And I may lose some readers over this…
Yes, I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, but I was raised by a serious anti-Laker fan. When my dad moved here from the Philippines when he was only 7, the first basketball game he ever watched was a Lakers-Celtics game. His family decided to be Laker fans, my dad, at the very young age, defied his family and became a Boston Celtics fan. I was raised a Laker hater.
Well, as a little girl I wanted to be a Boston Celtics cheerleader and I remember saving my monies to buy my dad a Larry Bird book at the school book fair. Then as a I grew older, I vowed to not marry a sports loving man because I got tired of my dad hogging the television when the games were on. It all changed when I met Ben. Ben is from San Antonio, Texas transplanted in southern California and he introduced me to the Spurs. As I fell in love with Ben, I fell in love with Spurs and basketball. I enjoyed watching basketball games and it stuck. In college, I used to even log into Spurs Talk to read all the discussions in the forums. The Spurs are such a classy organization and they were easy to fall in love with.
The fact that I was raised by an anti-Laker was a dream come true for Ben. For someone who detests them, but moved to a city of Angelenos, he kinda lucked out that he ended up marrying a girl who was raised under an anti-Laker. We’re kind of rare commodity here in southern California. If I had been a Laker fan, that may have been a deal breaker for him.
Here we are. The Spurs went out on game 6. What makes this even tougher is that San Antonio won 20 straight. It was an unexpected season. Then to lose 4 straight games, it was an unexpected ending. That’s how God planned it though. God knows better, right? As game 6 began to unravel and my stress levels increased because of the sadness that seemed to be imminent, the thought that stood out to me was that I don’t even feel this heavy for God’s kingdom. God’s using these losses as heart checks for me.
We’re sad over here. We sat in the dark as the game ended. Stunned in disbelief. We were so hopeful. Then Ben asked to cuddle (he’s cute!) and he told me stories of when he was little and a huge Spurs fan in the 80’s and about how much he loved the Spurs even when they were losing and not so great of a team and watched them grow into the great team they are. We gotta give it to OKC. They put up a good fight and won.
The girls were in bed and Ben had to break the news to them. True came out of her room and said, “Papi, I’m sad that there’s not going to be a parade.” She really wanted to go and we might have just made it out there for one.
Yeah, I know this isn’t a basketball blog, but it’s part of our family. The girls know all the players and we all get into it together. It’s all part of creating memories together as a family. Now, we might need to move out of state to ensure that the girls don’t marry Laker fans. That’s gonna be a tough one though. What are the chances that all four girls marry anti-Laker fans? Hmm… not sure about that.
Now we wait to see who OKC will play. If you have been following this story, then you know who we will be rooting for. We don’t like the Heat. We don’t really want OKC to win because frankly, we don’t care for Derek Fisher, so, come on Boston… let’s do this! And now the basketball coverage will continue on with baby sister because she loves the Celtics just as much as we love the Spurs.
Good job Spurs! We still love you!!! #gospursgo
this is awesome. keep the family tradition alive! well my family is a Laker fanatic (from my uncles to my parents to my brother to my adoptive cousin… also from my father's side as well)… as for me, I'm sorta in the wagon, not a crazy fanatic. I'm more of a soccer fan. Me and my Boyfriend are opposites in the English Premier League (go ManUtd go), and also basketball too (he's a Jazz fan). But he got me in to NFL this past 2 years. I've never understand nor like Football (except Superbowl for the ads & half time) but he got me in to it! I go crazy now over the TV when the Green Bay Packers play and now can't wait for football season to start. He made me a Cheesehead! I was once not a sports fan, now turned in to one. Haha. We'll see when we have kids. We might divide when it comes to the English Premier. Haha…
It's quite okay. You didn't lose me as a reader. I think it's great knowing there are more sports fans out there!
I used to not watch sports until I dated my husband. Now ESPN is on all the time and sometimes I fall asleep to it.
I'm not a big basketball fan – but my husband is a sixers fan. I get into watching football. We all have our loves. I love how everyone has their spurs jerseys! Especially Glow – so cute.
well, we are big Lakers fans over here.. (well, really, I'm indifferent, but i support my husband no matter what). but there are lots of anti-Lakers fans out here in southern California. my husband's family is comprised of four boys, and every single one of them is a Lakers fan, except my youngest brother in law (a pacers & clippers fan). it's is very expected for southern Californians to like the Lakers and hence that turns many of us southern Californians away. your girls will find their anti-Lakers boys too! 😀
(and really, i am ready for this season to be over. i want my tv back)
wow! I didn't know Ben was from San Antonio.. small world.. I live in San Antonio, and had I known, I would have sent you some new Spurs stuff… there is Spurs stuff everywhere and people get really into it all. I will keep my eye out for some stuff so you can surprise him! 🙂
🙂 THUNDER! But the Spurs played well!
It's great that you are including your little girls in the excitement & disappointment of professional sports! I grew up watching professional football with my parents and still love watching it today.
Go CELTICS! I love that your dad chose the Celtics over the Lakers and I am glad us Celtics fans now get your support going into tonight's game!
