The other day, I bought a lottery ticket. I was going to hit it big. I made the older woman with the scary mole on her face promise me it was a winner. She stood behind the gas station counter, smiled and said it was a winner.
It wasn't. I lost.
In fact, I lost on all five tickets - those same five tickets the scary mole-woman said were winners.
For some of us, money is a hard thing to come by.
For others - Bill Gates, Alex Rodriguez, Donald Trump, Master P or any other filthy rich person we love to hate - bling, bling. Money ain't a thing.
There is, however, a catch to all of those people. In one way or another, they've earned their money. Whether any of us wants to admit it, they paid their dues. Through owning property to developing operating systems for computers, they have each done their own thing.
Even good ol' "P" put in his time, probably literally, but in the studio as well. Regardless, to be successful in life you have to put in the time.
I, on the other hand, was trying to get my money the scandalous way. I would turn to page two of the Daily News, see my numbers and go buy a new car.
So, does any of this have to do with anything of importance? Consider this column to be like a joke. First I set the scene, then I deliver the punch line when you least expect it.
So, brace yourself, here it comes.
On Wednesday Theron Smith of the men's basketball team declared his eligibility for the NBA draft.
The best way to look at his declaration is this: Smith is just "putting in his time."
After talking to Smith for nearly 45 minutes Wednesday about his decision, I think he declared for more reasons than just trying to get into the NBA.
Is he going there expecting a first-round draft pick in the top 20 spots?
No, not particularly. But, honestly, why should he? I think he's got other things on his mind.
Smith isn't just buying a lottery ticket and hoping to hear his number in the mix.
Instead, he is "putting in some extra time." He is doing something of which other prospective college basketball players could take note. He's playing a different game - the game of business and marketing. Smith wants to play in the pre-draft camp in Chicago, a camp he called a "key" to success.
By playing in that camp he will get a feel for the big leagues and make the name "T" Smith a household name among scouts next season.
So the bottom line is this: Go compete in the camps, impress the scouts, withdraw your name, come back to college, go especially high in the 2003 draft after those same scouts who saw you in the camp watch you all next season.
Could he still go this year?
Yeah, of course he could. He may go to Chicago and throw down an impressive 40 points in one game and pull down a hard 16 rebounds in another game. He may really turn some heads.
So, the real question still remains. Is he going to be back next year?
I haven't really ever been the predicting type, and I don't figure this is the best situation to start doing so. Only time will tell where Smith will end up.
But one thing is for sure: Smith's decision to declare this year is nothing but commendable.
He has lost nothing and will gain everything.
He may gain an NBA contract out of the deal. He may gain the respect of scouts with a solid effort in the camps, return to Ball State next fall and have one hell of a senior year.
Is going straight from high school to the NBA stupid?
Yes, I think so.
Is what Smith is doing stupid?
Far - very far - from it.
More often than not, critics of collegiate athletics and the students who participate in them are too harsh. As crazy as this may sound, some of the athletes at this university have a brain, know how to use it and should be given more credit.
In this case, Theron Smith is just that.
Write to Greg at gmfallon@bsu.edu
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