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John Calipari
I taught Jarrod everything I know. If you dont believe me, watch any of our home videos. Youll witness some sort of competition between Wes, me, and Jarrodwith four years between each of usyoull he...view moreI taught Jarrod everything I know. If you dont believe me, watch any of our home videos. Youll witness some sort of competition between Wes, me, and Jarrodwith four years between each of usyoull hear our mom or dad narrating, and youll see Ashley and Alyse doing whatever it is little girls do. Most of the videos consist of me making an idiot of myself because winning was, and sadly sometimes still is, more important to me than anything. I showed Jarrod no mercy, even if it meant arguing, diving for a loose ball, or using brute force on my much smaller younger brother. It didnt matter if it was basketball, Ping-Pong, or Monopoly Jr; if there was competition, it had my name on it. I once threw my Ping-Pong paddle at him so hard that it stuck in the drywall behind him, right where his head would have been if he hadnt ducked.
But this book isnt about me. Its about Jarrod. So I mention that because although I taught Jarrod everything I know, I only wish I could say that I taught him everything he knows. Somewhere along the way, he learned a lesson that I know I didnt teach him. It took the words of Jesus and me joining the military for me to learn a lesson that, as far as I can tell, Jarrod was born with. Its probably my favorite attribute about him, and if you dont count his blond hair and blue eyes, its certainly what draws most people to him: he is a team player. He doesnt let his ego get in the way of the team. In a world that tells you to watch your own back and to take care of number one, playing with and watching Jarrod play basketball broke all the rules. He somehow always managed to be the best player on the court without acting like it.
Humility isnt easy to come by. I believe God has gifted Jarrod in this way, and lucky for you, Im going to let you in on a little secret. Whenever I read books written by two people, I always find myself trying to figure out how much of the book was actually written by the famous author. Jarrod and Wes labored over this book together, but theres two ways to know for sure who wrote a particular portion of the book. The first is obvious after what Ive just told you about Jarrod: anything that sounds like he is being boastful, or even remotely confident, probably wasnt written by Jarrod. Plain and simple. In order to reveal the second, I will have to tell you a little bit about Wes. Wes is a storyteller. Theres a reason that Jarrod wrote the book with Wes instead of me. When Wes tells a story, he tells a story. Every aspect is included, the truth is exaggerated if needed, and maybe even a few harmless details are added just for good measure. I think it all stems from the fact that Wes inherited both his and my imagination. I could bore you with plenty of examples, but Ill get to my point. If you find yourself reading about dragon slaying, or maybe even things youve never heard of, that part was probably added in by Wes.
The beauty behind this is that the two of them make a perfect combination. Jarrod finishes a story, and you have to play twenty questions just to get all of the details out of him. Wes finishes reciting a narrative, and you have to ask him twenty questions to figure out which parts actually happened. Fortunatelyor unfortunatelyIm the most literal of the bunch. I can honestly say that, as far as my memory serves me, the truth is portrayed throughout the entire text. The stories from our backyard, Southland Christian Churchs basketball league, West Jessamine High School, and the University of Kentucky all fit into the life of Jarrod Polson. I am obviously extremely biased, but I think you are in for a real treat. Enjoy!view less
Books by John Calipari
Living Beyond the Dream: A Journey of Faith into the Talented World of Kentucky Basketball