(I Still) Believe Memphis.
(I Still) Believe Memphis.
Let's be clear - the Grizzlies' time in the 2011 NBA playoffs was never actually about basketball. At least, not in Memphis.
It was about proving to ourselves and the world that, despite flood water and grit and everything else, Memphis is a force to be believed in.
I mean, it was also about basketball - nothing brings Memphians together quite like our collective fandom - but it was about so much more than that for us. And by us, I mean everyone who ever thought that the Grizzlies could beat Oklahoma. And everyone who thought they could beat the Spurs. And everyone who grew a playoff beard in anticipation of just one win.
We would have taken just one, and we were given seven. And because of that, I sill believe.
This year's Grizzlies weren't perfect. They missed shots, they bricked free throws, they lost. But, they never gave up. Even when I had walked out of the Hi-Tone in frustration during the fourth quarter of yesterday's game, the Grizzlies were still on the court, grinding.
Going into the fourth quarter of yesterday's game, down by a lot, everyone at the Hi-Tone was cautiously optimistic. The team had pulled bigger miracle wins out of nowhere. They would at least force overtime. Besides, it's not Memphis basketball until we get a collective civic aneurysm.
The loss was disappointing, but not depressing. For the first time ever, we've warmed up to the Grizzlies - all it took was one magical team on one big, record-setting playoff run. They were like us - funny, eloquent, stubborn, and full of heart, grit and grind.
So, thank you Grizzlies. Thank you for everything you've done for the city's collective spirit. Thank you for making me emotionally invested in basketball in mid-May. Thank you for not giving up.
Comments Make Us Happy