Am I Evil?

I'm a Spurs fan. Does that make me evil? I know most people outside of south Texas can't stand them. And for good reason. They win a lot. They have been deep in the playoffs for the last 9 years. It's getting pretty old, isn't it? You think it's because they are a bunch of bug-eyed whiny floppers but that's not it. It's the winning. The Suns (and, unbelievably, the 2008 Hornets) are bug-eyed clawing floppers, too, but you still like them because they keep getting beat early in the playoffs and thus haven't outworn their welcome.

So, game Seven of the Spurs/Hornets is Monday. Robert Horry just body-checked David West into the infirmary and himself into the "people other people hate the most" Hall-of-Fame. I used to despise Horry. He was just the gunner, Big Shot [BR]ob. Then he joined the Spurs and he's become such a teddy bear. But, yeah, I get why people might not find him likeable. He really is, though, trust me. You wish he was on your team.

And his unapologetic playing style is one of my favorite things. While Shaq whines and complains his way through the playoffs each year (Note to Shaq: the reason people are flopping around like fish out of water is because you weigh 400 lbs and you just ran them over! Oh, and the second time, when you merely brushed them and they went flying, that's because you weigh 400 lbs and you ran them over last time. What stupid idiot would be run over twice if once will do?), the Spurs man up and tough it out. Everyone is gunning for them, no one likes them (I'm thinking David West might be the most charmingly frustrated star ever. Good thing he didn't have to play against Dennis Rodman. I mean, Fabricio Oberto's renting out a townhouse in your head? Fabs? Wow.) and you couldn't tell if they care or not.

That's what I love about them. I care too much what people think about me. Sometimes I don't try as hard as I should because of it. Like, say you, me and 5 other guys I just kind-of-know sit down for lunch. There is a decent chance I won't pray out loud before I eat because I care what y'all think about me. What a Jesus-freak. Dork. See how the Spurs can be inspiring? They don't care what you think. It probably helps when you are the Man of the Year in Argentina or married to a Famous Actress Who Even More Famously Attends Every Single Freaking Game and They Always Must Show You.

And while I've been a fan since before I even moved to south Texas (I didn't move here for them, though, it was the windsurfing), and I've been happy for each one of their 27 championships over the last 9 years, this is the year I want one for them more than any other. They are old. They are targets. The West is TOUGH this year. The Spurs were 1st in the conference in March, then lost 4 in row and dropped all the way to 6th. It was brutal. But through all of that, through all of that if the Spurs can win it this year, then they just metal-stamped their award for Top 5 Greatest Teams. They are up there anyway. Shaq and Kobe? Come on, they should have won 10 in a row. You can't call Shaq the greatest at anything. So many have done so much more with so much less than Shaq has. How hard did Bowen have to clutch and claw his way to where he is? If Shaq had that hunger his whole career we'd be feeling sorry for the Tim Duncans in this world, like we do for all those golfers too unfortunate to be born around the same time as Tiger.

So, what will it be? Am I evil for loving the Spurs and their killer instinct? Do I love them because I live vicariously through them? Do I care what you think?

Finally, I'm learning from the Spurs.