Gino
10-28-2008, 10:30 AM
Pretty funny....although they list a lot more than five reasons. They just group reasons together.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/10/27/20081027spurs.html
1. The Spurs' mastery of the flop
Maybe its the recent influx of foreign talent from soccer-playing countries. Maybe poor officiating is to blame. For whatever reason, the flop is more prevalent than ever in the NBA, and the Spurs have it down pat.
Yes, there are players from every team that exaggerate fouls and throw themselves to the floor. But the Spurs have won four of the past 10 championships, and their mastery of the flop has helped spread its cause. Shameful.
2. The Spurs' complaint department
When flopping all over the court doesn't get the job done, the Spurs employ their special routine of relating to NBA officials.
Step 1: Plead your case any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 2: Express disbelief any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 3: Show outrage any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-3. The calls will eventually go your way.
3. The Spurs' incredible luck
5 reasons we love to hate the San Antonio Spurs
"It's better to be lucky than ..."
Since 1985, the NBA has had a draft lottery in place to discourage teams from losing intentionally (thereby improving their draft status), but that hasn't stopped non-contenders from trying.
During the 1996-97 season, the Spurs realized they weren't going to compete for an NBA championship with center David Robinson battling injuries, so they decided to sit the All-Star for all but six games. By tanking the season (they finished 20-62), the Spurs gave themselves a great shot at the No. 1 draft pick.
The 1996-97 Spurs bench: David Robinson sat out 76 games and Sean Elliott missed 43 that season.
Photo: Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images
At that time, 7-foot Wake Forest star Tim Duncan was just polishing off a four-year collegiate career. As luck would have it, the Spurs were awarded the top overall pick (their second - Robinson was No. 1 in 1987) and the no-brainer selection landed in San Antonio's lap.
Naismith College Player of the Year Tim Duncan meets his biggest fan in 1997.
Photo: Craig Jones/Allsport
In their defense, the Spurs have managed to win consistently in a smaller market by making shrewd front-office decisions, but it never hurts to be lucky.
Missed it by that much: In four decades of existence, the Suns have never been awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The closest they have come is the two No. 2 picks: 1987: Armon Gilliam (San Antonio took David Robinson), 1969: Neal Walk (Milwaukee took Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after a coin flip with Suns).
4. The Spurs' questionable tactics
Shaquille O'Neal recently let Spurs coach Gregg Popovich know what he thinks about the Hack-A-Shaq strategy. Cowardly or not, intentional fouls are allowed and NBA fans just have to live with it. Playing dirty, however, is something that should not be tolerated.
After Game 2 of the 2007 Western Conference semifinals vs. the Spurs, Amaré Stoudemire let the world know how he felt about the Spurs and Bruce Bowen in particular.
"It was a wide-open play," he said. "I saw the replay and Bruce Bowen came up behind me, measured his feet and kicked me purposely in the back of my Achilles. That was a dirty play.
"I hope the NBA looks into in and takes a look at Bruce Bowen. In Game 1, I told Bruce to calm down because he might get somebody hurt out there. He had a 'don't care' type of attitude. And it showed in Game 2, when he kicked me purposely in my Achilles. I almost came down wrong and he almost caused an injury. He's known for doing that. I just hope the NBA and the commissioner takes a look because it's definitely a dirty play and that's not something we need. ... The Spurs are a dirty team."
Aside from violating the rule of providing bulletin-board material for the opposing team, Stoudemire may have made the series get even dirtier. Just two games later in the series, Robert Horry delivered the hip-check that forever altered the Suns-Spurs rivalry.
5. The Spurs' unlovable core of players
Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan. Manu Ginobili. Tony Parker. Over the past seven seasons, this quartet has helped deliver three of the Spurs' four championships, not to mention countless moments of heartbreak to Suns fans.
Bruce Bowen
Considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, Bruise Bruce Bowen was named to his eighth consecutive All-Defensive team last season.
However, Bowen's resume also should include his vile collection of cheap shots. Bowen doesn't just bring smothering defensive pressure to the court. He is also a black belt in tripping, kicking, elbowing and undercutting. (More on that here.)
