Stop the presses...ESPN First Take Talks Spurs during 1st & 10

[SenorSpur]

It's true. This morning on ESPN's First Take, during the popular segment 1st & 10, analysts Ryen Russillo and Stephen Bardo actually discuss whether or not the Spurs are a threat to come out of the Western Conference.

The only downer for the segment is that popular diabolic player hater, and noted Spurs homer, Skip Bayless, was not at the desk today.

What is interesting about this is, and for those who don't know, is that for months, producers of the show have banned Bayless from discussing or even referring to his favorite team. As a discussion topic, the Spurs were off limits, for reasons no one has explained. No matter how successful the team has been so far this season, Bayless couldn't mention them directly during any 1st & 10 discussion segments. He could only give vague references to the silver & black, when making a point.

Now they wait until he's not there to feature the Spurs is a discussion segment.

A replay of the broadcast is starting now...@ 11:00AM CST.

[Taco]

:lol

Did you see Tim Legler valantines praise for the Spurs last night :lol

[SenorSpur]

:lol

Did you see Tim Legler valantines praise for the Spurs last night :lol

Missed it.

[Russ]

Actually, Bardo said he likes the Lakers over the Spurs.

He said things are starting to go wrong for the Spurs. Pop yelled at Duncan the other night and "that never happens." :lol

[SenorSpur]

Actually, Bardo said he likes the Lakers over the Spurs.

He said things are starting to go wrong for the Spurs. Pop yelled at Duncan the other night and "that never happens." :lol

That was pretty funny. He seemed to imply that the because Pop yelled at Duncan, that somehow something is askew in their relationship. He also claimed that this supposed incident happened a couple of nighs ago, when it was just last night. It's clear Bardo doesn't know squat about the Spurs.

[DesignatedT]

They already talk about it?

[lefty]

Man, thos SOBs really want to jinx us


:pctoss

[SenorSpur]

They already talk about it?

They did, but there is a replay of the entire telecast that started at the top of the hour. The 2nd down segment that features the Spurs should be up in about 20-25 mins from now.

[DesignatedT]

thanks.

[Neo.]

:cry :cry no one talks about the spurs :cry :cry

[will_spurs]

Actually, Bardo said he likes the Lakers over the Spurs.

He said things are starting to go wrong for the Spurs. Pop yelled at Duncan the other night and "that never happens." :lol

Whereas nothing is starting to go wrong with the Lakers. Losing by 20 against the Bobcats is actually a sure sign the Lakers will repeat.

[SenorSpur]

Spurs segment forthcoming...

[alchemist]

Stopped watching that show recently, Bardo's reply about Tim/Pop tells you everything about the show/network.

[Shifty]

Actually, Bardo said he likes the Lakers over the Spurs.

He said things are starting to go wrong for the Spurs. Pop yelled at Duncan the other night and "that never happens." :lol

It wasn't said as a joke? Wow!


Whereas nothing is starting to go wrong with the Lakers. Losing by 20 against the Bobcats is actually a sure sign the Lakers will repeat.

:lol

[honestfool84]

can somebody post this for those who don't have BSPN?

[SenorSpur]

can somebody post this for those who don't have BSPN?

Summary in paraphrase:

Bardo: I can't buy into the Spurs because, even though they're healthy now, the way they're trying to pace and preserve Tim Duncan, while expecting him to hold up through the playoffs doesn't give me confidence. DeJuan Blair is a beast on the glass, but once you get past Duncan, the backline of the Spurs is smallish. Gary Neal and George Hill are good players, and I give credit to the Spurs for infusing the team with some youth. Overall, the Fakers have too much size and have the two rings. When it's all said and done, I have to put my money on the Black Mamba and the Fakers.

Russillo: At the beginning of the season, a lot of us thought the Spurs were done - especially the way the ended the season last year. As the year has gone on, and you see the record they've amassed, I've starting to buy into the Spurs. I mean 45-9. We're talking 45-9! This is not some upstart team that has gotten off to this ridiculously absurd record. This is the Spurs - a team that has been through the battles and have had championship success. in their own right. One of the reasons that they've stumbled in year's past was due to poor health. Now, their key players (Parker, Ginobili and Duncan) are all healthy. They've added some youth and are playing at a quicker pace. Meanwhile the Fakers are struggling and looking old. I find it hard to believe the Spurs wont be the team that emerges from the West.

[TampaDude]

Whereas nothing is starting to go wrong with the Lakers. Losing by 20 against the Bobcats is actually a sure sign the Lakers will repeat.

