A Letter and Wine from Pop

[BillMc]

I received a letter and bottle of wine from Pop yesterday. Or more accurately it went to my mother's house in Nevada as I am in Latvia. Very kind and classy of him.

A little background. Some may know that I am a writer. I wrote a novel on Latvian history dealing with a family trying to survive both World Wars, the Russian Revolution and the Soviet occupations of the Baltic States. Someone on this site (I need to look up who, and thank them) suggested a few years ago I send a copy of the book to Pop as he was a Soviet Studies major at the Air Force Academy. My book was also endorsed by a former CIA dean, and we all know about "CIA Pop". :) So, I sent him a copy of the hardback edition of the novel a year ago when I was back in America helping my sick mother. I used my mom's address as the return address.

Yesterday, a package arrived with a letter from Pop briefly talking about his having read the book, what Putin is doing in Eastern Europe now, and the Air Force Academy (I mentioned in the letter that my father was an academy grad, though he wasn't there at the same time as Pop). The wine was very kind gift, from his Pounding the Rock winery according to mom

Inevitably, this being the internet, some will be skeptical about what I say. I don't really care about that but I'm trying to get my mother to take a picture of the bottle and letter and email it to me. She's not one for technology. :lol

I'll be visiting my mom in mid-april and post the wine pics and transcribe the letter if anyone is interested. I'm a geeky enough Spurs fan that I may have the letter framed.

Pop's a class act. You always hear sportswriters say he's a great guy (unless you're missing rotations or asking dumb questions.) It certainly made my day. :bobo

[Old School 44]

I received a letter and bottle of wine from Pop yesterday. Or more accurately it went to my mother's house in Nevada as I am in Latvia. Very kind and classy of him.

A little background. Some may know that I am a writer. I wrote a novel on Latvian history dealing with a family trying to survive both World Wars, the Russian Revolution and the Soviet occupations of the Baltic States. Someone on this site (I need to look up who, and thank them) suggested a few years ago I send a copy of the book to Pop as he was a Soviet Studies major at the Air Force Academy. My book was also endorsed by a former CIA dean, and we all know about "CIA Pop". :) So, I sent him a copy of the hardback edition of the novel a year ago when I was back in America helping my sick mother. I used my mom's address as the return address.

Yesterday, a package arrived with a letter from Pop briefly talking about his having read the book, what Putin is doing in Eastern Europe now, and the Air Force Academy (I mentioned in the letter that my father was an academy grad, though he wasn't there at the same time as Pop). The wine was very kind gift, from his Pounding the Rock winery according to mom

Inevitably, this being the internet, some will be sceptical about what I say. I don't really care about that but I'm trying to get my mother to take a picture of the bottle and letter and email it to me. She's not one for technology. :lol

I'll be visiting my mom in mid-april and post the wine pics and transcribe the letter if anyone is interested. I'm a geeky enough Spurs fan that I may have the letters framed.

Pop's a class act. You always hear sportswriters say he's a great guy (unless you're missing rotations or asking dumb questions.) It certainly made my day. :bobo

Wow!!! Nice....and I don't need proof, but it would be cool to see!
And btw, I'd frame it without question.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

That is amazing, good for you man!

[SnakeBoy]

I might frame it but I certainly wouldn't post it online.

[BillMc]

Wow!!! Nice....and I don't need proof, but it would be cool to see!
And btw, I'd frame it without question.


That is amazing, good for you man!

Thanks guys. Yes, the only questions are whether to frame the letters and drink the wine. What would Boris do? :bobo

[BillMc]

I might frame it but I certainly wouldn't post it online.

I see your point.

[peacemaker885]

That's certainly cool. Thanks for sharing.

[Old School 44]

Thanks guys. Yes, the only questions are whether to frame the letters and drink the wine. What would Boris do?

"Thanks for the letter Pop, I'll drink the wine when I receive the meat & cheese gift basket, you did send one, right?"
:bobo

[dabom]

Drink the wine when we win 6.

