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Boletim Utah Jazz
53 - anexo, 10 de Janeiro de 2004.
Artigo
enviado para a promoção
do jornal The
Deseretnews de Salt Lake, Utah.
The
Utah Jazz: A dream came true
It happened in March 2002, but we need to go back earlier.
1997. A local TV decided to show the NBA finals. "Cool, but... what
is NBA?" When you live in Brazil, soccer is all you care about
sports.
I’ve heard about someone named Michael Jordan though. Since I didn’t
know much about Bulls nor Utah Jazz, it was pretty easy to cheer for The
Bulls. When the finals were over, I got a little feeling for The Utah
Jazz, Stockton and Malone.
The next year, the finals were gracefully showed on TV and guest what?
The team called The Utah Jazz was there. At that time I was sure about
one thing: My team would be The Jazz. Everyone knows what happened in
those finals. Anyway, it was like I had been attached to The Jazz. I had
to do something to know more about them.
What could I do? Search on the Internet, was pretty much the only
thing.
“Well, what if...”
“No, you can't... ”
“But if I…”
“No, you are out of your mind”
“I want to see The Jazz playing at Delta Center, live! ”
“Get out here, how could you do that? ”.
I had decided to go there.
At the end of 2001 year I saved money, took my passport and found a
homestay family to stay with. Oh yes I bought 3 tickets on the Internet,
meaning... “Now I have to go, I spent U$300,00 in Tickets”
I had tickets for Jazz x Denver, Lakers e Knicks. The first game was
easy but it was kind of kicking a dead dog (its a Brazilian expression)
you know? It was not a great achievement.
The next opponent would be The Lakers. It was March 06 2002. When I took
the Trax going to the Delta Center, I felt like everyone in the train
was concerned about the game. Everyone but me. I had something inside
saying: “You are here, you traveled 16 hours by plane, you've got to
trust those guys”. And I did it.
Just after I got my sit at Delta Center the game started and John
Stockton took control of it. It was so exciting. A girl next to me
asked: “Where are you from?” and I answered: "I am from Brazil,
I came here just to watch them!”. “I knew it, I saw you extremely
excited about the game! ”
The game was tied near the end of the half, when Kobe Bryant receives
the ball in the middle of the court, dribbles DeShawn Stevenson and
fires a bomb, three pointer at the buzzer. That hurt. They took the lead
at halftime. We stayed up the entire half, but they ended ahead.
The Jazz took control again, when the Lakers came back going down only
by 4. The sold out crowd was up, screaming, cheering. My heart started
beating faster and faster. 2:26 remaining Karl Malone receives the ball,
fires a tree pointer. It was only his seventh tree pointer of the
season, but he got it. What shot, it sparked the victory. I couldn't
control myself. Less than a minute remaining and Scott Padget with
another shot from downtown finishes the game. The crowd went crazy, we
did beat them. It was something nobody expected... Nobody but me!
Those games, visiting another country, they were all worth it. I thank
The Utah Jazz for give me the most exciting experience in my whole life.
Since then I am the biggest Brazilian Utah Jazz Fan.
Go
Jazz Go !
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