Witnessing Greatness

by alamobro on Aug 3, 2009 4:48 PM CDT

Just wanted to share my only experience to date watching the Spurs play live. Hopefully this will change sometime in 2010.

Sup peeps.Wanted to take this moment to share my one and only experience watching the San Antonio Spurs play live and in person.

It was game two of the 2007 WFC. I live in Tucson and decided this might be my best chance ever to go see the team I have followed for the last fourteen years or so. I went to a tickmaster website and purchased two not-completely-horrible seats, each setting me back about $300 dollars. ( That hurt ,as i am not made of money) One for me and one for my then girlfriend.

So we made the drive from my adopted hometown of Tucson Arizona to the valley of the sun , Phoenix...in my no AC having car.( Not fun)

Anyway, it was LOUD in there. San Antonio kept it close for like,the first Quarter, hahahah. The suns ended up winning decisively and this one was out of reach by some point in the third quarter. However it was incredible to finally see these guys in person. I mean, I Have Hi Definition at my place....but this..this was incredible, even despite the crappy seats.It was amazing.

The two players whos performances remained etched in my mind the most were Tim Duncan and Steve Nash. Timmy was like a quarterback down there. It was incredible to see the spurs dump the ball down to him, watch Timmy survey the defense,then decide on a course of action...all within moments. Kurt Thomas was playing Tim PERFECTLY..but each time that ball flew out of Timmys hands ( and often banking off the glass) it found the inside of the hoop.Tims ball fakes and protection of the ball in that warzone known as the paint...were just phenomenal. I can remember thinking that I was truly, truly, truly ....witnessing greatness.

Yes ,Even Steve Nashs game left an impression on me....his control of the ball was legendary. His ball handle was otherworldy, as he reached every and any part of the floor he so chose to reach....no matter who was on him ( and for the large part of this game, it was the 6 ft and god knows how many inches of wingspan belonging to Bruce Bowen, that shrouded the relatively dimunitive superstar.) Steve was the entire Suns team. And despite the fact the Spurs 'D" was seemingly not allowing him to assist, Steve still managed to get shots for himself as well as his teammates.

Those two guys really stood out in my mind. And to this day I feel like I was fortunate enough to witness two of the greatest basketball players.....to EVER play this game. =)

One other person did stand out to me though. Even though his prowess didnt stand out like Duncans or Nashs. Despite the fact he had a bad game. This guy still seemed like the third best player on the court that day.........Manu Ginobili. I didnt get to see much of Gino in the game, as the contest quickly morphed into a route, and we all know Pop pulls his best players very quickly when this occurs...But i just recall Manu putting his head down to dribble, looking for his offense and roaming around the oppositions side of the court. Even while just dribbling around he seemed a bit out of control...yet in control. There was no wasted movement in his game.His exploratory dribbling displayed a powerful stance and I got the impression he could explode at any moment, even while just probing the defense...To be honest though, Raja Bell and the Suns defense saw to it that Manu did not explode.

Despite all this, Manu struck me as the third best player on the floor that day, despite the fact that Marion was there, and despite the fact that Stoudamire was there and having a good game.

Ill remember this forever. Hopefully I can fly to San Antonio this year and watch the spurs play sometime this season. While I do know someone in San Antonio, I may still need to bother one of you guys for a ticket.

Peace

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sweet post

you’re so lucky to have gotten to see the Spurs. I hate West Virginia, everyone’s a Cavs or Celtics fan.

"You'll take my life but I'll take yours too. You'll fire you musket but I'll run you through. So when your waiting for the next attack. You'd better stand there's no turning back"- "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden

by KA1Z3R on Aug 3, 2009 8:22 PM CDT reply actions

I feel for you. Any chance you can see them this season?

by alamobro on Aug 4, 2009 10:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Tucson to Phoenix with no A/C… ouch. I remember how hot it was during that series(I was in town doing orientation for the job that moved me here), and how I didn’t even want to go outside until like November of that year.

Anyway, you’re a very dedicated fan to go through that, and then show up at the Arena to root for the Spurs in the place they are most hated. Were you wearing Spurs memorabilia? That always gets you dirty looks.

Re-sign Bruce Bowen!

by Tim C. on Aug 3, 2009 8:41 PM CDT reply actions

I didnt have any spurs gear unfortunately. But i was clad in black , as was my girlfriend. I was also heartily cheering for my team ( for the very short time that they played well).

Should i ever go back, i plan on having the gear on. My true dream is to watch the Spurs in San Antonio for the postseason…..

If i should return to phoenix to watch San Antonio this season, we should meet up to root the spurs on, rikk…..

by alamobro on Aug 3, 2009 9:17 PM CDT reply actions

Absolutely. I can’t wait to find out when they come to town.

Re-sign Bruce Bowen!

by Tim C. on Aug 3, 2009 9:30 PM CDT up reply actions

You got to be lucky to meet the spurs, becuase when they are seen in public places all hell break loose. I remeber when I saw Brent Barry at Nightmare on Grason. There were like a millon people around him. I got lucky I was one of the first to notice him.

