The convinced convinced us, which sounds very musical but is terribly real and prosaic, to a hobby and a basketball press in a country like Spain where the sport of the basket had lived the silver of Los Angeles as their wonderful dream of a summer and the announcement of Lisbon 99, with practically similar protagonists. But it did not seem real to believe that we could be candidates for the next step, the boycott of the USSR and the fact that in the Portuguese capital it was a junior championship towards not believing at all. Although they had been peeking for that paradise for six years.
2006, 2007 and 2008 were a strawberry field forever. Although it was not simple in offices, but the players showed that they were not very influenced by what was not the court. Nothing was real but everything was true. We did not know during, nor the later 15 years. Because it was still winning at European level, even the Spanish team got another Olympic silver in the next cycle and even another world gold with two survivors (Marc Gasol and Rudy) about ten years later. But that was to be firm candidates to win the world championship and the Olympic. Without competitive breaks, without another destination.
What moves the world is the promise of love and what ends up writing in books is the achievement of it. Since they were the Junior world champions the fifth of the 80s, everything was to wait with more or less certainty. Less believe those who had not seen it, plus those inside the locker room. The selection of those years implemented the habit of having common jokes prepared where they changed names in the t -shirts, they had every summer songs that were imposed without obligation to memorize and sing all … and other rituals that we will not know. All this was a time before the matches, it did not matter a friendly in Badajoz than before the Olympic final in Beijing. Even the coach on duty (in these times they were Pepu and Aíto) had to wait for the last verses to finish the tactical talks. And not vice versa.
Who saw Spain play all those years found that common pattern, but from the World Cup in Japan the Juo in China won the world, they lost the Olympic gold against USA with Kobe and LeBron almost asking for the time and silver of the Eurobasket of Madrid was considered in its day as a failure despite the fact that we only separated a wrong release of Pau Gasol. That was the standard of the moment.
How to explain that looking from the distance and after the four Eurobaskets achieved later the most amazing thing is that the real breakdown of all competitive roofs was between 06 and 08. Since those Olympic Games finished, there have been six European selections championship celebrations and the six, four have won Spain. With truffled templates of players born in 1980 or without them. Until now, and many years have passed. Opening the way is this.
Pau Gasol and Navarro as apogee leaders. Garbajosa and Mmbrú as competitive animals prepared for what was needed. Carlos Jiménez, the best Calderón and Berni as the three most trained prepared to follow the plan but also to get on the pirate ship. Felipe and Marc Gasol contributing the land body and the placement instinct. And to contribute magic according to the year: Chacho or Ricky. And from the bench the elastic man, Rudy Fernández, winning actions.
And the most important thing in the triennium was the way of playing … or at least in 2006. The rest was born from that inertia. Successes, medals and absence of fear. There has not been a more overwhelming quintet than that of that year: Calderón, Navarro, Jiménez, Garbajosa, Pau. Each at his best, the most experienced, Jiménez was always his best moment, always brilliantly solved the less contrast parts in the game. And the other 4 … baskets could be generated with or being possible, without a blackboard. But with the Spanish bodium to know how to pass the ball. Neither were the best physically, but that facet or in everything else was not so important, Spain could match or overcome you.
The World Cup in Japan was to touch the sky of globality for the first time, the 2007 Eurobasket left bad taste because the previous script when celebrated in Spain was signed without a place in alternative late. And there basketball became capricious, reaffirming its random condition as a good game that remains. Russia and Jr Holden took that window of opportunity. The 2008 games were not simple, the traumatic departure of Pepu Hernández de la FEB gave way to a different coach profile, Aíto García Reneses who wanted to do things in his own way. In some ways or others, for more friction that there was the situation it was always the same again:
– Who do we play against? Well, no matter, let’s win.
Living with your eyes closed before the games is easy. And sometimes it is healthy mentally. Whenever you have them well open when the initial leap takes place. The one who plays has more options to lose.
In the final of 2008, Kobe Bryant sent the FIBA world to shut up while Rudy Fernández closed Dwight Howard’s mouth but we all opened it at home, unforgettable Mata. In the last play, the Navarro bomb ironized taking 5 steps without bounted, the complaint without listening to the tournament. Spain was hurt for having lost, I still didn’t know that eternity won in that mythical encounter that will always be in our hearts. There are ends won of 20 points that we have forgotten despite the brightness, there are lost endings of which we are still displayed.
That generation of players was born as a group and lived, adding colleagues, convinced that it had to be and that they would always win. They almost always won. A mixture of a certain unconsciousness, joy and determination. That shattered the best rival scouting.
John Lennon died murdered the year that the founding nucleus of the best Spaniards who have played basketball was born, in 1980. And in Andalusia, where the concentrations and tours of the National Team always began, it was where the leader of The Beatles composed Strawberry Fields Forever. An invitation to live without worries, some of the Almeria town he rented reminded him of a garden of his childhood.
Spain from 2006 to 2008 is the happiest era of our basketball, a homeland in itself. A recreation of three summers in a row without justification of absence. He arrived at the right time of maturation of those legendary players. To those who solemn were left over because they wanted to continue running, lighting, laughing and winning. It was his strawberry field, it was our most initiatory enjoyment. From Saitama to Beijing.
Because I’m going to Strawberry Fields
And there is nothing to worry about
Strawberry Fields forever
Living with closed eyes is easy
Misunderstanding everything you see
It is difficult to be someone
But everything will look good
I don’t care much
Let me take with me
Because I’m going to Strawberry Fields’
Nothing is real
And there is nothing to worry about
Strawberry Fields forever
Photo: Getty images and giant file
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