Alexander Natividad - Week 15 - For Three

For this week’s blog, I could not think of a good topic to write about. While brainstorming ideas, I went about the rest of my night, doing homework and watching the Warriors game. The win last night made me recollect all the old moments about the team, from watching Curry and Klay rapid-fire three-point shots in the 2010s to Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green lock teams down on defense this year.

In 2015, when the Warriors won the first championship of their dynasty run—unknown at the time—my parents asked me, “Do you want to skip the last day of school to go watch the championship parade?”


I knew that I did not want to miss field day and enjoy myself in school. So, my seven-year-old self simply replied with, “No, I’ll go when they win again next year.”


My parents and relatives were shocked and some laughed at my response. What happened? They almost won again in 2016, then won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. 


The trend of this next part of my life ironically correlates with the team’s success.


After 2018, everything fell apart. They lost in 2019 and had a few bad years afterwards. Outside of basketball, we were all stuck at home and had to wear masks anytime we stepped foot outdoors. Although I found ways to communicate with my friends online and stay active, I was tired of masking up for long hours outside with family and believed online school wasted my time. 


In 2022, things started to rebound, especially towards the end of the school year. Ending eighth grade and going into the summer leading into my freshman year was exciting to think about at the time; I felt like a true “big kid.” I had not kept up with basketball until that season either, where the playoff appearance by the Warriors surprised me. They won the championship for the fourth time in seven years, and this time I decided to go watch the parade.


Each year after 2022 has been good for me; maybe because I started to focus on the more positive parts of them. The Warriors this year have a chance to win another championship, but they have an incredibly tough competition ahead of them. Regardless of what happens, I hope these playoff games are more entertaining than last year’s.


Amazon,"Wilson NBA Official Game Basketball - Brown, Size 7-29.5" Sports & Outdoors, 2024, www.amazon.com/Wilson-NBA-Official-Game-Basketball/dp/B098TYD4BZ. Accessed 2025.

Comments

  1. Ruhika GoelApril 30, 2025 at 11:18 AM

    Hi Alex!

    I clicked on your blog because the picture of the basketball reminded me of LeBron James. It's LeBall James, get it? Because Lebron, BasketBALL, LeBall. I am not funny, I know. Anyways, I like the way your blog shows the correlation between your parade attendances and the Warriors winning. I think finding positivity and something to look forward to or celebrate is incredibly necessary to stay excited. I feel more motivated when I have things to look forward to. I love watching Olympics Volleyball. Now, that is every 4 years, but it keeps me motivated and looking forward to the future. I am not a superstitious person, so I don't believe in random correlations. However, I like how they can bring comfort to some people's minds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ananya BhardwajApril 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM

    Hi Alexander! Your blog reminded me of an experience I had relating to the Warriors.

    The dance team I used to be a part of started performing at Chase Center before a couple of Warrior games as a part of the pre-game shows, starting in 2022; I ended up leaving the company in 2024, but got a chance to perform in both eighth grade and freshman year. Each game, the Warriors ended up losing, once to the Paces and the other time to the Lakers—which kind of contrasts with your parade attendances and the Warriors winning.

    One of the key memories I have from my time performing before Warriors games was when, before their game with the Lakers, LeBron James ended up walking past us as we got to look underneath the arena. While it was only for a quick moment, and he only really waved at us and had a quick chat, it was still cool to a famous person in real life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sara SanthoshApril 30, 2025 at 9:08 PM

    Hi Alex,
    I loved how you drew the Warriors' journey to different places in your life—it made the blog so nostalgic and personal. That story about the 2015 parade rejection and dismissing that you'd do it next year had me laughing, particularly with how things played out. I liked that you referenced the Warriors rollercoaster season as a way to also reflect on your own growth. I’m hoping they pull off a win against the Rockets on Friday—it’d be great to see them keep pushing through this...interesting season!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michelle LiMay 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM

    Hi Alexander! I liked how you creatively drew a parallel between the Warriors’ success and your own personal life’s ups and downs; it’s not something I would have come up with. The format of your blog was also very interesting. I liked how you chronologically went through your experiences from 2018 to 2025. It felt like a trip down memory lane or even a quick glimpse of major events in your life.

    Sports teams like the Warriors definitely evoke nostalgia like how you described in your blog’s introduction. For example, the jerseys that each team wears throughout the years serve as visual reminders of past successes and failures. I don’t usually watch sports TV, but I can see how fans would get attached and connected to players that have been part of their favorite franchise.

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