[BillMc]

"Thanks for the letter Pop, I'll drink the wine when I receive the meat & cheese gift basket, you did send one, right?"
:bobo
:lol

[BillMc]

Drink the wine when we win 6.

Great idea!

[dabom]

thanks

[The Reckoning]

:bobo

[pookenstein]

Wow, that's pretty cool.

Hope you don't have to throw the bottle into your TV, meaning Pop producing another Game 6 fuckup. Hopefully you'll get to empty it giving 6 a whole new meaning!
:lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt2:

[DesignatedT]

That is pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing Bill. :tu

[ElNono]

Very cool Bill! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the wine!

:tu

[MateoNeygro]

Very cool he took the time to write you a letter.

[FlAVaK]

:bobo

Great for you!

And I really like to know Pops take on Putin, since he seems to always be thinking beyond the average pov...

[baseline bum]

I might frame it but I certainly wouldn't post it online.

I agree with that. Definitely wouldn't be cool to post a private communication here.

[gameFACE]

Congrats, BillMc! Great story and gifts from Pop. And hell yes, drink the vino!! Maybe just post a picture of the empty bottle after the #6 win :toast

[loveforthegame]

That's awesome. :tu

[hater]

What besides "Putin is kicking Obama's ass" did pop have to say about it???

[lil'mo]

What's the name of the book?

[Malik Hairston]

I remember when you posted a thread about your book a year or 2 ago, sounded very interesting..really cool that Pop actually replied, definitely frame-worthy, tbh..

[FromWayDowntown]

Congratulations on the book. To garner that sort of response from Pop, it must be well done.

Pop's personalized response to it (and the fact that he took time to read it) is very cool.

[kjhip1]

Congrats man! That sure is special! I would give anything to have a conversation with Pop. Awesome that he sent you that in response to your book. Shows the class the organization has, props to you for taking a chance. On the history side, one of the best books I ever read had to do with Prague and the effect that Stalin had post-WWII. Things never really changed after the Germans were forced out.

[smaka]

Congrats Bill, well deserved :bobo

[hater]

having a conversation with Pop is very easy from what I hear. All you gotta do is walk over to his house and ring the doorbell

[benefactor]

I remember when you posted a thread about your book a year or 2 ago, sounded very interesting..really cool that Pop actually replied, definitely frame-worthy, tbh..
I remember it as well.

That's really cool man. Congrats on the response from Pop and the success of your book.

[barakz21]

Damn, you're one lucky guy. Congrats man, you should definitely frame that letter. :toast

[BillMc]

That is pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing Bill. :tu


Very cool Bill! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the wine!

:tu


Very cool he took the time to write you a letter.


That's awesome. :tu


I remember when you posted a thread about your book a year or 2 ago, sounded very interesting..really cool that Pop actually replied, definitely frame-worthy, tbh..


Congratulations on the book. To garner that sort of response from Pop, it must be well done.

Pop's personalized response to it (and the fact that he took time to read it) is very cool.


Congrats man! That sure is special! I would give anything to have a conversation with Pop. Awesome that he sent you that in response to your book. Shows the class the organization has, props to you for taking a chance. On the history side, one of the best books I ever read had to do with Prague and the effect that Stalin had post-WWII. Things never really changed after the Germans were forced out.


Congrats Bill, well deserved :bobo


I remember it as well.

That's really cool man. Congrats on the response from Pop and the success of your book.


Damn, you're one lucky guy. Congrats man, you should definitely frame that letter. :toast

Thank you my brothers (and at least one sister! :toast). I'm really happy that we are fans of an organization wish such class.

[BillMc]

:bobo

Great for you!

And I really like to know Pops take on Putin, since he seems to always be thinking beyond the average pov...


What besides "Putin is kicking Obama's ass" did pop have to say about it???

When I see the letter myself (as opposed to just having my mom read it over Skype) I'll have a better picture.

[BillMc]

I agree with that. Definitely wouldn't be cool to post a private communication here.

