McDonald: Obama Topic Of Conversation In Spurs Locker Room

[duncan228]

Obama topic of conversation in Spurs locker room (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Obama_topic_of_conversation_in_Spurs_locker_room.h tml)
Jeff McDonald

Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. woke up from his pregame nap Tuesday afternoon to an ovation. It was coming out of his television set.

Mason had rolled out of bed at 10 a.m. to watch coverage of Barack Obama's presidential inauguration, but soon fell asleep.

“I woke up just as Obama was doing his walk,” Mason said. “Everybody was cheering.”

It was a feel-good day of television for Mason, who grew up in Washington, D.C., a political junkie. As a 16-year-old, he scored a ticket to President Clinton's second inauguration from a high school classmate.

“I went to Sidwell with Chelsea Clinton,” Mason said, referring to the prestigious D.C. prep school that now counts Malia and Sasha Obama as pupils. “I remember what a big deal that was, seeing the President taking the oath.”

Tuesday, Mason watched on television as Obama became the first African American to take that same oath. When he played in Washington last season, Mason participated in a fundraiser for Obama.

“It just makes you proud for our country,” Mason said. “It shows how far we've come, not just for one ethnicity or race, but all of us. We're all part of history.”

The inauguration was the major topic of conversation in the Spurs' locker room before and after Tuesday's 99-81 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Michael Finley, who was born and raised in Obama's adopted hometown of Chicago, watched the ceremony with his 4-year-old daughter, Micah.

“It was a very historic day, not only for African Americans, but for people as a whole,” Finley said. “Me and my daughter sat down and watched it even though she really didn't understand. It was an exciting day.”

Streak stopper: The Spurs held Indiana swingman Danny Granger to 17 points, ending a string of 16 consecutive 20-point games that was the league's longest.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave Finley the lion's share of the credit for helping to slow the NBA's leading scorer not named Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. Granger made just 5 of 15 shots.

“We know when he plays well, their team has a real good chance of winning,” Finley said. “Our emphasis was to make his catches tough, make his shots tough, and not let him get into a comfort zone.”

Croshere gets minutes: Halfway through the 10-day contract he signed Friday, Austin Croshere made his second appearance, logging 10 minutes, 45 seconds in the blowout.

The team had timed Croshere's contract to encompass six games, hoping to give him the longest look possible. Tuesday's game — which came against an Indiana team with which he spent the first nine of his 11 seasons — finally gave Croshere a chance to extend himself.

He did not score, missing all three of his field-goal attempts, but did grab three rebounds.

“It's been a while since I've been in a game situation like that,” he said. “You can get on the treadmill, get some shots up (in practice) and dummy the plays, but it's not the same as going through it on the court.”

[itzsoweezee]

“I went to Sidwell with Chelsea Clinton,” Mason said, referring to the prestigious D.C. prep school that now counts Malia and Sasha Obama as pupils.

wow, mason is obviously a really smart dude. is he the smartest spur? i remember jaque vaughn had a 4.0 gpa when he was at kansas.

[baseline bum]

i remember jaque vaughn had a 4.0 gpa when he was at kansas.

:wow

[phyzik]

I REALLY hope Obama does well as our Nations president but I cant help but feel people are expecting too much out of him just because of his race.

Bush was a bad president but people need to look at what he had to deal with. To me, 9/11 is too easily forgoten in regards to his presedency. He was a fucktard with Iraq, definately, not to mention a ton of other things but Bush was under alot of pressure with what was going on in the world. Make no mistake, Im not defending his dumbass choices but hindsite is 20/20.

I can only hope Obama shines in this trying time as much as people expect him too but I have a feeling that people are expecting too much of him and are going to be let down when he doesnt reach that plateau that people are expecting him to. I voted for him. I just hope he can deliver. Im not a religious person at all (just look at the religious threads in the Club) but if there is a God out there then please let him Bless America! :tu

[Dave McNulla]

I REALLY hope Obama does well as our Nations president but I cant help but feel people are expecting too much out of him just because of his race.

Bush was a bad president but people need to look at what he had to deal with. To me, 9/11 is too easily forgoten in regards to his presedency. He was a fucktard with Iraq, definately, not to mention a ton of other things but Bush was under alot of pressure with what was going on in the world. Make no mistake, Im not defending his dumbass choices but hindsite is 20/20.

I can only hope Obama shines in this trying time as much as people expect him too but I have a feeling that people are expecting too much of him and are going to be let down when he doesnt reach that plateau that people are expecting him to. I voted for him. I just hope he can deliver. Im not a religious person at all (just look at the religious threads in the Club) but if there is a God out there then please let him Bless America! :tu
nobody is expecting too much of him. they're happy about the breaking of the glass ceiling. they're happy that bush is out of office (even most republicans were sick of his incompetence). and they're happy for a chance at sanity in the nation's leadership.

btw, they'll be complaining in two years. how popular was reagan in 1982? not so much.

[phyzik]

nobody is expecting too much of him. they're happy about the breaking of the glass ceiling. they're happy that bush is out of office (even most republicans were sick of his incompetence). and they're happy for a chance at sanity in the nation's leadership.

btw, they'll be complaining in two years. how popular was reagan in 1982? not so much.

