(Ole) New Manu interview: "Me sentí débil pero no soy un cagón"

[ace3g]

http://www.ole.com.ar/basquet/senti-debil-cagon_0_1019898301.html

Needs translation

[urunobili]

OK i got this one... gimme 15 min...

[urunobili]

“I felt weak, but I’m not a coward”

Ginobili recognizes that the Finals against Miami left him rattled but now he’s already stood up. “Until June it was hard, I didn’t enjoy basketball. In contrast I’m feeling healthy, tranquil and happy today” the Bahia Blanca man confessed to Ole.

Q: Do you feel in debt for the way that the season ended?
G: I don’t think in debt is the right way of saying it. I do feel disappointed for having done less than what I think I can do. It was a tough season from every single aspect and I consider that I didn’t play my best basketball. In that point, I could say that yes I am in debt. With my teammates? maybe. But with the franchise no; they wanted me to keep on playing for them and I wanted to keep on playing for them.

Q: Pop said that saw repetitions of the Finals every day until the season begun, did you replay any of the games?
G: No. I have never seen and won’t see any of those matches. It wouldn’t do me any good.

Q: What surprised you the most, the immediate support of the fans, the critique of those that before thought you were untouchable or the franchise renewing you immediately?
G: From the fans I truly didn’t notice anything different. They gave me an ovation after the 5th game that was probably my best game of the year. It was a final. It’s tough to prove in a tangible way the people’s support. I am conscious that I was never booed. Not even while playing bad or while being injured. And I appreciate that. About the front office support, yes, it made me feel well. I won’t deny it even though I knew they’d possibly like to resign me, I had to hear it.

Q: Have time softened you some?
G: (Thinks before replying) I don’t know if it’s time passing by… Before I have never felt invulnerable anyway and now it did happen. I didn’t have any reason why to hide it. I’m not either less man for expressing a specific feeling. I did feel weak, period. I am not a coward for that. If that would happen again I wouldn’t have any problem sharing it.

Q: So it never happened before?
G: Not in the playoffs, no.

Q: but in 2003 you recognized that you had tough moments due to exposure. That’s a vulnerable state of mind…
G: Yes it’s true. But I could separate what was going on inside the court. I wanted to kill all of those that stopped me to ask for a photo or had some training sessions where I didn’t agree with the coach or a teammate. Nevertheless, when the ball was bouncing and in play, I thought I could take on the world, just like always. Now it didn’t happen.

Q: where does your ego hide?
G: I don’t have “my ego” I have great self esteem. In fact, I consider myself a very important player for this franchise and the national team. But that’s that. Maybe I don’t feel it like everybody else. I don’t know, if I sensed that Pop wouldn’t respect me anymore or that the franchise didn’t love me, maybe then I’d feel bad. But that’s not the case. Maybe it’s weird looking at the situation from the outside for some. Because I’m not a starter and I don’t complain or because they hire a new contributor like Marco and I try to help him to the extent of my abilities for him to adapt; it’s part of my job. I take it like that. Competing against your teammates is crazy, inconceivable.

Q: You’ve competed for a place in a team before…
G: No. Maybe if it was a case of life or death I can understand it. It’s not my case. Today I am beyond that. Other than my first year in the national team, I never had to fight for minutes. Further so, when I signed my contract with Kinder Bologna I was happy to play next to Danilovic. Or when Michael Finley came here that in that moment he was an elite player. I always knew that sooner or later I’d end up playing. I always trusted myself. Maybe there you can perceive more of my self esteem.

Q: You get hurt by defeat after so many years with victories?
G: Let’s end with this myth: in my career I lost more than what I won. I won a lot it’s true. Averages support that statement but I assure you that I have lots of losses, some very tough. I have a surprising amount of lost matches like game 6 in Miami. At least 4: World Championship Final in 2003, World Championship semis in Japan, U21 world championship, 0.4 and I get mad about them still. But I also start to learn how to live with that. Sometimes you win, some other you lose. In this particular case, I won’t deny that it was a ten ton hammer. Because we had it in our hands and it was taken from us. It hurts more. Having said that, if the rival plays better than you do there’s nothing you can do. It’s nobody’s death at the end of the day.

Q: If you could change the outcome of a game in your career which one it’d be?
G: (Thinks before replying)... the Indianapolis World cup final and game 6 against Miami. Years before I would have said the Euroleague final against Panatinaikos bothered me more. We were 13 points up and had the match under control and we lost. But I choose those two games.

Q: In San Antonio your leadership is more perceived in practices, do you enjoy that facet?
G: I do. Since 2005 that I have been noticing a strong change in that aspect and I like it. To be considered and trusted, that Pop gets us 3 and asks us how to solve a situation… When that started is when I got fully involved. That strengthened with time until today. Before, I may have not led with words as I do today. Mostly because I was young because we had players with big names and my English wasn’t that good. At 170 beats per seconds in the heat of the moment it’s not easy not speaking your own language. Today everything is more natural.

Q: Are you surprised by Leonard?
G: When he arrived I wasn’t very happy because I enjoyed playing with George Hill a lot. I was frustrated that he got traded for a rookie. But I didn’t know him. On his first year already and in spite of the lockout he showed some things. His potential was already showing. But in the second part of last season it just went crazy, truly to take our hats off. He can play man, he deserves to have the ball in his hands and he earned our respect. If you ask him, even pop will tell you that he is surprised.

