Ode to Jorge Garbajosa

In North America, this is the kinda guy we call ‘hard’ (in Spanish: ‘el es muy caliente’). Nah, forget it. This man is beyond hard. He is hardcore. He is what every single teammate wants beside him.

People say he’s nothing more than a “glue-guy,” but he’s so much more than that. Glue holds tables together; Jorge makes a team go. He’s a momentum-changer and a silent motivator. He inspires.

This is a guy that went from this (don’t play if squeamish) . . .

. . . to this, in just over 3 months.

He was supposed to be out at least 6 months, but is now trying to get the clearance to play in a meaningless EuroBasket tournament in early September. I call it meaningless because it’s a qualifier for the Olympics where Spain has already secured a spot. But it means a lot to Garbo. I’m sure he didn’t think twice about suiting up for his country. This man loves his homeland, his teammates, and the game of basketball. This is the guy that wanted to watch his own surgery. You try and look this guy in the face and tell him you’re too tired to move your feet on defense; try and tell him you can’t do it. With all he’s been through, he’ll see right through your weakness.

After the horrific accident, Al Jefferson wondered why Garbo tried to block his shot when he had a clear lay-in. Jefferson just doesn’t get it. You can’t change Jorge. Hell, if he could do it all over again, Garbajosa would still try and swat that shot.

The word “warrior” gets thrown around a lot in the sporting world, but it has meaning for Hairy Jorge. Considering the Raptors players are what most people acknowledge as “good guys”, you have to believe when they’re on the same court as him, they realize the kind of man they’re playing with.

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By Tas Melas at 4:02 pm on 08.14.2007 — Tags: Jorge Garbajosa, Raptors

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8 Responses to “Ode to Jorge Garbajosa”

  1. Loren at 4:37 pm on 08.14.2007

    I was at that Toronto-Boston game. Somehow the injury didn’t look as bad from the nosebleeds. But then again it wasn’t replayed over and over on the big screen.

    It even took us a while to figure out why play was being stopped.

  2. Will at 6:05 pm on 08.14.2007

    Hey Tas, do you think you could arrange to pay Jorge 20 bucks or something to stroke him off? I think you’d probably enjoy that.

    But I did enjoy your post. How soon till you guys record again?

  3. Tas Melas at 6:56 pm on 08.14.2007

    Why the hell would I have to pay him? He’d have to pay me for these magic hands.

    We really, really, really wanna get back on the podcasting train. Next week Skeets and I will be cutting eachother up in audio form. Book it.

  4. J.E. Skeets at 7:13 pm on 08.14.2007

    Jorge, I am too tired to try and move my feet on defense.

    There.

  5. NDEddieMac at 7:23 pm on 08.14.2007

    Excellent, I need more TBJ podcasts. But I do love the new food of posts, keep ballin boys

  6. MattB at 8:20 pm on 08.14.2007

    I just looked up “wawaweewa Sexy Time” and Jorge was there

  7. stopmikelupica at 1:19 am on 08.15.2007

    Tas, I told you before… if you want a pseudo-Greek on the Raptors to root for, take Carlos Delfino. He has your typical Greek tendencies - he likes girls that wear black pants/jeans, he like techno, and he’s okay with the occasion backdoor pass. From another guy.

    I demand you start obsessing over Carlos, and leave Jorge to the Spaniards.

  8. Jose Calderon = Wanted Free Agent : The Basketball Jones at 1:14 pm on 11.05.2007

    […] Jose, allowing him to be the player he was in Europe here in Toronto. When Garbo suffered that gruesome leg injury, the pair’s bond was easily evident. Calderon’s eyes opened wide and he appeared ready […]

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