Unless you consider arena football a major league sport, the San Antonio Spurs are the closest major league sports franchise to Austin. There's a championship series on national TV happening 78 miles down the road and the Spurs appear to be heading for another NBA title. I couldn't care less.
Being from Texas, I'd rather have San Antonio beat Detroit, but I can't make myself get into it like I would if the Houston Rockets or the Dallas Mavericks were playing. It makes sense for Houston to be my favorite team since I grew up there, but even though the Mavericks didn't exist when I lived in Dallas, I still like them better than the Spurs.
Actually, the Spurs were the Dallas Chaparrals back then, but no one cared. They wound up having to play some of their home games in Lubbock because attendance in Dallas was so bad. I didn't even know the Chaps existed as a kid. It was mostly Cowboys with a small side of Rangers. Even the old Dallas Tornado NASL soccer team got more play.
Although the Spurs were the Rockets' closest rival, I never particularly disliked them. Hell, you had to like Billy "Whopper" Paultz. I've always liked San Antonio as a city, too. I like the team's lack of celebrity and the fact they don't come from a major media market. I just can't work up a lather for the Spurs. Is there something wrong with me?
Monday, June 13, 2005
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4 comments:
You have to at least love saying "Tony Parker!" in a Celine-Dion-French accent.
As you know, I am a Mavs fan. I've always thought the Spurs were excruciatingly dull: efficient and lacking in personality. However, while I still don't get thrilled watching them, Manu Ginobili, the Argentinian, is probably one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA. He always manages to amaze me every time I catch a Spurs game. I missed game 2 of the Finals, but his performance in game 1 was jaw-dropping. Check him out!
Terri R.
TR, I agree with your Manu assessment. I also like seeing Robert Horry back in Texas since he was a big part of the back-to-back Rockets title teams in the mid-Nineties.
I have no hometown spirit -- I grew up in S.A. but moved to Austin as soon as possible -- but still like them Spurs (or Sperms, as Ron calls them...). Partly because I got to see them play in the ABA (loved that red white and blue ball) as a kid, partly because Tim Duncan has a BRAIN. As for them being dull: I dunno, aren't MOST sports boring? What passes for excitement -- fighting, strikes, diva-esque behavior?
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