"I'm an extremely lucky guy"
By Manu Ginobili.
SAN ANTONIO.- Well, I feel better, I'll say pretty good. The bad moment is gone. It was ugly, but after three days, after thinking about everything we could've done better and a couple of sleepless nights, I'm starting to digest things and realize all the good things we did, how hard it is to get to the situation we were in, how great the season itself was, and how close we were.
So close, it's just what hurts the most. Feeling we had it in our hands, we grabbed it and it fell… If they would've beat us by 25 points Tuesday and the game Thursday would have ended the way it did, I would have shook their hands, congratulated them, end a great season, think it didn't happen for us, and move on. But being conscious that we had it in our hands and it went away because of stupid chance made it more difficult than usual.
When you're all alone with your pillow and you review everything that happened, you realize how thin is the line that separated success from failure. They ended up as heroes, the super champs, and us with our chins down, sad and disconsolate, but if you look at how Game 6 was decided you realize that because of one shot (a three pointer from Lebron, then one from Ray) we were not champions. If one of those two fortunate plays didn't work out for them, we would be the champs. Internally, we can't be so incoherent or success-obsessed to start thinking we did wrong a lot of things. Fortune was with them; that ending was like tossing a coin in the air. That cannot cast a a shadow over the things we did well, and the spectacular season we had.
Just like reaching the Finals on Olympics games or the World championships, it's very difficult to get to that point in the NBA, and very important. You have to win the Western Conference, but I don't point that out as a consolation prize. I am however proud of being so close. At that moment you start thinking how unlucky we were: two offensive rebounds, two three pointers, a missed free throw… But I can't even fathom to think I'm an unlucky guy. I played a Game 7 in the NBA Finals; a lot of players never even sniff that, and we had a phenomenal season with a team that's a pleasure to play in. And I have to start thinking about all the times where things went my way, like against Serbia and Montenegro in 2002. I'm an extremely lucky guy and there's absolutely nothing I can complain about.
The future? After thinking about it for a long time, and go back and forth, and after the bad moment that just went by, I feel better, and happy about a great season, despite the end, and it's unlikely that I won't keep playing. I don't think I'm so tired or frustrated with basketball to say "enough". I don't know for sure, I haven't made the decision yet, but I doubt I won't play anymore. Sometimes I'm more tired and saturated of the ugly situations than when I was 27, but I still like doing this, I'm very fortunate, because of the leading role I have, because of the team I play for, because of the people that coach me. I try not to let the tree cover the forest. This is a great situation to be as a professional. A moment of anger and frustration shouldn't override the day to day, and how happy I am of being here.
Since I was not interested in what comes next, I don't know if it's going to be the 1st or the 15th of July when negotiations will start, as the league rules indicate. Everything is too fresh; I'll see when the time comes. But I'm psychologically better than two days ago. I don't know what's going to happen, but my intuition tells me they would like me back; I'm not certain because we still cannot talk to the teams. In three days will be the draft, and the coaches and managers are thinking about that, speculating, seeing who's going to be a free agent. We have the #28 pick.
Since the Finals started I have not read anything in the media, and I still don't feel like reading anything, because it would be to hurt oneself again, but I know there were opinions about me from rivals and other people that works in basketball, and they're gratifying, and that helps too. During the Finals I felt I was so so, especially on the games the team needed me the most, games 2, 4 and 6, which were the worst in my case. That hurt me. This thing people opined about me helps me put things in perspective and heal wounds a bit quicker.
It was a long, long season; In other seasons we finished a the end of May. In a few days I'll go back home. I'm really anxious. And really anxious to see my people, be with my family, and rest both physically and mentally. And at the end of August we'll do in Bahia Blanca the charity marathon with my foundation.
Before finishing this writeup, I want to have a paragraph to thank a few people. When I'm at the Finals, I try to isolate myself from the world. I don't read anything, and I don't answer anything because my head is somewhere else. But I want to thank all the people that wrote me, that cheered for me, that wanted to help and be close. I value very highly the people that wanted to provide their support, even though I wouldn't respond because I had my head with the team. I want to thank both the people that did contact me, and those that were still concerned but didn't want to bother me at the time. I know who that people is, and I appreciate them a lot.
Original Article in Spanish
Per the usual, excuse any typos and don't shoot the messenger, kthx
great find props to the OP.
MANU GINOBILI is my 2nd favorite player ever. I wish it never went down the way it did. Im one of the few who hopes Manu returns to the Spurs next season.
Thanks for the translation, Nono, and I am glad to see that he is healing.
I expect him back next year. I can't envision him going anywhere else, and I can't envision Tim and Tony without him. He is the quintessential
warrior.
Im not sure what the problem was with manu this season. He looked pretty healthy in the playoffs and never seemed to get too tired during games. Just made some bad passes and idk why.
Good write up OP. Stay strong Manu.. we're going to need you next season.
Welcome back, Manu.
Thanks for the translation man.