:lol

[honestfool84]

Summary in paraphrase:

Bardo: I can't buy into the Spurs because, even though they're healthy now, the way they're trying to pace and preserve Tim Duncan, while expecting him to hold up through the playoffs doesn't give me confidence. DeJuan Blair is a beast on the glass, but once you get past Duncan, the backline of the Spurs is smallish. Gary Neal and George Hill are good players, and I give credit to the Spurs for infusing the team with some youth. Overall, the Fakers have too much size and have the two rings. When it's all said and done, I have to put my money on the Black Mamba and the Fakers.

Russillo: At the beginning of the season, a lot of us thought the Spurs were done - especially the way the ended the season last year. As the year has gone on, and you see the record they've amassed, I've starting to buy into the Spurs. I mean 45-9. We're talking 45-9! This is not some upstart team that has gotten off to this ridiculously absurd record. This is the Spurs - a team that has been through the battles and have had championship success. in their own right. One of the reasons that they've stumbled in year's past was due to poor health. Now, their key players (Parker, Ginobili and Duncan) are all healthy. They've added some youth and are playing at a quicker pace. Meanwhile the Fakers are struggling and looking old. I find it hard to believe the Spurs wont be the team that emerges from the West.


:tu awesome. thank you, i appreciate this!

Bardo is an ass... cheers, Russillo.

[jimo2305]

Russillo: At the beginning of the season, a lot of us thought the Spurs were done - especially the way the ended the season last year. As the year has gone on, and you see the record they've amassed, I've starting to buy into the Spurs. I mean 45-9. We're talking 45-9! This is not some upstart team that has gotten off to this ridiculously absurd record. This is the Spurs - a team that has been through the battles and have had championship success. in their own right. One of the reasons that they've stumbled in year's past was due to poor health. Now, their key players (Parker, Ginobili and Duncan) are all healthy. They've added some youth and are playing at a quicker pace. Meanwhile the Fakers are struggling and looking old. I find it hard to believe the Spurs wont be the team that emerges from the West.
This is 100% correct.. i wonder why the other talking heads can't get this thru their thick skulls.. here's to hoping rusillo doesn't get fired for that statement

[duncan228]

Meanwhile, Page 2 gets silly.


Spurs vs. Lakers: Comparing the current road trips (http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=6124842)
by Vincent Thomas
Special to Page 2
ESPN

On Jan. 31, 2010, Kobe Bryant hit the winning shot against the Celtics in Boston. It was the Lakers' seventh game in 10 days on the road, as the Grammy Awards took over Staples Center.

Hours after Kobe's game-winner in Boston, Taylor Swift stood on a stage in Staples and accepted the Album of the Year award for "Fearless."

Kanye West did not join her on stage.

This past Sunday, in the fifth game of a seven-game, two-week road trip, Kobe shot 8-of-18 in a loss at Orlando as Arcade Fire closed out the Grammys after winning Album of the Year for "The Suburbs."

Meantime, the Spurs are in the midst of a nine-game trip lasting nearly three weeks as cowboys, rodeo clowns and farm animals take over the AT&T Center for the San Antonio Stock and Rodeo Show.

It's an annual rite for the Spurs and Lakers to be forced out of their home arenas as they embark on two-week road trips (respectively referred to as the rodeo and Grammy road trips). The Hollywood Lakers get to steppin' for the rock stars and, deep in the heart of Texas, the Spurs make way for bulls and heifers.

This has been a major recurring story during recent seasons because the road is a treacherous place, even for contenders. The Lakers have had their issues in the past, but are currently 4-2. The Spurs are 6-2 this year after going just 4-4 last season.

So with these squads temporarily evicted from their houses by Jonas Brothers rehearsals and Swifty Swine Pig Races (http://www.swiftyswine.com/home.htm), Page 2 provides a little more information about each event:

Read More » (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=thomas/110215_lakers_spurs_road_trips&sportCat=nba)

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=6124842

[cheguevara]

^ the writter with his favorite player

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/img/Screen%20shot%202010-06-26%20at%202.14.56%20PM.png

[concken]

Haha I wonder what Skip woulda said. Thanks for the good news

[crc21209]

Bardo clearly doesnt watch enough NBA Basketball. He came off as a guy who tried "too hard" to make it seem like he watches the Spurs...when he really doesnt. The guy is an NCAA Basketball "expert," so no surprise there....

[honestfool84]

^ the writter with his favorite player

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/img/Screen%20shot%202010-06-26%20at%202.14.56%20PM.png

:ihit

[m33p0]

Meanwhile, Page 2 gets silly.