YA'LL ARE LIVING IN THE WRONG STATE!
word
sister, just to let you know, i even danced in my spurs shirt yesterday in honor of them!
I too was raised anti-Laker in Los Angeles ….
But we're Suns fans, so we're used to heartbreak 🙂
while i don't care about which sports teams you support, you may lose me as a reader because of your ridiculous comments about everything being god's will. some things just happen! the spurs lost, and that may suck, but i HIGHLY doubt, if there is a god, that basketball would be on his radar. this is what annoys me about religious people- that they don't seem to take responsibility for their lives and actions because “it's god's will.”
Thank you for your honesty. I do agree that some people use “God's will” irresponsibly and fail to take responsibility for their actions and using “God's will” as a scape goat is wrong. I think there needs to be a balance in understanding our roles of being responsible and diligent in where we are at and what we are given.
I believe yes, the Spurs couldn't bring it at the end and it happened and I do believe things that happen also happen for reasons we don't understand. Thank you for your comment despise our opposing beliefs, it was good to read. I am sure you aren't my only reader who disagrees with me, but I am glad you aren't afraid to say so.
hahaha! i love all of the pictures!
I think sports are actually a fantastic way to bring people together in a (generally) peaceful way. People from all different backgrounds, ages, religions, etc can share something – I see this all the time in my city, where the most amazing assortment of people all proudly wear their team jerseys. Sports are frivolous, and in the grand scheme of things they really don't matter much, but life can be stressful and hard and boring, and sometimes it's fun to just lose yourself for a while in something different, and connect with people you might have nothing else in common with.
agree. also, i hate that it's so frivolous, but oh the real stress that i was feeling the last couple days because of it. it is fun to have a team to love though!
Rubyellen, you are adorable! We (my bf and I) are LA-living Lakers haters, too, and proud of it!! So rare to find in this town. And hilarious because when I first met my bf, he asked me if I liked the Lakers and I was afraid to tell him a big fat no because I thought he must love them but it turned out he hates them as much as I do, haha! I was born/raised in Chicago so I am a Bulls fan at heart. And you probably know how our season ended much too soon with the loss of our leader Derrick Rose, so I feel your pain, disappointment and sadness. The Spurs may not be my favorite team but you are right – they are a classy organization. I think they put up a good fight with the Thunder but it was just the Thunder's time right now. Funny, but I like the Thunder guys except for Fisher (obviously) so I'm torn… definitely do NOT want the Heat to win but I'm not sure I want to see the Celtics win either. We will see what happens! I'll miss the NBA season when it's all over, that's for sure, but there's always next year 🙂
p.s. Love your blog! Actually, my sister Daphne, me and my bf Matt were the ones who made the appts to have Reinna cut our hair a couple years ago (was it really that long ago?) when she stilled worked at Victoria Gardens. She was SO cute and sweet, you are all so adorable 🙂
Aw, I understand the Laker haters, but WHO could hate Derek Fisher? 🙂 Such a humble guy with a great story (who previously came back to LA so his young daughter could receive better treatment for her cancer). 😉
If it makes you feel better. I'm from Seattle. The OKC Thunder winning should have been the Seattle Sonics winning! We have been mega depressed over here for years now 🙂
I'm an Oklahoma girl who is super excited about the Thunder's success! I'm sad for Spurs fans–also I totally agree: not a Heat or Lakers fan at all–but this is so exciting for our young team to be going to the finals. I do love that sports, while in the big picture of things are trivial, do have a way of uniting people. Thanks for including this part of your life in your blog. Plus, it's good, clean fun to watch a good ballgame. I'm sorry for you, but maybe next year will be better for the Spurs. 'Til then, Thunder up! 🙂
I live in Oklahoma and married and Okie native who LOVES the Lakers. He loved Magic Johnson as a little boy and has been a fan ever since. Now that OKC has a team, he's torn between his long time team and his hometown team. I surprised him with tickets to the OKC/Lakers game this winter and he was so giddy to see them both. The best part was that he was happy with whichever team won. That made for a much more fun night. In any case, we've been watching the games and cheering for the Thunder. I'm sorry you guys are sad, but we're really pumped here in OK. 🙂
No reader lost here. Go Celtics! (and Spurs…)
born and raised in LA but a die hard KNICKS fan. don't talk to me about loss!
i love this story! i was wondering how you became a spurs fan! sorry about the loss 🙁
Maybe you can cheer for the LA Kings now? They're doing something pretty amazing. And it's hockey so it probably won't be happening for them any year soon again. It's bandwagon time!! I won't be cheering for them though. They beat our beloved Vancouver Canucks. As far as basketball, I grew up on the same island as Steve Nash and my brother played highschool ball against him so there's my devotion. Who does he play for??!!
I'm sorry for your team's loss. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, so of course I was watching this round of playoffs against the Spurs and simultaneously looking at instagram seeing all of your insanely adorable pictures of your family cheering on your team. I was wondering how you became a big Spurs fan, so that was fun to read! I am so excited for our City and State and the success of our team. Such a talented group of young, humble guys who (from what I've seen) immediately give all the glory to God. Now that we will be playing the Heat in the finals, hopefully you all can (briefly) Thunder Up for us 🙂