kaji157
08-21-2016, 04:52 PM
I return full of heart
RIO DE JANEIRO I'm fine, happy. Happy to have had an experience like this. And more at this age, because it adds excitement. When you have 23 or 24 you do not take things the same way and don`t go beyond the significance of the result. But being here in the Olympics when I thought I was not going to be ... it's special. It was definitely an emotional day. The truth is that it was not all day like this, I was not thinking it was the last match with the national team all day. Yes I did at times, but it hit me when I left the court. When my colleagues began to hug me, people applauded and that was when I felt it. So many signs of affection and respect hit me hard and I could not contain the emotion anymore. The truth is that all that touched me.
In addition, there were gestures of peers and rivals that moved me a little. Because when a reporter makes asks them they are forced to say good things about you. But when they leave the usual ways to come and speak to you, to show their respect or appreciation for what you have done ... especially if it comes from players that you respect or have great careers. I felt so much affection that struck me. It's like falling on what happened a bit more. And the fans were moving. Beyond my particular situation, it was amazing, in general, throughout the tournament. A constant party, unconditional push for us when things were great and when they went difficult and ugly, like those it did the last two games. It was great that it happend in that context. So I am very grateful for all that energy brought to us in every game.
The truth is I hear everything that people say about what we left as a team and what I did in particular. It is not something i can realise today. Gradually, one will be able to take notice in different circumstances. But it is not me who should say what we did and how people see and respect us. No doubt,knowing we left something helps. Now, because i am retiring from International Competition, people tells me more about what we did, how they see us, and itīs very touching. There are times when I feel uncomfortable for that praise and other times when it helps a lot. They were very welcome. I return with my heart full of affection. You can leave champion or win a medal, but there are things that transcend that. And I think I can, and we can, be proud, those who were part of this whole cycle, to be respected and loved. And I feel that, besides winning, we represented 40,000,000 people who stayed at home, or 10 or 20 or those interested in the Olympics. That's what I value.
About my game, I am also satisfied, I overcame my physical expectations. I had some doubts, especially when I came to Las Vegas, because I did not know how or when it would heal my cufflink. I had not trained as wanted, but then I was gaining peace. I did not think I was going to be able to play as many minutes or that it was to contribute this much, so I'm happy. I could have played a little better? Well, yes, you can always play a little better. Could I have helped the team more? Surely. But I think generally I helped, and at times the team played well. Maybe not in a superlative level, but competed as a beast against all rivals, we fought with all but Spain and the United States, which today are undoubtedly not a step ahead of us but more than one, which made that we could not compete as equals ... I think it was a respectable championship in performance, perhaps surpassing the expectations we had at the time we met for the first time in Argentina.
Now the balance of the team (Argentina) will change, when, for example, a guy like Chapu (Nocioni) decides not to play anymore. Luckily for this process, especially for guys who are young, have two important leaders that remain, Luifa (Scola) and Carlos (Delfino), which in theory will continue playing. And it's good that way. And the truth is, weīve already seen how the team can react without me. Not without Chapu, because we had no way of knowing while he was active. This is the time to bloom for the rest of the team. In this tournament two key players had to have an increasingly prominent role, Facu (Campazzo) and Nico Laprovittola, but also Pato Garino, who is hungry and wants to have more and more court time and responsibilities. Perhaps the fact that Chapu and I were on the team prevented him of having the role he deserved or that would have allowed him to stand out more. But, hey, it's a natural process of replacement. And, no doubt, in every championship they will grow, gaining confidence and feeling that it is their team. No role players, but main guys. So I feel that it helped them play a championship of this magnitude. I now believe that the guys are ready, after a preparation as we did and the Olympic Games we played. It is an important step.
The good news is that the NBA begins much later than the European Championships and the Argentine. That gives me time to free up my mind of all the emotion. The preseason will start on September 25, so I have days to change the chip, relax the head, be with my family, regain time with my wife, take my kids to school, enjoy a mini vacation ... all this will ease my transition to a new NBA season. It will be a bit of rest and rehabilitation, because I have some bruises that I want to heal before I start working with the team. But I knew what I was exposing myself to and I did it with pleasure, with lotīs of pleasure. And that it is possibly my last participation in the NBA too makes me think short term, day by day, as I do lately. And I think it will be easy to put together the excitement and energy for maybe, like this one in the NT, the last experience of my career in the NBA.
