Nostalgia thread

by LatinD on Jan 7, 2009 5:11 PM CST Comment 36 comments

It feels a bit like I'm spamming the blog with my fanposts right now, but regardless, I mentioned in the "crazy NBA" fanpost that I spent a couple of hours today reading old blog entries from Matthew's previous blog. Considering he covered our 2005 championship run, I have to say it was loads of fun.

But then I stumbled across this great article on Manu by ESPN's Scoop Jackson. It's a great read - and suddenly, the nostalgia bug had bitten me. It was only 4 years ago, but somehow it feels far off and glorious to me. I started thinking of plays or moments that I remember fondly, and thought it might be an idea to ask you about your own treasured memories.

I wish those were my arms...

So...

Most of my recent moments are related to Manu, and of course the Spurs. He's the guy that brought me back fulltime to the NBA, after about 5 or 6 years of apathy. I watched some games, including the Spurs' first championship, but my heart wasn't ready for rooting for a new team. I have many great memories of Manu playing for Argentina, and one of the best is his miracle shot in the Olympics:

"You win, young man! You win!"

Then of course comes that 2005 championship, so much sweeter than our 2003 and 2007 victories for a number of reason, foremost among them the sheer drama of those Finals. I swear I'll live a couple of years less because I watched them - and I don't mind. First and foremost is Horry's heroic game 5. He won a special place in my heart that night, and I won't ever forget what he did for us.

"It makes up for a lot, Robert, it really does"

Games 1 and 2 were nice, with Gino completely on fire, but game 7 is another I won't forget. Please treat yourselves to the last few minutes of that game, and watch again Bowen's block, Manu's layup and his final twist-beneath-the-hoop-to-let-the-clock-tick.

"No MVP for Manu? Really?"

Then there's the shots or moments that you know you will remember, even though they're recent. Timmy has a thousand such moments, but I'll pick first and go with his incredible 3-pointed to send us to overtime against Phoenix. Damn, what a game.

Shaq's momentum is unstoppable... "Tim who?"

I'm going to cut this short because I was mostly curious about your picks, and mine are pretty obvious. But I can't talk about nostalgia without mentioning the guy that brought me into the NBA in the first place: Michael Jordan. That's the norm for Argentina - even Manu was a fan in his time. He was our first contact with the league, and boy, am I glad. The memories are plentiful, but I'll pick two: his final shot in a Bulls jersey and when he scored 51 friggin' points as a 38-year-old player with bad knees.

That left hand is so savvy

Can we sign him now that Tollidog is gone?

Sorry, guys, for bringing Bulls stuff to the site, but that's the GOAT. If you want to watch more of his airness' antics, check out this guys' YouTube site. I've wasted hours there.

Since we're here, I might as well embed a video that explains why I still love Kerr (it doesn't hurt that he's ruining the Suns). What a guy.

Check his 1998 follow-up for more high comedy

Anyway, that's it for me. Care to share videos, pics, articles, whatever that causes you nostalgia every time you watch/read/whatever it?

Oh, and you know what I think I might also miss and remember fondly in a couple of decades? Our "enemies". I owe them many laughs.

Photoshop, making the world a better place since 1995

EDIT: I'll add some of the videos or pictures you guys recommend to improve the post. Keep 'em coming!

bren reminded me of the magic of the NBA on NBC. This is a great video that I found today looking for the one he mentioned. Definitely worth watching.

We're growing old, fellas...

And then 4Him brought these two nostalgic gems: 1999 playoff series vs. the Lakers, and a Top 10 Spurs playoffs moments, which I think was included in the 2007 Championship DVD.

Let history repeat itself?

I should've started with this one

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So yeah… still haven’t figured out how to center text or pics. It works fine when I preview it, but is aligned left when I publish it. Meh. Sorry.

by LatinD on Jan 7, 2009 5:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

In the game 7 ending Brent Barry had a terrible TO on the inbounds which he did AGAIN the next year against the Mavs that cost us a game. I’m glad he’s gone.

by AusTechSpur on Jan 7, 2009 5:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

somewhere, bones just died a little inside….

Our (PtR) bones, not the real Brent. He couldn’t care less. He’s on the lovely team of his choice in Houston.

