Parallels Between Warriors’ Title and American Pharoah’s Triple Crown

Photo of Bob Baffert by Eclipse Sportswire; Photo of Steve Kerr courtesy of WikiMedia Commons/Keith Allison

Aside from horse racing, I’m a big sports fan. One of the sports I enjoy following is NBA basketball.
The recently concluded NBA finals was an exciting series in which the Golden State Warriors earned the franchise’s first championship in 40 years by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
There are some interesting parallels between the Warriors’ championship season and American Pharoah’s Triple Crown victory.
AMERICAN PHAROAH WINNING THE BELMONT STAKES

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
The Drought:
The last time the Golden State Warriors had a championship season was back in 1975. Since then, they had made the playoffs a handful of times, including the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons.
American Pharoah won the Triple Crown this year and accomplished a feat that had not been completed since 1978.
The Experienced Coach:
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is no stranger to championships. He won five championships as a player, three with the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs. He retired as a player after the 2002-2003 season and served as the president of basketball operations and general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 through 2010. Twelve years after he retired as a player, in his first year as a head coach, Kerr won his sixth championship.
American Pharoah's Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had numerous wins in the races that comprise the Triple Crown. Prior to 2015, Baffert had won the Kentucky Derby three times, the Preakness five times, and Belmont Stakes once.
He had been in the position to win the Triple Crown an unprecedented three times in his career: 1997 (Silver Charm), 1998 (Real Quiet), and 2002 (War Emblem). Thirteen years after his most recent Triple Crown bid, Baffert finally won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah.
KERR WITH THE AUTHOR

Courtesy of Jose Contreras 
The MVP:
Stephen Curry had a tremendous season that earned him the title of the league’s Most Valuable Player. He led the Golden State Warriors on a historic franchise run.
While American Pharoah did all of the running, it was jockey Victor Espinoza that made all the correct split-second decisions aboard the 3-year-old colt.
American Pharoah and Espinoza are a perfect 7-for-7 since teaming up last year at Del Mar.
STEPH CURRY

Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons/Keith Allison
The Podium Kids:
Riley Curry, Steph Curry’s 2-year-old daughter, stole the show throughout the playoffs. From celebrating in the stands with her mom to taking over the microphone during a couple of her dad’s press conferences, she was the talk of social media.
RILEY CURRY STEALS THE SHOW

Bode Baffert, Bob’s 10-year-old son, has been front and center during many of his dad’s big wins, but his celebration during this year’s Kentucky Derby was a hit on social media. He later joined his dad during the press conference after the Belmont Stakes.
BODE CELEBRATES