Your telling me, after all the "dinner plates" and "coins" and people naming their children after him that they are NOT expecting too much from him? Im sorry, but your dellusional. I for one am EXCITED that the "galss ceiling" has been broken.... and Im white! I was one of 3..... THREE.... white people that went to Jefferson Highschool in my time there. One of which was my brother. Im not at ALL saying that I experienced the crap that we white people put our African American brothers through, but I would like to think I have a unique prespective on the situation.

To think that his presidency and Bush's incompetence as our nations leader is the only reason people are excited is sheer blindness. I am jubilant for the change! I feel blessed for being able to witness the event that occurred yestarday, but the media has been hyping up Obama so much that I just feel people are expecting way too much from his Presidency and thats all Im trying to say.

[mystargtr34]

The Spurs can put this victory down to Michael Finley, the Spurs best defender not named Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, Manu Ginobili, Matt Bonner or George Hill.

[phyzik]

Sorry for the thread jack...... Gino tore it up tonight! He is the sole reason we won tonight.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

The Spurs can put this victory down to Michael Finley, the Spurs best defender not named Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, Manu Ginobili, Matt Bonner or George Hill.

:lol


Sorry for the thread jack...... Gino tore it up tonight! He is the sole reason we won tonight.

Nah, they were so bad that even if he'd been average we would've won. Poor Indy never had a hope.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dont give a shit no more

the spurs have got to win the championship this year, why?

get invited back into the white house and challenge Obama to a game of horse, 1on1 or 5on5 basketball.....

we shouldve sign obama to a 10day contract

[m33p0]

The Spurs can put this victory down to Michael Finley, the Spurs best defender not named Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, Manu Ginobili, Matt Bonner or George Hill.
so you're saying Michael Finley... the Michael Finley... is a better defender than Tony Longoria? interesting. :stirpot:

[Supergirl]

Yeah, I was thinking that about Mason too. I also didn't know he was the same age as Chelsea Clinton. I can't believe she's in her 20's now. Yikes.

Duncan's pretty smart, too. don't know what his grades were like at Wake Forest, but if you've ever heard him interviewed you can tell he's quite smart.

[ClingingMars]

wow, mason is obviously a really smart dude. is he the smartest spur? i remember jaque vaughn had a 4.0 gpa when he was at kansas.

yeah, i mean the guy went to UVa, you can't get accepted there without being an intelligent person.

-Mars

[urunobili]

HOPE over FEAR...

[bigdog]

so you're saying Michael Finley... the Michael Finley... is a better defender than Tony Longoria? interesting. :stirpot:

In my opinion, Tony isn't a very good defender.

[de Soto]

What? Obama doing away with the NBA dress code? Gangsta gear allowed from now on? :rollin

[z0sa]

In my opinion, Tony isn't a very good defender.

Tony is good but just lets people shoot over him .. he's got a big problem, very honestly, with putting some jump in a contest. A hand at the other guy's chin isn't going to do jack in the NBA.

[DieMrBond]

The Spurs can put this victory down to Michael Finley, the Spurs best defender not named Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, Manu Ginobili, Matt Bonner or George Hill.


so you're saying Michael Finley... the Michael Finley... is a better defender than Tony Longoria? interesting.

I believe it says "the Spurs best defender not named Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen".

[MarHill]

I REALLY hope Obama does well as our Nations president but I cant help but feel people are expecting too much out of him just because of his race.

Bush was a bad president but people need to look at what he had to deal with. To me, 9/11 is too easily forgoten in regards to his presedency. He was a fucktard with Iraq, definately, not to mention a ton of other things but Bush was under alot of pressure with what was going on in the world. Make no mistake, Im not defending his dumbass choices but hindsite is 20/20.

I can only hope Obama shines in this trying time as much as people expect him too but I have a feeling that people are expecting too much of him and are going to be let down when he doesnt reach that plateau that people are expecting him to. I voted for him. I just hope he can deliver. Im not a religious person at all (just look at the religious threads in the Club) but if there is a God out there then please let him Bless America! :tu


Interesting Post.....

This is a sports forum but obviously we just had history made yesterday.

That's great!

But I have to take issue about G.W. Bush being incompetent. He kept our country safe for seven years after 9/11 and if there had been another attack on American soil during his presidency...he would have been blame for it until the day he died.

He did make his mistakes and deserves criticism for it. But it easy for the public and media to criticize Bush. But, a leader has to make difficult decisions whether they are popular with the public or not. And now Obama is going to find out things a lot different now that he's the president and not a Senator from Illinois running for President.

I believe history will be favorable towards Bush like Harry Truman and there are 50 million people in Iraq who are glad that American forces are there and kept up with the surge.

However, I respect the office of the presidency and we are the only nation in the world where we can showcase a peaceful transition of power and put a mixed race man in as President.

:flag:

[DROB4EVER]

Cant wait to see how these guys respond to paying 50% tax! We will see if how pumped they are about Oboma then.

Change is comming people......comming out of your pockets!

[DROB4EVER]

The Bush bashing just shows how retarded most people in this country are. Go look at any country you want and see how the Dems wanna run this country the same way, People will beg for Bush if we continue on this path to nationalization!

That said, I hope Obama doesnt screw up too bad over his 4 years, but all that talk of a new day and change is bull shit.......just look at all the old criminals he has on his staff.

GO SPURS!!! SPURS NEED CHANGE..........A CHANGE AT THE CENTER SPOT!!!