Full Article here in Spanish: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1929622-me-vuelvo-con-el-corazon-bien-lleno
RIO DE JANEIRO I'm fine, happy. Happy to have had an experience like this. And more at this age, because it adds excitement. When you have 23 or 24 you do not take things the same way and don`t go beyond the significance of the result. But being here in the Olympics when I thought I was not going to be ... it's special. It was definitely an emotional day. The truth is that it was not all day like this, I was not thinking it was the last match with the national team all day. Yes I did at times, but it hit me when I left the court. When my colleagues began to hug me, people applauded and that was when I felt it. So many signs of affection and respect hit me hard and I could not contain the emotion anymore. The truth is that all that touched me.
In addition, there were gestures of peers and rivals that moved me a little. Because when a reporter makes asks them they are forced to say good things about you. But when they leave the usual ways to come and speak to you, to show their respect or appreciation for what you have done ... especially if it comes from players that you respect or have great careers. I felt so much affection that struck me. It's like falling on what happened a bit more. And the fans were moving. Beyond my particular situation, it was amazing, in general, throughout the tournament. A constant party, unconditional push for us when things were great and when they went difficult and ugly, like those it did the last two games. It was great that it happend in that context. So I am very grateful for all that energy brought to us in every game.
The truth is I hear everything that people say about what we left as a team and what I did in particular. It is not something i can realise today. Gradually, one will be able to take notice in different circumstances. But it is not me who should say what we did and how people see and respect us. No doubt,knowing we left something helps. Now, because i am retiring from International Competition, people tells me more about what we did, how they see us, and itīs very touching. There are times when I feel uncomfortable for that praise and other times when it helps a lot. They were very welcome. I return with my heart full of affection. You can leave champion or win a medal, but there are things that transcend that. And I think I can, and we can, be proud, those who were part of this whole cycle, to be respected and loved. And I feel that, besides winning, we represented 40,000,000 people who stayed at home, or 10 or 20 or those interested in the Olympics. That's what I value.
About my game, I am also satisfied, I overcame my physical expectations. I had some doubts, especially when I came to Las Vegas, because I did not know how or when it would heal my cufflink. I had not trained as wanted, but then I was gaining peace. I did not think I was going to be able to play as many minutes or that it was to contribute this much, so I'm happy. I could have played a little better? Well, yes, you can always play a little better. Could I have helped the team more? Surely. But I think generally I helped, and at times the team played well. Maybe not in a superlative level, but competed as a beast against all rivals, we fought with all but Spain and the United States, which today are undoubtedly not a step ahead of us but more than one, which made that we could not compete as equals ... I think it was a respectable championship in performance, perhaps surpassing the expectations we had at the time we met for the first time in Argentina.
Now the balance of the team (Argentina) will change, when, for example, a guy like Chapu (Nocioni) decides not to play anymore. Luckily for this process, especially for guys who are young, have two important leaders that remain, Luifa (Scola) and Carlos (Delfino), which in theory will continue playing. And it's good that way. And the truth is, weīve already seen how the team can react without me. Not without Chapu, because we had no way of knowing while he was active. This is the time to bloom for the rest of the team. In this tournament two key players had to have an increasingly prominent role, Facu (Campazzo) and Nico Laprovittola, but also Pato Garino, who is hungry and wants to have more and more court time and responsibilities. Perhaps the fact that Chapu and I were on the team prevented him of having the role he deserved or that would have allowed him to stand out more. But, hey, it's a natural process of replacement. And, no doubt, in every championship they will grow, gaining confidence and feeling that it is their team. No role players, but main guys. So I feel that it helped them play a championship of this magnitude. I now believe that the guys are ready, after a preparation as we did and the Olympic Games we played. It is an important step.
The good news is that the NBA begins much later than the European Championships and the Argentine. That gives me time to free up my mind of all the emotion. The preseason will start on September 25, so I have days to change the chip, relax the head, be with my family, regain time with my wife, take my kids to school, enjoy a mini vacation ... all this will ease my transition to a new NBA season. It will be a bit of rest and rehabilitation, because I have some bruises that I want to heal before I start working with the team. But I knew what I was exposing myself to and I did it with pleasure, with lotīs of pleasure. And that it is possibly my last participation in the NBA too makes me think short term, day by day, as I do lately. And I think it will be easy to put together the excitement and energy for maybe, like this one in the NT, the last experience of my career in the NBA.
Full Article here in Spanish: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1929622-me-vuelvo-con-el-corazon-bien-lleno