The Concept of "Grinding"

Last night highlighted the Memphis Grizzlies toppling the Oklahoma City Thunder in their own arena. Memphis has been known as a team who plays their games at a slow pace treating every possession with care and not taking bad shots or forced shots but running their offense until they get a shot that they like. On the defensive end, the team is known for defending to and until the end of the possession, and this is why they are the true definition of a "Grind it out team." So much so that NBA analysts have named their home court "The Grind House."

The term "Grind" is thrown around loosely, and not so loosely in basketball circles. A classic loosely thrown phrase is "It's a Grind out here." Each and every walk on, and scholarship athlete experiences The Grind on a daily basis. The concept revolves around the tight schedule of the day that usually consists of class, lift, stretching, practice, more class maybe, homework, and other such college activities you may enjoy during a day in college. For a walk on, The Grind is especially tedious because there really is no reward. We pay for our tuition, and don't play in the games. We do it for the true love of the game and only the love of the game. That's why The Grind is really really "real" because we do it for the love of basketball and only the love of basketball. Walk ons are the definition of The Grind, and don't get enough recognition for our efforts. The only recognition is maybe a little TV clip that ends up on SportsCenter.... which reminds me.

Yeah thats me and my colleague Uncle Drew. We're obviously really proud of it. And who wouldn't be?! We're on SportsCenter for christ's sake!!!!! I was getting texts out the wazoo from buddies who I havn't talk to in years telling me "GREAT SCOTT!!! Steve I saw you on SportsCenter!" Damn right yah did, because I'm out here Grindin, but no one seems to know it.



-- Steve-O