GO SPURS GO
SPURS 2010 NBA Champions (if team is healty LoL)

by Manu-20 on Aug 3, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions

While I do know someone in San Antonio, I may still need to bother one of you guys for a ticket.

No bother at all! I’d love to meet some PtR folks for some Spurs games.

WWTD?

by Lauri on Aug 3, 2009 10:11 PM CDT reply actions

I hear Tony give’s out free tickets but the chance of that happing for you are pretty slim.

GO SPURS GO
SPURS 2010 NBA Champions (if team is healty LoL)

by Manu-20 on Aug 3, 2009 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions

The chances for me particularly?

I do declare, I am wounded.

WWTD?

by Lauri on Aug 3, 2009 11:10 PM CDT up reply actions

That would be awesome Lauri. Id gladly pay face value or even a bit more for a ticket via a fan, than get gouged by some scalper,or by purchasing on ebay…

by alamobro on Aug 3, 2009 11:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Man o man. I can’t wait to go and share your experience, alam. Thanks for this.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Aug 3, 2009 11:03 PM CDT reply actions

Hey no problem LD. I just wanted to share what images are burned into the mind of someone whos only gotten to see the spurs play once, as opposed to the fortunate fans who get to watch them regularly…

by alamobro on Aug 3, 2009 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions

I hope your trip to the states is safe and memorable. =)

by alamobro on Aug 5, 2009 1:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Great post, alamobro! I got a chance to see my beloved Spurs play in person for the first time this Spring at the AT&T Center. They were playing the Rockets, and even though they lost by a point in the final minute, it was an awesome experience. Timmy’s every bit the on-court general you witnessed in phoenix, and Parker is faster in person than on TV (which i didn’t think possible). My greatest joy, though, was getting to see Bruce Bowen play defense—especially in light of his recent trade. Even though he’s “lost a step,” the guy’s stamina is ridiculous. He never stops moving his hands or his feet on D. To me, that was special to watch.

Oh, and for those of y’all who haven’t been yet, the AT&T Center is NICE. Even the cheap seats provide a great view! Definitely worth a trip to experience the atmosphere.

"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 Aug 3, 2009 11:30 PM CDT reply actions

Hopefully I will get a chance to see them at the AT&T center this season . I get the feeling that its now or never

by alamobro on Aug 4, 2009 10:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Yo, bro. Stevie Nash was a pretty good player in that series, but I’m not sure he attained to Poing Guard status. Maybe he just didn’t tactice enough.

Thanks for the post. Makes me think of the last postseason game I saw the Spurs live.

5 in 10
I want my Manu o;—-)

by J.R. Wilco on Aug 4, 2009 1:38 AM CDT reply actions

What game was that?

by alamobro on Aug 4, 2009 10:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Game 3 against the Jazz in … ‘97, I think. It was the only game the Spurs won in the series, a blowout — at the time I was a recovering Rockets fan, and so although I was cheering for the team. They weren’t really my team. Anyway, we sat on the baseline, right behind the photographers, and I had my feet propped up on the court just about the whole game. We even had a print out from the video of the game where in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, you could see two little blurs that represented me and my best friend’s dad.

I wonder where that pic is.

5 in 10
I want my Manu o;—-)

by J.R. Wilco on Aug 5, 2009 1:24 AM CDT up reply actions

My first and only live spurs game was at Chicago. As I first moved into this country I was very excited to see Michael Jordan play. Unfortunately he was playing for the Washington Wizards at the time. I lived in Lafayette, IN and was planning to buy tickets to the Wizards @ Bulls game that year. Before I could do that, my roommate bought a 10 ticket package for me as a birthday present. It was kind of strange because I barely knew the guy at that point, but he was a very resourceful Mexican. In any case the 10 ticket package included Spurs @ Bulls game on March 9th, 2002.

The game was completely dominated by the Spurs and unfortunately from my seat all I could see was the two giants Duncan and Robinson. All the other players looked like tiny midgets running around them. It was a basketball clinic as the Bulls were terrible that year. At that point I didnt even know who Manu was and he wasnt playing yet for Las Espuelas. I truly hope I can watch Manu play before he retires, some day in Charlotte, I know its going to happen.

"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG

by LasEspuelas on Aug 4, 2009 4:51 PM CDT reply actions

What a great gift !

by alamobro on Aug 4, 2009 10:18 PM CDT reply actions

I’m from Puerto Rico so I never been to a spurs game, but in 03 i got the chance to watch Timmeh, Manu, Nash, Jkidd, V.Carter, Scola, Oberto, Tmac, R.Allen, Varejao at The 2003 Tournament of the Americas, It was an amazing experience (and cheap 4 games for $20 great seats)

by spursfan87 on Aug 5, 2009 12:31 AM CDT reply actions