73% of women on the titanic survived.
Only 19% of men did.
Read that again.
Even the richest men alive, class, power, status, all useless when the ship started sinking.
Hierarchy collapsed.
Gender didn’t.
“Women and children first”
Not a suggestion.
A rule men didn’t break.
Men stood there.
No panic
No begging.
Just accepted it.
They didn’t ask:
“Do I know her?”
“Is she worth it?”
“Will she remember me?”
No one asked if it was fair.
No camera.
No applause.
No second chances.
Zero return.
Full cost.
Understand this:
When survival gets limited, a man’s life becomes negotiable.
Men like that built the world.
And today?
Masculinity gets mocked.
Call it whatever you want.
But when everything collapsed, men paid first.
This isn’t opinion.
This is history.
I remember asking assistant coach Mo Cheeks, what’s harder to do? Workout after practice or before?? I only asked cuz by time I would get to the gym, Russ was already done in the morning and I usually got mine in after practice. Mo like, “coming in before practice is probably harder”…since then, it’s been my routine….a lot of people looked at the emotions on the court and thought Russ was loud, nah to me, he was quiet and methodical. He lead by example and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom. It was inspiring as his teammate and everywhere I went, I seen it inspire people from all walks of life, crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up. For 18 years. This basketball life is sacred to us as professionals, what we put into that court means everything. Some of us wish we could go back and do things with a little more intent and some can just wipe their hands and be satisfied with the time spent. Who u gonna be? We know what zero was on…keep inspiring in the next phase of life champ. I don’t care what happens, can’t erase what it was…The first YNs, finals run in our early 20s, all star games, seeing each other get injured and bounce back, the bus rides, plane rides, card games, jokes and arguments, the whole thing, memorable!! …to the whole Westbrook family, Nina, the kids, mama Westbrook, big Russ, Ray, Donnell, everybody from luezinger high and ucla and many more that I’m forgettin, much love and Congratulations on a iconic career.