A Memphis Grizzlies Fan’s Love Letter to Marc Gasol

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Elizabeth Smith

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Courtesy of Elizabeth Smith

Sometime around July 1st, I began to worry about what life would be like without Marc Gasol in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform. Ok, so I started to worry more like the week after our season ended in the Western Conference Semifinals. Who am I kidding? After the disappointment of losing to the Warriors sunk in on Friday night, May 15, the worry started worming its way in. If I’m going to be completely honest, then I have to admit that I’ve been thinking about Marc’s possible departure from the Grizz for a good part of the 2014-15 season. Every now and then when he became visibly frustrated on the court, the thought would creep back in. But I pushed it to the side.

What would we do without Big Spain? Would Zbo be so upset if Gasol doesn’t come back that he demands a trade? Will Mike Conley re-signing be in jeopardy because we didn’t bring his buddy Gasol back? Thoughts like this ran through my head at a rapid rate. Don’t misunderstand me; I know in my head that life goes on and the team won’t fall apart just because one player leaves. As an emotional fan, though, the idea of Marc Gasol leaving the Grizzlies was enough to strike fear in my heart, as it did in the basketball hearts of many others.

My first assignment was to write this love letter as a Grizzlies fan to Marc Gasol. I could write about all the basketball reasons: Marc is arguably the best Center in the game today. Gasol, is as of now, the only All-Star Starter the Grizzlies have ever had. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year. He is a deft passer, a cerebral player, for all accounts an excellent teammate, a team-first player, a Spanish National Champion, an Olympic medalist…I could list his basketball accomplishments in paragraph after paragraph. I could quote stat after stat illustrating what Marc Gasol does for the Memphis Grizzlies. But guess what? That’s not all Marc is to Grizzlies fans.

Marc Gasol is a part of the community in Memphis. He’s an Ambassador for St. Jude Hospital. He shops here with his wife. He chooses to raise his child here. He talks well of the city and the fans. Gasol doesn’t have a habit of complaining in the media. He doesn’t have a huge chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t feel the need to consistently attempt to prove himself to anyone. He doesn’t crave the attention of the media or the adoration of his peers. In all actuality, it seems that sometimes all of the attention that he receives makes him uncomfortable. The spotlight isn’t where he wants to be. He just wants to do his job, win, and go home. That’s a quality that is most definitely worthy of our respect.

This is not to say that we don’t get frustrated with Gasol at times. The frustration of the fans over the delay in agreeing to a deal is the least of our worries now. Did any of you really think he was leaving? Don’t be silly! We become frustrated when we feel he isn’t aggressive enough on the court. I can’t count the number of times I have complained about the way he seems to disappear during games. I might or might not have said “Darn it Marc! You’re over 7 feet tall. Get in there and bully that fool. Don’t let him play you like that!” I’ve complained about him not being as aggressive or as tough as I would like him to be. To be honest though, I have never given up on him. He always gives fans a reason to come back.

I look back at what I’ve written here and remember that I was really supposed to be writing a love letter to Gasol as a Grizzlies fan. That’s not really what it looks like is it? Here I am calling him out for the things I don’t like but not really giving him credit for what he does for the Grizz. Well, my love letter to Marc really should look more like this:

Dear Marc Gasol,

The things that you do for this team don’t go unnoticed. We see your unselfishness, your versatility, your leadership both on and off the court, your tremendous defense, your loyalty, your ‘team before self’ attitude and the fact that you care so deeply about what you do. We see you visiting with kids at St. Jude. We see the work you do through the Gasol Foundation helping teach young people to lead healthier lives. We recognize the work that you put into your game. We love you so much that you were named CA’s Sportsperson of the Year in 2012 .

Marc, we love you because you of your glorious self-buttslap. We love your passion for the game. We love that you don’t make excuses. We love the fact that you care about us as a city, as a franchise, and as a fanbase. We just really love that you love Memphis. We’re here for you, Marc. We are so grateful that you want to be here for us.

Grizzlies Fans Everywhere

My fellow Grizzlies fans, take heart in this: Marc Gasol chose US. He picked the Memphis Grizzlies over the ‘sexy’ teams, over the big cities with all the lights, and over the big stars he could have played with. He chose the city of Memphis: where he went to high school, where he has developed relationships, and where he has played for his entire NBA career. He chose the city who loves him, the fans who adore him, and the small market team who has his back. He believes in this team and its commitment to ‘playing the right way’ and chasing a championship. MARC GASOL CHOSE US…a statement that’s music to Grizz fan’s ears.