Given the choice of the numbers above which would you pick?

One hundred is a much higher number. It is the perfect score on a test. So, why not choose 100?

Eleven. It is not even a dozen. A dozen donuts. A dozen eggs. What happened to the other one that we only have 11?

With this unusual time, we have NBA basketball in August. No fans, but pretty good basketball.

Basketball, like most sports (especially baseball), loves numbers. Points. Scores. Wins. Championships.

In 1962, the most unstoppable scorer in NBA history, Wilt Chamberlain, scored 100 points in a game. If you Google the list of players scoring the highest total points in single games, you are basically pulling a list of Wilt Chamberlain games. He played for three teams over his 15 years and won two championships.

Now counter Wilt with Bill Russell. Bill could go stretches without scoring more than 10 points a game. But in 13 years of playing, Bill Russell won 11 Championships (5 more than Michael Jordan).

Bill was the leader of a team, and winning championships was more important than scoring and individual accolades. 

While I have had some personal accolades, I have always enjoyed the wins of the team much more, including the PVB banking team. Knowing that someone else will have the same sense of achievement (forever) ties us as kindred spirits for the remainder of our natural lives. 

During these challenging times, the nature of a person’s character and interests become clearer. Are they focused on “individuality” (the proverbial scoring points for themselves by continuing behavior that primarily benefits themselves) or are they focused on the “team” (their family, their PVB family, their community) with behavior that reflects their concern for others as well as self?

So, would you still pick 100 over 11? The answer tells others much about who you are.

Hmm, I wonder where Bill Russell wears his 11th ring?

Stay safe.