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We are looking forward to seeing you again!
Hey all,
So in less than a month I will be arriving in SA for RnROS's Pilgrimage Number Two. Since my first SA pilgrimage, SpursTalk has grown from an idea to the best Spurs site on the internet, David has retired, Malik, Jax, Speedy and Kerr are elsewhere, both of our young bucks have become all-stars, etc. ie the universe has moved on, as it is constantly doing!
Anyway, before I come to see all you lovely people, I thought I'd post an article I wrote during my trip back in 2003. It's not very well written, but at least it will give you an idea of my background as a Spurs fan, and my love for your city. Hope you enjoy it:
RuffnReadyOzStyle's 2003 San Antonio Pilgrimage
Most people think I'm crazy. Strange. Weird. Loco. Slightly (as against criminally) insane. Before I embarked on this journey I would tell people that I was going to the US to see the San Antonio Spurs play basketball. Their reply was invariably raised eyebrows and "You're going where? For what?" Well, you travel halfway around the world and nothing changes.
During my trip thus far, whenever people clock my accent and ask what I'm doing in the United States, my reply has generally been "I've come 15,000 miles from Canberra, Australia, to see the Spurs in David Robinson's final season..." And guess what the response has been? Raised eyebrows. "Huh?" "You did what now?" "You came from Australia to watch basketball?" More raised eyebrows. Yes, I did. That's how much I love the San Antonio Spurs.
HOW I CAME TO BE HERE
For over a decade I mused about coming to San Antonio to watch the Spurs play in the flesh (the story of how I became a Spurs fan is at the bottom of this article if you would care to read it). However, actually making the trip to do so was a mere abstract concept, a daydream, because I had high school to finish, then university, then a job in Britain, and another job in Australia... never enough money or time to make my pilgrimage happen.
Then, about three years ago, my whole approach to life changed. Previously I had felt locked in to the life I was living, my present and future determined by the conditions around me. However, shortly after I turned 25 I realised that my life is up to me to determine, that I must consciously choose what happens (as much as is possible), and that to abandon my choices to cir stance is a heinous insult to the freedom with which I have been gifted. One day I stopped making excuses not to do things, and started making plans to do them.
So in 2001, when David re-signed with the Spurs for a final two years and stated that he would retire at the completion of that contract, I began to think seriously about a trip to San Antonio to see David play before his retirement. Then last year, I asked myself the question: "How will you feel in 10 years time if you could have seen David play in his final season but didn't?" The answer was that I knew I would feel I had betrayed myself, whether through laziness or fear, and that would be a terrible shame given that there was nothing to stop me from making it happen. So I saved (and borrowed!) and planned, made friends on the spursreport.com message board to come and visit, swallowed hard, crossed my fingers and here I am. I could not be happier about my decision to come to San Antonio - it truly has been the fulfilment of a dream.
THE BASKETBALL
Before the season started, Misty from Spurs Fan Relations helped me to secure a seat in the 7th row of section 126, for which I am eternally grateful. My seat is only 10 yards away from the court and the view from there is incredible! Not only that, but I have been able to shout at the referees and opposition players, and of course yell encouragement to the Spurs. I have been able to become completely absorbed in each of the games I have seen.
My first live (as against televised) Spurs game was on 14 March against the Clippers, the start of the Spurs' extended March home stand. The game was pretty much decided by the half as the Spurs led by 14. It was not so much the lead as the style of play which suggested to me that the Clippers were out of the game. There was a complete contrast between the Spurs' chemistry and the Clippers' almost complete lack of the same quality. We played team basketball and they played one-out all night, and sure enough we beat them convincingly. We finished with over 30 assists.
I had a lot of fun during the game ribbing Andre Miller for his lack of a reliable jump shot, and got a few death glares from him in return. However my comments to Cherokee Parks about "sticking to his long board" completely backfired as he played a better game that night than he ever played for the Spurs, including three nasty dunks (who knew he could put it down like that?).
From the perspective of someone who has not seen live American-style Sports Entertainment before, watching the Spurs in the SBC Centre is an amazing experience - I found it to be an incredible building for watching basketball, the only drawback being the squashed seating. The electricity in the building when the crowd surges is something I'll never forget. My spine tingles just thinking about it...
I was surprised and impressed by the in-game entertainment. I had assumed that the breaks in play for timeouts, commercials, etc., would be annoying and destroy the flow of the game. However I found that the various in-game entertainment activities were a completely successful diversion of my attention.
I had read about how much fun the Coyote was on the net but didn't really believe what people said - I mean how much fun can a guy in an animal suit really be? Now I know the answer and it is "one uva lot of fun!" Sorry for ever doubting you, Coyote.
