I'm just writing a lot these days, a different kind of writing, somewhere else, and about this time of the night I feel tired, most of the days I fall asleep in front of the T.V., after dinner. But today I'd like to make a quick remembrance. It's been 28 years now since that hot night in the blossom of summer, where a bunch of kids entreated until 4 am to watch the Olympic Final of basketball USA - Spain. Those who did not wait and went to bed until the time, did not have the stamina to wake up nor their parents let them make the sacrifice. I was among those.
Spain was silver. The USA rolled over us, but at that time, playing against USA was like visiting Mars. It did not count. During the next year, boys at school stop playing football a little and turned to basket. Stores across schools made profits with those small balls that kids -their parents- bought like crazy. We all used to play in the football goals, between stick and stick, to get the ball inside a gap there was there. Those basket players were heroes, or at least that is how I remember them. Now Internet lets you watch those days and, somehow, wipes off the stardust of the fairy tale.... . There is something that has not changed, though, real as tough stone: the proverbial complex of inferiority of Spanish commentators.
Today Spain won silver again in London 2012, after losing against the USA, 107 - 100, with the best generation of players that never was. Much, much less attention, unfortunately, these players have received for, not 1, but the last 6 years. Some of them -some were not even born in 1984- play now in the NBA and are successful. And all of them has shaken off the fastidious, ever-lasting inferiority complex. They never give up, did not today; 40 seconds before the end, while the USA players already celebrated, they kept playing. Up in the bleachers, the Queen, Her Son and Her Daughter in Law did come along, doing what they have to do. The Queen's sister, Irene -although younger, much worn out-, born in South Africa and Princess of Greece and Denmark, resident in London, smiled and cheered like she were recognized in Spain.
I don't know what to say. It's just a game... But everything seemed to me genuine and clean. The Spain I believe in and that has been stolen.
(PLEASE, LEAVE YOUR COMMENT).
Spain was silver. The USA rolled over us, but at that time, playing against USA was like visiting Mars. It did not count. During the next year, boys at school stop playing football a little and turned to basket. Stores across schools made profits with those small balls that kids -their parents- bought like crazy. We all used to play in the football goals, between stick and stick, to get the ball inside a gap there was there. Those basket players were heroes, or at least that is how I remember them. Now Internet lets you watch those days and, somehow, wipes off the stardust of the fairy tale.... . There is something that has not changed, though, real as tough stone: the proverbial complex of inferiority of Spanish commentators.
Today Spain won silver again in London 2012, after losing against the USA, 107 - 100, with the best generation of players that never was. Much, much less attention, unfortunately, these players have received for, not 1, but the last 6 years. Some of them -some were not even born in 1984- play now in the NBA and are successful. And all of them has shaken off the fastidious, ever-lasting inferiority complex. They never give up, did not today; 40 seconds before the end, while the USA players already celebrated, they kept playing. Up in the bleachers, the Queen, Her Son and Her Daughter in Law did come along, doing what they have to do. The Queen's sister, Irene -although younger, much worn out-, born in South Africa and Princess of Greece and Denmark, resident in London, smiled and cheered like she were recognized in Spain.
I don't know what to say. It's just a game... But everything seemed to me genuine and clean. The Spain I believe in and that has been stolen.
(PLEASE, LEAVE YOUR COMMENT).
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