WWJD #20: Teams Overcoming Adverse Situations Ready To Find Success

WWJD #20: Teams Overcoming Adverse Situations Ready To Find Success

“We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”– Barbara De Angelis

This quote is something that we all can relate to in one way or another. We have all gone through it or are going through it in some way. The same can be said for the Los Angeles Lakers.

This season the Purple and Gold have seen their fair share of injuries (although it hasn’t been as bad as in years past), adversity on the court dealing with COVID-19, and off of the court with the untimely passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

Yet, the Lakers will enter the NBA’s restart with the league’s second-best record and the position as the hottest team in the league when the coronavirus shut the league down. LeBron James is playing at his usual MVP level, and Anthony Davis is also in the running for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Before the league shut down, the Lakers throttled the Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the NBA’s best record, and played playoff-caliber basketball in a victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The NBA will resume in July at Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, but the Lakers still have a few holes to fill in their roster on their quest for the franchise’s seventeenth title. Before the shutdown, they added guard Dion Waiters, who was released by the Miami Heat earlier this season. The team has also been long rumored as a destination for guard J.R. Smith and possibly Jamal Crawford.

The shutdown could possibly hurt the Lakers more than any other team in the NBA.

No team was hotter or playing better basketball in the league. They were coming into playoff form and starting to hit their stride. The COVID-19 effect could help them by allowing nagging injuries to heal, but that also works in favor of other NBA teams as well.

LeBron James is seemingly on a mission to win another NBA title. He is playing at a “Playoff LeBron” level nightly, and with Davis being the mega-star that he is, the Lakers seem to be in a perfect position to not only reach the NBA Finals, but also win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Clippers and Denver Nuggets will pose the biggest threat in the Western Conference, and the Bucks or possibly the old nemesis Boston Celtics are the Eastern Conference teams that could be their NBA Finals opponents. Stay tuned. We’ll cover every Laker game for Las Vegas going forward.

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”– Malcolm X

For new UNLV football head coach Marcus Arroyo, it undoubtedly has been a trying first offseason after taking over the UNLV football program in January. Arroyo came to UNLV after leaving the Oregon Ducks, where he was the offensive coordinator. He not only had to assemble his staff while he was preparing for the Rose Bowl, but also decided to keep two players that were committed to the former staff.

It wasn’t the ideal situation for coach Arroyo or any first-year head coach. He and his staff didn’t have spring practice or spring ball to install the offense or defense. They weren’t able to travel to see recruiting targets or host any recruits on campus, making the stunning new Fertitta Football Complex a lonely place.

So, how did coach Arroyo and his staff get to work with their players? By doing the offensive and defensive install over Zoom. They also held team workouts, had guest motivational speakers, and stayed in contact with each other, so when they were able to get back together, they could hit the ground running.

I am also impressed with the way the staff works together and supports each other. They have a positive, high energy vibe that has been infectious for the players. As I’ve talked with players and people around the program, they have really taken to the new staff and feel that they won’t be as behind the eight-ball as some may think.

If any coach can overcome the adversity that has hit the sports world, I believe head coach Marcus Arroyo can. He’s as prepared as anyone, and so far, his staff has implemented and executed his plan to perfection.

The future of UNLV football is bright. When they play in their new home, Allegiant Stadium, coach Arroyo will have his Rebels ready to go and primed to put on a show! The Franchise will bring each and every act to your screen.

“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”– Chinese Proverb

The Las Vegas Raiders came to the new Capital of Raider Nation with a lot on the line in 2020. With the early success of the Golden Knights, the Raiders don’t have a “honeymoon” period. In three seasons, VGK has reached the NHL playoffs each year and is poised for another run to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup. The Raiders, meanwhile, have had one winning season in the last sixteen years.

That doesn’t mean the future isn’t bright for the Raiders. In fact, I feel that they are in an excellent position to make a playoff run, providing that there aren’t any hiccups.

News came out that first-round pick, wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, had to have stitches in his thigh after he was injured helping a friend move. Thankfully for the Raiders, he will be ready to go by the time training camp starts at their new facility, The Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson.

Also, last week the team’s third-round pick, running back Lynn Bowden Jr., was detained by authorities at his grandmother’s house. Bowden Jr. was briefly handcuffed at a Youngstown, Ohio home raided by U.S. Marshals and the Drug Enforcement Agency last Wednesday morning. The Kentucky All-American was not arrested nor charged with any crime and isn’t expected to be.

Last year’s first-round pick, Clelin Ferrell, had a solid but not spectacular rookie season, leaving some Raiders fans questioning the selection. But Ferrell has taken to this offseason with a vengeance, working on creating flexibility which should help gain explosiveness. The Raiders need him along with Maxx Crosby, Carl Nassib, and Maliek Collins to create a more disruptive pass rush to create turnovers.

While the gems the Raiders have aren’t finished products or polished to perfection, they are well on their way. The new home of the Raiders, Allegiant Stadium, should be a fun place when the Silver and Black return. We’ll make sure you see every minute of it.

Peace✌????

WWJD    WWJD    WWJD   WWJD    WWJD    WWJD   WWJD    WWJD    WWJD   WWJD    WWJD    WWJD

-Joe Arrigo – Franchise Sports Media

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