Steph Curry Needs To Lead The Warriors To Victory, And I Need To Do My Laundry
A moment of truth is upon us — both of us
The door is open; Steph just needs to walk through it. If the two-time KIA MVP can carry his Golden State Warriors to the promised land, he will have solidified his place in basketball history. If not, he will have let his best chance at a championship in years slip through his fingers.
Also, I have to do my laundry. Both things are very important.
This is Curry’s year. Lebron failed to make the playoffs. Kawhi was injured. KD, Embiid, and Giannis have all been eliminated. That’s why it’s absolutely essential that Curry, whom I will never meet, rises to the occasion.
It’s also essential that I do something about the laundry piling up in my bedroom. I have the detergent. I have fabric the softener. I even have the quarters. It’s time.
Steph is 34 years old, and he’s not getting any younger. This puts him on the back-9 of his illustrious career. He will only have so many more opportunities to add to his resume.
I am 36 years old, and I’m not getting any younger either, because that’s how aging works. This puts me at a stage of life at which laundry should not be a big deal. Complaining about it hasn’t been cute for a very long time. Steph and I aren’t kids anymore.
There are no excuses — for either of us. Sure, Steph injured his ankle late in the regular season, but that in no way abrogates his responsibility. He is a professional hooper. He is a leader of men.
Some of the same things can be said of me. Yes, I have had back pain for the past few months, but, truthfully, it’s not going anywhere. That’s just how my back is now. What, am I just never going to do laundry because my spine feels like a Jenga tower? No. I’ve been wearing a bathing suit for three days now. That’s not good.
The stark truth is that Curry doesn’t just have a great deal to gain; he also has a lot to lose. If he doesn’t capitalize on this opportunity, the 2022 playoffs will be a stain on his legacy. He will have let down his team and his fans.
Meanwhile, I will have let myself down if I don’t address this whole laundry situation. I don’t think my attempt to cover for the bathing suit by carrying a towel around, so as to look like I’m coming from the beach, is fooling anyone. I live in Denver.
Because, the reality is, Steph has always underperformed in the playoffs. His playoff shooting percentages have consistently been below his regular season averages. He’s never even won a Finals MVP award. Yes, he’s the greatest pure shooter the game has ever seen, but he has yet to establish his place in the pantheon of playoff greats.
Same here. My basketball blog consistently fails to generate revenue, and I’m starting to suspect that the reason I spend so much energy judging professional athletes is that it distracts me from my own failures and dissatisfactions. Is it possible that basketball is just an entertaining game, not some kind of a moral crucible? And that my having such strong feelings about it, as someone without any particular athletic ability or skin in the game, is not just frivolous, but actually kind of sad?
These are questions that deserve some more thought. But what’s most pressing right now is that I wash my clothes and linens, and that Steph show that he’s still among the league’s best.
Let’s just hope the lights aren’t too bright and the moment isn’t too big. Steph’s reputation is on the line. And I’m out of socks.
