domingo, septiembre 21, 2008

Charles Barkley



Probablemente la mayor boca de la NBA, y el tio además era bueno.

La altura está sobrevalorada: he jugado con muchos paquetes muy altos.”

“Creo que mi peso ideal es el peso en el que esté cuando estoy en la pista.”

“No me suicidaría. Soy una de mis personas favoritas.”

“Mientras Bird esté en la liga, seré el segundo peor defensor del baloncesto.”

“Pensaba que Bill Laimbeer es el tipo más despreciable y desagradable de todo el baloncesto… pero por otro lado, siempre lo respeté como jugador.”

Tras remontar un partido en el que llegaron a perder de veinte puntos: “Éste es un partido que, si lo pierdes, te vas a casa y le pegas a tu mujer y a tus hijos.”

Como contestación ante la gran cantidad de demandas interpuestas por asociaciones feministas tras esa última declaración: “Me meo en esas mujeres.”

“Iba a donar la cantidad de mis multas a los sin hogar: pero es que al final de la temporada iban a tener mejores casas que yo.”

Tras la victoria de Brent Barry en el concurso de mates del 94, fue el primero en sacar conclusiones: “Un blanco ganando el concurso de mates, la NBA está en decadencia. Necesitamos otra marcha del Millón de Hombres”.

“Soy la mejor persona que conozco.”

A Oliver Miller, compañero de equipo en los Suns con continuos problemas de sobrepeso: “¡Ni siquiera puedes saltar lo suficiente para tocar el aro a no ser que te pongan un Big mac en lo alto!”

Sobre su contratación por los Rockets: “Me acuerdo sentarme con los Rockets y decirles: “Sí, me voy a retirar”. Ellos dijeron: “Bueno, te daremos nueve millones de dólares”, a lo que respondí: “¿Tenéis un bolígrafo encima?”

“Hey, Stanley, serías un gran jugador si fueses capaz de decir dos palabras: estoy lleno.” (Hablando con el peso pesado Stanley Roberts).

Al retirarse: “Esto es justo lo que América necesita: otro negro sin trabajo.”

Sobre el contrato de Kevin Garnett: “Es un montón de pasta. Y lo está ganando un negro. Qué gran país es éste. Imagínate si supiese jugar.”

A Kenny Smith, compañero comentarista y ex-jugador: “Me gusta que los Celtics sean competitivos, porque era muy divertido ir al Boston Garden: te escupían, te tiraban cosas y hablaban de tu madre. Como si estuviese cenando en casa de Kenny.”

“La iba a denunciar por difamación de personalidad. Pero entonces me di cuenta de que no tengo personalidad.” (Sobre Tonya Harding, ex patinadora)

“¡Me encanta Nueva York: tengo una pistola!”

“Mi familia me criticó cuando dije que Bush sólo se preocupa de los ricos. Así que les recordé: “Eh, ¡que soy rico!””

“Si no ganara más de tres millones de dólares jugando al baloncesto, la gente correría en dirección contraria si me viese por la calle.”

Justo antes de su famosa carrera contra el árbitro Dick Bavetta: "No tengo nada contra la gente mayor; algún día quiero ser uno de ellos.”

Ernie Jonson, comentarista de la TNT: “¿Cuál es el problema de los Knicks en este momento?”Charles: “Que no son buenos.”

EJ: “Auburn es una muy buena universidad. Supongo que para graduarte allí realmente tuviste que trabajar muy duro y esforzarte al máximo… Charles: “20 puntos y 10 rebotes también te ayudan, no creas…”

EJ: “¿Te reconocieron en Dakota del Sur?” Charles: “Sí. Fue fácil porque yo era la única persona negra allí. Cuando me veían caminar por la calle decían: “Aquí viene otra vez”. Y cuando volví al año siguiente gritaban alucinados: “¡Ha vuelto, yujuuu!””

“Esta es mi agenda; Me levanto por la mañana, decido donde voy a ir a jugar al golf, y bebo cerveza todo el día.”

“He sido rico y he sido pobre. Ser rico es mejor.”

Sobre cómo Jerry Krause fue capaz de mantener su trabajo como General Manager de los Chicago Bulls: “Jerry debe tener fotos de la esposa de su jefe montándoselo con un mono”.

“Tengo una pregunta: ¿Alguna vez has visto a Gollum y Sam Cassell juntos en el mismo sitio?”

“Al Gore es un perdedor. Pero tan sólo es el segundo mayor perdedor de Washington. Los Wizards son los mayores perdedores en Washington.”

Antes de enfrentarse a Cuba en los Juegos Olímpicos de Barcelona ´92: ¿Qué que sé sobre Cuba? Pues que el país lo gobierna un andrajoso que fuma puros… eso es todo lo que sé.”

Sobre cómo Michael Jordan debía afrontar los agobios de la fama: “Contrata guardaespaldas. O haz como yo; golpea a unas cuantas personas y dales 10000$.”