Kanye West did not join her on stage.

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=6124842

well, thank goodness for that. we don't want a repeat now, would we? now, if it were justin beiber... hurhur :downspin::downspin::downspin:

oh, yeah. fakers can suck monkey balls.

[Obstructed_View]

You mean there was a Laker fan on an ESPN show who said that regular season record doesn't matter because Kobe is so competetive that nothing can hold him back? Did he make sure and yell BLACK MAMBA, because he could lose his Laker Fan Club card if he doesn't.

[honestfool84]

:lol

[JTSD]

Okay, but honestly where is the uproar from when ric bucher, who was sitting across from skip on Friday, 2/10, made comments to the effect of "Tim Duncan is barely holding it together, and I doubt he will make it through the playoffs."

Hope somebody taped last Friday's first take show to get that documented...

Anyone care to comment on that?

bucher said he was gonna be on the show through his twitter account along with having a chat that same day. Did anyone catch either please?http://twitter.com/RicBucher/status/36083858269016064
How does one call bucher out for his comments? Anyone?

[Obstructed_View]

Ric's clearly not watching the Spurs, why would he bother to pay attention to anyone calling him out? Seriously, someone who has the chutzpah required to go on TV and talk out of their ass doesn't care what anyone thinks.

[K-State Spur]

Okay, but honestly where is the uproar from when ric bucher, who was sitting across from skip on Friday, 2/10, made comments to the effect of "Tim Duncan is barely holding it together, and I doubt he will make it through the playoffs."


I think everybody here is well aware that Bucher is an idiot - it's beyond laughable at this point.

Hell, in a chat last week, he said that the Spurs weren't serious contenders because a team can't win the title with their big man shooting as many jump shots as Duncan does. ...Later in the chat he discusses Boston as one of the favorites, apparently completely unaware that KG gets more of his offense from jumpers than Tim would ever dream of.

[BlairForceDejuan]

Ric Buchner is just butthurt that Pop treats him like shit during the in-game interviews.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

:lol

Did you see Tim Legler valantines praise for the Spurs last night :lol
That was pretty good! :lol

[703 Spurz]

Actually, Bardo said he likes the Lakers over the Spurs.

He said things are starting to go wrong for the Spurs. Pop yelled at Duncan the other night and "that never happens." :lol

Are we 13 year old girls or some bullshit? I can't believe grown men actually have discussions like this, on national TV no less.

[SenorSpur]

Bucher's idiocy can likely be attributed to too much salt water in his ears from his constant surfing.

Seriously, it's almost like some of these analysts are seemingly hoping and wishing that the Spurs don't stay healthy. Probably so they can continue butt-kissing the Fakers and Celtics.

[Mel_13]

Seriously, it's almost like some of these analysts are seemingly hoping and wishing that the Spurs don't stay healthy.

Some of these guys have been writing obituaries for the Spurs since 2006 or earlier. Another successful season in San Antonio just doesn't fit with their narratives. They just want the Spurs to go away so they can talk Lakers, Celtics, and LeBron.

[hater]

Like I said in the other thread. The butthurt of ESPN towards Spurs is reaching epic proportions, similar to feud of Fox news and Obama goverment. I guess they were salivating at the thought of Heat vs. Lakers or at least Celtics vs. Lakers Finals.

Pretty soon they will have commercials in between games about Spurs Care and how Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker don't have American birth certificates. :pctoss

[Shifty]

Pretty soon they will have commercials in between games about Spurs Care and how Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker don't have American birth certificates. :pctoss
:lol:lol

[bigfan]

I dont care if Bayless is a fan, the dude is 100% dickweed. I cant stand him.

[SenorSpur]

Some of these guys have been writing obituaries for the Spurs since 2006 or earlier. Another successful season in San Antonio just doesn't fit with their narratives. They just want the Spurs to go away so they can talk Lakers, Celtics, and LeBron.

Which is another reason why I hope the Spurs win the title. As much as I want them to win because I'm a fan, the side benefit for me would be watching just how much "gnashing of teeth" would occur throughout the NBA landscape. Imagine how it would play out if the NBA's "Ultimate Intruders" were to "upset the applecart" by first dethroning the 2-time defending NBA champs and then were to show up in the Finals and "ruin the party".

Everyone from the analysts, the commish, advertisers and the casual NBA fans, would be in an uproar. I would absolutely love it.

For a team that flies so far "below the radar", has players who are consummate professionals and that play the game the right way, it's amazing that the Spurs garner so much disgust from the "style and flash" NBA populace - including the home office in New York.