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." – Aldous Huxley

by spurchief on Jan 7, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

dang dog. it was brent barry who came into the detroit series, playing out of position, that helped stem the tide of continual benio udrih turnovers.

by bones on Jan 8, 2009 9:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed, I remember that one. I don’t like that Barry left the Spurs after the FO signed him back, but hey – at least he’s sucking badly in Houston.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 10:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Great stuff, LatinD – it brings back some great memories. However, I wouldn’t have minded you “bringing Bulls stuff to the site” if you hadn’t included MJ’s (superstar non-call) push-off on Russell to create space for the game-winning shot in the ’98 Finals. If the offensive foul had been called, then the Jazz win, and I think they would have won game 7 as well.

by 4Him on Jan 7, 2009 6:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

It was the slickest offensive foul ever. I know it’s not fair, and I’m being a bit of a hypocrite (no news there), but I consider that move the basketball equivalent of Maradona’s Hand of God. If the refs had swallowed the whistle because MJ is a superstar, I would be mad, but I think he was just that slick. It took me several reviews to notice the push, and it happened in a second.

But I guess that’s not a popular take on that, eh. I watched that game on an old TV at the beach with my brother and my father, and somehow the TV only captured that channel’s signal. It was simply a magical night for me, and I still can’t believe the Bulls won. It’s hard to describe, but it was a special moment. That’s why I picked it.

by LatinD on Jan 7, 2009 9:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice post, LD

There are 3 constants in my wallet.

1. A 2005 Game 7 ticket stub (great seats)
2. A piece of silver confetti from 2005 Game 7 win.
3. A copy of my 2007 $100 Bellagio bet placed October 2006 and paid out June 2007.

Actually 4 items, I also have the $100 Mandalay Bay bet that I placed on September 2008…. let’s hope that one works out, too.

All the championships are special for different reasons…

1999 You never forget your first
2003 Storybook ending for David Robinson, at home no less.
2005 Manu was the difference… If Mike Monroe hadn’t been an idiot, it would have rightfully been a co-mvp award.
2007 A hard, hard fought battle thru the West and then sweeping the puppet king & his team.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane… now I’m going to go watch the 2005 championship video!

I am happy. I am proud. - Manu Ginobili

by bellasa on Jan 7, 2009 6:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

manu should have been the outright MVP in 2005. that one is my personal favorite championship because we beat a team that many thought would win. it was tyhe best basketball i have ever seen a spurs team play. in all the others, our spurs were the clear favorite……..that and its my favorite because i have some family in detorit who hate me showing up in my favortie hat.

by bones on Jan 8, 2009 9:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

definately the best one. biggest roller coaster ride i’ve ever seen in basketball. hated it and loved it the most, if that makes sense.

though beating the lakers in the ’03 playoffs was glorious, especially with kobe and fisher crying a couple rivers on the laker bench

What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)

the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post

by Hamer_SpursFan on Jan 8, 2009 3:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, LD

I really needed that tonight. Turned out to be a shitty day.

I know this isn’t a creative or unusual one, but it’s still one of my all-time favorite moments in Spurs history. June 15, 2003. NBA finals. Game Six. It was Father’s day, and my brothers, dad and I were watching the game together on tv. Duncan and The Admiral were unstoppable, but especially Duncan in that series (almost a quad-double!). Every time I see video from that series, but especially that game, I can’t stop the tears. I can’t remember wanting many things more badly than for David Robinson to go out like that.

sigh

Leave the gun; take the Ginobili.

by surfergirlsa on Jan 7, 2009 7:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Looks like Dirk likes to booze

One of my favorites was the old NBA and NBC intro from the mid 90s or so, there was a clip of David Robinson blocking Michael Jordan

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jan 7, 2009 7:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

You need to find that intro’s vid. I’ll look for it tomorrow if I have time. Sounds neat.

by LatinD on Jan 7, 2009 9:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This one, bren? Mind the bad rap music.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 7:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I updated the post with an NBC summary of past championships. Awesomeness.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 10:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here’s a top-10 of Spurs playoff highlights, though TD’s near quadruple-double against the Nets in ’03 is a glaring omission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNTE_1rXvy0&NR=1

Two of my favorite moments were playoff victories over the Lakers – the sweep in ’99 to close out the Forum, and of course the great ’03 victory that led to championship #2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oIyas2hbOc (this one needs to be cut/pasted into browser)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8p9RtiDVRM&NR=1

by 4Him on Jan 8, 2009 6:08 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Loved those, 4Him, thanks.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 7:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I edited in the videos you recommended.

I checked one of Stampler’s old posts in which the pics and the captions were centered, and all he used was tags. When I change in the Fanpost section from the HTML editor to the WYSomething else view it’s shown properly centered, but it’s stripped when I publish it.