“En mi ropa interior no viene la talla. Simplemente hay una etiqueta que dice: ENORME.”

Al ex-jugador y compañero comentarista Reggie Miller: “Reggie era el extra de Brokeback Mountain.”

“¿Tengo un problema con el juego? Sí, tengo un problema con el juego. Pero realmente no es un problema... porque yo me lo puedo permitir.”

Charles: “¿Sabes cuál va a ser un equipo interesante este año? Los Utah Jazz.”KS: “¿Interesante desde un punto de vista positivo o desde uno negativo? Charles: “Todavía no lo sé.”

Durante las finales de la NBA, Ernie Jonhson señala a un cartel en el que se lee: “Barkley = Tonto, Van Gundy = Más tonto.” Charles: “Hey, al menos ese tío sabe quien soy. Yo no tengo ni idea de quien coño es él.”

"El sexo y el golf son las únicas cosas en las que aun siendo malo en ello, puedes pasar un rato agradable.”

"Sabes que todo se ha ido a la mierda cuando el mejor rapero es blanco y el mejor golfista negro.”

Kenny Smith: “Se puede ver que Voshon Lenard ha estado un tiempo lesionado porque ha ganado un poco de peso.” Charles: “¿Un poco de peso? ¿Le llamas a eso un poco de peso? Eso es como decir que lo del Titanic fue un pequeño accidente marítimo. Vamos hombre, si creo que usa la misma talla de calzoncillos que yo.”

Se supone que debemos parar de comer cuando él lo haga? ¿Y qué ocurre si seguimos teniendo hambre? Joder, puede que el haya picoteado algo antes de venir a comer.” (Sobre las normas de protocolo antes de comer con Rainiero en el Palacio Real de Montecarlo.)

“Pese a ser un rookie Christian Laettner va a ser el hombre más fuerte de la NBA la próxima temporada. Se está pasando el verano llevando las maletas de 12 tíos.” (Laettner era el único jugador universitario del Dream Team del 92).

miércoles, agosto 27, 2008

Imagination and filling equations


This last two weeks i have been wondering about how complicated can relationships be. Moreover when our own imagination comes into the equation. I mean, relationships are never easy. I understand very well the affirmation a famous philosopher did, (can't remember is he was Freud or Froyd), "hell are the others". And somehow he had part of reason.

Relationships are difficult, we have somehow to die to ourselfes, and try to understand the others. Give ourselfes to them, understand them, and fight against our own selfish desires to try to make their life a little bit better. I think this is part of what christians preach when we say that we have to "kill our flesh". But we are humans, and to fight against our instinct is really difficult. Still, despite this "animal" instinct, the property of being human also gives us the chance to choose. And that option becomes much easier when you choose to give yourself to someone that has also given itself to you.

What i mean is that when you have a friend that has proved you how much he loves you, is much easier to love him back. Is part of our human trader mind. Give something in exchange for something... love for love.

And somehow, most of the times this is what we expect of a relationship. To take back as much as we are giving. And when we receive more, we naturally try to give back... is all about filling the equation. I suppose that like the ancient scientists we are afraid of emptiness.

So, till now the situation was complicated but we could afford it. It's very mathemathical, just an equation and we have to continually balance it, not as difficult as we supposed. But, sometimes, in some cases everytime, imagination plays with our well balanced equation. And then, things get really complicated... and the only ones to blame are ourselfes.

What i mean... is that a lot of times our mind plays tricks on us. Makes us think that that person who we love so much feels the same about us(and i am not talking about romantic relationships). Once reality hits you in your face, and you realize that when you though you had a friend in someone and you just had a "known"... it feels bad. You feel fooled. You feel stupid. You want to go to that person and tell him how much he has deceived you. How much he has hurt you. But the real thing, is you're the only one to blame. Probably he did not do anything to make you think he considered you a friend... but you did, and your imagination made you think he felt the same about you. And now the equation is unbalanced and you feel bad about that person, but you know he has no fault. So what now???

Festivals

This summer i went to a couple of festivals. The well known Jazzaldia and the Festival Gospel Castellón. Both were quite good, although i believe last's years Jazzaldia was better... more jazzy than this one, wich most of the music was good... but i would not call it jazz.

Anyway, one band in each festival impacted me. In the jazz one an italian duo called musica nuda, (check the videos, much better than the tracks). It was an strange duo, a girl singing and a double bass player. Just that, so at first sight it may look a little bit boring. But they were italians... and this race has some kind of charm, ideal for the stage. The concert was really funny, and both musicians were awesome.

In the Gospel the band that i liked most was Sarah Kelly's, really good american rock. If you like Alanis, Sheryl, and so on... this sounds better, at least live. And her testimony is... well... impacting.

viernes, julio 04, 2008

Teenagers, basketball and books.



