Back from European Vacation

Just in time to watch the upcoming Warriors vs Cavs first game of the 2018 NBA Championship. We found out about the Warriors comeback win in the final game 7 while boarding our Air France flight from Paris to SFO. My wife, Melanie, and I, wearing our Warrior T's and caps, were schlepping our carry-ons down the aisle when a guy already seated in front of us gave us a thumps up and told us of the win. It made our tedious 11 hour trip home tolerable.

I must reveal that while on our month long vacation that included Italy, Spain, France and Scotland, I suffered terrible Dubs withdrawal-anxiety. Even with all the"aps" available, it was not easy getting scores, let alone any commentary. Ron Adams, the Warriors esteemed defensive assistant coach cum guru did his best by providing me with local newspaper article updates. It was not the same as watching the games live. Was I bereft? No, when you're looking at the David at the Academia in Florence, or passing through the galleries of the Louvre in Paris basketball becomes a little underwhelming.

But I'm back, the arts behind me, excited, and ready to support my team onward and upward to the NBA finals. They will have to play at a high level. How about putting together four quarters similar to their now storied 3rd quarters. Essential, since Lebron will not be taken out of his game the way the Warriors took James Hardin out of his game. And the Dubs would be smart not to underestimate the new young players the Cavs have. But I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir as Coach Kerr has already warned his team. So, Go Dubs. I can't wait for the parade.

I do want to mention one thing as the first game draws near. The talking TV heads, including NBA Game Time talking heads who should know better, need to remind their audience that as great as the Dubs are and Lebron eight straight trips to the finals, these exploits pall by comparison to the playoff records set by the Boston Celtics: 13 straight finals appearances and 8 championships in a row. The Bill Russell teams were mighty and awesome and should never, and I repeat, never be relegated to some historical closet where old coats are kept because they were once fashionable but not modern enough to be worn. If I could stand time still for five years in which the Boston Celtic player (I'm thinking the '61/'62 team) were provided the physical training of today's players, there is not one team in modern history that would defeat them in a 7 game series. Not one. Unprovable as it is, I stand by my belief. Try to imagine Bill Russell buffed up, John Havelick after five years of modern physical fitness training. Satch Sanders with weight training would shut down most players on today's teams he guarded. Maybe not Jordan, but maybe he could. He was that good. Ah, I wax nostalgic. Perhaps age is finally catching up to me.

So I end with gratitude that while we were away from our country, truump didn't savage our dear land any more than he already has. I was hoping to return in time for his indictment. But as a friend of mine once said, "Hope springs external."