The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong … but time and chance happen to them all.”
Those words from Ecclesiastes came to mind as an injured Steph Curry bowed his head in despair moments after a teammate rolled onto his knee. In that moment, he could see it was all over: The dual MVPs and NBA championships, the prancing and shimmying after swishing threes from impossible depths, the “Super Team.”
That joy would be replaced with endless rehabs; frustration at being a step slower; indignities on the internet and from reporters; and, finally, a life outside of professional basketball.
It may not happen right now; Curry could still be back in the playoffs. But in those few seconds on the bench in Oakland, Curry saw that inevitability unfold.
Let it be a reminder to all parents and youth athletes: Athletic glory, even for the best, is very fleeting. Best to have a solid foundation to stand on once it’s gone.
§§§
I’ve always respected Fortune magazine because it goes back at the end of the year and evaluates how its stock picks turned out. So I’m going to — lump in throat — swallow my pride and do the same on the NCAA tournament. Of my four sleepers: Two of them, MTSU and St. Mary’s, didn’t even make the Big Dance after being upset in conference tournaments. The others, Cincinnati and Michigan State, were upset in the second round by lower-ranked teams.
So there you go: Never take my advice on sports.
§§§
Finally, the year was 1918. The nation was troubled by the first World War. Most of the great sporting events had been cancelled. Even the World Series was considered, but it continued when they learned American soldiers in France wanted to know the outcome. In Game 1, between the Cubs and Red Sox, the great Babe Ruth pitched a shutout for a 1-0 Sox win. But the New York Times reported something more important to begin its story recounting what happened: In the seventh inning stretch, Jackie Fred Thomas of the Navy came out, standing erect at attention, as a band played “The Star Spangled Banner,” and the flag fluttered in right field. A few began to sing, then more and “when the final notes came, a great volume of melody rolled across the field. It was at the very end that the onlookers exploded into thunderous applause and rent the air with a cheer that marked the highest point of the day’s enthusiasm.”
Maybe, 100 years later, our world is ripe for such a moment when sports can bring people together. At least we can still hope.