A lot of friends have accused me of liking teenagers too much. And well... i have to confess it, it's true. Some weeks ago an american team came to my town, and i ejoyed very much the time i spent with them. Now i am pretty sure that one of the main reasons of this was that most of them were teenagers.

But there is a logic reason why i like so much to spend time with them. And this doesn't mean i just enjoy my time when i am in their company. I also enjoy time spent with other people. But what i have discovered about teenagers is that their lack of maturity helps them not to take life so seriously. That means that when i start saying silly things without thinking about them before opening my mouth... they don't get upset!!!

They just think that is one more silly thing in life they don't have to take so seriously... laugh... and continue with their lifes without judging me because of that little moment of madness. Older people can't do that. They get upset with anything silly that i say, take it seriously, think about it, and judge me. There are some close friends with whom i can say silly things and nothing happens. This ones have also the advantage that i can talk about more serious things knowing they are enough mature to advice me. Probably with them i can be myself more that with anybody else.

Then it comes basketball... wich i am missing this summer cause i can just play once every two weeks. What i like about it is... well... because i am not as bad as playing football. That's one reason. The other reason why i always look foward for the next day when i'll play basketball, apart from meeting those nice guys i have mentioned before in my blog, are the concrete rules.

Basketball is easy. Has concrete and simple rules. You have to throw the orange ball trough the ring. You can't travel more than two steps without bouncing, etc... Is a known rectangular world, no surprises. You don't have to think more than to whom you will pass or when you will shoot. The options are finite. You have no more than 4 possibilities to pass... I like that... not to think, just play... time flows... while you're in that tiny little world, enjoying the game.

Books are also a rectangular world. But they permit me to be anyone... in anyworld. Probably that's one reason i like sci-fi books so much. They not just aloud me to be anyone at anytime... anywhere in this world. They also make me wonder what would be to live in other dimensions, planets, worlds... When i'm reading this world stays behind, while my mind can travel free...


Teenagers, basketball and books have always been like an emotional vaccation... some kind of places where i feel more free... where i feel more like being myself... or like being what i would like to be, how i would like to be.

miércoles, julio 02, 2008

My face/Mi cara


So, in ten days my friend Fran and his supernice girlfriend Ana Amelia are getting married. And thanks to Fran i will attend it... but... i have to decide what to do with my face... my beard. After thinking a little bit, and asking a friend who said that beard makes us more interesting(i suppose to women), i have decided to make a questionary(on the right side of the blog).

Help me to solve this dilemma!!!

En diez dias mi amigo Fran se casa con su guapisima novia, Ana amelia. Gracias a Fran podré asistir a la boda... pero... tengo que decidir que hacer con mi cara... mi barba. Después de pensarlo un poco, y de preguntarle a una amiga que me respondió que los tios somos mas interesantes con barba(para las mujeres espero), he decidido hacer una encuesta(en la parte derecha del blog).

Ayudadme a resolver mi dilema!!!

martes, julio 01, 2008

My Worlds

Last month i have been thinking about the different worlds that i have lived in, or that i am living in right now. Two weeks ago a team from Tulsa, Oklahoma, came to my city, just to encourage the newest church in it, and try to spread the gospel a little more in Spain. I am not going to speak about what i think of what they did and so on. Just that i enjoyed very much the time i spent with them. Somehow they where a breeze of fresh air for me. A whole weekend speaking in english again, to feel that you're not part of the city, but a tourist. To feel the people staring and you cause you're surroundeb by 20 blonde noisy teenagers screaming and running. And without even caring about it. They made me remember my happy days walking around Europe, getting out of my daily routine, and feeling part of something more that what i am here in my hometown. I know that is just an illusion, but sometimes it feels good to live one, in helps me to get my emotions on vaccations.



Two weeks before this nice americans came here i had a "club day". This means that the people from the club in wich i play gather to play all morning. And later go to the beer festival, and have sausages and beer. I think basketball is the most kind side of my less christian life. This life sometimes is hard cause you can't never be absolutely yourself. Or maybe you can, but sometimes you can't share all of it with others, just because you're in a different wave from them. But anyway... as i have said they are the kind side of it all. I really enjoy their company, their jokes(although sometimes are a little bit weird), and their friendship. I really love those guys, and sometimes it breaks my heart to think about the lifes they're living, that is not bad at all... but i really believe could be better.


This last weekend i went to ContraCorriente, the biggest christian youth festival(or that's what i want to think), in Spain. I think that my main motivation for continuing going to it is just to meet some friends. Well... not some, but a lot of them. And they are those kind of friends with whom you can really be yourself fully. I know if i can count on someone(apart from God and my family), they are the ones. The hard thing is that i can just meet some of them once every one or two years... and coming back home, where they are not, is hard. But so it's life. This is the world i would like to live each day, and it's the most unreachable one.