Any more ideas, HTML wizards?

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 7:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

im not so sure about the format in this sbn blog, but did you try to put some code like < /center > ?
i dont know if it gonna work here those html code.

by spoiled on Jan 8, 2009 10:16 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Actually, my last post should’ve said “…all he used was < center > tags.” But I didn’t leave those blanks, so it ate it up. Ahem.

Anyway, I did try it, and it works fine in the fanpost section, but it’s stripped when I click on “publish”. Matthew? If you’re there, please help me with this.

Thanks for the help, spoiled.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 10:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ok, LD, try this. in the

tag that encloses the img and the caption add the attribute align=“center”.

by AusTechSpur on Jan 8, 2009 11:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Not working, ATS. Have you ever tried to center a pic, or text? Try it in a post of your own… then I can copy what you do.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hooked you up.

by AusTechSpur on Jan 8, 2009 11:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hell yeah!

It works now. Look how pretty everything is…

Thanks a lot, ATS. My firstborn shall be named ATS. Or “Eities”, in Spanish.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Is this the firstborn of your wife or of your girlfriend?

by AusTechSpur on Jan 8, 2009 1:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No wife yet. Or for a long time. We’ll see. If everything fails, I’ll clone myself.

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 1:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

your welcome.

by spoiled on Jan 9, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s a lotta nostalgia for one thread, LD. Nicely done!

I still carry around the first Spurs season schedule I ever owned—a pocket size one from Pizza Hut for the ‘98-’99 season with The Admiral and Timmy on the cover. It’s falling apart now, but the memories are still there.

My all-time favorite Spurs’ games: Elliot’s Memorial Day Miracle, Big Shot Rob’s Finals performace, and Timmy’s Sunsetter to rip phoenix’s heart out. Again.

"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton

by spursfan4ever on Jan 8, 2009 12:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

damn this thread. i spent the last 3 hours looking at spurs related things on youtube. i had errands to do and they must now wait until tommorow

What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)

the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post

by Hamer_SpursFan on Jan 8, 2009 5:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Same thing happened to me. :)

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 5:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i haven’t delved into all of this very much yet for exactly the same reason. but you can bet that i will spend 3-4 hours on it in the very near future.

not sure of what my favorite spurs memory would be, but the memorial day miracle has to be top 3 at worst.

by bones on Jan 9, 2009 10:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

MJ forever, I would be spending my time watching another sport or finding a cure for cancer if it wasnt for one Michael Jordan illuminanting my life. My second favorite player on that team? Dennis Rodman. Of the court he was a madman….on the court he was a madman too but in the good sense. He could help us right now with his rebounds and hustle.
Steve Kerr, loved that guy too. I remember after 3 quarters that ESPN was already promoting game 7 between quarters because it seemed we where losing that game. Then Kerr came in (with Manu in the lineup of course) and not only knocked those 3 pointers, but he played great defense alongside Manu, Jackson and Rose.
You know what i miss? The chauncey billups Pistons. I loved them as rivals. Last year I was hoping that somehow we could get by the lakers to face the pistons, a team I truly respected until they traded for the super chucker, no defense, no practice loser.

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Jan 8, 2009 5:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I was waiting to hear from you, Chilai. I knew you’d share my MJ-induced awakening. It’s a common story among Argentine fans.

Not that the national league wasn’t great back then. Someday I’ll scan my picture with Nocioni when he played in Olimpia. I think he was a sophomore, and his hair was razor cut. Remember the World Championship in Argentina? I met the champions in Ezeiza, and couldn’t work up the courage to ask them for autographs (I must’ve been… 6? When was the World Championship?)

by LatinD on Jan 8, 2009 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Im too young to remember :P
The first time I noticed our national team was the 1998 world championship. I remember losing to Spain by 1 point (It wouldn’t be the last time sadly) with a young Oberto doing crazy things. Then a bunch of young super players came in 2001…..that was the first time I got to know Nocioni and the rest.

Wanna now my only face to face encounter? July or something of 2008, I was coming from the university to my apartment in Cordoba, and lo and behold Fabrcio Oberto was walking towards me. Of course I didnt say anything, im a chicken like that. It was two weeks before the olympics. I’ve never never never ever expected to see a selection player (much less a NBA one) in the street just like that, one block away from my apartment.

"It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what."

by Chilai on Jan 8, 2009 6:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs