Needless to say, I didn't take the news well. I saw the text message as I was leaving work. This is why you shouldn't be on your phones during the workday people, I would have seen that and cried in front of my students. Of course I usually manage to do that at least once a semester but crying on the first day would have really scared some kids more than my usual antics do.
So by the time I got the news I was already headed to therapy, a majorly convenient appointment. My therapist and I went over coping mechanisms like watching highlight reels, remembering the good times and hoping to someday soon see him with Chris Andersen in BIG3.
Here's the thing...I have been in love with Manu Ginobili for as long as I can remember, which is probably unhealthy. He is the ONLY celebrity I follow in Instagram & Twitter and I read his posts in English AND Spanish. Because of him, I grew to love the Spurs too, and not just because they match my color scheme. I mean the man plays AGAINST America in the Olympics and I'm still obsessed with him. If you remember 2004, that is a BIG DEAL. No wonder Argentina already retired his number.
I'm not trying to eurostep on any toes here...but Manu Ginobili is the greatest sixth man of all time. Sorry not sorry Jason Terry, John Havlicek, Jamal Crawford & company. That may be part of the reason I was immediately drawn to Ginobili, being a twelfth man myself I could really relate.
The man plucked a bat out of the air. Your fave could never. And those no-look passes? Magical. He played in the NBA for 16 years! That's longer than 15 year olds have been alive. He retired from the highest level of basketball at 41 years old. I'm only 25 and daily life is already too exhausting for my sphere of a body. He has 4 NBA championships. That's one ring for every finger because Manu knows thumb rings are tacky. That's probably why he didn't win a fifth.
My team completely changed this summer and I don't want to blame Kawhi but also...it's all his fault. I mean honestly, what wouldn't I do for a contract worth millions of dollars? That's a short list. No matter how many times my brothers tried to convince me that the Spurs "won the trade" I just wasn't buying it because the Raptors got Danny Green and now he has to live in stupid Canada and that's not fair. I didn't even like him until like 4 years ago. I was always a Spurs fan but I was raised a staunch NC State fan, so I never cheered for the former Tar Heel. Until I realized that he donates part of the proceeds from this shirt to Carolina For The Kids Foundation (aka Dance Marathon). And just when I start to like him, he's gone.
And trust me, I know that Tony Parker isn't blameless in all of this but he moved CLOSER to me, a move that Manu should really consider.
I'm open to starting a Ginobili withdrawal support group if anyone is interested. Until we meet, thank you for everything Manu. And I am not above ordering Manu Ginobili fatheads for every room of my house. And my classroom. It's my aesthetic.
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