View From The Back
I edged my way down the row of seats, row seven of section 219, to be exact. I took my customary seat, number nine, two from the wall. The guy sitting next to me stuck his hand out, and I shook his hand firmly. While we'd barely exchanged any sort of words throughout the playoff run, there was a pleasant charm in recognizing somebody who's been there the whole time, with more or les the same angle on the action.
The two seat to my right were occupied by my mother and ten year old brother, which admittedly hurt my abilities as a fan, since my occasional impulse to curse under my breath or hiss at a bad call would be stymied by their presence. Regardless, I was feeling good about things. And why wouldn't I? This was, of course, Oakland, Warrior City.
I had been nervous before the game, but as always, these fears evaporated as I entered the arena. How, I wondered, could the team lose in here?
As it turned out, I was about to get just the demonstration I needed. Baron Davis jumpers clanking off the rim. Free throws richoeting tis way and that. Stephen Jackson trying to drive down the middle and fumbling the ball for what seemed like the tenth time. My eyes constantly darted at the scoreboard. Just stay close. Win quarters. Win runs. Even just minutes.
I've heard it said that a team cannot blame a loss on the officials if they failed to convert their freethrows, open shots, and layups, because a good team perseveres through that. In consideration of that, I saw that I couldn't pin the unsettling feel of the game on the refs. Whether or not I viewed the officiating as an occasional farce that allowed the Jazz to physically abuse the Warriors whilst drawing fouls on a number of evident flops was irrelevant (though I did), because when the Warriors made it to the line, they weren't hitting, so it seemed perhaps meaningless even had they gotten the call.
I inhaled sharply as a Derek Fisher three from the left side swished through the net. It was suddenly clear. They were going to lose.
"That's the only damn thing Derek Fisher can do with with a basketball," I yelled to nobody in particular. "The only thing, and he's wide open!"
As the fans filed out following the final buzzer (to their credit, most all stayed to the end), the mood was understandably somber. As I slowly inched my way out the gates in the deadlocked lines of traffic, I briefly found myself thinking about what a shame it was, to beat Dallas and to fall short against Utah. My bitterness gathered as the night wore on, and I fell asleep thinking mainly about how much I hated Carlos Boozer. Thankfully, though, my thinking changed earlier today.
As I was walking down to the fishing bait store to buy some line for my friend, I was startled by a car honking its horn as it sped past. I looked up to see a guy leaning from the window, fist held in the air. "I believe," he yelled, having spied my shirt. I shot him a thumbs up in response, delighted to find that the community spirit hadn't diminished.
It is with great pride and great confidence that I now declare we will win game 5. Why? Because, as I realized, I owe this team. Even in the money I've spent on tickets, food vendors, and other Warriors junk, the money spent hasn't come close to overvaluing the experience this team has given me, and it's my firm suspicion that this is true for many.
No matter what it seems like, how bad it may be looking, we owe this team. Which is why I'll still say they'll win, no matter the dire circumstance.
Besides... who is Deron Williams, anyways?
This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!
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8 comments
Comments
Great Post
by ghostridebaron on May 14, 2007 8:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great story
no matter what happens, we should celebrate this... when was the last time that losing felt so foreign? lol... this has been great, i can't wait for next year when it's "cool" all year long to be down with the Warriors, bball is officially back in the bay area, pickup games at every single park every weekend with warrior logo's flashing left and right!
1 dub.

If War brings peace Dubz wit' it den!
by gsdubz on May 14, 2007 8:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
re: View From The Back
One thing that shocked me though was that fans were leaving the game before the final buzzer! I too think that the Warriors can pull out game 5 in Utah because whenever the team has had a bad game like this year (reg. season), they usually have a bounce back game. If by chance Game 4 was the last Oracle Arena game of the year, more fans should of stayed to cheer as a thank you at the end, instead of looking to beat the parking lot traffic. Keep believing, our team needs to feel our cheers tomorrow night!
by pgtogo2004 on May 14, 2007 8:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
nice story
Like I posted in another diary, if the Jazz could come in our house and win, so can we.
by Caught Backcourt on May 14, 2007 8:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm in hayward
by RubberDubDubs on May 14, 2007 9:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
propages for the story.
by justin on May 14, 2007 11:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
THAT WAS ME!
by xPo242 on May 14, 2007 11:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

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