The net recoiled beautifully as the ball went through, the end product of a high-arcing shot from way outside the three point line. Sergio had just finished me off in our best of five series to 21. Sergio is a great ball handler, very quick, and has a wonderful touch with his shots.

"Great game, Sergio," I said. "I could not stop you from the outside. I had my hand in your face and everything."

"Yeah,"' he agreed. "Sometimes I am just in the zone."

I laughed in astonishment and humility.

"Hey," he said changing the direction of the conversation, "How is that affiliate marketing stuff going for you? I have been reading your blog, but is anybody buying anything?"

I have been a successful businessman and entrepreneur for over 20 years. Recently I have attempted affiliate marketing and I have been humbled. I love the journey, but I am just not sure how to get where I am going just yet. When I do learn something, I like to share it with an audience by writing stories about imaginary interactions I have with famous people. In this article, I will discuss the benefits of writing about the items that you are actually selling.

"I am selling a dollar worth of stuff here and there," I answered Sergio.

"Maybe you should write about the things you are actually selling," Sergio said.

I blushed. I thought that I had been but as I gave it some more consideration, I thought Sergio might be right. I could write more directly about the items I was trying to sell. I had instead written about leadership, a topic I love, and hope that people would buy my affiliated items. Just then we were interrupted.

"Excuse me; do you two gentlemen want to play a little two-on-two?"

I was bit startled. I had been so into our game and conversation, I had not seen the Black Cadillac Escalade with its blacked out windows come up along side the court. You don't see too many of those around New Albany, Mississippi. On top of that, the two guys that got out were a bit taller than most people you see around these parts. They both had to be over six-foot-five.

I looked at Sergio and shrugged, "Sure. You think you can handle us?"

"Kobe and I thought we would split up and have one of us play with each of you," said the other guy who I know recognized as Carmelo Anthony

"No." Sergio said what I was feeling, "We'll take you on. Besides with the lockout, I can imagine you guys are pretty soft. I mean aren't you wanting to play in Italy Kobe?"

"Why yes," answered Kobe. "That was what I was thinking I would do. You do not think it would be such a good idea?"

I never imagined what Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant would sound like if I ever met them, but I have to say, they were incredibly well spoken, very pleasant, and kind. It made me want to beat them all the more.

"Would you like to be shirts or skins?" Kobe asked.

My eyebrows pulled together and my face soured like I had eaten a lemon, "What? You don't think you will be able to tell us apart in the heat of the game?"

"Yes, that is it exactly. Carmelo and I play at a level where our movements are nearly intuitive. We need to be automatic with our passes," Kobe said. "If you don't mind, I would like for us to be shirts. I am a little embarrassed at how out of shape I have gotten."

His words were so pure. "Perhaps you need a bit of an exercise and diet program," Sergio said nodding to me in encouragement.

"To get you lean and fit." I agreed. These two had definitely seen healthier days. "I like a program that is based on science. That teaches you what types of food to eat. You know proteins, low-crab that sort of thing, mixed with a variation of weights and resistance programs." You would have thought that these guys would have had access to the best health and diet information.

Thanks for reading.