[Sean Cagney]

Whereas nothing is starting to go wrong with the Lakers. Losing by 20 against the Bobcats is actually a sure sign the Lakers will repeat.

Yep, squeaky clean there, nothing to see and all good in LA land right now! No problems at all.

[PublicOption]

typical ESPN take:

Spurs suck and we will find every reason why the spurs suck.

Lakers are great and we will find every reason(excuse)to make them seem great.

[jjktkk]

Okay, but honestly where is the uproar from when ric bucher, who was sitting across from skip on Friday, 2/10, made comments to the effect of "Tim Duncan is barely holding it together, and I doubt he will make it through the playoffs."

Hope somebody taped last Friday's first take show to get that documented...

Anyone care to comment on that?

bucher said he was gonna be on the show through his twitter account along with having a chat that same day. Did anyone catch either please?http://twitter.com/RicBucher/status/36083858269016064
How does one call bucher out for his comments? Anyone?

Reply to his tweet.

[Obstructed_View]

I believe Ric lives somewhere up here by me. That would make him a Mavs fan. It would probably also require him to say bad things about the Spurs in order to keep his car from getting egged.

[Baseline]

Bucher is a wannabe California surfer boy who has a career due to the fact that he surgically attached himself to K. Bryant's backside. Here is the downlow about the tool from Wikipedia.

Soccer? Please. So what could Bucher possibly know about basketball at the highest level? He's like every other fan in LA who understands two things...1) The Lakers always win, and 2) K. Bryant is to be worshipped.
---------------------------

Born in Cincinnati (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Cincinnati), Ohio (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Ohio), to a Serbian father, Bucher is a 1983 graduate of Dartmouth College (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Dartmouth_College), where he played four years on the varsity soccer (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Soccer) team. Bucher has covered the NBA since 1992-93, and has been a professional writer for 22 years. He was a beat writer for the San Jose Mercury News (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/San_Jose_Mercury_News)[2] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-1) and The Washington Post (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_Washington_Post) before joining ESPN.[3] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-2) He lives in California (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/California) with his wife and two children.

[JTSD]

Reply to his tweet.

I would, but I don't tweet or have a twitter account. Can someone with a twitter account please ask ric what his exact comments were on first take last friday, and to expound on what he said about Tim Duncan? Why did he say it and what drove him to say it?

[jjktkk]

I would, but I don't tweet or have a twitter account. Can someone with a twitter account please ask ric what his exact comments were on first take last friday, and to expound on what he said about Tim Duncan? Why did he say it and what drove him to say it?

I got one, but from expierence, the sports writers only reply when you ask them within a couple of minutes of their posting their tweet. I highly doubt he would reply now. But Bucher and most of the BSPN guys have hated on the Spurs for years. Nothing new with those clowns.

[jestersmash]

The national media (ESPN included) has given the spurs quite a bit of positive press since December. Whether or not it's "enough" is totally in the eye of the beholder. Potentially "unfulfilled" praise notwithstanding, I personally find it odd that you found ESPN's 1st and 10 take on the spurs to be just grotesquely out of character or somehow a rarity of sorts. That's just not the case.

Russillo? Really? Really? The guy has given the spurs major attention/props for the past 3 months now. He's given Ginobili major props a number of times as well. I'm sorry that you missed it.

After listening to Russillo for so long (particularly his NBA Today podcast), the fact that he - once again - brought up the spurs as a threat to come out of the Western conference is rather pedestrian. He's been saying that for months now. This isn't anything new.


What is interesting about this is, and for those who don't know, is that for months, producers of the show have banned Bayless from discussing or even referring to his favorite team. As a discussion topic, the Spurs were off limits, for reasons no one has explained. No matter how successful the team has been so far this season, Bayless couldn't mention them directly during any 1st & 10 discussion segments. He could only give vague references to the silver & black, when making a point.


For your sake, I hope you didn't take Skip's comments at face value. You do realize that he was...joking, right?

[JTSD]

For your sake, I hope you didn't take Skip's comments at face value. You do realize that he was...joking, right?


What makes you think this is a joke that skip made up? Why couldn't it be some agenda by producers of the show as skip and others claim?
And if it was a joke, why still would this joke be a running joke going on for months and is still going on that I personally witnessed 2/10/11? I haven't been watching since then or if I have had they had to talk about the Spurs.
So why don't we all view it Thursday when they will surely discuss the lakers' loss to the cavs, and most likely discuss the Spurs matchup with the bulls? We can all comment on it afterwards...

