A week late, but oh well
The week in review 1
Exactly one week ago, I was laying on Amanda’s bed reading a magazine when my phone rang. It was Baby Saldana (actually, Medium Saldana, counting the half-Saldana), asking what I was up to that night.
“Watching the Spurs game somewhere,” I said.
“You wanna go?” Nick offered.
At this point, I my memory went on the fritz, but I believe my answer was something like, “Fuck!”
So I did a little dance around Amanda’s room as I changed clothes, and the Saldana bros. picked me up to head to San Antonio for Spurs-Suns, game 3. We also had Bill Miller’s BBQ. Life at its finest.
Since I missed out on Finals tickets this morning and my last chance to attend a game live, a few quick observations about watching the game from the 35th row — close enough that I could have probably hurled a properly-weighted beer bottle, with just a couple sips left in it, and barely reached the court. Beer-toss distance; it’s closer than it sounds.
First, of course, the players look much bigger than they do on TV. It’s easier to put them in perspective and realize that they are all, with the exceptions of Tony Parker and Steve Nash, giants. Manu Ginobili is like 6’6”. That’s a tall,tall man. Tim Duncan is a full six to seven inches taller than him. That’s a very, very tall man. And these guys move with more fluid athleticism than any of us who ball at Hancock, and that’s saying something given the grace, rhythm, and explosiveness of my cross-over/jumper/dunk tip. Conversely, Tony Parker, at a mere 6’1”, often appears to be moving in double speed. Amare, as on TV, looks like he’s not even being guarded he moves so quick. Steve Nash is unpossible, because he is actually not that quick, just crafty.
Second, and this I noticed back when I used to go to UT games, it’s possible to see plays develop just a half-step sooner in person than on TV. In particular, the Spurs ran a back-door cut out of a timeout with Parker and Ginobili. From our angle, in the corner, diagonally back from the Spurs bench, you could see that Parker was actually making the pass through the lane before Ginobili made his move. The timing was perfect, and Manu caught the ball on his fingertips and laid it in.
Third, even when I did nothing but follow Bowen around the court, I’m still not sure how he so effectively eliminated Shawn Marion from the game. I think it has to do with positioning to prevent him from catching the ball, or catching it where he’s not used to getting it, followed by diligently keeping him off the boards.
Fourth, the crowd wasn’t as rowdy throughout as I expected, although it was quick to get loud under certain circumstances. Anticipation is key, apparently. Early in the game, the biggest roar came on a break-away dunk by Ginobili. Throughout the game, three pointers drew a big, collective, “aaaaAAHHH,” as they arced toward the basket. Toward the end, though, the crowd was more into it, the highlight being when Duncan threw down a monster one-hand dunk out of nowhere — one of those ones where he pulls it way back behind his head with his arm fully extended and then brings it down. The sledgehammer, I guess, to his carpenter bank shot.
Fifth, the crowd remained optimistic even when they Suns made their fourth-quarter run. As opposed to those watching on TV, who, as my brother later told me he did, begin to predict doom and gloom collapse as soon as the lead got under 10. In the SBC center, everyone was restless, but there was a general feeling of, “Okay, get this one.” It’s weird when 18,000 people can give off one feeling like that, but, there you go.
Sixth, and finally, the SBC Center is really a hell of an arena. The view is good, the seats are comfortable, the concessions easily accessible, and the jerseys only modestly overpriced, as I found out.
Well, that’s long enough. I’ll write about Grady coming to Temple later.
Exactly one week ago, I was laying on Amanda’s bed reading a magazine when my phone rang. It was Baby Saldana (actually, Medium Saldana, counting the half-Saldana), asking what I was up to that night.
“Watching the Spurs game somewhere,” I said.
“You wanna go?” Nick offered.
At this point, I my memory went on the fritz, but I believe my answer was something like, “Fuck!”
So I did a little dance around Amanda’s room as I changed clothes, and the Saldana bros. picked me up to head to San Antonio for Spurs-Suns, game 3. We also had Bill Miller’s BBQ. Life at its finest.
Since I missed out on Finals tickets this morning and my last chance to attend a game live, a few quick observations about watching the game from the 35th row — close enough that I could have probably hurled a properly-weighted beer bottle, with just a couple sips left in it, and barely reached the court. Beer-toss distance; it’s closer than it sounds.
First, of course, the players look much bigger than they do on TV. It’s easier to put them in perspective and realize that they are all, with the exceptions of Tony Parker and Steve Nash, giants. Manu Ginobili is like 6’6”. That’s a tall,tall man. Tim Duncan is a full six to seven inches taller than him. That’s a very, very tall man. And these guys move with more fluid athleticism than any of us who ball at Hancock, and that’s saying something given the grace, rhythm, and explosiveness of my cross-over/jumper/dunk tip. Conversely, Tony Parker, at a mere 6’1”, often appears to be moving in double speed. Amare, as on TV, looks like he’s not even being guarded he moves so quick. Steve Nash is unpossible, because he is actually not that quick, just crafty.
Second, and this I noticed back when I used to go to UT games, it’s possible to see plays develop just a half-step sooner in person than on TV. In particular, the Spurs ran a back-door cut out of a timeout with Parker and Ginobili. From our angle, in the corner, diagonally back from the Spurs bench, you could see that Parker was actually making the pass through the lane before Ginobili made his move. The timing was perfect, and Manu caught the ball on his fingertips and laid it in.
Third, even when I did nothing but follow Bowen around the court, I’m still not sure how he so effectively eliminated Shawn Marion from the game. I think it has to do with positioning to prevent him from catching the ball, or catching it where he’s not used to getting it, followed by diligently keeping him off the boards.
Fourth, the crowd wasn’t as rowdy throughout as I expected, although it was quick to get loud under certain circumstances. Anticipation is key, apparently. Early in the game, the biggest roar came on a break-away dunk by Ginobili. Throughout the game, three pointers drew a big, collective, “aaaaAAHHH,” as they arced toward the basket. Toward the end, though, the crowd was more into it, the highlight being when Duncan threw down a monster one-hand dunk out of nowhere — one of those ones where he pulls it way back behind his head with his arm fully extended and then brings it down. The sledgehammer, I guess, to his carpenter bank shot.
Fifth, the crowd remained optimistic even when they Suns made their fourth-quarter run. As opposed to those watching on TV, who, as my brother later told me he did, begin to predict doom and gloom collapse as soon as the lead got under 10. In the SBC center, everyone was restless, but there was a general feeling of, “Okay, get this one.” It’s weird when 18,000 people can give off one feeling like that, but, there you go.
Sixth, and finally, the SBC Center is really a hell of an arena. The view is good, the seats are comfortable, the concessions easily accessible, and the jerseys only modestly overpriced, as I found out.
Well, that’s long enough. I’ll write about Grady coming to Temple later.
posted by Matt at 5:44 PM
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