ElNono
02-15-2011, 12:17 PM
With the All Star game looming, Manu wrote this article for his site about 10 days ago... here's the translation:
A player's resumé has a before and after an All-Star Game
Feb 4, 2011 - Manu
If anybody thought I would have been anxiously waiting in front of the TV to see if my name was on the list… I'm going to disappoint you all very quickly.
The truth is that being a good native from Bahia Blanca, and with the games we're playing now -Los Angeles Lakers last night, Sacramento today-, I took one of those afternoon naps you can enjoy. I woke up, turned on the TV since I knew the NBA TV show was on… but the whole announcement part has already gone by. I saw my name among the West subs. At that point, I have to admit, I felt really good. Happiness and satisfaction.
For the second time in my career I'm going to be part of such special show that's the All Star Game. The last time was in Denver 2005 and it was quite unexpected for me. This time it was less of a surprise, but not because somebody gave me any information. There was simply no twitter six years ago and the Internet didn't have the amount of information going around like it does now. There were no rumors back then. This time around everything was more talked about and speculated. So you kind of start expecting it more than dreaming about it. Don't get me wrong, when you see your name on the TV screen it's an enormous satisfaction. Makes you feel really good. It's a very significant accomplishment to be on that game and, above all, that the coaches that you play against every game are the ones that selected you to be there.
Denver was different. It was my 3rd season. I had no idea, and I didn't even know if I had chances to be there. It was a shock to find out. Today, being 33 years old and with more experience, I see it from a different angle. It happens to me at a different stage in my career. That said, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible.
Obviously as a player you know you compete with a group of incredibly talented players for a spot, but I wasn't afraid that I would be left out from the list by another guy. They're all excellent players, the selected, and those that didn't make it this time. Personally, I was confident, but at the same time I have to admit that confidence was built more towards what people were saying than what I believed.
My performance up to this point in the season could have been a factor for the selection, but what's more influential, and I've zero doubts about it, it's the team. It's San Antonio. We were the #1 team in 2005, with the best record, and this time same thing happened. Another nice thing is that we're going to be coached by Pop. I'll be there with Tim (Duncan), so it's going to be an environment that I'm more familiar with. I wish Tony gets selected too. That would make a "very spurs" group. Having them around helps me feel less alienated and makes the adventure more pleasant.
I remember other All Star games were I wasn't being selected. And truth be told, it worked well for me because it gave me five or six days to rest and clean up my mind a bit. Now it will be different, since with San Antonio we've been playing at a high level. Pop will possibly play me little minutes and take care of me (laughs). We'll see how that experience impacts on the physical side. In Denver I was 5 years younger… All that said, it's clear that beyond the wear, it's an honor and a pleasure that they select you to this party. A player's resumé has a before and after an All-Star Game. Because of the show, because of what it generates, and the millions of fans that follow it on TV worldwide. All that, I guarantee, more than makes up for any wear. It weights much more than the negative part.
When I was a kid I used to love to watch the All Star. It was like a surreal world of basketball. As if players arrived from spaceships… So, all of a sudden have the opportunity to be there and live it from within, when you look back, you can't believe it.
Something to point out is that regardless if you play in the East or the West, there isn't necessarily a friendship with the players. I never shared a team with the majority of them. Of course there's a high level of respect because they're all great players. We're rivals, at the same time colleagues, but there's always a lot of competitiveness and a desire to win. That happens to all of us.
A lot of people ask me how do you play a game like this, if it's a show or if you play seriously. I don't think I know how to play it that well (laughs). I want to win at everything. I always want to do the right thing. I'm not sure if I'm made for these kind of games. Now, there's one other very important factor. The chances this is the last one for me are pretty high, so I'm going to enjoy it like it will be the last one, so it sticks in memory. That's why I'll probably have the whole family over. From my parents to the twins, who already have their Spurs jerseys.
What I'm going to enjoy the most is playing without the pressure. It's not the same, obviously, as the games we played yesterday against the Lakers, and today against Sacramento for the regular season.
I know there's some intrigue about the jerseys we're going to use, but to be honest I have no idea what the design looks like this time around. Sometimes is a retro-kind of look, some other times, futuristic. We'll see what they surprise us with.
The Lakers Arena, the Staples Center, is one of the best, even if it doesn't have the mystique of the Madison Square Garden. Nevertheless, there's a very particular atmosphere surrounding the All Star weekend, very media-heavy, that makes it distinct. Incomparable.
