The Chase For 73 – Millenial Influx

With the NBA 2015-2016 season coming to an end there is one raging controversy that has got everyone debating back and forth. The big controversy is whether or not the Golden State Warriors this year could be the ’95-’96 Bulls. The Bulls in ’96 finished the NBA season with a record of 72-10, and since this year no other team has come close to competing with this improbable record. But then Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors happened. This year the Warriors started the NBA season with a record setting 24 wins straight, and have since gone on to have an unbelievable season and since Sunday, April 10, 2016 they tied the ‘95-’96 Bulls record of 72 win

With one game remaining in the Warriors 2015-’16 season they have the chance to make history and achieve a record of 73 wins and 9 losses. They will play their final game of the season game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Oracle Arena (the Golden State Warriors Home Court).

If the Warriors win this game they will have surpassed the Bulls historic season. It would seem as if much of the controversy revolves around this game. But does it really? What many people are saying is that the game of basketball has change so much overtime and become more of a show then an actual bloodbath of a basketball game each night.

Many ex-NBA players have been commenting on whether or not they think that the Warriors could beat the ’95-’96 Bulls. Back in the 1990’s the Bulls were the team to beat. Lead by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Denis Rodman the Bulls had grown a dynasty and had shown a consistency in how they played and bringing the mindset of surprise if they lost a game. The night that the Warriors tied to Bulls win record Scottie Pippen expressed his congratulations to the team for a very successful season. However, he did mention how he still thinks that his team in ’95-’96 would beat the Warriors (read more here).

Another NBA star, Oscar Robertson who played for the Royals in the 1060’s, was interviewed on his thoughts about the Warriors season. He brought his argument down to a single player. Stephen Curry as the face of the team. He said that Stephen Curry would not have been as good as he is now back when Robertson was playing because there wasn’t a three point line and the good players scored in the paint, close to the basket. Robertson said that Curry wouldn’t have been a big factor in games because his style is so different (read article here). What Robertson is missing is the fact that Steph has played well and adapted his game to be the most effective it can be now. And regardless of the three point line, Curry has shot phenomenal all season, and the three point line has nothing to do with that, considering the shots that he makes from 30 plus feet.

There is no way of knowing for sure who the better team actually is. They both played during very different times during the NBA, 20 years apart. Style, rules, and tempo have all changed so much throughout the evolution of the game and especially in the last 20 years. On paper, the Warriors would “beat” the Bulls if they win their Final game against Memphis, but if they lose then there is almost no hope in having any inclination to which team would be the best, especially if they are compared by their records and both of them stand on 72-10 records.

This controversy will continue to spiral throughout the history of the NBA, because there is no real measurement that can be used to give us an answer. Will after Wednesday night give the Warriors the upper hand in the discussion, with a win against Memphis, or will the controversy continue to spiral out of control with a loss and a tie of a 72-10 record. Looks like we will have to wait till Wednesday night to find out.

Homeschooler in the Real World

Emma Folts, a sophomore at Wheaton College, shares her experience about her transition into college and how homeschool has both helped and hindered her.
How has your homeschool experience benefitted you, especially in your transition into college?
I think the one thing that homeschooling did that was really helpful as I entered college was that it taught me time management. As a homeschooler I had the same freedom as a college student has to put things off during the day and go see a friend instead. Since I had that experience, I knew the cost of that.
Also, personal responsibility and accountability with assignments. I feel like a lot of the other students had more expectations for gentler grading and that the professor would give them retakes or extensions, but that wasn’t something that ever happened to me in school. That learning curve wasn’t added because I never had it the other way. I think another thing was that because I was homeschooled, I was familiar with the format of teaching and then studying on my own.
Did you see any issues with your transition socially?
I think that homeschooling had two ramifications for me socially. One was helpful, one was hurtful.
It was really helpful because as a homeschooler, I had spent a lot of time realizing and developing who I was as a person and learning to recognize people who were being themselves, and those were the people I sought out as friends. Friendship as a homeschooler takes a lot more investment. I knew I was choosier with my friends which made me a lot less anxious and a lot more content.
The only real negative impact of the social bit was that I was really used to getting to choose the time I got to spend with people. As a homeschooler I spent a lot of time with people, but that time was controlled by me. As a college student, I found that you can’t really control the time you spend with people and alone time is not really available. Learning to deal with that was a lot harder than anticipated.
Any last comments on homeschool and how it has affected your college experience?
I think homeschooling is really helpful, however it does take a slightly increased amount of advocacy with your peers when you’re entering into college. I think a lot of people come in with certain assumptions about homeschool, especially students. You’re going to get a lot of, ‘oh my gosh, you don’t seem like a homeschooled person!’ [You can’t] take that too personally and explain your experience so that friends can understand it’s an important piece of you, though it might not look like the homeschooling that they’ve seen.
My encouragement to anyone who is a homeschooler transitioning into college is to realize the benefit that you have having been homeschooled, and to realize that the bit of advocacy and explaining that you need to do with your peers is totally normal and that it’s not a big deal. Once they understand your experience, it’s not something I’ve experienced being looked down on for.