Some individuals say that successful by no means feels nearly as good as dropping hurts. Whereas I typically agree, I imagine there’s one exception. Regular wins might not really feel nearly as good as dropping hurts. However a win after a painful loss, or many losses, feels fairly darn good.
My first distinct basketball reminiscence got here after I was 9 years outdated. We lived in Silverton, Oregon: a city of solely 4,000 individuals whose lives revolved round the highschool sports activities groups, the Silverton Foxes. Whereas we had state champion wrestling groups, the basketball staff was … not good. However on wet winter nights, which was all of them, we went to the video games.
Within the sport that I bear in mind most, the Foxes had not gained a sport all season — I feel we have been 0-18 on the time. However that evening, towards a staff from the same Oregon small city named Sandy, issues appeared a bit brighter as the house staff stored the sport shut. And with the rating tied 46-46, one of many guards (whom I bear in mind as carrying glasses) made a free-throw line jumper on the buzzer. Pandemonium! The group cheered and cheered, after which cheered some extra. Somebody received the concept to go to the native church and ring the bell — they usually did, 48 instances, one for every level that made the staff now 1-18 on the season — however the Foxes have been 1-0 that evening.
One other nice reminiscence got here a lot later, my first yr teaching the junior varsity at Claremont McKenna Faculty outdoors of Los Angeles. Within the preseason match, we misplaced to Pomona Pitzer’s JV (Gregg Popovich coached the varsity) by the brutal rating of 101-39. That was not my nice reminiscence — that occurred within the common season re-match, on our house court docket.
We performed significantly better than the primary blow-out, holding the rating shut. And since it was the rivalry sport, with the varsity sport following, the fitness center started filling up because the second half started. With 5 minutes left, the fitness center was packed — and all these followers have been rooting for whichever college was theirs. My JV guys, who have been used to enjoying in entrance of household and pals, have been now enjoying in entrance of a passionate packed home.
It will get higher. We tied the sport on the finish of regulation, and the sport went into time beyond regulation. The group received even louder. With three seconds left in OT and the rating tied 72-72, the ball received knocked out of bounds beneath our offensive basket. Our ball. We don’t take a outing. I name “Play Two” — submit man screens as much as the elbow for freshman guard Andy Sallee, who curls off the display screen and drills a 16-foot jumper from the wing because the buzzer sounds. All internet. The place goes loopy. I kneel in entrance of our bench with my eyes closed for 5 seconds, imprinting the reminiscence into my mind — and there it stays, many years later.
Spurs followers additionally understand how good successful after dropping feels. I imagine the Redemption Finals in 2014 tasted a lot sweeter due to what occurred the yr earlier than. On the eighth anniversary of the Ray Allen Shot, I wrote this:
The 2014 Spurs, with out preening or pounding their chests, appeared genuinely pleased, and that was an excellent factor. They didn’t must preen or pound their chests. They might simply search for on the scoreboard, snigger, smile, hug and say significant issues in one another’s ears. And really feel at peace.
And since the Spurs felt that manner, so did Spurs followers. Together with this one. Now after I consider Ray Allen’s three-pointer in Recreation Six, I instantly consider the 2014 Finals. And smile.
Watching the top of the Spurs’ win over the Lakers Friday evening gave me a few of the similar emotions as I had after Silverton’s win over Sandy, the Claremont JV’s win over Pomona-Pitzer, and the Spurs’ win within the 2014 Redemption Finals. And from all the things I’ve learn concerning the music, laughter and shouting that got here from the Spurs’ locker room after Friday’s sport, I’m sure the gamers felt the identical. If they’d a church bell, somebody would have rung that bell 129 instances, one for every level the Spurs scored to interrupt their lengthy dropping streak.
