"The Knicks won it all for the first time in 53 years. But the real miracle was getting middle-aged men to text each other 37 nights in a row."

(2-3 minute read)

Hey Reader,

On a personal note, I just got off a plane after witnessing something I never thought I'd see: the Knicks winning an NBA title. After decades of heartbreak, false starts, and convincing ourselves that "next year" was finally the year, it actually happened.

I've been a die-hard Knicks fan ever since my dad started taking me to games as a kid. I wish he were here to celebrate this one with me. But somewhere between the final buzzer and the flight home, I realized I now have my own boys to pass this obsession on to. That's the funny thing about life: the people who give us our greatest joys don't always get to see how the story ends. Sometimes they just get to start it.
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​👬 THE FRIEND

A funny thing happened during the Knicks playoff run.

People started texting me. Not just my close friends. Everybody.

Old friends. Other parents from school. Former coworkers. Acquaintances I hadn't spoken to in years. People I genuinely didn't realize were paying attention to my life. Even a few people I honestly thought disliked me.

After every game, my phone would light up.

The Knicks lose? Twenty texts.

The Knicks win? Thirty texts.

The Knicks won 13 playoffs games in a row at one point. But the real miracle was getting middle-aged men to text each other 37 nights in a row.

And the thing I started to appreciate wasn't just the basketball. It was the reminder that a lot more people are in our corner than we think.

For a few weeks, everyone had an excuse to reach out.

Nobody had to come up with a profound reason to reconnect. Nobody had to wonder if it would be weird. They could simply text:

"Can you believe that ending?"

And suddenly a conversation was happening.

It made me wonder how many friendships are sitting dormant right now, not because the affection isn't there, but because nobody has been handed an opening line.

The Knicks didn't create connection. The created an opening.

⚒️ THE FIX

One of the biggest mistakes we make in friendship is assuming we need a good reason to reach out.

The Knicks reminded me that most people don't need a reason. They need permission. Or at least they think they do.

A shared experience gives us permission. A news story gives us permission. A birthday gives us permission. A playoff run gives us permission.

But the people who are best at friendship don't wait for permission.

They create it.

The next time someone pops into your head, don't wait until you have the perfect excuse.

The thought itself is the excuse.
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THE RECO

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In 1993, just weeks before he died, Jim Valvano gave what might be the greatest sports speech ever delivered.

The coach who led one of the greatest underdog teams in college basketball history didn't talk much about basketball.

He talked about life.

And he said something I've never forgotten:

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day."

I've watched that speech more times than I can count, and every time I come away with something new.

If you've never seen it, stop what you're doing and watch it.

If you have seen it, watch it again.

It's minutes long and somehow contains a lifetime of wisdom.
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​The Knicks may have given us a two-month fever dream. But they also reminded me of something important: a lot more people care about us than we realize.

And we don't have to wait for the next playoff run to reach out.

Matt Ritter

The Friendship Guy

“Friendship is the original life hack.”

🎧 Listen to The Buddy System on Audible

⏩ Forward this to the friend you wanna laugh think and cry with. They can join the Friendship Challenge here.