I Won’t Back Down – Don’t worry. I’m not gonna to do what you all think I’m gonna do, which is, you know, FLIP OUT AND PREDICT WE’RE GONNA COMEBACK AND WIN THE SERIES. Can I be Phoebe Buffay’s little brother? Can I be Frank? Frankly, I don’t have the energy. It’s been a long, long week and there’s no other way to put it, I’m tired. And as I said to close Two Saṃsāra, our purpose here “seems embarrassingly trivial now when juxtaposed against humanity and mortality in such an acute, piercing way.” As a devoted Spurs fan, my focus is not on what happened in Game 3 or what is going to happen in Game 4. My focus continues to be on Coach Pop, his family, and the journey that they were enjoined to begin on Wednesday. Grief is a difficult peregrination. My heartfelt advice during moments like these? When we walk, we walk towards our memories.
The player of Game 3 was Tony Parker. Not for the 16 points (6-12 shooting) in 17 minutes that Tony contributed during his best on-court performance in weeks. But rather for his off-the-court performance leading the team through tragedy and during a period of mourning. Even though the Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-97 on Thursday night in the AT&T Center, the grace through exceptional heartbreak that Tony Parker and his teammates demonstrated was an incredible victory. I think as a #SpursFamily, we all knew that we’d be measuring success differently this postseason, but even that has taken on new meaning since Wednesday evening. When asked during the Game 3 postgame press conference about the normally embarrassing prospect of getting swept on our homecourt, Tony said, “It’s hard to think about that for me personally right now because there’s other stuff bigger than basketball.”
Amen, Tony. And while I’d have felt comfortable ending this post with that sentiment, for historical purposes, I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least acknowledge that once again tomorrow, as we had to last year in Game 4 of our series against the Warriors, we must brace for the possibility that Manu Ginobili is playing his last game. Having now pointed that out, I’ll close by allowing the other leader of the #BlackAndSilver to provide even more clarity for the moment we’re in. Manu said this morning that this is “a very unique situation. I’ve never been through something like this. You know, how important Pop is, not only for us players, the whole organization, the whole NBA, and seeing or feeling the way he should be feeling at this point, it hurts. We are struggling a little bit.” So no, today I’m not gonna do what you all think I’m gonna do and predict the first 0-3 comeback in NBA history. Today, I’m going to pray.
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Tags:Erin Popovich , Golden State Warriors , Gregg Popovich , Manu Ginobili , San Antonio Spurs , Tony Parker
Two Saṃsāra
Wonderwall – Dear Kawhi, isn’t it funny how so many of these so-called experts and insiders have filled your silence with so much noise? I’ll be honest. As a die-hard fan, it’s been a really hard year. Knowing your competitive spirit, I can’t even begin to try to imagine how hard the year has been for you. But as a die-hard fan, believe me, I’m trying to imagine it. I’m…
Read more...Tags:Erin Popovich , Golden State Warriors , Gregg Popovich , Kawhi Leonard , LaMarcus Aldridge , Manu Ginobili , Oasis , San Antonio Spurs , Tony Parker
On-Again, Off-Again
Friends S4:E20 – Hey friendlies, the most amazing thing happened to me earlier on this fine Monday morning. My editor Ted James gave me…actually, let me back up and start at the beginning. Okay, here it goes. On a whim, I stopped and picked up coffee and donuts on my way into theLeftAhead office. Normally, Mr. James barely notices when food is brought into the office but today, for some…
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Rebirth – It wasn’t supposed to be this way. How did we get here? This is the kind of thing that just doesn’t happen to the little basketball powerhouse who calls South Texas home. It feels like Biff has stolen the Spurs Retirement Vehicle at some point in the future after time travel has been invented and the SRV has been converted into a time machine and then travelled back…
Read more...Tags:Back to the Future , Bone Thugs-n-Harmony , Golden State Warriors , Manu Ginobili , Rudy Gay , San Antonio Spurs
Phoebeball
Friends S4:E19 – Morning’s here! Sunshine is here! The sky is clear, the morning’s here! The morning’s here!. How’s it going this fine Monday morning, Friendsters? I’m happy to announce that (including today) there are only five episodes remaining in this, our fourth installment of Friends 20/20. Man, that summer vacation cannot get here soon enough. Thanks to the nice weather we have on tap this week Denver (with a…
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Friends S4:E18 – What is good, Nation of Friends? Good to be back with you this week for another time machine dissection of an episode of the GOAT sitcom that’s been 20 years in the making. I think I’m fully recovered now from coming down with an alien abduction two weeks ago (thanks for asking) and, since you, the devoted fans, know me as well as you do, you know…
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Friends S4:E17 – Knock, knock. Who’s there? PORN!. What’s happening, Mercedes Friends? The strangest thing happened to me last week. I went to bed last Sunday night and the next thing I remember, I was waking up and it was Tuesday morning. I panicked, thinking I had slept for over 24 hours straight and had missed the deadline for Friends S4:E16. (And you can imagine how awful I felt about…
Read more...Tags:Friends , March For Our Lives , Stoneman Douglas Students
Ted James – Strong Will Continue
Union Underground by Ted James Ted James – Strong Will Continue Intro: Ted James All we do is stay focused Looking straight forward at the challenge and beyond We feel the one percent pulling us down We’ve gotta keep pulling each other up We can’t get stuck We’ve gotta keep moving forward We’ve got places to go, y’all Let’s get it Chorus: Damian Marley When the armageddon’s dark…
Read more...Tags:CWA , M7 Records , Ted James , Union Underground
Bon Voyage
Friends S4:E16 – [Begin Transmission] [Alien Voice] Greetings, Earth Friendlies. This is Zooperkroll, Supreme Leader of the Infini. My species is from the planet Visonia. Visonia is located 37 trillion miles away from Earth in the Milky Way’s Norf system. I am writing to inform you that we have abducted your Friends 20/20 blogger, Ken Adams, and are currently conducting experiments on him in outer space. Because of this prior…
Read more...Tags:Election 2018 , Friends , March For Our Lives , Space Force , Stoneman Douglas Students
Red Ross
Friends S4:E15 – Howdy, FRIENDS NATION. How is everyone feeling this fine Monday evening? To put it another way… what’s good with it? A lot has happened since our last convening. Sadly, right in the middle of our break (and on Valentine’s Day, of all days) there was another school shooting. My heart goes out the families and friends of the victims. That being said, it is maddening to me…
Read more...Tags:Election 2018 , Friends , Stoneman Douglas Students , The Incredible Hulk
Solidarity Radio – Episode Two
What’s good, #1uu fam? Happy Presidents’ Day! It’s been a minute but we’re finally back. Did you miss us? I’m guessing that some of you might have been starting to think that Solidarity Radio was a one-and-done experiment. Well alas, as your faithful Union CEO, it is my distinct honor to prove the doubters wrong by welcoming you to SR Episode Two (Attack of the Clones). This installment of your…
Read more...Tags:Jay-Dao , Labor Movement , Podcast , Solidarity Radio , Ted James , Union Underground
Glow Pop Jiggly Jam
Friends S4:E14 – What is good, Friendsters? Philly friends, how you living today? What’s that? Oh snap. E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles! Fly Eagles fly! Woot woot! Yas, yas, YAS. Congratulations are in order to all of my Philly peeps out there in Friends 20/20 land. It’s been a long time coming. You really, really deserve this…so enjoy it. I’d say do it big just don’t tear down your own city but checking…
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