As I said in one of the threads during the Finals, the Heat starters play a ton more minutes than our starters do. So for the first few games, Manu was playing play-maker with our second squad against their starters, and was getting killed. Then he got moved to a starting position
that resulted in him playing super-ball for that game. By the next game, the Heat had adjusted and he was caught in many of the same problems he had with the second squad.
One of the things folks here give way too little credit to is the Miami Defense. Lots of Spurs fans kept criticising the Spurs players when they were being defended by the existing NBA champions, somehow believing that if only our guys would try harder or be smarter or play better.
Look at the whole Finals and most all of the players on both teams played 'less well' than they did in other series. For example, LeBron James had a much less stellar series than he had in earlier ones, and everyone attributed that to the Spurs playing excellent defense. And I think they were right. For much of the Finals, Tim didn't play as well as he had in previous series. When Miami made adjustments to help contain Parker and Green, etc. etc., Tim's game performance looked better. When our players didn't play as well as they had been, it was a function of Miami's defensive adjustments, and a little injury stuff, as well.
We just don't do a good job, imo, of recognizing that the talent on the other side of the court has an impact on the Spurs' ability to display their talent. Miami made some good adjustments, and so did we. In game 6, some really lucky bounces went Miami's way. And their players were able to take advantage of those lucky bounces. That's what championship teams do. And they did.
Thanks for the translation.
Great news that he is still leaning towards coming back.
All of you Spurs fans please continue pray so that this man retires. Every dollar of his salary can be better used on someone younger and better. Enough of this loyalty BS. The man is washed up. He's done. He's only going to get worst from this point on. Just look at his numbers for the whole regular season of 2012-2013. He was pathetic. Oh and stop bringing up the "he was injured excuse" because he said it himself during the playoff interviews that he was healthy.
holy Manu is as delusional as his fandom
He was "so-so"??? he tied the NBA record for most turnovers in a Finals game. He singlehandely cost the Spurs at least 1, I'd say 2 Finals games!!!
"so-so"
I really feel sorry for Manu now. Not his body anymore, it's his mind which is gone. Beyond repair and in denial.
If his heart is still in it, and he wants a shot at redemption for the right price, then I'll want him back. It really comes down to his desire, because I think he could alter some things in his offseason that could make him better, like diet/rest etc....
I hope we get him on a killer deal, because the last one didn't work out to well in the end.
Thanks for the translation EL.
here come the meltdowns
Ya'll welcome, BTW. I'll keep an eye in case there's any news, but I would expect the ball to now move to the US media with any kind of negotiations after July 1st.
thanks for translating!
"game 6 was decided in 1 shot"
8 ing turnovers and 2 in OT. and he says game was decided in 1 shot
wow this guy has completely lost his mind
this is a great read, thx!!!!!! I love manu!!! no tho
Love Manu. But him saying game 6 was decided by one free throw, and doesn't include the free throw he missed the possession before kind of irks me.
Minutes after it came out,
the Bolivian and this other very committed YachtGuy patrolling ST in search of news from the Great-Enemy-Within Manu Ginobili!
they sort of replaced the good old KBP, in a sense.
Well, you never know, the Great-Enemy-Within Ginobili could leak news all over the world, and they (the Mosqueteers of the Lost Cause) are ready to conter-attack, in case this happens.
Ya'll welcome, BTW. I'll keep an eye in case there's any news, but I would expect the ball to now move to the US media with any kind of negotiations after July 1st.
Some solid perspective ^^^thx
Thanks for the translation.
I'm glad that the grey clouds have moved on for him and that he's feeling better. If he's happy that the Spurs were so close, I wonder if he's happy with all the unforced and unnecessary turnovers he committed that helped turn the tide of the game? I would have liked to have heard some more self-reflection from him on what, if anything, he intends to do towards adjusting his game such that he's doesn't continue to be the on-court liability we saw in the playoffs. Manu is an extremely intelligent, introspective guy off the court. I just wish that, now that he's an older declining player, that he'd start making more intelligent, less risky decisions on the court.
He's had more turnovers per game in the 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and and 2005 playoffs.
Meanwhile his assists per game have only been higher in the 2010 playoffs. Per minute based his assists (reg season) is at a career high.
His assist percentage (the pct of teammates field goals he assisted while on the floor) of 29.7 in the playoffs and 30.6 in this regular season, is also a career high.
When you factor the oppostion defense (read EVAY's post) and Spurs being the team with the most and depending on the most assists in the league (team basket why we're so good) + a little bit lineups he is in at times, Manu's number of turnovers you can argue shouldn't be surprising. It's just a symptom of positives and negatives of player and team iden y. Fortunately the good outweigh the negative by some distance and Spurs were very close to winning another championship.
Glad to hear Manu is not suicidal. Now please ing retire. We love you Manu.
Stats don't mean when it is plain as day that Manu was in seizure mode during the Finals.
Thanks for the translation! This is nice to read and get his perspective on the series. I like what Pop said, 'if this is the worst thing that ever happens to you in your life, then you've had a great one.' Manu has indeed had a wonderful life and his fans have been lucky to have watched him play in his balls-out unique style. Kool Bob I don't think you are "one of the few" because thousands of Spurs fans are going to love being able to see him play for another year.
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