Obamaville June 17, 2015 - Sports Trumps politics and Trump - Golden State

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On a day when The Donald showed up with his hair in Trump Tower to announce he has decided to let the people finally have a chance to vote for him, Trump's event was trumped by the largest crowd since the glory days of Michael Jordan.

The Golden State Warriors trumped LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals while Trumping Trump and all the politicians for headlines.

In the process Stephen Curry and the Warriors brought home their first title in 40 years while Coach Steve Kerr, who was a teammate with Michael Jordan when MJ won his last of six titles in 1998,  became the second coach in history to win the championship his first year coaching.

As if that was not enough, this year the television ratings soared, up by around 25%, as the games surpassed 20 million viewers and most likely it was the second largest audience in history to, yes, the Michael Jordan 1998 title.

The only drawback to the rags to riches story of the Warriors was the media fascination with crowning LeBron James King James.  There is no doubt James is exceptional, but the media tended to go brain dead from a historical standpoint and were very biased against the feel good team from out west.

Crowning LeBron the best ever showed total ignorance of some mighty powerful facts.  Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles in 13 years including eight in a row and ten out of twelve over one span.  Thirty-eight players have won four or more titles.

LeBron has been to the finals six times and walked away with two titles.  Michael Jordan won all six title games in which he played.  Most likely LeBron is the greatest player currently playing but he is yet to elbow his way into the "greatest of all time" club.

Golden State did have one of the greatest records of all time for the season and the discipline, depth, desire, and drive of the team made them the consensus favorite contrary to the media preoccupation with LeBron.  Golden State delivered when it counted.

In terms of side stories and intensity, it was one of the greatest series of games played in the championship series and a far cry from the scandals plaguing other teams and sports.

Along with the Triple Crown victory of American Pharoah, the first in thirty-seven years, it was a good month for sports to knock politics out of the headlines and consciousness of America.

America thanks you American Pharaoh and Golden State.

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