LIVING ON TULSA TIME

Helloooooooo everyone!

I am finally in Tulsa and participating with a very good group of young women. I have watched as well as been a part of some very promising practices.

Tomorrow we have and early one against Seattle. It is a preseason game, but we are looking forward to the challenge.  This is also a moment where so many of the rookies get a chance to show what they have left before the final cuts. So far it has been great and I am super happy to be back with my LSU Alum Scholanda Dorrell.

Stay tune everyone -- I think this can really be a promising season.

Meek

THANKS FOR THE EXAMPLE DR. O'NEAL

I wanted to share an article that I read this week from a friend and LSU alum Shaquille O'Neal.  It strikes a chord with me in terms of something that is dear to my heart and a main cog of my Hope Foundation -- education. Shaquille received a hard-earned doctorate degree this weekend.  He has always been very pro-education.  My college coach Bob Starkey, also coached Shaquille and always spoke about his study habits and how education was so important to him and his family.  Shaq not only has spoke often on the topic of education but more importantly, has always set a high standard through his example.

This week he wrote a tremendous article for USA Today and I wanted to share it with my followers:

On Saturday, I will be receiving an education doctorate degree from Barry University, a small Catholic school in Miami Shores. The degree isn't honorary. I worked for it, and I'm as proud of this as anything I have accomplished in my life. While I did this for two people — my mother and myself — it certainly would be nice if it could have a broader impact.

Too many young kids — particularly black kids — are still dropping out of school way too early. This country will never compete globally when nearly one in four kids fails to complete high school on time.

For you parents out there: Don't just encourage your children to complete high school, which should be a basic step toward a much bigger education. I was fortunate to have a mother who understood the value of education, even as she saw me join the NBA and have a successful basketball career. My mom knew that education not only would help me down the road, it also would make me a better person.

It's understandable when young athletes lured by the big money of the NBA decide to pass up college. But that makes no sense for the thousands and thousands of young athletes who will never make it to the pros. And even those lucky few need to understand that a career in athletics is fleeting — education isn't.

Although I entered the NBA draft after my junior year at Louisiana State University in 1992, I later took correspondence courses to earn my bachelor's degree. Education matters. It instills self-discipline. It exposes a person to a world of shared knowledge. It forces us to stay attuned to current events. And most important, it helps each of us understand how and where we fit into this world.

My doctoral degree from Barry is in Organizational Learning and Leadership, with a specialization in Human Resource Development. People won't be surprised to learn that my doctoral project was titled: "How Leaders Utilize Humor or Seriousness in Leadership Styles." I'm a big believer in the power of humor, particularly in stressful situations.

But this is no laughing matter. If there's one thing I hope people take from this personal milestone, it's that education matters for your entire life. A degree, whether high school or doctoral, is not a finish line; it's simply a mile-marker. My learning will continue. I want others to come along for the ride.

Congratulations Dr. O'Neal -- and thank you for the example you have set for us all!

BACKS AGAINST THE WALL

Hey there!

I am coming to you, with the news of being down 2 games to Orenburg. This is not a good position but I am still believing in our team.

We will have a day to rest and one to travel and we play again on Friday. Its do or die, either we win and advance or we are done. I will keep you all posted.

Meek

A RELAXING BOAT RIDE

Hello all!

I come to you today with some different news. It's not basketball this time. It is more like a fun picnic in the park kind-of-thing. Today we went on a little boat ride around Kursk, we didnt even know that the place existed. The men that run it and is a part of it are huge fans of ours as well as all the sports around Kursk, and they were thrilled when we accepted the invite to come and relax with them. We had some food that was put on a grill. (That was delicious I might add) Then I got to ride on the boat which then turned into all of us driving it, of course with close instructions. Today I must say was a much needed relaxing day, and we are back to work tomorrow for the final round of the playoff starting on the 23rd.

Stay tuned everyone and I will be back to talk about out match against Orenburg later.

Have a great weekend!

Meek

TOUGH LOSS TO SEIMONE'S TEAM

Hello world!

I come to share with you that we came up a little short against Spartak last night. We lost to Seimone and her group by two points, now we have to play for 3rd and 4th place instead of 1st and 2nd. It was a hard fought battle but again we came up short.  I was very upset and kind of displeased with how we actually played overall, but mostly about my own performance. I know that things begin and end with me and to not lead my teammates the way that I know I should or could have truly bothers me. I thought about this for a little while after the game as well, then the WNBA draft came on and  I was able to watch it.

