On an unseasonably cold night in Denver, I met up with Kenyon Martin in one of the City’s hottest Friday Night spots.

The college basketball scene was electric during the 1999-2000 season. But there weren’t many other places where the light shone brighter than Cincinnati. Bob Huggins’ Bearcats dominated Conference USA with their driving catalyst and eventual Player of The Year, Kenyon Martin. Martin was well known around the league as a defensive stalwart but quickly became a household name with his electrifying athleticism and passion for the game. The 1999-2000 season ended on a sour note however, as Kenyon fell victim to a leg fracture three minutes into their first game in the Conference USA tournament.

Months later, the season that ‘could have been’ made way for the career that would be as Kenyon Martin walked to the center of the basketball universe when David Stern announced the first selection in the 2000 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. Jersey fans would soon see his emotions of that night carried on to the court as they embraced their rising star and NBA All-Rookie First Teamer. The agressive and powerful “Flagrant Flyer” (as Sports Illustrated dubbed him), made his first All-Star appearance in 2004.

Following the 2003-2004 season, Martin was traded to Denver. Years later, I now write about a chance encounter between two former Ohio college kids who parted ways with the Buckeye state in the same year. Unfortunately it appears as though the present times have brought back unpleasant memories for the Denver Nuggets forward. On November 15, 2006, Martin had successful surgery on his right knee only to discover that he would miss the balance of the season due to the extensive nature of the injury.

As I sauntered through the seemingly distracted crowd last Friday at Purple Martini, I noticed an unassuming NBA star enjoying a night out. In speaking with Executive Vice President of Kenyon Martin, Inc., Brad Morris, he shared that Kenyon is extremely “disappointed” that he will not be able to play along side his teammates this year. However, I suspect the rest of the league is not so disappointed when facing a Nuggets team with a missing piece. Kenyon seems dedicated to coming back to the Nuggets for the start of the 2007 season with a full recovery. If the past is any indication of the future, this injury is merely a minor obstacle. Beware the return of K-Mart!

It’s been a while since I’ve scratched the surface with any of my blog entries. The following is a brief writing exercise inspired by Hill Harper’s book, Letter To A Young Brother:

Dear Son,

Often I long for the boyhood days filled with naiveté and unconscious bliss. The days where fighting enemy platoons in the backyard and daydreams of playing professional sports seemed so tangible. I often catch myself whispering out loud ‘what happened?’ The best explanation I keep coming up with is that I no longer believe in those visions. I’m sure you will hear some people say this is part of growing up but I don’t buy that. There are those of us who have tackled our childhood dreams and those of us that have altered expectations or shifted focus for whatever reason. In my case, physical limitations, poor planning and the reality of bullets possibly flying over my head seemed a bit too much for me to handle.

With that, I have constantly tried to update myself. Now don’t start thinking anything funny. I’m serious! As I write this letter, we live in the computer age where people constantly upgrade their systems to meet the needs of their reality…their modern world if you will. Although sometimes I feel like I have upgraded myself into confusion, ultimately I’ve learned that new operating systems have been helpful for me. Adding new tools to my internal hard drive has been accomplished through life’s experiences, mistakes and joys.

By my childhood standards I think I live a pretty ordinary life. Through a seven year old’s eyes I may be short of astronaut or fireman status but I have come to realize that dreams are meant to be re-visited. Thank goodness for that. Take you for example. You were never even a fleeting thought when I first charted the course for my life. How lucky I was to believe in the power of change and life’s precious gifts, huh?

The problem is when we get stuck in our dreams son. You know those people that just never wake up? I like to think that they find pleasure in waiting for a pot of gold or a new job to fall out of the sky. For some reason I have a hard time believing that they ever did any sort of software or hardware upgrades. I won’t cast the first stone though; I know that it can be pretty easy for any person to walk through life without realizing that their dial-up visions can’t compete with high-speed reality. But like your grandmother always told me, ‘to each his own’. It’s not our place to judge or impose our ways upon others. Although, one can’t help to make these observations, as they are a part of what shapes and helps us determine our own course in life.

With humility I must share that I constantly live in fear. Fear that if I don’t upgrade I will become obsolete. I don’t necessarily consider this a bad thing because I feel like it keeps me on my toes. Knowing that I have reached a point in my life that is different than I intended as a child makes me excited about how much different my life will be in another 20 plus years. By then you will be a grown man who has learned to make his own decisions in life.

Just know that I accept you for who you have become even though I’ve yet to hear you utter your first word. Set your standards high and I sincerely hope that you are happy with where you have landed. The reality is that you may have made some adjustments perhaps for the better, just like I did with you.

Your Loving Father