Fun is overrated; at least it is insofar as the idea of it being something that can provide lasting joy. In Spanish the word for fun is "diversion". We need fun stuff to allow us to not think; if we think about the things that really matter all the time, we'd go insane. Don't get me wrong, fun is fine. But at its very core it's nothing more than a fleeting distraction.
A more lasting way of enjoyment, and one that in my eyes gives meaning to a person's life, is to look for more nuanced ways of distraction; ones that don't necessarily have immediate payoff and that make us work for them. I watched The Avengers a couple of days ago and had a whole lot of fun for the two hours it lasted. it didn't change me and I didn't take anything away from it, but I was completely fine with that. I wanted to have fun and I did.
When we were bored out of our minds a few days ago waiting for the second round to begin, we started making lists of our favorite movies and along with a few classics, I threw in Noah Baumbach's opera prima Kicking and Screaming. It's a movie about 4 recent college graduates, their struggles facing the real world and their search for an identity. It's a slow movie, heavy on seemingly meaningless dialogue that doesn't seem to advance the plot. Needless to say, it's not a thrill ride but something about it spoke to me in a way a summer blockbuster could never do. Does that mean that there is no place in my life for The Avengers and I have to settle for proto-mumblecore from now on? Of course not. It means that there are different ways to enjoy things, because those things were conceived to be enjoyed differently.
So what was that extended and convoluted intro for? To address the numerous articles that keep cropping up about the Spurs being boring.
"You hear that, Texas schoolchildren? Whether you support spurs or cowboys or even Spurs or Cowboys (two teams that obviously play against each other several times a year for the World Finals of Stanley Bowls), shaving a rather benign image of a fan friendly forward that wears New Balance sneakers during pro basketball games seems like the least offensive infraction we can possibly imagine."
Awesome.
Good evening, fellow Pounders! We're all obviously happy that the Spurs won last night, but now it's time to talk about some other things. Like these things:
If you haven't already, please read this piece on Tim Duncan by Sports Illustrated's Chris Ballard. It's AMAZINE.
In other news, Bruno of SpursTalk tells us that Nando De Colo's agent may have spilled the beans about part of the Spurs' offseason plan.
But wait, there's more!
There are also a couple of playoff games tonight, and even though they don't involve the Spurs, they indirectly affect the Spurs. Plus, it's fun to laugh at the misery of other teams.
Celtics @ 76ers: 6 PM Spurs time
Lakers @ Thunder: 8:30 PM Spurs time
And remember the rules: there are no rules.
J.O. Applegate gives us full locker room access of the Spurs and Clippers.
Editor's note: Everyone should read this.
Welcome to the first of hopefully many home playoff Morning Rehash segments, a supplemental post covering notes, quotes, and personal observations from pre-game to post-game. I'll also fill you in on some of my own experiences because that's what the people really want, right? Right.
There's already an understanding of the method to Gregg Popovich's madness; it's seeing the results of said "insanity" that ties all the pieces together like a nice Persian rug on the hardwood. All those nights Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker sat in street clothes next to their fearless leader, all those mornings after when incredulous critics couldn't grasp the idea of their team's coach being so seemingly careless with the West's top seed by sitting his stars, this is where we start to see the end for which the means were intended. The second round of the playoffs began last night, and despite this being a Los Angeles team few are accustomed to seeing at this point of the season, there's nothing different about the time of year. The playoffs are still the playoffs. Jimmy Goldstein is still Jimmy Goldstein. And Tim Duncan? Well, he was vintage Timmy.