I have been to all eight home games since the Clippers and have revelled in the experience of each one. Many of the wins have been blowouts which, despite the lack of suspense, are still a lot of fun for me because I get to watch my favourite team in the world excelling at what they do. Beating the Lakers so convincingly was a highlight, as was the Minnesota game for two reasons - it was the first time I have seen David play in the flesh, and when Jax hit that 3 to send the game into OT the feeling of elation was one of those pure moments we all live for. The loss to the Knicks was a low point, but I thought that we would lose at least one game that we shouldn't while I was here and, let's face it, Allan Houston was unstoppable that night.
I must state at this point that this is the best Spurs lineup that I have seen in the 13 years that I have been supporting the team. Not only are they winning often and convincingly, but they are playing very attractive basketball in doing so. The level of offensive athleticism and execution, and defensive cohesion exhibited by this team is an absolute joy to watch. And while I will miss David greatly when he's no longer playing, Tim, Tony, Manu, Jax and Malik give us an excellent nucleus with which to continue our success over the coming seasons.
My advice to international Spurs fans everywhere - make the trip to see this team because the entire experience is one you will never forget. There is only one downside - that eventually (far too soon for me!) you have to go home. I have two games to go, against Portland and Seattle, and I will be soaking in every moment of them.
MY SAN ANTONIO EXPERIENCE
Travelling is an illuminating experience - you can learn a lot about the world around you, and also the world inside you. When I travel I like to avoid the "tourist" approach and instead to try to see the places I visit from the perspective of those who live there. So although my primary reason for coming to San Antonio was to watch basketball, I also wanted to come here and live the city from the perspective of the locals - to get to know the city as much as someone can in a month.
To this end, my San Antonio experience has been absolutely incredible. Although my first few days here were rough - I left my diary next to a payphone in North Star Mall in a jet-lagged stupor, and I was staying in a hotel with the feng shui of an alligator trap in a Louisiana swamp - with the help of Internet friends I moved hotel and changed the entire complexion of the vacation.
I have been staying near the South Texas Medical Centre, on Fredricksburg Road, but have been all over the north, northwest and downtown in my time here. I have met well in excess of 200 people, many who I already "knew" from the Internet, some from the Oak Hills Tavern (the local bar that has become my late-night hangout), and many others at Spurs games, on buses, in malls, and other general, random encounters. I have been shown nothing but generosity, hospitality and kindness by those I have encountered and for that I owe the people of San Antonio a massive THANK YOU!
To detail all of the experiences that I have had would take days on this computer, and pages of text, but suffice to say that I have been around. I have been to over 50 restaurants, bars and clubs, four basketball courts, three universities, on local public access television, and caught eight taxis and many, many buses. Twice I have been taken home to meet the families of people I have just met, I have been on two dates, to one house party, and have been driven all over the city by various new friends. I have eaten heaps of Tex-Mex, imbibed way too much beer and rum, slept late, watched too much cable and had the vacation of a lifetime!
I knew no-one before I came here, except on internet message boards, and now I have a plethora of friends on the other side of the world. San Antonio is a great town, and what makes it great is the people here, so once again I say thank you to San Antonio for accepting me so fully into your hearts. THANK YOU SAN ANTONIO, YOU HAVE A PIECE OF MY SOUL AND I WILL BE BACK TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!
Ruff
We are looking forward to seeing you again!
make sure you meet da mouse.
THIS TIME I will DEFINITELY meet da Mouse! Has to happen!
Only two things I regret from last time - not getting to meet DRob, and not meeting Mouse!
Are you bringing the flag again?
THIS TIME I will DEFINITELY meet da Mouse! Has to happen!
Only two things I regret from last time - not getting to meet DRob, and not meeting Mouse!
You have no idea how many screen names you will have met when you do
Dude are you going to save cash and stay at Kori's?
The flag and the cap are coming out again. Actually, I now have two flags, so maybe I can make a mumu out of them or something...Are you bringing the flag again?
Any new gimmick ideas are welcome, although I do have a good one that I will put into action this time. It's under wraps for now though.
Nah, I'll get my own room. I like the independence and not having to impose on people. Besides, staying with people cramps your freedom in terms of nocturnal activities...
awesome!
I'm excited for your new trip and many adventures that will come out of it Ruff. Too bad you won't be there for the playoffs as we could have met.
Represent the international Spurs fans to the fullest grasshopper!
If your boys can get their act together at the WACA this week, you can always bring the Ashes with you.
alamo50 - thank you sir. You're all class. One day we shall meet...
1369 - well, we took two wickets before stumps on the first day after being bowled out for 244. The pitch is very feisty. I say the game will be over in 4 days. If we have a first innings lead, we'll win it.
Someone should make this guy an honorary Baseline Bum!
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