I want to say congrats to Our own LSU and now Washington Mystics LaSondra Barrett for having a chance to accomplish a goal as well as live a dream of hers. Super proud of her.

Next I want to say that I am very please with Coach Klopp and the Tulsa Shock for the draftees that they have brought to our team. I am looking forward to seeing all that young talent in person. I have a little over two weeks left over here and then to Oklahoma to be a part of something that seems like it will be very good.

I hope that everyone have a great week and I will keep you all posted on the rest of the playoffs.

Meek

MEEK AND TEAM POST PLAYOFF VICTORY

On Yesterday we had our first playoff game and we came out on top. It was against 6th place Nognisk and they gave us a fard fight for the first 2 and 1/2 quarters. Here is an article on the the out come I hope you enjoy it.

Kursk "Dynamo" has won the first match plej-off. The contender - Noginsk "Spartak" - in the regular championship has taken the sixth place and has assigned to itself glory of the collective fighting on a house parquet up to the end. The match against "Dynamo" also didn't become an exception.

In the first quarter of a command played practically as equals. "Dynamo" has come forward almost at the very beginning of a meeting, but this advantage remains small all period. A starting piece in structure kurjanok has perfectly spent Michel Snow. American center for ten minutes has typed 13 points that on one point it is less than all, than result of all command of competitors (14:19).

The advantage won by "Dynamo" in the first period, has been lost after a break. Most of all efforts to this local success of mistresses has put Snezhana Aleksich. For a quarter it has typed 10 points and thanking its sniper abilities to "Spartak" it was possible to come forward. However, the maximum advantage has never exceeded two points, and at the very end of first half Anna Petrakova has returned "Dynamo" leadership (32:33).

After the big break "Dynamo" has made jerk 8:2. Mistresses were a little more overcame, but could oppose nothing Michel Snow and Aushre Bimbajte. "Dynamo" also has begun the fourth quarter with great dispatch, having won first two minutes with the account 10:0. "Spartak" has tried has organized a pursuit, but anything, except remarkable game Apricot (for the period has typed 9 points), couldn't show. In structure of Kursk "Dynamo" has perfectly spent Anastas Bocharova's who has never missed from game quarter. As a result the command of Vajnauskasa has won the first match plej-off with the account 62:75 and has moved in a series to two victories. The following game will take place in Kursk on April, 8th. And if to be necessary the third meeting it also will take place on a house parquet "Dynamo" on April, 9th. The beginning at 19.00.

"Spartak" (Noginsk) – "Dynamo" (Kursk) – 62:75 (14:19, 18:14, 11:15, 19:27)

"Spartak" (Noginsk): Abrikosova (13 points, 5 transfers), Pupko (12, 9 selections), Aleksich (10, 4 transfers), Ulyanov (10).

"Dynamo" (Kursk): Snow (24 points, 10 selections), Vodopjanova (8, 10 selections), Bimbajte (11), Johnson (9, 7 transfers), Rytikova (0), Bocharova (10), Petrakova (9, 10 selections), Lisina (4), Bashko-Melnbarde (0)

MEEK NAMED TOP POINT GUARD IN RUSSIA

Hello everyone! I am back in Kursk, and believe me it was so hard to get back on that plane. I left the good sun to come back to snow -- very challenging, but hey I have a job to finish. I am extremely tired right now due to the fact that I stayed up all night watching the Women's Final Four -- but it was well worth it. That UConn/ ND game definitely kept you on your toes, and it was great to see other players step up for Baylor with the game plan that Standford had for them. It was fun basketball. I was glad I was able to see it.

Now for what's going on here: We are getting ready to start the playoffs for the Russian league, which shall be very interesting to say the least -- but I will keep you all posted.

I also wanted to share with you all what I found out when I got back to Russia -- http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/womenbasket/310845.html. Of course I don't expect anyone to read it so I will play the part of the translator. It states that I am the top PG (Point Guard) in Russia. Great accomplishment and I am very honored. Our team has worked very hard this year and we are still striving to accomplish a few more things before it is all over.

I am very tired and will rest before our next practice. Have a great day everyone.
Meek