As the biggest cheap-shot artist in the league, Bowen is despised by players, owners, executives, bloggers and most non-Spurs fans. Millions will celebrate the day he retires from the league. And to top it all off, Bowen is a big Dallas Cowboys fan.
Tim Duncan
Duncan will go down as one of the best big men ever to play in the NBA. Mr. Fundamental is sound in every facet of the game (aside from perimeter shooting … but that didn't stop him from making a killer 3-pointer vs. the Suns in last season's playoffs).
However, there is plenty to dislike about Timmy. First off, he may be the single most boring superstar in the history of the game. Also, in over a decade in the NBA, Duncan has never accepted a foul called against him – ever. (For more on the Tim Duncan face click here - from the clever staff at Basketbawful.)
Alas, Duncan has owned the Suns when it counts the most. In his career, Duncan has played 30 playoff games vs. Phoenix, with a 20-10 record ... his retirement can't come soon enough.
Manu Ginobili
Ginobili was awarded the 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year award, given to the best player in a reserve role. But Ginobili wasn't much of a benchwarmer. He started 23 of the 74 games he played last season, and trailed only Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in minutes per game (31.1). He also was a multiple MVP winner in Europe before joining the Spurs in 2002.
However, Ginobili brings more than pop off the bench. Argentina's favorite basketball player also brings plenty of flop. Whether its his Euroleague background or tricks learned growing up in a soccer-loving country, Ginobili loves spending time on his back ... and as stated previously, the Spurs embrace that style of play.
When Amaré Stoudemire was pointing out the Spurs' dirty tactics during the 2007 playoffs, Stoudemire recalled a play where Ginobili earlier that season had kneed him in the crotch. Class act.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker is consoled by an NBA official.
Photo: Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic
Tony Parker apparently has no problem with self-confidence. Then again, why would a 26-year-old with three NBA championship rings married to a Hollywood starlet have issues?
"When there is talk about the best point guards, sometimes they don't talk about me," Parker says. "They can talk about Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and Chris Paul. I still have the most rings."
Yes, Mr. Eva Longoria, your jewelry defines you.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/10/27/20081027spurs.html
1. The Spurs' mastery of the flop
Maybe its the recent influx of foreign talent from soccer-playing countries. Maybe poor officiating is to blame. For whatever reason, the flop is more prevalent than ever in the NBA, and the Spurs have it down pat.
Yes, there are players from every team that exaggerate fouls and throw themselves to the floor. But the Spurs have won four of the past 10 championships, and their mastery of the flop has helped spread its cause. Shameful.
2. The Spurs' complaint department
When flopping all over the court doesn't get the job done, the Spurs employ their special routine of relating to NBA officials.
Step 1: Plead your case any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 2: Express disbelief any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 3: Show outrage any time a foul is not called in your favor.
Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-3. The calls will eventually go your way.
3. The Spurs' incredible luck
5 reasons we love to hate the San Antonio Spurs
"It's better to be lucky than ..."
Since 1985, the NBA has had a draft lottery in place to discourage teams from losing intentionally (thereby improving their draft status), but that hasn't stopped non-contenders from trying.
During the 1996-97 season, the Spurs realized they weren't going to compete for an NBA championship with center David Robinson battling injuries, so they decided to sit the All-Star for all but six games. By tanking the season (they finished 20-62), the Spurs gave themselves a great shot at the No. 1 draft pick.
The 1996-97 Spurs bench: David Robinson sat out 76 games and Sean Elliott missed 43 that season.
Photo: Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images
At that time, 7-foot Wake Forest star Tim Duncan was just polishing off a four-year collegiate career. As luck would have it, the Spurs were awarded the top overall pick (their second - Robinson was No. 1 in 1987) and the no-brainer selection landed in San Antonio's lap.
Naismith College Player of the Year Tim Duncan meets his biggest fan in 1997.
Photo: Craig Jones/Allsport
In their defense, the Spurs have managed to win consistently in a smaller market by making shrewd front-office decisions, but it never hurts to be lucky.
