It has been a wild sports week that concluded with Golden
State winning its second championship in three years. With a team that could
produce a lineup that would likely beat an All-Star team of NBA players, the
Warriors needed only 17 postseason games to win the 16 required to win the
title.
When Kevin Durant announced last Independence Day that he
was joining the best team in the NBA so that he could win a ring, it was a
foregone conclusion that he would get his ring. He had become a bandwagon
player, and he announced that he was along for the ride.
KD is not without his share of supporters, who claim his
choice of going to the Warriors is the same as you or me deciding to change
jobs. It is not the same. If you or I are the CEO of Microsoft and we suddenly
left to take the same job at Apple, then it would be close to the same. You or
I don’t even compare to someone like Kyle Singler changing jobs because sports
offers a competitive element that just doesn’t exist in the business world.
Having chased a ring the way he did, KD is in a class (or
lack of) all his own as a former MVP joining an established world champion just
to get some hardware on his finger. His title doesn’t compare to the
championships won by leaders such as Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) or Chauncey Billups
(Detroit), who were the top players on teams that were built around them. KD is
just one additional piece – albeit, a great piece – that was added to a team
that had already proven it could win titles in any given year.
KD gets to go down as history as a guy in the same category
of a J.J. Barea, who is jokingly referred to as the only player to shut down
LeBron James in a finals. Barea, who was on the Mavs team that won four
straight to beat the Heat in 2011, was a piece on a team that relied on other
players to win. Sound like anyone you know? The difference is Dallas actually
needed Barea to win the title whereas Golden State has proven they can win
without KD (title in 2015 and 73 regular season wins last year). So, actually,
KD isn’t even in Barea’s category.
It was big news for Oklahoma as Bob Stoops retired, Lincoln
Riley was announced as the head coach and Mike Gundy finally signed a five-year
contract extension. Gundy has a 2-10 record against OU with Stoops on the
sideline, so it will be interesting to see if that losing continues versus
Riley. Both teams are showing up in top-10 rankings so it should be an
interesting season.
Did anyone realize the final leg of the Triple Crown of
racing took place this past weekend? That’s what happens when there is no
consistent champion for all three of the major races. I’m predicting the future
of horse racing as a national feature may be on a final descent. It was
exciting when American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown but it feels like there is
no excitement anymore when it comes to horse racing. I’m hoping I’m wrong.
What happened to all the talk between a fight involving Floyd
Mayweather and Conor McGregor? It seems to have quieted down but I suspect we
will hear something soon. Who do you like if there is such a matchup? I like
McGregor’s power but I suspect Mayweather wouldn’t accept the challenge if he
wasn’t confident he could easily take the MMA fighter. Hopefully, we’ll get a
chance to find out.
It’s too bad the NHL playoffs are over. They were so much
more entertaining than the NBA playoffs. The Nashville Predators story was a
great one and the Pittsburgh Penguins won their second straight championship. I’m
already looking forward to next season with teams like Toronto and Edmonton
gaining more experience and veteran teams like Chicago, Washington and the New
York Rangers still near the top.
And we can’t forget about golf with the U.S. Open taking
place this weekend. Despite recent struggles, Dustin Johnson is still my pick
to win. I’m disappointed Phil Mickelson won’t be playing this year but I have
nothing but respect that he chose to attend his daughter’s graduation rather
than play in the one major he hasn’t yet won. Maybe next year, Phil.
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