It’s Not (just) About Basketball

June 25th, 2016

Do you (still) believe in magic?

Can we (still) describe this just concluded Warriors season as “magical?”

OK, here we are 6 days removed from the Golden State Warriors’ stunning and stinging defeat to the Cav’s in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and well, if you look closely, you can still see the remnants of drying tears in the settling dust of “Warriors Ground.”

Losing the final 3 games of the NBA Finals, blowing a 3–1 lead, failing to put the crown on an all-time record 73 win season….Warrior fans and basketball fans from around The Association were fairly shocked at how this season ended for the Golden State Warriors.

Moving beyond the dismay and bitterness so many experienced in the aftermath of that Game 7 loss, is there a singular takeaway that describes this season? Does this unexpected (and unprecedented) conclusion to this series and season cast a long shadow all the way back to November? A dark and gloomy shade that erases the bright sunny luster of what had been described in real time — again and again — as “magical?”

Well, for this long-time basketball geek-fanatic and sports-fan, the answer is an unequivocal “HELL NO!” There’s no retroactive “Shammy Wipe (As Seen On TV!)” that easily erases away the smile-inducing, joyful exuberance and blissful magic of a run like the Warriors have just culminated. In fact, I will argue that the epic snatching of victory from the jaws of defeat performed by LeBron and his teammates is indeed part of the magic itself, and should also be appreciated and celebrated. I know I certainly appreciate it.

Now as the bumps, cuts, scrapes and bruises of that Game 7 loss (and Games 5 & 6, too) begin to heal (helped maybe a little by the just concluded NBA draft — remember when that was the highlight of a Warrior fans’ year?) — let’s allow our memory to drift back to this 2015–2016 season. If you were more dedicated than the most casual of bandwagon fan, if you were paying attention at all, then you were witness to a staggering display of dozens of magical moments. Just to enumerate a few of these mystical and monumental basketball rides we got to experience while enjoying the GSW’s this season:

· Beginning the season with a 24 game winning streak.

· At one point the Warriors had a 50–5 record.

· Curry and Klay, and the team, set numerous 3 point records.

· The team sent an unprecedented three players to the All Star game.

Here’s a far longer accounting of highlight moments from this season.

In addition to an astounding regular season, the post-season was also chock full or magic as well, including Curry’s brilliant 4th Quarter and Overtime performance in Portland — coming off a knee contusion suffered against Houston no less — to turn back a fiesty and rising Blazers squad. And, to top it off, the Game 6 victory in the Western Conference Finals, led by Klay Thompson in Oklahoma City, might be the most exciting, satisfying and fun game I’ve ever seen — live or on TV.

Like I said, if you were present and attentive during these exciting moments, then you were appreciating and celebrating that magic fully, genuinely, and purely — without any sort of caveat that said “this appreciation shall be revoked retroactively upon any future failure to secure an NBA title, under any circumstances.”

Do those incredibly glorious and basketball fandom moments disappear into the ether because a different team from a degenerating and long-suffering city, led by a local kid done good named LeBron James, created a magical moment of its own? Just because the outcome of this game and championship series wasn’t magical for us doesn’t mean it wasn’t deeply moving and miraculous for many, many equally deserving fans. Does it?

Now it’s true that the Warriors set a record for most games ever won in a single season (73) and most wins ever including post-season (88). However, it is also equally true that nothing in this world is guaranteed. Surely this applies to the world of sports as much (if not more) than anything. As I slapped up on Facebook shortly after Sunday’s loss:

“If you pursue the pleasure of the ecstatic, you must accept the pain of the agony.”

And therein lies the beauty and appeal of watching (and better yet, participating in) sports. On a more spiritual level (based on perhaps the most critical element of true happiness and spirituality: gratitude) sports can be seen as a celebration of gifts. I had a teammate in college who had a poster in his room that showed two runners congratulating each other and embracing after an exhilarating and apparently razor-thin finish of a track and field race. The caption on this poster read: “Competition is a Celebration of Gifts.” Both runners were exhausted…and elated. Sports is not “life or death.” Sports is life. Maybe this is why one of my favorite aspects of watching competition is when opponents demonstrate and exhibit respect for each other. It is a more evolved person who can “fight” to “destroy and vanquish” their opponent, and yet still rise above the “battle” to show respect for the other team or player — win or lose.

(It was cool to see Curry and Iguodala wait patiently to acknowledge and congratulate the Cavaliers players moments after the game ended, and to learn that Draymond also re-emerged from the locker room to do the same. Respect.)

When a friend emailed me a day after Game 7 to check in on how I was handling the loss and the end of the season, here was my spontaneous and honest reply:

“Really, honestly, and somewhat surprisingly, I’m having NO withdrawal, no remorse, and I’m not disappointed (OK, maybe a teeny bit?).

Haven’t had a chance to even watch any of the interviews (except the JR one and a bit of LBJ’s…that you sent) and I haven’t watched any of the TV stuff, and probably won’t. Not only am I at peace, I’m a bit exhausted from the whole thing!”

Leading into Game 7, many players, coaches, national sports commentators and local sportscasters all said some version of:

“If you had told me when the season started that we’d have one last game, at home, to determine the champion of the NBA, I’d take it.”

