{"id":5963,"date":"2016-03-06T03:12:10","date_gmt":"2016-03-06T08:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=5963"},"modified":"2016-03-06T03:12:10","modified_gmt":"2016-03-06T08:12:10","slug":"seinfeld-god-stephen-curry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=5963","title":{"rendered":"seinfeld, god & stephen curry"},"content":{"rendered":"

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One of the things that continually astounds me is how so many things seem to fit together \u2014 how we can find great learning in one area that seems totally unrelated to another, and yet, the lesson totally applies on a broader scale. I think of it first like an ongoing \u201cSeinfeld\u201d episode, a scenario in which all things will eventually relate, whether it be mind-blowingly good soup or Kramer losing Elaine\u2019s armoire or Jerry\u2019s girlfriend\u2019s infuriating \u201cschmoopie\u201d routine; it all fits. On another hand, I think of it more deeply as the creative, powerful, amazing hand of God \u2014 setting the world up, giving us multiple ways in which to learn, grow, and wise up a little. Both God and Seinfeld make this semi-humble blogger smile.<\/p>\n

One of those areas, no less, in which I often see broader lessons unfolding is via athletics \u2014 which is why I often preface posts laced with sport references as \u201cnot a sports post\u201d; in other words, a deeper, greater learning exists. I see this now on the professional hardwood\u2026<\/p>\n

In the port city of Oakland, California, there is one team that stands out \u2014 not only in the state\u2019s eighth largest city \u2014 but across the country and in the NBA. Here is the home for the Golden State Warriors\u2026 a team that originated 70 seasons ago in Philadelphia\u2026 a team that has a career winning percentage of just over 47%.<\/p>\n

Last year the Warriors won the NBA championship. They accomplished such with\u00a0many talented players on their young roster \u2014 including Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala \u2014 but they are clearly led by the almost high-school-looking Stephen Curry, a humble, wholesome, joy-filled, scrawny star who has an uncanny ability to seemingly make three-pointers from anywhere on the court. He has been so successful that even though he doesn\u2019t have the stereotypical physical stature of other stars, Curry won last year\u2019s NBA MVP and the ESPYs Best Male Athlete award.<\/p>\n

Curry\u2019s success has led directly to the team\u2019s success. After last season\u2019s championship, the Warriors began this year\u2019s 82 game season by winning an unprecedented 23 games. As of this posting \u2014 having played 60 games already \u2014 they have only lost 5 games.<\/strong><\/em> If they continue this pace, they will have the best record in NBA history.<\/p>\n

Hence, to the broader lesson\u2026<\/p>\n

Every NBA team has an annual salary cap. The primary distribution of the Golden State Warriors is as follows:<\/p>\n

(1) Klay Thompson \u2014 $15.5 million
\n(2) Draymond Green \u2014 $14.3 million
\n(3) Andrew Bogut \u2014 $12.0 million
\n(4) Andre Iguodala \u2014 $11.7 million<\/p>\n

And\u2026
\n(5) Stephen Curry \u2014 $11.3 million<\/p>\n

Note that Curry currently makes the fifth most<\/strong><\/em> amount of money on his team \u2014 even though he is clearly the team\u2019s best player\u2026 fifth most.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Consistent with that humble and wholesome character \u2014 which is affirmed by those who know him best \u2014 Curry doesn\u2019t complain. In fact, it\u2019s quite possible that it doesn\u2019t bother him. He agreed to a wage; he knows he\u2019s been blessed; that\u2019s enough for him. As teammate Shaun Livingston said, \u201cHis [Curry\u2019s] faith, his beliefs and his value system [are] unprecedented.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the reasons teams, relationships, etc. don\u2019t stay together is because individuals often believe they are entitled to something more\u2026 \u201cI deserve better\u2026 I deserve more\u2026 I have a right to it.\u201d<\/em> An individual demandingness and entitlement arises that can be so paralyzing and unhealthy. That often leads to a team or relationship\u2019s downfall\u2026 although not so fast for the Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n

Stephen Curry, by all accounts, at least compared to his peers, deserves more money. But to Curry, that is not a priority. How then can teammates make it a priority? How do they justify any attitude of entitlement when the one who most clearly could demand more, is humble enough to choose not to?<\/p>\n

Humility, my friends, is always attractive. It, too, always makes us smile.<\/p>\n

Respectfully\u2026
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            One of the things that continually astounds me is how so many things seem to fit together \u2014 how we can find great learning in one area that seems totally unrelated to another, and yet, the lesson totally applies on a broader scale. I think of it first like … <\/p>\n

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