always had great admiration for Juanma López Iturriaga.
basketball game since I have, I know, put that 8 years and always played at Loyola Indautxu, the team where he started playing Iturriaga. So it is not surprising that the school was a landmark, and Michel Ureta-discoverer and one of our eternal coaches of those years "he told us over and over again how he persuaded quit hockey and focus to basketball.
Iturriaga At that time played for Real Madrid, Real Madrid was still basketball, and not now. The Real Madrid Romay, Rullan Corbalán and Fernando Martin. Real Madrid Hummel and Parmalat, I remember, Cibona Zagreb and Door Lintel. The Real Madrid of Lolo Sainz.
So Iturriaga was a myth to me, was "that of the school, the Bilbao" playing in Madrid. My brother was very fond of his cousin and I Descojonado only plate that I could give at that time to ask him for an autograph. Sometimes things are easier than they appear and a Sunday in those black and white descended to the door and the door was Iturriaga. I think he was looking for a flat to buy or what not, but I signed an autograph that I still have.
remember that Sunday night I had a radio program named ID (Sunday Night Iturriaga) and when he was the NBA All-Star was a lottery to guess the outcome and avoid the shirt you would like to that party. Imagine. And I still remember how I called from my brother's room to participate and when I asked if I wanted the jersey Jordan or Larry Bird I said "... I want yours, Itu!".
I am waning over the years, but then came to retire the legendary Caja Bilbao, who played in the box bursting with Kopicki, Lockhart and Román Carbajo. The Wonder Years.
Then, as life can be wonderful, we went for a couple of years or three at the campus basketball Iturriaga & Biryukov organized on the outskirts of Madrid. That was a week at the top of basket, and soon took us in Itu tell that we were "those of Loyola."
And you wonder what fly bit me with Iturriaga and the reason is very sencilla.Mi brother gave me his book "Before me forget "," I had to admit I ...- I had just bought, a lot of memories and memories of someone they have spent many interesting things in life and have played a bit to write, and the truth is that I love. There are 40 chapters, 40 memories wherever they go Michel Ureta, Carlini, "Magic" Johnson, Michael Jordan, Drazen Petrovic, Jose Antonio Figueroa, Larry Spriggs, Andrew Montes and many more. If I say something these names do not hesitate, go buy it because you will love.
I cried when I had to mourn, the chapter that talks about his son Mike is awesome, and I laughed with some really hilarious anecdotes.
Grande Iturriaga. Someday I will turn to cross and I'll tell you.