Yeah, you guys are right. I won't post the contents.

[BillMc]

What's the name of the book?

Lenin's Harem. (And that's the nickname of a group of soldiers. Nothing to do with Lenin's love life! )

[BillMc]

Congrats, BillMc! Great story and gifts from Pop. And hell yes, drink the vino!! Maybe just post a picture of the empty bottle after the #6 win :toast

This will happen!:toast

[BillMc]

Congrats man! That sure is special! I would give anything to have a conversation with Pop. Awesome that he sent you that in response to your book. Shows the class the organization has, props to you for taking a chance. On the history side, one of the best books I ever read had to do with Prague and the effect that Stalin had post-WWII. Things never really changed after the Germans were forced out.

What was the name of the book? It sounds interesting.

[Mikeanaro]

Im happy for you man
:toast
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.607994325382596933&pid=15.1&P=0

[hater]

When I see the letter myself (as opposed to just having my mom read it over Skype) I'll have a better picture.

Cool man. Make sure to PM me the details

[timtonymanu]

Nice. What an honor and congrats on your success.

[BillMc]

Im happy for you man
:toast
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.607994325382596933&pid=15.1&P=0


Nice. What an honor and congrats on your success.

Many thanks. I really posted it here as much to show what kind of guy Pop is based on my own limited experience, but I'm really grateful for the good words.

[DarrinS]

Cool story. Sounds like something Pop would do.

[T Park]

What besides "Putin is kicking Obama's ass" did pop have to say about it???

Pop is a big Barack fan so doubtful he'd say that

[HI-FI]

props BillMc. pretty badass you have your own books and got the letter plus wine from Pop. I always wanted to try his label, plus it wouldn't be a bad idea to frame the letter.

[BillMc]

props BillMc (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=16431). pretty badass you have your own books and got the letter plus wine from Pop. I always wanted to try his label, plus it wouldn't be a bad idea to frame the letter.

Cheers!:toast I'm gonna frame the letter. And taste the wine, as others have suggested after we win our 6th!

[HI-FI]

Cheers!:toast I'm gonna frame the letter. And taste the wine, as others have suggested after we win our 6th!
:tu
that would be a heck of a way to celebrate.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Bill that's really cool! I'd love to read it.

[unleashbaynes]

Bill, you're one of my favorite posters on this site.....had no idea that you wrote a book. I'd be down to buy it, and thats just awesome that Pop read it and had some feedback for you. Well done sir, well done.

[BillMc]

Bill that's really cool! I'd love to read it.


Bill, you're one of my favorite posters on this site.....had no idea that you wrote a book. I'd be down to buy it, and thats just awesome that Pop read it and had some feedback for you. Well done sir, well done.

Cheers guys. I'm really grateful for the kind words. New edition of the novel coming out in late May or June (about the time we're celebrating the Spurs next championship). I'll PM you when its out.

[pgardn]

Why did it take so long for me to read this.

And I would gladly buy a copy. If there is any way you could pm me about purchasing it I would do so? I love this type of book. Or any other method I could go about purchasing a copy I woul appreciate it. My Uncle was a foreign diplomat and wrote a book on the economics of Indonesia under Suharto.

I would much rather read yours.

And I posted after only reading the first few posts, so yes, put me on the list please.

[BillMc]

Why did it take so long for me to read this.

And I would gladly buy a copy. If there is any way you could pm me about purchasing it I would do so? I love this type of book. Or any other method I could go about purchasing a copy I woul appreciate it. My Uncle was a foreign diplomat and wrote a book on the economics of Indonesia under Suharto.

I would much rather read yours.

And I posted after only reading the first few posts, so yes, put me on the list please.

Cheers my friend. I bet your uncle had some interesting stories as well. :toast

[Spursfanfromafar]

BillMc,

May you write more books and win more accolades and wine!

[BillMc]

BillMc,

May you write more books and win more accolades and wine!

Thanks bro! And may the Spurs bring us all more championships!!!