[K-State Spur]

What is interesting about this is, and for those who don't know, is that for months, producers of the show have banned Bayless from discussing or even referring to his favorite team. As a discussion topic, the Spurs were off limits, for reasons no one has explained. No matter how successful the team has been so far this season, Bayless couldn't mention them directly during any 1st & 10 discussion segments. He could only give vague references to the silver & black, when making a point.

People here need to quit talking about Bayless as a Spurs' supporter.

Up through '05, he constantly slammed the Spurs as boring and bad for the game. When it became chic for everybody else in the media to call them boring and old, he then went the other way and started touting them.

He doesn't form his opinions based upon his own belief and analysis - he just wants to argue against what other people are saying.

[SenorSpur]

The national media (ESPN included) has given the spurs quite a bit of positive press since December. Whether or not it's "enough" is totally in the eye of the beholder. Potentially "unfulfilled" praise notwithstanding, I personally find it odd that you found ESPN's 1st and 10 take on the spurs to be just grotesquely out of character or somehow a rarity of sorts. That's just not the case.

Russillo? Really? Really? The guy has given the spurs major attention/props for the past 3 months now. He's given Ginobili major props a number of times as well. I'm sorry that you missed it.

After listening to Russillo for so long (particularly his NBA Today podcast), the fact that he - once again - brought up the spurs as a threat to come out of the Western conference is rather pedestrian. He's been saying that for months now. This isn't anything new.



For your sake, I hope you didn't take Skip's comments at face value. You do realize that he was...joking, right?

At first it did seem like a joke, then Skip admitted "on-air" that his producers dd, in fact, advice him to steer clear o the topic. Didn't know what to believe.

As for Russillo, you're correct. He has given the Spurs plenty of props over time. I get that. The fact of the matter is, up until now, I've not heard anyone boldly proclaim they would pick the Spurs over the Fakers, as the WC rep in the NBA Finals. Russillo has been so bold.

As for Bardo, he's got every right to pick the Fakers as his choice to win it all. The glaring issue with him is that, based on a couple of inaccurate statements, it's easy to tell that he isn't all that current on all matters Spurs-related.

[jestersmash]

At first it did seem like a joke, then Skip admitted "on-air" that his producers dd, in fact, advice him to steer clear o the topic. Didn't know what to believe.

As for Russillo, you're correct. He has given the Spurs plenty of props over time. I get that. The fact of the matter is, up until now, I've not heard anyone boldly proclaim they would pick the Spurs over the Fakers, as the WC rep in the NBA Finals. Russillo has been so bold.

As for Bardo, he's got every right to pick the Fakers as his choice to win it all. The glaring issue with him is that, based on a couple of inaccurate statements, it's easy to tell that he isn't all that current on all matters Spurs-related.

Interesting. That's sad if it's true. Imagine what might happen if ESPN spent a solid month or two deliberately hyping the spurs up. "These 2010-2011 Spurs are arguably the most interesting team to watch this season alongside the boston celtics! Their team and assist-oriented styles of play are nothing short of spectacular" etc etc. I wonder if ESPN could artificially drive ratings up for the spurs if they did this. The fact that the spurs are in a small market is only part of the problem, in my opinion. ESPN constantly touting the spurs as "boring" in the past quite possibly drove ratings down farther than what the spurs deserved.

ESPN complains that the spurs bring in poor ratings, and then attribute that to "boring" play. But, ironically, ESPN possibly drives ratings down further than expected by constantly calling them boring to begin with. They poison the spurs' reputation and simultaneously complain of the lack of an antidote. It's like...don't make the situation worse than it already is.

I harbor a healthy dose of hatred for ESPN, but to their credit, certain individuals have really tried to "change the tide" this season as far as the spurs' reputation is concerned. Russillo is definitely one of them. I think he provides remarkably neutral and well-informed takes on pretty much every team inthe league.

[jestersmash]

Now, if someone like Chris Broussard went out of his way to praise the spurs, that would be amazing :lol

[SenorSpur]

Interesting. That's sad if it's true. ESPN complains that the spurs bring in poor ratings, and then attribute that to "boring" play. But, ironically, ESPN possibly drives ratings down further than expected by constantly calling them boring to begin with. They poison the spurs' reputation and simultaneously complain of the lack of an antidote. It's like...don't make the situation worse than it already is.
Which is probably why there may be a shred of truth in the admission Skip made on-air last week. He certainly wasn't laughing or joking when he made that admission. In fact, he commented that the producers could probably here viewing changing the channel when there was a mention of the Spurs.