For the second time in five years, the challenge on my plate is to convey the significance of a championship to a long-suffering fan base.
-== Top 11 Steph Curry Moments Of His Career ==-
While the Giants winning their first title in San Francisco meant quite a bit to the franchise and their supporters, this one feels different. The biggest reason could be the relative lack of near-misses for the Warriors. Some may prefer a lack of demons but the sheer lack of success in the last forty years makes this so much more remarkable. Despite being a die-hard sports fan born and raised in the Bay Area, the Warriors being so bad for much of my childhood meant that it took attending UCLA to forge a meaningful connection with basketball. The Warriors certainly had some hope during the last 40 years but the Golden State trademark was getting really excited about a glimpse and seeing it get dashed away quickly, from Run TMC playing a little over two seasons together to second round star Gilbert Arenas leaving for the Wizards on an offer the Warriors could not match.
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Under the Cohan regime, it can be argued that the Dubs were actually hurt by having such a good fan base. Having a group of people who would support the team and pack the house regardless of team quality allowed Cohan an even easier decision than Donald Sterling faced in LA and the team suffered for it.
Even with the precedent of the last few seasons and serving as one of the few media members who expressed the idea that Mark Jackson was holding this group of players from greatness, this kind of success this quickly was streets ahead of what I expected.
Possibly most importantly, this championship turns the pain into prologue. It recontextualizes the entire story into a journey with a positive ending rather than decades in the darkness.
Joe Barry Carroll led to this moment.
Mitch Richmond for Billy Owens led to this moment.
Trading Vince Carter and Penny Hardaway on draft night led to this moment.
Burning the amnesty provision on Charlie Bell’s expiring contract led to this moment.
Blatantly tanking by shutting down Stephen Curry to keep the Harrison Barnes pick (more directly) led to this moment.
All of the heartache has a new ending that turns exasperation into ecstasy and imbues this championship with more meaning.
While it may not matter to a wide swath of Warriors fans, this title run also opens the doors to greater casual interest and the changes that come with it. On my way back from the airport, I saw a pop up Warriors merchandise stand in Marin County, the place I was born and raised. To me, it signified the transition from cult hit to mainstream success. While some will hate that shift and resent the new supporters, it opens up new opportunities for the team in terms of revenue that may actually make it easier to retain players and woo new ones. If being trendy is the cost of this feeling, Warriors fans would take it every time.
One other thing that makes this win extra special in my eyes: The Warriors did it as favorites. This was not the underdog Dubs beating the Mavericks or shocking the Nuggets. The 2014-15 playoffs featured the best team in the league losing only five games on their way to the title. It just so happened that they played in Oakland instead of San Antonio, Los Angeles or Miami. That understanding also brings about another element: this may not be the last championship for this franchise in the near future. While NBA fans all over know how quickly these things can turn, the Warriors are in great position to contend for the next few Larry O’Brien trophies.
Welcome to the mountaintop, Warriors fans. It has been far too long.