Jun. 14--Whether the Spurs will be victorious tonight is not known, but ask who will win and a Spurs fan will respond, 'It's a dumb question.'
At this stage of the NBA finals, it's difficult not to get caught up in the excitement, the mania, and the camaraderie, especially among Texans. Professional sports can be one of the biggest and uplifting elements during tough times: the Iraq war, terrorism, immigration, global warming, hurricanes, uneasy relations with Russia, Iran, North Korea and others, and, most important, worrying about our military overseas.
In this case, the Spurs looking for a sweep has caused people in this area and in some other areas to be generally in a good mood. These are not just fans, but people who are tired of hearing all the bad news across the state, the nation and the world.
Take the Valero convenience stores in the area for example: Every time the Spurs win, the stores let their customers have free coffee. This helps to spread the cheer and there are many more organizations, businesses and groups getting into the spirit of the finals. The Spurs don't know it, but they are saving lots and lots of people money indirectly.
Although the Spurs are a Texas team, players also can make a big difference. In this case, one has to admire LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James has brought the city of Cleveland up in many ways, but he's also brought the Cavaliers, a team that was considered not so good until James came on the scene, to the finals. And he's filled the seats at the games in Cleveland, seats that used to be mostly empty.
Likewise, the Spurs and its stars have brought the same kind of positivism to Texas. Hooray for the NBA finals and other major sports happenings. These events provide us all good times.
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Copyright (c) 2007, Victoria Advocate, Texas
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