ShoogarBear
06-10-2005, 05:43 PM
Typical unimaginative nonsense. Used to be you actually had to know how to write to work for Sports Illustrated. But the replies from you guys who take this seriously will be entertaining.
Link (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/chris_mannix/06/10/spurs.boring/index.html)
Just win, baby
Stylish the Spurs aren't, winners they are
Posted: Friday June 10, 2005 12:09PM; Updated: Friday June 10, 2005 12:09PM
Nobody likes the Spurs.
Let's face it, if you aren't living in San Antonio and weren't one of the thousands of Spurs fans donning face paint and packing the SBC Center Thursday night, you may not like them either. They're annoying. On one hand you have Manu Ginobili, the pinballing Argentinean whose floor burns are starting to become a fashion statement. On the other is Bruce Bowen, who may be the only starter in the league who can play 35 minutes, score zero points, and still call his night a success. Ray Allen doesn't like Bowen. Vince Carter doesn't like Bowen. It's enough to wonder if Bowen even likes Bowen. You think he would trade those defensive awards for maybe one or two trips to the All-Star game and a shot at a scoring title? Don't forget, Rick Pitino once said Bowen was a jump shot away from being a great player -- then again, Pitino said that about everybody.
The point is the Spurs are not a fun bunch to play. Nor are they an engaging bunch in following the lead of their purposefully bland leader, Tim Duncan.
But they just keep winning.
If you're one of the 37 fans that watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals last night in its entirety, you have to wonder if this team can be beat. The Spurs started sluggishly, but that was to be expected. They had been calcifying for eight days after dispatching the Suns in the conference finals. But after falling behind by as many as 11 points in the first half, San Antonio found its game. And the Pistons didn't stand a chance.
Sitting in press row Thursday night, it was stunning how ineffective the vaunted Pistons defense was against the Spurs' backcourt, especially Ginobili. Rip Hamilton wasn't strong enough to guard him and Tayshaun Prince wasn't quick enough to stay with him. Play him tight, Ginobili blows by you; give him some space, he hits the jumper. In short, he has become impossible to guard. Now I have my suspicions that when the Olympic gold-medal winner goes to the rim he doesn't have any intention of scoring, but rather is out merely to create the necessary contact to get to the free throw line. No matter, the man gets the job done.
But a lot of the reasons why the Spurs took Game 1 can be found in the Pistons' .377 shooting mark from the floor. And a lot of the credit for that goes to Bowen.
With apologies to the orbiting Ron Artest, Bowen is the best on-the-ball defender in the league. He's quick, he's fast and his hands are in constant motion. More important, Bowen is smart. How many times have you heard what a cheap shot artist Bowen is, or how his style is more suited for playing with pads than in shorts? And that's what Bowen wants you to think because that's when he has you. "I'm in your head," Bowen must think. "You're thinking about me when you dribble. You're thinking about me when you shoot. Complain all you want. I'll laugh my way all the way to another diamond ring."
Seriously, how many players could average 0.0 points in a seven-game series and still warrant consideration for Finals MVP?
History will invariably remember the Spurs as a boring bunch. Hell, you could move the team to Negril, hire dancing girls and make cliff jumping part of the halftime show and you would still struggle to find an audience. History will remember that. But history will also remember what the Spurs have done. It's what they have done all along. Win.
Link (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/chris_mannix/06/10/spurs.boring/index.html)
Just win, baby
Stylish the Spurs aren't, winners they are
Posted: Friday June 10, 2005 12:09PM; Updated: Friday June 10, 2005 12:09PM
Nobody likes the Spurs.
Let's face it, if you aren't living in San Antonio and weren't one of the thousands of Spurs fans donning face paint and packing the SBC Center Thursday night, you may not like them either. They're annoying. On one hand you have Manu Ginobili, the pinballing Argentinean whose floor burns are starting to become a fashion statement. On the other is Bruce Bowen, who may be the only starter in the league who can play 35 minutes, score zero points, and still call his night a success. Ray Allen doesn't like Bowen. Vince Carter doesn't like Bowen. It's enough to wonder if Bowen even likes Bowen. You think he would trade those defensive awards for maybe one or two trips to the All-Star game and a shot at a scoring title? Don't forget, Rick Pitino once said Bowen was a jump shot away from being a great player -- then again, Pitino said that about everybody.
The point is the Spurs are not a fun bunch to play. Nor are they an engaging bunch in following the lead of their purposefully bland leader, Tim Duncan.
But they just keep winning.
If you're one of the 37 fans that watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals last night in its entirety, you have to wonder if this team can be beat. The Spurs started sluggishly, but that was to be expected. They had been calcifying for eight days after dispatching the Suns in the conference finals. But after falling behind by as many as 11 points in the first half, San Antonio found its game. And the Pistons didn't stand a chance.
Sitting in press row Thursday night, it was stunning how ineffective the vaunted Pistons defense was against the Spurs' backcourt, especially Ginobili. Rip Hamilton wasn't strong enough to guard him and Tayshaun Prince wasn't quick enough to stay with him. Play him tight, Ginobili blows by you; give him some space, he hits the jumper. In short, he has become impossible to guard. Now I have my suspicions that when the Olympic gold-medal winner goes to the rim he doesn't have any intention of scoring, but rather is out merely to create the necessary contact to get to the free throw line. No matter, the man gets the job done.
But a lot of the reasons why the Spurs took Game 1 can be found in the Pistons' .377 shooting mark from the floor. And a lot of the credit for that goes to Bowen.
With apologies to the orbiting Ron Artest, Bowen is the best on-the-ball defender in the league. He's quick, he's fast and his hands are in constant motion. More important, Bowen is smart. How many times have you heard what a cheap shot artist Bowen is, or how his style is more suited for playing with pads than in shorts? And that's what Bowen wants you to think because that's when he has you. "I'm in your head," Bowen must think. "You're thinking about me when you dribble. You're thinking about me when you shoot. Complain all you want. I'll laugh my way all the way to another diamond ring."
Seriously, how many players could average 0.0 points in a seven-game series and still warrant consideration for Finals MVP?
History will invariably remember the Spurs as a boring bunch. Hell, you could move the team to Negril, hire dancing girls and make cliff jumping part of the halftime show and you would still struggle to find an audience. History will remember that. But history will also remember what the Spurs have done. It's what they have done all along. Win.