LUKE!

A day ago I read a short post by my good brother Barack. He celebrated the pending historic game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State (Oakland) Warriors. If you are not a sports fan I understand, it’s not for everyone. Though you may not be a fan of sports I think you can agree that historic accomplishments are worth a look.
So, let’s put aside the professional athletes on the court and take a look at one on the sideline. Luke Walton. If you do not know this name you will eventually hear it bounced around in sports conversations. He’s 35 years old and is in the midst of only his second season as an interim coach with the Warriors organization.
What’s the big deal?
Well, a couple of days into training camp this past summer, Warriors’ Head Coach Steve Kerr called Walton and said he wouldn't be ready for the season. Walton instantly found out that he would be the interim coach for a still-undetermined time. Now 15 games into the season this young coach is about to lead his team to the record books against a team he once played for, the Lakers!
He won championships in 2009 and 2010 as a role player for the Lakers and earned $34 million in an 11-year playing career, nine with the team that drafted him 32nd overall in 2003.
Now only 12 years since he entered the league he’s about to eclipse these all-time sports win records:

1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs, 10-0
2006-07 Buffalo Sabres, 10-0
1982 Atlanta Braves, 13-0
1987 Milwaukee Brewers, 13-0
1948-49 Washington Capitols, 15-0
1993-94 Houston Rockets, 15-0
1972 Miami Dolphins, 17-0
2007 New England Patriots, 18-0

Ironically the opposing team on the court Nov. 24, holds the all-time pro basketball win-streak record:
1971-1972 Los Angeles Lakers, 33 straight wins!

Some say coaching a championship team is easy, most if not all who say this have never done it. It's an easy job, right? Tell Stephen Curry to keep shooting threes. Same thing for Klay Thompson. Make sure Draymond Green remains one of the most versatile forward-centers in the game. And keep bringing valuable veteran Andre Iguodala off the bench.
Yeah right!
Coaches around the league admire how Walton has helped the Warriors out of some jams on the way to a 15-0 record. They had to beat Brooklyn in overtime. Had to overcome a 23-point deficit to beat the Clippers. Had to hold a late one-point lead over Toronto without the ball.
So, all talk is dead without action. Let’s go Warriors. Good luck and good shooting to the team. Coach Walton GETSOME! Let’s break all the records!!!

THE BOSS

I was just ask why I will be an entrepreneur, is it because I want to be the boss? 

This is the furthest from the true reason. 

The future wellbeing of family is my primary purpose. I have the sincerest admiration for the workforce. I will re-enter it soon, but my mind is focused on making jobs not getting jobs. I'm a community guy. As an business proprietor I can better serve my community by providing employment opportunities for others. A business is transferable to my family, a traditional job is not. As an entrepreneur I will accomplish two primary family goals - First, model hard work and ethical behavior and the rewards that come from these actions, and second build a business or businesses that provide family income for future Pinckney generations. 

Author Jack London's credo says it best for me,

I would rather be ashes than dust! 

I would rather that my spark should burn out 

in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. 

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom 

of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. 

The function of man is to live, not to exist. 

I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. 

I shall use my time.

"Thanks for reading, thanks for visiting."

Copyright © 2015 by Palmer Pinckney II  

A MATTER OF FAITH

All this talk of “My Jesus is better than your Jesus” is totally silly to me. Oh dear, I’m certain that I just offended someone.  Oh well.

Anyhow, I love my faith and I’m never ashamed or fearful to share it. However I am aware that many of us are from different backgrounds. We are raised up to believe in different faiths. We are intrinsically motivated differently. With this always in mind here’s how I start off all my conversations about faith:

"Before we get started I want to preface our conversation with this statement. Please understand that I am very happy to discuss faith with you. I enter into our conversation with no agenda. I am not here to convert you to my belief nor am I here to be converted to yours. Truly what I want is for both of us to openly share our beliefs. Doing this will allow us to find middle ground and on this ground together you and I will certainly find unconditional friendship."

I have done this for years, with people from darn near every conceivable faith. As a result I have forged incredible relationships with a very diverse group of people. Though our faiths often do not agree we each discovered mutual respect for one another, regardless of beliefs.

On a few occasions I have encountered the stubborn, rude and inconsiderate person. You know the ones that are determined to make everyone believe the way they do. These folks are best left as found. Only prayer for them, and away from them has any hope of allowing them to be open-minded to the fullness of creation.

Peace be with you.

"Thanks for reading, thanks for visiting."

Copyright © 2015 by Palmer Pinckney II  

DOPE

Yesterday my son and I watched the movie Dope and the dialog in the film was laden with nigger, nigger, nigger. Today my son asked me about the word Nigger. Of course now that the media has jumped on top of the president's recent use of the word I am elated at the opportunity to discuss it with Logan.

 

He asked me my thoughts, I explained that this particular word will never despite any attempts, be a term of endearment. It will always be a word that shouts belittlement and suppression of self-worth. Simply, I explained, think of it this way, if a teacher ask you to write down a word that best describes you, what would you write? If you are sitting in a final interview before an investment committee that is considering financing your business with a $1 million cash investment and they ask you to describe in one word who you are? Would you respond "nigger?" I think not. Then I asked him, why belittle yourself amongst your friends and associates?

 

He looked at me and listened attentively as I concluded by saying, deep down inside us all, our very existence, our heart, our soul, calls us to know that we are so much better than this word.

 

Thanks for reading, thanks for visiting.

© Palmer Pinckney II

Barrack Hussain Obama, U.S. President, U.S. Armed Forces commander-in-chief. Yup that's him. He inherited a war and a wrecked economy. Now, six years later we’re doing better despite political differences. One thing that hasn't improved are the complainers. They complained about Reagan, complained about Bush, Clinton, Bush and now Obama. Always complaining. Why? Most likely because they can, it's the American way. When in doubt bitch about it! Honestly I don't complain, instead I vote. When my candidate wins I'm happy. If he or she does not win, I'm still American. As an American I support my political representatives regardless of affiliation. I write letters and emails, volunteer with political organizations and get involved with the process. Perhaps bitching is also a method of involvement. Just thought of that. No matter, I guess I'm just a realist, if I see the stock market above 17,000, fuel prices less than $2.50 a gallon, and a 5.6 percent national unemployment rate, the lowest it has been since June 2008, I say to myself, “Cool.” Now if matters were different, say worse, I'd have to say not cool. Indeed I know there's plenty flawed in our country, public schools, health care, the poor, and of course politics to name a few. We’re always gonna have issues, we're America, it’s how we roll.  Complaining and bitching are some folks way of coping with issues. Action and praying are mine. We the people are the solution to all our issues. I've traveled the world, and one great fact I've come to realize is that everywhere I've gone the locals wish to come here to America. So in closing try not to blame the president for our issues. He's just one peg of many stuck on a part of the map the world calls the United States of America. As with past presidents he's doing as best he can in the position. Not to bad for a black peg. Ha!