Missed it by that much: In four decades of existence, the Suns have never been awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The closest they have come is the two No. 2 picks: 1987: Armon Gilliam (San Antonio took David Robinson), 1969: Neal Walk (Milwaukee took Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after a coin flip with Suns).
4. The Spurs' questionable tactics
Shaquille O'Neal recently let Spurs coach Gregg Popovich know what he thinks about the Hack-A-Shaq strategy. Cowardly or not, intentional fouls are allowed and NBA fans just have to live with it. Playing dirty, however, is something that should not be tolerated.
After Game 2 of the 2007 Western Conference semifinals vs. the Spurs, Amaré Stoudemire let the world know how he felt about the Spurs and Bruce Bowen in particular.
"It was a wide-open play," he said. "I saw the replay and Bruce Bowen came up behind me, measured his feet and kicked me purposely in the back of my Achilles. That was a dirty play.
"I hope the NBA looks into in and takes a look at Bruce Bowen. In Game 1, I told Bruce to calm down because he might get somebody hurt out there. He had a 'don't care' type of attitude. And it showed in Game 2, when he kicked me purposely in my Achilles. I almost came down wrong and he almost caused an injury. He's known for doing that. I just hope the NBA and the commissioner takes a look because it's definitely a dirty play and that's not something we need. ... The Spurs are a dirty team."
Aside from violating the rule of providing bulletin-board material for the opposing team, Stoudemire may have made the series get even dirtier. Just two games later in the series, Robert Horry delivered the hip-check that forever altered the Suns-Spurs rivalry.
5. The Spurs' unlovable core of players
Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan. Manu Ginobili. Tony Parker. Over the past seven seasons, this quartet has helped deliver three of the Spurs' four championships, not to mention countless moments of heartbreak to Suns fans.
Bruce Bowen
Considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, Bruise Bruce Bowen was named to his eighth consecutive All-Defensive team last season.
However, Bowen's resume also should include his vile collection of cheap shots. Bowen doesn't just bring smothering defensive pressure to the court. He is also a black belt in tripping, kicking, elbowing and undercutting. (More on that here.)
As the biggest cheap-shot artist in the league, Bowen is despised by players, owners, executives, bloggers and most non-Spurs fans. Millions will celebrate the day he retires from the league. And to top it all off, Bowen is a big Dallas Cowboys fan.
Tim Duncan
Duncan will go down as one of the best big men ever to play in the NBA. Mr. Fundamental is sound in every facet of the game (aside from perimeter shooting … but that didn't stop him from making a killer 3-pointer vs. the Suns in last season's playoffs).
However, there is plenty to dislike about Timmy. First off, he may be the single most boring superstar in the history of the game. Also, in over a decade in the NBA, Duncan has never accepted a foul called against him – ever. (For more on the Tim Duncan face click here - from the clever staff at Basketbawful.)
Alas, Duncan has owned the Suns when it counts the most. In his career, Duncan has played 30 playoff games vs. Phoenix, with a 20-10 record ... his retirement can't come soon enough.
Manu Ginobili
Ginobili was awarded the 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year award, given to the best player in a reserve role. But Ginobili wasn't much of a benchwarmer. He started 23 of the 74 games he played last season, and trailed only Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in minutes per game (31.1). He also was a multiple MVP winner in Europe before joining the Spurs in 2002.
However, Ginobili brings more than pop off the bench. Argentina's favorite basketball player also brings plenty of flop. Whether its his Euroleague background or tricks learned growing up in a soccer-loving country, Ginobili loves spending time on his back ... and as stated previously, the Spurs embrace that style of play.
When Amaré Stoudemire was pointing out the Spurs' dirty tactics during the 2007 playoffs, Stoudemire recalled a play where Ginobili earlier that season had kneed him in the crotch. Class act.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker is consoled by an NBA official.
Photo: Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic
Tony Parker apparently has no problem with self-confidence. Then again, why would a 26-year-old with three NBA championship rings married to a Hollywood starlet have issues?
"When there is talk about the best point guards, sometimes they don't talk about me," Parker says. "They can talk about Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and Chris Paul. I still have the most rings."
Yes, Mr. Eva Longoria, your jewelry defines you.