"Last Train to San Anton" - Peter Green, 1978

As many of you know, I'm in Calgary, Canada, for the week. I'm teaching courses for the next 5 days here. I've gotten a surprise bonus, being in Canada this week. I'd completely forgotten that the NBA Finals are going on! The San Antonio Spurs are up against the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons were 2004 NBA Champions.

One of the things I miss most now that I live outside the US is basketball...pro and college. I can occasionally see a game on Britain's Channel 5 in the middle of the night in the UK, but I often forget to record them. I did my best to follow this year's playoffs on the NBA's website, nba.com. But it's NOT the same as watching in the US used to be. I watched as many games as I could "live" during the playoffs, when I lived in the US, and I always caught every game of the NBA Finals. It was a sports highlight of the year for me...every year!

I just LOVE hoops!

So tonight Calgary time, I'm watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals from San Antonio. It's being beamed into Canada from the ABC TV affiliate from Spokane, Washington. The Spurs won Game 1. And as I write, they are well ahead in this game also. I hardly know any of the Spurs players anymore, though. I've followed Tim Duncan's career in San Antonio since he joined the Spurs. But the only other Spur I know is Robert Horry. How incredible to be seeing him play again! He was an important player for the Houston Rockets during their two championship seasons back in the mid-90's. I had no idea that Horry was playing for a Texas team again.

And who is Manu Ginobili, San Antonio's guard? I read on the Spurs official website that he's from Argentina. He's good! REALLY good.

Also, I didn't know anything about San Antonio's Bruce Bowen until tonight. He's another outstanding player, and he has a fabulous "American dream" life story as well. I've tried to find a link to a comprehensive bio of Bowen, but I can't. But I'll pass along that apparently his mother was a crack addict, and his father was an alcoholic. He was one of those kids who incredibly had the fortitude and luck to make something of himself. I'm impressed.

What a treat this is for me! And it's completely unexpected!

Janet