Q: After sharing so many moments together, what is a chat like with Tony and Tim?
G: I don’t even talk about basketball with Tim or Tony, our thing is more playful. Bah, with Tim sometimes we get sentimental after a loss. But I don’t need to talk to them. It’s the most notable aspect of our relationship. I see Tony getting in the court and I know how well he is going to play. I know when to tell something to Tim or when not to. It’s a trust think that exceeds any conversation. What I mean is, if Tim has a bad game, he doesn’t need me. He will come and shoot three hours earlier the next day and then he’ll be awesome again. It happens all the time. And if Tony is having a bad game, I know that when someone from the coaching staff pinches him, he will react. It also happens. We don’t need to be in each other faces all the time.

Q: At 36, is basketball more passion than a job?
G: It depends. There are moments. Last season in a part it was like a job. This month in contrast I’m living it fully. I feel healthy, tranquil and happy. But until June it was a bummer, I didn’t enjoy basketball. It’s the first time that it happened in my career. I wanted to do well and I couldn’t. Then I kind of lost sight all that I like about this sport. I was tied up mentally and my head was running a thousand miles per hour.

[Bruno]

pauv' bichon

[urunobili]

did some edits for better readability :tu hope you find this useful. very insightful interview...

[benefactor]

Nice interview. Thanks for the translation.

[SpursRock20]

Thanks for taking the time to translate...as for the article it is obvious that his play in the Finals did bother him quite a bit. Is everyone happy now?

[boutons_deux]

always free of sports cliches, always honest, always authentic. How many players in all of pro sports could or would give such an interview.

[Phenomanul]

always free of sports cliches, always honest, always authentic. How many players in all of pro sports could give such an interview.

Both Tony and Manu provide intimate, open and genuine interviews. It's part of what endears them to the fans of this great franchise.

[Phenomanul]

Some fans are just too short sighted to notice or even appreciate the unique bond and respect that our players have for each other, the game, and the franchise...

[Skull-1]

Always on each other's faces? :(

[diego]

"in each others faces"

[urunobili]

Always on each other's faces? :(
ooops... sorry about that.... you are probably capable of doing a better job in more languages as you're highlighting mistakes without offering a better alternative... douchebag

[diego]

also I would say "cagon" translates more as pussy than coward, still similar meaning though...

and I read the article earlier and instead of .4 they listed the 08 WCF in his heartbreaking losses, kind of weird that that changed, but Ole is notorious for making factual errors.

[urunobili]

also I would say "cagon" translates more as pussy than coward, still similar meaning though...

and I read the article earlier and instead of .4 they listed the 08 WCF in his heartbreaking losses, kind of weird that that changed, but Ole is notorious for making factual errors.

"Pussy" could be used yes, but translations are personal and foul language is not needed to get the point to go accross. Also, you argies use it more normally now so it's a more used word and not that offensive if it comes out of an argentine's mouth.

[hater]

agree coward is cobarde. cagon is more like pussy. a guy who shit.his pants actually.

[DesignatedT]

Nice interview by Manu. Hope he has a great season and stays healthy for his psyche.

[Brunodf]

Q: Are you surprised by Leonard?
G: When he arrived I wasn’t very happy because I enjoyed playing with George Hill a lot. I was frustrated that he got traded for a rookie. But I didn’t know him. On his first year already and in spite of the lockout he showed some things. His potential was already showing. But in the second part of last season it just went crazy, truly to take our hats off. He can play man, he deserves to have the ball in his hands and he earned our respect. If you ask him, even pop will tell you that he is surprised.


:lolManu used to be a hater of that trade

[heyheymymy]

did some edits for better readability :tu hope you find this useful. very insightful interview...

That was a long article so I appreciate your efforts. Google translate was pretty worthless on that one!

[Brazil]

pauv' bichon

:lol

[Brazil]

did some edits for better readability :tu hope you find this useful. very insightful interview...

thanks Uru, great trad tbh !

[ElNono]

thanks for the translation uru!

[Phenomanul]

^seconded...

[Budkin]

Thank you uru! At least Manu is calling himself out. Revenge this year!

[Ice009]

Thanks for the translation, really appreciate your effort to do it.

[Johnny RIngo]

Q: At 36, is basketball more passion than a job?
G: It depends. There are moments. Last season in a part it was like a job. This month in contrast I’m living it fully. I feel healthy, tranquil and happy. But until June it was a bummer, I didn’t enjoy basketball. It’s the first time that it happened in my career. I wanted to do well and I couldn’t. Then I kind of lost sight all that I like about this sport. I was tied up mentally and my head was running a thousand miles per hour.

lol 14 mil a year for someone that was phoning it in every night. This is why you never overpay foreign players - they're all mentally soft.

[Skull-1]

ooops... sorry about that.... you are probably capable of doing a better job in more languages as you're highlighting mistakes without offering a better alternative... douchebag


I speak fluent Spanish, so yeah, I could.

[urunobili]

I speak fluent Spanish, so yeah, I could.

Let's see you put your actions where your mouth is then...

[spurs10]

Thanks for the translation of this long interview man. I really appreciate it urunobili! :toast

[AussieFanKurt]

Will never forgive that argie POS for game 6... if you weren't there it would have been 5 rings for timmy.. fucking oxygen thief

[gee]

You're a god urunobili, thankyou

[Typhoon]

Will never forgive that argie POS for game 6... if you weren't there it would have been 5 rings for timmy.. fucking oxygen thief

That's debatable. Spurs wouldn't have won 03 or 05 without Manu, and wouldn't have reached the finals against Miami if it wasn't for Manu.
So please fuck off you Australian faggot, obviously you don't know shit about basketball.

[AussieFanKurt]

That's debatable. Spurs wouldn't have won 03 or 05 without Manu, and wouldn't have reached the finals against Miami if it wasn't for Manu.
So please fuck off you Australian faggot, obviously you don't know shit about basketball.

:lmao son..