Kori Ellis
12-14-2004, 02:39 AM
by Bill Schoening, the radio voice of the Spurs
20-Second Timeout: Everything New for Beno
December 13, 2004
http://www.nba.com/spurs/timeout/041213.html
As Americans, sometimes we are guilty of assuming that everything revolves around us. We take our freedoms for granted, we expect everyone to speak English, and we often don't take enough time to learn about other cultures, languages, or customs.
I mention all of these things because I often think about the adjustment that 22-year-old Beno Udrih is making as he attempts to learn about the United States and our ways of doing things, as he also learns the ropes in the real world that is the National Basketball Association.
A favorite songwriter of mine, John Gorka, once wrote,
I go to work each day,
making my mistakes out loud,
what if everybody's failures
were in the earshot of the crowd?
I bring this up because Beno has done extremely well while learning on the fly, playing the very tough position of point guard where you're expected to be a leader on the floor. He also has to do all this in arenas filled with people, with all the games on television and radio.
The other night I asked him before a game if he expected to hit the "rookie wall" at some point. He hadn't heard of the term, but once I explained it, he informed me that he has played lots of games in different leagues. He said the travel is easier than it was in Europe and he tries to get as much rest as he can so he's fresh for practices and games.
His girlfriend will soon be joining him here and that will make life a bit easier. He likes his teammates and he's enjoying San Antonio, and he also has a fellow Slovenian, Rasho Nesterovic, to serve as a big brother when he needs some advice.
As Beno continues to make progress in his rookie year, his story is one that should be appreciated by those of us that admire the determination required to have success in a whole new world.
20-Second Timeout: Everything New for Beno
December 13, 2004
http://www.nba.com/spurs/timeout/041213.html
As Americans, sometimes we are guilty of assuming that everything revolves around us. We take our freedoms for granted, we expect everyone to speak English, and we often don't take enough time to learn about other cultures, languages, or customs.
I mention all of these things because I often think about the adjustment that 22-year-old Beno Udrih is making as he attempts to learn about the United States and our ways of doing things, as he also learns the ropes in the real world that is the National Basketball Association.
A favorite songwriter of mine, John Gorka, once wrote,
I go to work each day,
making my mistakes out loud,
what if everybody's failures
were in the earshot of the crowd?
I bring this up because Beno has done extremely well while learning on the fly, playing the very tough position of point guard where you're expected to be a leader on the floor. He also has to do all this in arenas filled with people, with all the games on television and radio.
The other night I asked him before a game if he expected to hit the "rookie wall" at some point. He hadn't heard of the term, but once I explained it, he informed me that he has played lots of games in different leagues. He said the travel is easier than it was in Europe and he tries to get as much rest as he can so he's fresh for practices and games.
His girlfriend will soon be joining him here and that will make life a bit easier. He likes his teammates and he's enjoying San Antonio, and he also has a fellow Slovenian, Rasho Nesterovic, to serve as a big brother when he needs some advice.
As Beno continues to make progress in his rookie year, his story is one that should be appreciated by those of us that admire the determination required to have success in a whole new world.