Small jerseys and a big German Wunderkind....

Hola,

I have just started packing my stuff and as promised I wanted to create one last post before the actual trip starts writing about why I love Basketball and why I like Dirk Nowitzki so much.

Why do I like the NBA so much and US sports in general? Well hard to say, I guess it all started back in something like 1994 when my dad went on a business trip to LA. It was the days of Michael Jordan and little Peter was really really really small.

My dad brought me a gift when he came back which was a Michael Jordan Jersey of the Chicago Bulls. While scanning through my stuff because I have just recently moved into a new Appartment I found the Jersey actually...AND HOLY COW HOW SMALL WAS I BACK THEN :D

So the jersey on the left actually fits well today :)

Since then I started watching the Bulls a lot on German television and then in 1999 Dirk Nowitzki came into the league. As one can easily guess it is always easier to cheer for a team or be a fan of a sport when a fellow countryman is one of the best players on this planet. So I became a huge Dirk fanboy, watched NBA games all night long and always wanted to go to an NBA game.

At the same time basketball became really famous in Germany. With the support of HipHop it simply became really really cool to play Basketball. Baggy pants, sneakers and wearing an NBA jersey made you feel like a you are the MAN.

Dirk became quickly one of the best players of the NBA and was competing year after year for an NBA championship...and came short every damn year. While being really really good Dirk always stayed humble and hard working. That especially made me cheer for him so hard...even though it was tough falling short "with him" every year.

Now what really tied me to Basketball were basically 2 moments. In 2006 Dirk was in the NBA Finals, his team was up 2-0 games and everything just looked perfect for him winning a championship...and they fell short...again. Man was I frustraded, I thought I would simply quit on watching basketball, I couldnt feel more sorry for Dirk....but somehow I kept watching him play.

Then in 2011 he made it back to the NBA Finals, against the same team he had lost in 2006 he FINALLY won a championship. I remember I was watching the deciding game at 5 AM in the morning in Germany, I was running up and down in the house, I did everything i somehow could not to jynx Dirk and the mavs....and they made it...that was by far the best sport moment I have ever experienced.  One has to know that I am extremely emotional when I do and watch sports...thus those 2 moments really ripped my heart out and felt like the best thing that ever happened to me as well.

So Basketball gave me the single most disappointing and amazing sport moment of my life probably. I dont know how I will react when Germany becomes Soccer World Champion in Brazil next year (yes you read it here first, its gonna happen!)...but following Dirk throughout his career, through all ups and downs...will always be something else.

This interview just shows best why I like him so much. It is an interview right after winning it all...and it is breathtaking how humble he is and how you can see how satisfied he finally is...

Next to that I just love the US Sport system. Yes here and there it is too much marketing, those guys make WAY too much money but the Americans simply know how to create an amazing show. Period. What would I have given to study on one of the best basketball NCAA schools and root for my university? There are like 151123123123 sports channels in the US! There are shows talking about other sports shows that were dealing with a who cares ncaa football game? Thats just insane...but I somehow love it :)

Starting to pack right now as I will be quite busy until wednesday. Wednesday I will already  go up to Berlin to meet up with a good friend of mine, go partying with him and go karting and start the trip in style.

Thanks to all the readers again! I am beyond looking forward to that trip...next post will be up after the flight to Chicago summarizing the flight and the first NBA game of the Bulls (and probably some weird party pics from Berlin)