The Pinoy Who Loves The Albiceleste

Last year I had an interesting chat with my Aussie Rules loving cousin who came down from Australia to visit me and my family here in Malaysia. While we were talking, I’d ask him how much does he know about OUR football, he said just little bit that’s all. Then I ask him whether does he know the great Diego, and much to my surprise he said NO! This was when I realized that since football is not the big thing in down under (though it is growing) but for a typical Aussie like him, it was Aussie Rules, rugby league or cricket.
Later on, I’d ask him does he know anything about Argentina and his answer was “Yeah Los Pumas are awesome”. You see Argentina, as a whole has made a tremendous amount impact throughout world in many different ways.

To share with us another prime example of this, I would like to welcome my friend Halley from the basketball loving country (and not that far from where I live), the Philippines. As always she (I must say this that I was surprise to learn that you are a lady!!!) has been one of Mundo’s loyal reader when it comes to following the Albiceleste in the NBA. And this is her story.

My interests aren’t stereotypical. I know some of you will find it surprising for a lady, yours truly, to be hooked into sports particularly basketball. I actually don’t find it surprising because with basketball, I’m able to share some of my knowledge about the sport and my passion, which is writing, to the people who visit my blog. I’m not an expert when it comes to writing but I know that people understand what I write. Blogging has really helped me to express what’s going on in my head. Most entries on my blog are about the NBA and my favorite NBA team – the San Antonio Spurs. I’ve taken a break from blogging though since the Spurs lost to the LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

The San Antonio Spurs is a Southwest Division team and a four-time NBA champion. Despite the previous issues about the Spurs as dirty players, my understanding about this great team never changed. The Spurs don’t play dirty. They just play tough basketball and some people simply misunderstood their ways. With regards to the notion that they’re boring, from my point of view as a Spurs’ critic, people just dislike their stoic aura when they’re on the court. And don’t you think it’s unfair for the Spurs’ 6th Man Extraordinaire, Manu GINOBILI, to be called boring? Boring is definitely not the way to describe the Argentinian player. The best adjective for him would probably be exceptional. Yes, I think that’s the perfect word that would best describe this exceptional player. The exceptional qualities of GINOBILI are proven with the number of honors he’s had like the Euroleague 2000-01 Finals Most Valuable Player, the 2002 Italian Cup MVP player, the 2004 Summer Olympic Games MVP, and a lot more. But with his greatness comes a weakness that shows whenever he plays back-to-back games. I have not seen any NBA to play the way GINOBILI does and it often becomes scary every time he makes acrobatic moves to the basket. That just shows how tough he is and how passionate he’s become when it comes to playing basketball – that’s what we all love about him.

Aside from GINOBILI, who’s had great success in coming to the NBA, his fellow Argentinian player Fabricio OBERTO also made a huge impact in the roster of the Spurs. Fab OBERTO may not be as skillful as GINOBILI when it comes to scoring but his ability to rebound and pass has been a huge factor for the Spurs. OBERTO, who has dual citizenship just like GINOBILI, has made the Spurs a tough team to beat and what made think highly of other Argentinian players. Yes, I know about Luis SCOLA – Houston Rockets, Andres NOCIONI – Chicago Bulls, Carlos DELFINO – Toronto Raptors, and Walter HERRMANN – Detroit Pistons. They’re all great NBA players. And I know that if you fuse them all in a single unit, they’d be very tough to beat and that fusion my friends is about to t happen this upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The reason for my liking about the Argentinian team isn’t completely about GINOBILI and OBERTO. I like the Argentinian team because I know they have what it takes to win the gold medal in the Olympics. So what if Pau GASOL is on the Spanish squad and Andre KIRILENKO in Russia and Kobe BRYANT in the USA, the Argentinian team will rise and will conquer the gold in Beijing. Not winning the NBA Championship was like a blessing in disguise for both GINOBILI and OBERTO – I’m not saying I’m glad they lost, because they were given enough time to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics along with their fellow NBA-Argentinian players. Keep the faith.

Vamos Argentina!!!