By Ronald N. Guy Jr.
I owe the men’s lacrosse team at Towson University, my
alma mater, an apology. After securing
the CAA conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, the Tigers went on
an epic heater.
In round one, we (alumni status qualifies for “we”
usage, right?) laid waste to Penn State.
The second-ranked Syracuse Orange were next. No problem: Towson 10, Cuse 7. The win over Syracuse earned Towson its third
trip to lacrosse’s Final Four and a date with the Ohio State Buckeyes last
Saturday.
It was 7-3 Tigers at halftime and all was just freak-out-splendid. Then I unknowingly transmitted The Darkness
through the television, to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts and into
every innocent soul in the Towson locker room.
When the clock expired, the scoreboard chronicled the carnage: Buckeyes 11,
Tigers 10. The dream was over. Dead.
The only thing left was the primal wailing and the wretched prose of a
madman and 1995 Towson graduate somewhere in Leonardtown.
The Darkness is that very real, very evil force
enveloping D.C. professional sports. It
is to the hopes of D.C. sports fans what Round-Up is to a misplaced weed or a
famished seagull is to a Thrasher’s French fry on the Ocean City
boardwalk. I thought it was quarantined
to the D.C. area. Now I’m worried that
I’m Patient Zero, that I’m the curse and that I, through my fandom, infected my
beloved Tigers.
And if that’s possible, even probable, what’s
next? With Baltimore compromised, are
the Ravens and O’s doomed? And what of
youth sports? Could I ruin high school
or rec-league seasons? Oh the kids…the
kids…
Avoid me like the next great plague. Shutter the doors to your school gym. Establish a perimeter around local soccer
fields. Or…feel free to buy me a drink
and reintroduce me to something I’ve lost hold of - reality. As Janis Joplin said, I’m “feeling near as
faded as my jeans.”
Okay then.
Enough of all that. Lacrosse,
Towson, curses: these were unintended topics.
But here we are again, off on another uncontrollable tangent. Grab the stick, man! Get control of this beast! Course correct!
There we are. Kevin
Durant is what this is about: The man who strolled into free agency last
summer, ignored his hometown Wizards, broke hearts in Oklahoma City and signed
with the Golden State Warriors. With a single
pen-stroke he so concentrated the talent in the NBA to two cities – Cleveland
and Oakland – that the regular season was rendered a tedious formality. This year would end with Dubs v. Cavs and, by
God, here we are.
Durant received much grief for his decision and the
competition-neutering ripple it sent through the league. How could he sell out like this? Why destroy all he had built in Oklahoma
City? Did he not care that his legacy
would be reduced in Golden State even if he won multiple titles because, well,
he now should win multiple titles?
Wouldn’t championships with that Warriors roster equate to glorified participation
trophies?
I initially hated Durant’s decision for all these
reasons. He’s a beloved local and this
just felt so LeBron-to-Miami-ish, minus an awkward primetime announcement and
arrogance-infused pep rally.
But I’m coming around.
The Finals start the day this hits newsstands: Cavs v. Warriors, LeBron
v. Durant, Steph Curry v. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love v. Draymond Green. Who couldn’t dig that? And really, is it any different than Celtics
v. Lakers, Magic v. Bird, Kareem v. Parish and Worthy v. McHale? Frankly, it isn’t.
Right. So
here’s where I am: I respect Durant for wanting to surround himself with elite
talent. Don’t we all seek such
situations during our professional careers?
Ultimate success is the point, isn’t it?
Does the formula really matter? And
should a player be criticized for sacrificing statistics and MVP awards for
championships? Lawd, I hope not.
In reflection, I suppose I owe Durant an apology
too. Will I root for him versus the
Cavs? It’s doubtful. But if recent history serves, my alignment
with the Cavs will virtually guarantee Durant gets what he went to Golden State
for: a championship. One team’s Darkness
is another’s light.
