duncan228
06-27-2009, 11:47 PM
Cary Clack: He's not leaving, he's found (http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/columnists/cary_clack/49350087.html)
Cary Clack
On an Aretha Franklin gospel CD that Bruce Bowen is especially fond of, The Queen offers a stirring rendition of the traditional song, "Precious Memories." A couple of the verses are:
Precious father, loving Mother
Fly across the lonely years,
And old home scenes of my childhood
In fond memory appear.
As I travel on life's pathway
Know not what the years may hold
As I ponder, hope grows fonder
Precious memories flood my soul.
The first one is sadly ironic while the second is a little prophetic. The absence of a precious biological father and loving biological mother made for a lonely and difficult childhood for Bowen.
He was a nomad, a basketball journeyman until he dropped anchor in San Antonio in 2001 and became not only the best defensive player in the NBA but one of the most popular players in San Antonio Spurs history.
So Bowen was especially poignant and sincere last Tuesday, after his trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, when the first words he wrote on his blog were, "Let me start by saying THANK YOU SAN ANTONIO! From my family to yours. Thank you for allowing a young man with many travel stops, to finally drop his bags off and say, ëI'M HOME.'?"
There is no other Spur in franchise history who came from so far and made so many detours to not only become a star but to find a home. With much due respect to Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas, who were also sent to Milwaukee, it's the departure of Bowen that tempered the excitement of the Spurs valuable acquisition of Richard Jefferson.
His contributions in helping the Spurs win three of their four championships were considerable. A perennial NBA All-Defensive selection who should have won at least a couple Defensive Player of the Year awards, Bowen wasn't known for his scoring prowess yet known for his ability to hit big three-point shots.
But those are on-the-court accomplishments that earned him the eternal appreciation of Spurs fans. It's been his off-the-court presence — the way he's lived his life and interacted with the community — that created an enduring bond with this city and moved it to embrace him and his family as members of the San Antonio family.
Accessible and accommodating, he's always been willing to give his time and lend his name to any program, cause or event that will help people — especially children. Earlier this month, he was in Las Vegas when he got a last-minute request to speak at a City Year ceremony honoring middle-school students. A couple of days later, he was at the ceremony wowing the students and the adults.
My colleague, Richard Oliver, regularly and playfully, but with merit, suggests that Bowen will one day be mayor of San Antonio, and that's not difficult to imagine.
There's still a scenario in which Bowen's career will end as a Spur and there's no question that his No. 12 jersey will one day hang in the rafters of the AT&T Center. Whatever happens with his basketball career, the bags he dropped off eight years ago have taken root in San Antonio.
On that same Aretha Franklin CD is a glorious rendition of "Amazing Grace" which has the lyric, "I once was lost but now I'm found."
It took you a while to get here, but welcome home, brother!
Cary Clack
On an Aretha Franklin gospel CD that Bruce Bowen is especially fond of, The Queen offers a stirring rendition of the traditional song, "Precious Memories." A couple of the verses are:
Precious father, loving Mother
Fly across the lonely years,
And old home scenes of my childhood
In fond memory appear.
As I travel on life's pathway
Know not what the years may hold
As I ponder, hope grows fonder
Precious memories flood my soul.
The first one is sadly ironic while the second is a little prophetic. The absence of a precious biological father and loving biological mother made for a lonely and difficult childhood for Bowen.
He was a nomad, a basketball journeyman until he dropped anchor in San Antonio in 2001 and became not only the best defensive player in the NBA but one of the most popular players in San Antonio Spurs history.
So Bowen was especially poignant and sincere last Tuesday, after his trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, when the first words he wrote on his blog were, "Let me start by saying THANK YOU SAN ANTONIO! From my family to yours. Thank you for allowing a young man with many travel stops, to finally drop his bags off and say, ëI'M HOME.'?"
There is no other Spur in franchise history who came from so far and made so many detours to not only become a star but to find a home. With much due respect to Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas, who were also sent to Milwaukee, it's the departure of Bowen that tempered the excitement of the Spurs valuable acquisition of Richard Jefferson.
His contributions in helping the Spurs win three of their four championships were considerable. A perennial NBA All-Defensive selection who should have won at least a couple Defensive Player of the Year awards, Bowen wasn't known for his scoring prowess yet known for his ability to hit big three-point shots.
But those are on-the-court accomplishments that earned him the eternal appreciation of Spurs fans. It's been his off-the-court presence — the way he's lived his life and interacted with the community — that created an enduring bond with this city and moved it to embrace him and his family as members of the San Antonio family.
Accessible and accommodating, he's always been willing to give his time and lend his name to any program, cause or event that will help people — especially children. Earlier this month, he was in Las Vegas when he got a last-minute request to speak at a City Year ceremony honoring middle-school students. A couple of days later, he was at the ceremony wowing the students and the adults.
My colleague, Richard Oliver, regularly and playfully, but with merit, suggests that Bowen will one day be mayor of San Antonio, and that's not difficult to imagine.
There's still a scenario in which Bowen's career will end as a Spur and there's no question that his No. 12 jersey will one day hang in the rafters of the AT&T Center. Whatever happens with his basketball career, the bags he dropped off eight years ago have taken root in San Antonio.
On that same Aretha Franklin CD is a glorious rendition of "Amazing Grace" which has the lyric, "I once was lost but now I'm found."
It took you a while to get here, but welcome home, brother!