Dreams to reality

We dare ourselves to dream too little. The hard knock style of our reality hazes our minds, devours our attention and leaves too few resources to spend in a such a dangerous endeavor as dreaming. It is no news that sports, represented mostly by the great teams and star caliber players, provide us with an opportunity to experiment, a field to express or - to be exact - to unleash our dreams, our hidden thoughts, our what-if`s and maybe`s. To me, professional basketball is, among other things, the exact embodiment of dreams.

Maybe because we don`t dream enough our views and perspectives are often too common, too one-dimensional, simply not broad enough. We fail to grasp that, yes, there is a possibility that a player can be all we want a player to be. Not just a shooter/slasher/dunker. Neither just the go-to-guy nor only the team-first player. We get caught up in this sandstorm easily, blocking out that a player can be more. That a player can be all. Subconsciously we hope, think, even anticipate the arrival of the ultimate player, but consciously we tend to rationalize, to agree that this is de facto impossible and become satisfied when a player can be a defender as well as a shooter. Enough of that. What if there`s such a player that can be the do-it-all type? That can be a leader, a motivator and at the same time the funny guy on the bench? One that follows the game plan, but at the same time trusts his instincts and has the the killer combination of athleticism & creativity at his disposal?

You want to believe, even if don`t dare yourself to.

Look up. And believe.

LeBron James. Everything that is said about him is nothing, irrelevant, compared to what he is in reality, what he incarnates. What he feeds our minds with. How he changes our and everybody else`s perception of reality. In truth, LeBron is nothing less than a psychopomp, in that he takes that which lies in the backs of our minds, in our subconsciousness, and frees it, frees our dreams, introducing them to this new reality, where the ultimate player already roams. A reality which reshapes its boundaries, allowing for the old conceptions and terms and rules to be melted and fused into a new form, one of transcending greatness. And as our dreams and our rational thinking begin to intertwine, as what we thougt deep inside of us emerges from the depths, we slowly but surely start accepting our roles as witnesses.

This season was a eye-opener, it made a lot of non-believers into profound LeBron fans. It made people realize that it is being written right now, in front of their eyes, this new chapter of basketball history, so it`s best to open them up. Now, it`s time for our minds to be opened as well. It`s time to step back, relax and enjoy the once in a lifetime event that is the game of LeBron - everything a basketball player can aspire to be.

He wasn`t chosen. He simply is.

From TopDog to UnderDog

I`m an old soul, really. I`m into 50`s movies. I enjoy reading world literature. I like classical music, even though I can`t say I get it all the time. Like everyone else, every now and then I enjoy hearing about some guy on the news that has performed a class act - saving a life, let`s say.

All those activities have one thing in common - they`re all undoubtedly related to a little special something called `class`. And what `class` and the Spurs have in common is, well, not a question really.

For a while now, the Spurs have been something that no other team has achieved - consistent. Steady, trustworthy. Goal-oriented. Like an example. Perhaps a role model. I`d go with prototype. No show, little highlights. Their style of play is enjoyable only to the NBA seen-all, heard-all critic who analyzes every possession and mutters no more than a sporadic `Well, that was efficient.` I`m not that guy. I`m the all-smiles, game-loving type. It`s been easy with the Spurs, though - they`ve brought efficiency to another level, one that is actually fun to watch.

I`m not a numerologist, so the odd number thing for me was never relevant. What it does show, though, is that the Spurs had hyped the rest of the league into anticipating a title run every other year. It goes to show how one team`s consistent play can strike fear in the hearts of others. No one will admit actually believing in that, but there surely was (is?) a background thought, a theme, a suggestion, that....the Spurs....just might....

Never was a fan of the `The One`-s, Dynamic Duos, Big Threes, Fab Fives (what about the Four?). It`s a team game. Read it word for word. An as far as teams goes, to me the Spurs were an example of how ticking together, playing with and for the others really exists. They still are together, still clicking, ticking, tacking even. But the mechanism runs short these days, it`s getting obsolete. A key segment is missing.

Wait, that`s not right...?

Oh, yeah, that`s what`s missing....

No title run this year. Not without Manu. It`s a team game alright, but not a team cannot play its game without such a vital part and win it all. If Tim Duncan is the Atlas of our days, holding the weight of a franchise on his shoulders, then Manu Ginobilli and Tony Parker are the guys helping him out, sharing the load every now and then. That synergic co-existence has been disturbed this year, only to come to a sad end. Don`t get me wrong. I`ve had tons of fun during the recent years. Especially about this guy. Duncan? He`s old. He`s done. He`s not the same player. Fun by the gallons. Duncan? He`s been mature, not old ever since he came to the league. He`s been doing it for a while now and he`s far from being done. Same as who? He`s one of a kind. The definition of a power forward. Remember that.

So, I`m sorry for the Manu injury. The last one, the season-deep playoff run-title hope ending one. So, I looking forward to next season. Even though they`re built to last, even though Duncan`s there, Parker`s having a career year and the supporting cast`s playing great, that`s it. No title, not this year.

I hope to be wrong, but one thing I`m not wrong about - this team will endure. As it has.