Respect

By: Chris Cannizzaro

You see... Respect is not given to you, it’s not handed out unconditionally. Respect is something you earn. I can teach you this if you’re willing to learn. When I’m done with you, you’ll be able to discern the difference between what’s given and earned.

I’m a 6-foot-1 white boy and when I step on the court
Most guys don’t think that I can hold down the fort
My man asks with a look “you think you can ball with me?”
As he checks me the ball at the top of the key
It is apparent that he has no respect for me
‘Cuz he guards me somewhat unwillingly
Like he doesn’t need to guard me
Like he’s wasting his time
Like it’s too easy and he could leave me be
Like his teammates don’t respect him
So they stuck him on me

But before he knew it I drove right by
With a high arching finger roll right in his eye
Looking right at him as I made my cut
Then I shrugged my shoulders, looked at him and said, “What?”
He just shook his head trying to connect
How I just gave him something he didn’t expect
I let him know I can come correct
And maybe just maybe I deserve some respect

Down at the other end he’s lookin’ for payback
I step in his way and tell him to stay back
Everywhere he goes that’s where my ass is
So he gives up tryin’ and reluctantly passes
Next time down I get the ball on the wing
My teammate shouts “Do your thing!”
I notice he’s not acting like I’m a bore
He’s actually tryin’ like he wasn’t before
Cuz last time I used him like a 2 dollar whore
What he didn’t know is that I could do more
I threw a few fakes then I took him again
When I met him at the bucket I asked him “where you been?”

Next time down I could definitely tell
I had his respect for doin’ so well
For the rest of the game we went round and round
Knowing that we were playing on equal ground
Nothing could replace what he had found
Respect for another baller pound for pound
We went after each other in the beginning
Both hell bent on one thing, and that was winning
Now we respect each other
And compete with each other
And teach each other
And learn from each other

As it got later we knew we were done
Thanks to the darkness from a setting sun
We both had fun but we were losing light
He shook my hand and said, “Your game is tight”
And before we parted ways that night
He said, “We always play at 6, a’ight?”