Well, here’s my interpretation of that same theme: If you had told me before the start of the 2014–15 season that the Warriors would win 67 games, then plow through the post-season and win their first title in 40 years, and then follow that up with 73 wins, countless other highlights and record-setting performances, only to lose to LeBron James, “Believe-lands” prodigal son, in a dramatic last 10 seconds of Game 7, I would have said something like “that sounds pretty damn magical!”

Other ramblings, mumblings, observations, and really cool links:

For a fun and enlightening take on the Warriors, the Finals in particular, and sports and life more generally, here’s a fantastic 13 minute interview with Bill Walton. Walton was just in Berkeley promoting his new book “Back from the Dead.” This is an awesome and inspiring listen.

J.R. Smith, not one of my favorite players during most of his career, gives a poignant press conference after the game that is nothing more that a beautiful example of gratitude and redemption. If this doesn’t bring a little tear to your eyes, well, then you need Rudolph to come thaw your heart like he did for the Abominable Snowman.

Here’s an uplifting and heartwarming essay that informs us that “Lebron James shows you can believe in heroes…” I just re-read it and it literally gave me mild goose-bumps. It’s important also that as you read this you know that LeBron gives back to his community — particularly through educational support and genuine opportunities — on a level unsurpassed by any superstar in any sport.

A few more bite-size snacks and savory treats on the game/season/team:

** There has been much critique, discussion and commentary on the referees thoughout the playoffs, as there so often is. As somebody who officiated high school basketball, I can say without hesitation that even the absolute best officials in the game will miss SEVERAL calls per game. Regulating 10 supreme athletes battling over a round ball crammed within a relatively small rectangle is more difficult than one would think. And, now that we have super-slo-mo replays from multiple angles available instantly after close plays, it only creates a bigger spotlight for officials to be judged by fans.

** LeBron was incredible, achieving 3 triple-doubles in the last 3 games, but his teammates really get a lot of credit for stepping up and coming through when it mattered. Kyrie Irving was spectacular, Love pitched in some — especially in the last game, and Tristan Thompson has shown steady improvement and was a big reason for the Cav’s title.

** The Warriors incredible season (and last one’s too) weren’t just a result of heroics from Steph and Klay. They’re a team that exemplifies a true collective effort, and having Bogut out and Steph obviously at less than full strength may just have been the subtle edge that propelled Cleveland to victory. (it SHOULD probably be noted, however, that the Splash brothers did indeed “rescue” this team down the stretch of many games.

** Draymond having to miss game 5 was, of course, absolutely critical to the result of this series. Unfortunately, Dray’s attempt to punch James in the nuts was the final act of a tragic body of work and failure to keep his legs and feet to himself. Not having Dray for that game created just the little wrinkle or tear in the metaphorical fabric of this series for Cleveland to slip through and emerge victorious.

** In the long-term, I do think the Green suspension will be a significant positive for him, as the only real weakness in his game has been his tendency to let his emotions spin him out of control and off his game. If he can get that under control, he will continue to be one of the half-dozen best players in the league.

** I don’t believe — at all — the narrative that the NBA “rigged” this series….though if they did, they sure did a great job, as Game 7 was among the best and most dramatically exciting games of all time. (And if I recall correctly, the most watched NBA game of all time.)

Finally, if we can’t step back and laugh a little (at ourselves and otherwise) about all this, then we’ve already “lost,” in my opinion. Here’s a little vine/meme/gif (I honestly don’t know WTF they are called!) that sort of sums up the pain of how Game 7 slipped through our collective Dub Nation fingers…

not JUST about basketball stuff:

** A very good, short piece (from the always excellent YES! Magazine) called “Why I’m sticking with Sanders, and Voting for Clinton” and why they need each other — and so do we.

** Finally, in the aftermath of Brexit, my mini-rant on Facebook trying to make some sense of it all:

“How does Brexit relate to USA? Well, three (going on four) decades of unchecked hyper-capitalism and MASSIVE re-distribution of wealth to the 1% elite has made a lot of working and middle class people angry. Add in the assault on independent journalism, a vacuum partially filled by FOX/Murdoch/Koch-bros/Trump demagogue-xenophobic scapegoating blaming-game of everybody BUT the elite (“it’s all the fault of immigrants/Muslims/lazy welfare “takers”/government spending etc. etc.) and, well, here we are. Smug middle class Bay Area “liberals” that turn their nose up at the rise of Trump and other simplistic nationalist (fascistic) movements do so at their (our) own peril. People are pissed, rightfully so, but how that anger gets explained and then played out in the political process (here and abroad) is the real dilemma we face. Shit is getting real. No one thought Brexit would pass. It did. I hear many say Trump will never get elected (I’m guilty of this too). Time to shelve that bullshit.”

Thanks for reading and sharing (if so inclined). Feel free to comment below the Medium.com link, as well as forwarding along email addresses of friends who might enjoy my bombaustic and fantastical diatribal spew.) You can also send me a friend request on Facebook.)

Peace out, and in, and much love-

johnfike

(please let me know if you’d like to be removed from this list!)