the playground, the ADDICTION, and it gave my body, my right shoulder, specifically, a chance to cool-off some. Must…be…like…water….this summer. Hope you have a great one, too, wherever you’re flowing!