The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Commitment as, “The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action”. It continues on to describe Commitment as, “The act or an instance of committing”. When reading this definition, it makes me wonder if whoever wrote it has any clue what Commitment actually means.
Two nights ago, I was invited to attend a private reception at the newly unveiled Commitment exhibition in Harlem, presented by Nike for the 2008 USA Olympic men’s basketball team. Not entirely sure what to expect, I made it a point to arrive early so I’d have a little time to check out the space in case the event ended up crowding to capacity. When I arrived I saw that the venue itself sat shrouded behind frosted glass, but once beyond that, what follows is a veritable shrine to Commitment. More specifically, it was Nike’s acknowledgment to the dedication proven by each member of the men’s USA Olympic basketball team and a celebration of the commitment each player has expressed to each other, their country, and the sport of basketball.
There’s no doubt that talent is an integral trait found in every professional athlete, but what truly defines an athlete is the extent of their commitment to their sport. Whereas talent is arguably inherent, commitment always begins as a choice and then exists as a profound faith in a specific goal to be the very best. In sports, that commitment manifests itself as a constant drive to perform and achieve. While performance is often measured as a best time or distance, achievement is sometimes determined by a hundredth of a second or a fraction of an inch. The original Dream Team of 1992 led by the basketball Gods of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley personified both commitment and achievement at the summer Olympics in Barcelona by beating every opponent by a margin of 43.8 points!
A crucial aspect of athletic commitment is also exhibited by the sacrifices that are readily accepted and regularly endured by an athlete; the dues they pay to themselves so they can consistently perform at the very highest levels; the countless hours in the gym and weight room perfecting their craft is just a glimpse of what many athletes put themselves through. Any athlete competing at an Olympic game certainly represents the culmination of talent, but the athletes that end an Olympic game with a gold medal also represent commitment to it’s ultimate degree. The exhibition by Nike pays testament to the individual commitments made by each and every member of the men’s Olympic basketball team. It is also Nike’s homage to the growing legacy of being a world-class athlete in pursuit of Olympic gold and to the sport of basketball, past, present and future.
The members of the Men’s USA Olympic Basketball Team are also some of the biggest names in the NBA. Most of these guys are considered icons of the sport, and any fan would agree that at least a couple of them are living legends within the game. I have to admit it was impossible to not get caught up in the excitement when the entire team filed off the bus and passed through the throngs of cheering fans. Once inside, it was also incredible to watch how clearly humbled each player became as they made their way through the exhibition. The atmosphere felt reverently quiet as the players slowly worked their way around, intermittently pausing to read an inscribed quote, study a photo, or watch a video loop showing one of basketball’s many heroes or a pinnacle moment in basketball’s rich history.
The centerpiece of the room are the official uniforms. While studying the display I noticed that the numbering on the jerseys start with the number four and end at fifteen, which means that they are in sequential order. I also noticed that USA on the front of the jersey is raised and the names on the back blend in with the overall aesthetic and design. Though unstated, I believe the numbers on the jersey start with four because it’s anticipated that this will be the fourth Olympic men’s basketball team that will be bringing home a gold medal since the allowance of professional basketball players began in 1992. The 1992 team won gold in Barcelona, the 1996 team won gold in Atlanta, and the 2000 team brought home a gold medal at Sidney Olympics. To everyone’s astonishment, the 2004 team lost three games at the Olympic games in Athen’s earning them a bronze metal. This was a huge upset because it was the first time an Olympic men’s basketball team didn’t win a gold medal since 1972 and those three games also represented more losses in a single year than the USA men’s Olympic basketball teams had suffered in all previous Olympiads combined. Since many attribute the losses suffered by the 2004 team to arrogance and lack of team work, having the numbers appear in sequential order can only represent the teams’ commitment to set aside their egos and individual preferences and wear a number whose sequential order represents unity.
Though the individual commitment of each player there that night was artfully illustrated throughout the room, it was acutely obvious as well when looking at the players themselves. As a result of their relentless training regiment and exhaustive game schedules, the entire basketball team seem as if they’re sculpted from pure muscle. Due to the fundamental demands of the sport, most of them also tower well over six feet tall. More impressive yet is how even off the basketball court, all the players seem to naturally carry themselves with a measured sense of purpose and confident agility that can only come from a person that has long since dedicated themselves entirely to being as swift and finely tuned an athlete as physically possible.
One thing was evident throughout the evening and that was the level of passion, detail and commitment that occupied The Commitment exhibition. From beautiful oil paintings of LeBron and Kobe to display cases of images from the likes of MJ, Magic, and Bird one has to equally applaud Nike’s effort of creating this shrine for the Men’s Olympic Basketball team and its fans. The care, consideration and execution of the gallery are a testament and recognition of what the team and its coaching staff have given to each other. Truly amazing, Truly inspiring. Well done.
United We Rise
The Commitment exhibition runs from July 10 through August 25 and is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 10am until 8pm.
111 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 1002
map
Posted on July 02, 2008 at 12:09 PM | Comment (5 comments)