That's why I said I'm proud to be heading there, be selected, be part of this event. And of course I feel very happy about it.
A player's resumé has a before and after an All-Star Game
Feb 4, 2011 - Manu
If anybody thought I would have been anxiously waiting in front of the TV to see if my name was on the list… I'm going to disappoint you all very quickly.
The truth is that being a good native from Bahia Blanca, and with the games we're playing now -Los Angeles Lakers last night, Sacramento today-, I took one of those afternoon naps you can enjoy. I woke up, turned on the TV since I knew the NBA TV show was on… but the whole announcement part has already gone by. I saw my name among the West subs. At that point, I have to admit, I felt really good. Happiness and satisfaction.
For the second time in my career I'm going to be part of such special show that's the All Star Game. The last time was in Denver 2005 and it was quite unexpected for me. This time it was less of a surprise, but not because somebody gave me any information. There was simply no twitter six years ago and the Internet didn't have the amount of information going around like it does now. There were no rumors back then. This time around everything was more talked about and speculated. So you kind of start expecting it more than dreaming about it. Don't get me wrong, when you see your name on the TV screen it's an enormous satisfaction. Makes you feel really good. It's a very significant accomplishment to be on that game and, above all, that the coaches that you play against every game are the ones that selected you to be there.
Denver was different. It was my 3rd season. I had no idea, and I didn't even know if I had chances to be there. It was a shock to find out. Today, being 33 years old and with more experience, I see it from a different angle. It happens to me at a different stage in my career. That said, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible.
Obviously as a player you know you compete with a group of incredibly talented players for a spot, but I wasn't afraid that I would be left out from the list by another guy. They're all excellent players, the selected, and those that didn't make it this time. Personally, I was confident, but at the same time I have to admit that confidence was built more towards what people were saying than what I believed.
My performance up to this point in the season could have been a factor for the selection, but what's more influential, and I've zero doubts about it, it's the team. It's San Antonio. We were the #1 team in 2005, with the best record, and this time same thing happened. Another nice thing is that we're going to be coached by Pop. I'll be there with Tim (Duncan), so it's going to be an environment that I'm more familiar with. I wish Tony gets selected too. That would make a "very spurs" group. Having them around helps me feel less alienated and makes the adventure more pleasant.
I remember other All Star games were I wasn't being selected. And truth be told, it worked well for me because it gave me five or six days to rest and clean up my mind a bit. Now it will be different, since with San Antonio we've been playing at a high level. Pop will possibly play me little minutes and take care of me (laughs). We'll see how that experience impacts on the physical side. In Denver I was 5 years younger… All that said, it's clear that beyond the wear, it's an honor and a pleasure that they select you to this party. A player's resumé has a before and after an All-Star Game. Because of the show, because of what it generates, and the millions of fans that follow it on TV worldwide. All that, I guarantee, more than makes up for any wear. It weights much more than the negative part.
When I was a kid I used to love to watch the All Star. It was like a surreal world of basketball. As if players arrived from spaceships… So, all of a sudden have the opportunity to be there and live it from within, when you look back, you can't believe it.
Something to point out is that regardless if you play in the East or the West, there isn't necessarily a friendship with the players. I never shared a team with the majority of them. Of course there's a high level of respect because they're all great players. We're rivals, at the same time colleagues, but there's always a lot of competitiveness and a desire to win. That happens to all of us.
A lot of people ask me how do you play a game like this, if it's a show or if you play seriously. I don't think I know how to play it that well (laughs). I want to win at everything. I always want to do the right thing. I'm not sure if I'm made for these kind of games. Now, there's one other very important factor. The chances this is the last one for me are pretty high, so I'm going to enjoy it like it will be the last one, so it sticks in memory. That's why I'll probably have the whole family over. From my parents to the twins, who already have their Spurs jerseys.
What I'm going to enjoy the most is playing without the pressure. It's not the same, obviously, as the games we played yesterday against the Lakers, and today against Sacramento for the regular season.
I know there's some intrigue about the jerseys we're going to use, but to be honest I have no idea what the design looks like this time around. Sometimes is a retro-kind of look, some other times, futuristic. We'll see what they surprise us with.
The Lakers Arena, the Staples Center, is one of the best, even if it doesn't have the mystique of the Madison Square Garden. Nevertheless, there's a very particular atmosphere surrounding the All Star weekend, very media-heavy, that makes it distinct. Incomparable.
That's why I said I'm proud to be heading there, be selected, be part of this event. And of course I feel very happy about it.