duncan228
05-03-2009, 07:09 PM
Spurs' early exit bittersweet for Missions (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Spurs_early_exit_bittersweet_for_Missons.html)
Richard Oliver
Missions president Burl Yarbrough wants to make it clear that he is not a circling vulture.
As the Spurs' season ground to a disappointing halt a few days back, he was not dancing a jig in front of his TV set, raising toasts to Mark Cuban or sticking needles in a Gregg Popovich voodoo doll.
Yarbrough, bless his businessman's heart, knows how important the Spurs are to San Antonio and its collective psyche.
But he has a suggestion today.
Now that pro basketball has taken an early exit, perhaps pro baseball will be just the salve for your wounded soul.
“This is a nice place to come and just relax and put all your worries away,” Yarbrough said. “The economy, swine flu, the Spurs losing early — come on out and forget about all that.”
Forgive the Missions' boss if he's being a bit opportunistic. Since 2000, the last time the Spurs were bumped from the postseason in the first round, Yarbrough and his staff have done everything short of blanketing the seats in dollar bills to get San Antonio fans into Wolff Stadium as the NBA playoffs dragged into the summer.
For 10 straight years, the Spurs have won at least 53 regular-season games and played deep into May, cutting into the meat of the Missions' spring schedule, as well as potential media coverage and interest in anything not wearing silver and black.
“Neither of us would be very (political) in saying, ‘Oh, goodie,'” Texas League president Tom Kayser said about the Spurs' stumble. “The Spurs have a much greater impact in San Antonio. But with them not playing, of course it makes it easier.”
Indeed, the last time the Spurs failed to advance out of the first round was the 1999-2000 season, a year after San Antonio captured its inaugural NBA crown. As a result, eight times over the past decade, the Spurs have played into at least mid-May. Leading into this season, the Spurs had played at least until May 29 over the past three years.
“I don't think there's any question that when they play, at home or on the road, it affects our attendance,” Yarbrough said. “When they win and play through June, it affects us. This year, we'll have May to ourselves.”
It's a welcome development for the franchise, which has already been hurt this season by homestands falling on Easter Weekend and during Fiesta, both historic hurdles for attendance.
After hosting 14 games in April — six in direct conflict with Spurs games — the Missions will have 13 contests at Wolff Stadium this month, beginning May 9. Three of the homestands will occur over weekends.
“I think our team has always been a second-half team, and for the most part nobody paid attention to us until the Spurs were done,” Yarbrough said. “I told people, ‘We always wait until the Spurs are done to start playing well.' It's interesting, maybe we'll start playing well now.”
If that holds true, now would be good. Come July, the Dallas Cowboys' training camp arrives at the Alamodome.
“It's always something,” Yarbrough said.
But for a while, for a change, it may be something good.
Richard Oliver
Missions president Burl Yarbrough wants to make it clear that he is not a circling vulture.
As the Spurs' season ground to a disappointing halt a few days back, he was not dancing a jig in front of his TV set, raising toasts to Mark Cuban or sticking needles in a Gregg Popovich voodoo doll.
Yarbrough, bless his businessman's heart, knows how important the Spurs are to San Antonio and its collective psyche.
But he has a suggestion today.
Now that pro basketball has taken an early exit, perhaps pro baseball will be just the salve for your wounded soul.
“This is a nice place to come and just relax and put all your worries away,” Yarbrough said. “The economy, swine flu, the Spurs losing early — come on out and forget about all that.”
Forgive the Missions' boss if he's being a bit opportunistic. Since 2000, the last time the Spurs were bumped from the postseason in the first round, Yarbrough and his staff have done everything short of blanketing the seats in dollar bills to get San Antonio fans into Wolff Stadium as the NBA playoffs dragged into the summer.
For 10 straight years, the Spurs have won at least 53 regular-season games and played deep into May, cutting into the meat of the Missions' spring schedule, as well as potential media coverage and interest in anything not wearing silver and black.
“Neither of us would be very (political) in saying, ‘Oh, goodie,'” Texas League president Tom Kayser said about the Spurs' stumble. “The Spurs have a much greater impact in San Antonio. But with them not playing, of course it makes it easier.”
Indeed, the last time the Spurs failed to advance out of the first round was the 1999-2000 season, a year after San Antonio captured its inaugural NBA crown. As a result, eight times over the past decade, the Spurs have played into at least mid-May. Leading into this season, the Spurs had played at least until May 29 over the past three years.
“I don't think there's any question that when they play, at home or on the road, it affects our attendance,” Yarbrough said. “When they win and play through June, it affects us. This year, we'll have May to ourselves.”
It's a welcome development for the franchise, which has already been hurt this season by homestands falling on Easter Weekend and during Fiesta, both historic hurdles for attendance.
After hosting 14 games in April — six in direct conflict with Spurs games — the Missions will have 13 contests at Wolff Stadium this month, beginning May 9. Three of the homestands will occur over weekends.
“I think our team has always been a second-half team, and for the most part nobody paid attention to us until the Spurs were done,” Yarbrough said. “I told people, ‘We always wait until the Spurs are done to start playing well.' It's interesting, maybe we'll start playing well now.”
If that holds true, now would be good. Come July, the Dallas Cowboys' training camp arrives at the Alamodome.
“It's always something,” Yarbrough said.
But for a while, for a change, it may be something good.