| Around The World In Nine Games Authored by Andrew Perna - January 12, 2009 - 3:56 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Merry Christmas, Raptors Fans The Raptors might not be playing good basketball right now, but there are plenty of things for Toronto fans to be thankful for this holiday season.
A Melo Behind The SuperstarsCarmelo Anthony has never been one of the league's most efficient offensive players.
 |
2009-10 Season Preview: Portland Trailblazers
The 08-09 Blazers transitioned into a young, perennial playoff team and they will need to prove themselves to be a fringe championship contender this season before competing for that distinction in earnest during the 10-11 season.
|
 |
New Season, Same Worries
The page has turned on a new season, but the Pacers are still struggling to find a second option behind Danny Granger and to stop opponents from lighting up the scoreboard.
|
 |
What To Make Of Gilbert And The Wizards
The Washington Wizards are probably the toughest team to predict in the NBA this season, but we saw good indicators despite a rough night against Atlanta.
|
|
More from RealGM's Columnists
|
| |
You'll find Knick fans in San Francisco, there are Laker fans in New York, and even some Pacer fans in Connecticut. Thanks to print, television and internet media outlets, fandom knows no geographical borders.
Of course, the NBA is followed all around the world. Commissioner David Stern prides himself on that, and is itching to move some regular season action overseas. Europe and Asia have been discussed for such an event, but there is another continent that lives and breathes basketball.
I have been known to complain about having to watch games that might not end until well after midnight on the East Coast, but that's nothing compared to what fans in Australia have to endure.
Following your favorite team from 'Down Under' involves getting up in the middle of the night to watch games, probing the internet and television for coverage and spending endless amounts of money just for the chance to see the team live.
A group of basketball fans, specifically of the Phoenix Suns, "met" each other on RealGM's forums and are now in the midst of a world wind trip (literally) just to give their favorite club some support of their season-long six-game road trip.
The men –- from South Australia, New Zealand, and Brisbane –- left their home continent on Jan. 12 and will ultimately land in Toronto on Jan. 18 for Phoenix's game against the Raptors. They will see all six games of the road trip (Boston, New York, Charlotte, Atlanta and Washington after Toronto) and then fly to Phoenix to watch the Suns at home against the Spurs, Bulls and Kings.
The group will be met by another member in Toronto -- apparently, 'Suns Fever' extends beyond North American borders as well. If you happen to be attending any of the nine games that these Phoenix fans will be at, look for the group of crazed fans with a purple monkey (their trip mascot) –- that's them.
They have even been featured on Suns.com –- Planet Orange, the team's social networking section.
I caught up with four of the travelers at the end of last week, mere days before their long, strange, and exciting trip began. I asked the quartet the same questions, and here are their responses:
--How are preparations for the trip coming along?
Sam Macey, TASTIC: Done and done. We have odd things to sort like when to see Niagara Falls.
Dan Meyer, Never Fear 33 Is Here: Pretty much done. We just got to get "the meeting each other" part out of the way.
Stafford Pascoe, -SDU-: Pretty good -- the first thing we did was get all of our game tickets sorted as that was the highest priority, and then after that, we really only finalized all our accommodation and travel times roughly four days ago. We have a plan in place -- all tickets purchased, hotels booked and car hired, so things look good.
--How did you all become Suns' fans?
SM: I always liked Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson as a kid. My Mum bought me a Godzilla vs. Barkley tee back in about 1994, and I had some KJ Converse shoes as well. And when Penny Hardaway, my favorite player, went to Phoenix it sealed the deal, so to speak.
DM: Largely due to Hill. Although the Suns were my "second favorite" team before Hill signed. I now consider myself to be a Suns fan for life. I also have a saying, "I have been a Suns fan my whole life...it just took until Grant Hill signed before I realized it."
Simon Bowie, KPCB34: I was a Barkley fan, and remained one when he left.
SP: When I was a kid I was a Hardaway fan and obviously followed him to the Suns, and as I got older my allegiances turned from the player to the team as I learned more about the game and became a true fan. I would consider myself a die-hard Suns fan.
--Are their any opposing players you are excited about seeing?
DM: Other than pretty much everyone. Chris Bosh, Jermaine O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Wilson Chandler, David Lee, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, D.J. Augustin, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison.
SB: Johnson, Lee, Derrick Rose, Garnett, Kevin Martin and (hopefully) Nathan Jawai.
SP: All the former Suns -- Eddie House, Tim Thomas, Quentin Richardson, Bell, Diaw, Johnson, Kurt Thomas, even Mike D’Antoni and Vinny Del Negro as coaches. The Bobcats-Suns matchup is the first since the trade for J-Rich and I can't wait for that. As for the other opponents, you can't look past guys like KG, Smith, Rose, and Butler.
--Who on the Suns has surprised you this season?
SM: Louis Amundson has been dynamite athletically and has entrenched himself down low on the offensive boards. Terry Porter's lack of tactics has been alarming also -- even some basic things just aren't getting done and the defensive schemes he tried have been abandoned. Doesn't matter how many bad eggs you use, they won't make a good omelet I guess. Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill both look amazing at times, Amare Stoudemire...I'm not sure...he doesn't look to be enjoying himself out there.
DM: Shaq to an extent, but Amundson a whole lot.
SB: Would have to be Lou as well. He's just an animal.
SP: I'd say Porter back flipping on his defense-first plan and going back to running, Shaq's good play, and Amundson, who has become my cult hero. He just crashes the boards and gives 200% all the time. You gotta love his effort off the bench.
--What goals do you think are attainable for Phoenix this season?
SM: Realistically, I think second round, maybe if we stay healthy and all goes well further, but I just don't see it. Teams will keep exploiting us defensively in the backcourt, and until we get a competent backup point guard, Steve Nash will be worn out again come late April/May.
DM: A Championship. Sometimes I see glimpses and think, yes we are getting it and other times I think -- what the heck? At this stage we are still feeling our way through. I just want to believe that we can get the job done, and until we haven't, I don't want to believe that we can't.
SP: The first goal is to make the playoffs. I think anywhere from fourth to ninth in the West is where we will finish and from there, its just a case of sink or swim -- and we definitely have the talent to win it all, but so do many other teams. It's just gonna come down to big plays, big players, injuries, and matchups -- we just have to take it from there
--What role has RealGM played in this trip?
SM: A huge role. I'd have never met all these idiots if not for RealGM and my life would be a lot better off financially [laughs]. I haven't been able to ban anyone yet [as a forum moderator], so I figure if you can't fight 'em, join 'em! Seriously though, the planning that the others have put into it is amazing, and it's awesome to share the experiences with not only die hard Suns fans, but genuinely good mates.
DM: It was the beginning of it all.
SP: All members of this trip are RealGMers and have been for a long time. In fact, only three of us have met each other. So we are all meeting together for the first time on the trip. There is no way this trip would be happening with this group had it not been for RealGM's forums.
Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM's Radio Show. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
