I’ll be honest with all of you. I consider Mr. Ben York a personal friend and usually enjoy his takes on everything from the Suns to the WNBA. I can’t say the same for his post entitled,
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
I live by a simple montra as a Suns fan, if you wear purple and gold or black and silver, you’re dead to me.
It’s just that simple. No frills, no grey area and no exceptions.
I stick so closely to this rule that I wouldn’t care if Steve Nash, Jarded Dudley, Kevin Johnson, my dad and my wife all were traded to the Spurs organization. I’d disown them all in a heart beat.
Don’t believe me? Back in the early ’90s I was the biggest Charles Barkley fan in the Valley (please no fat jokes, I’m still sensitive about it). Back then my “dead to me” list consisted of the Bulls, Lakers and Rockets. When news broke that Sir Charles was headed to wear the Rockets’ red and gold (or blue and red, whatever it was), I officially became his biggest detractor. I got rid of anything I owned that was associated with the “Round Mound of Rebound’s” time in the Valley in protest, which meant I had to replace half my wardrobe and everything on my walls. I take it that seriously.
I feel like I need to channel my inner Michael Corleone and say to Ben, “you’re like my brother, and I love you. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.”
Respecting a Spur for his athletic prowess may have been acceptable prior to 2007. Simply losing to a team in the playoffs isn’t enough reason to completely dislike all things associated with them. The second Robert Horry sent Steve Nash careening into the scorers table in San Antonio, everything changed.
Not only did Horry create the biggest “what if” moment in Phoenix sports history, he forever cemented the San Antonio Spurs and those associated with them as “persona non grata” in the Valley of the Sun.
So a memo to Mr. York and any other Suns fan who wants to confess even the slightest bit of admiration for the San Antonio Spurs, don’t bother.
As Michael Corleone said, He should be careful. It’s dangerous to be an honest man.
