The San Antonio Spurs reveal that America is a nation of hypocrites.

[flipcritic]

From Slate Magazine. Old News for most of us here. But nice to see the acknowledgement

The Most Ignored Dynasty in Sports


The NBA’s most successful franchise reveals that America is a nation of hypocrites.


America—at least in its own imagination—stands for certain things. For the idea that hard work and sound judgment bring success, and that success deserves celebration. That winners should be celebrated as long as they play by the rules. That teamwork, leadership, loyalty, and excellence all count for something. And that’s why the San Antonio Spurs, currently riding a stupendous run of 19 straight victories, are America’s favorite professional basketball team.

http://j.mp/K9D9fU

[z0sa]

The problem isn't so much America, the people, as it is America, the corporate marketing machine.

[CosmicCowboy]

bullshit link

[ShoogarBear]

I get a warning when I click that link.

[CosmicCowboy]

If you click through it's a fucking herballife link

[urunobili]

spam

[xellos88330]

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/05/san_antonio_spurs_2012_the_nba_s_most_successful_f ranchise_reveals_that_america_is_a_nation_of_hypoc rites_.html

Real link to article here.

[flipcritic]

Not spam. Bit.ly shortener link. You can verify at http://j.mp

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The problem isn't so much America, the people, as it is America, the corporate marketing machine.

The NFL successfully markets GB which has even less interesting things to do and the weather is absolutely inhospitable and Pitt which is a shithole.

[Matty2Cool]

The problem isn't so much America, the people, as it is America, the corporate marketing machine.

it's still the people's fault for falling to mass marketing, mainstream media, pop culture, and being feeble minded sheep.

[z0sa]

The NFL successfully markets GB which has even less interesting things to do and the weather is absolutely inhospitable and Pitt which is a shithole.

I realize and I agree. The NBA and its affiliates have choices in who they market.

Obviously some of the onus is upon the casual fan for not being more entertained with good basketball and winning over high flying dunks and dramatic exit sequences but the reality is the NBA doesn't even try marketing the Spurs as exciting or enthralling or dramatic.

[ShoogarBear]

There’s a reason that Bridezillas is a show and there’s nothing called Reasonably Well-Planned Wedding Enjoyed by All. Americans don’t want excellence, and we certainly don’t want long-term sustained excellence. We want our dynasties to come with a side order of drama, controversy, and bad behavior. We want anti-heroes and the occasional impulsive retirement to pursue a baseball career. We want to watch a train wreck and then tut-tut in a smug self-satisfied way about the irresponsibility of the people who caused it. We want to maintain our high ideals, without needing to walk the walk. Nobody can hate the Spurs, so nobody wants to love them. It’s more comfortable for everyone if we can just pretend they don’t exist.

Wow, lol.

[OldSilentHill]

Most of that people can WATCH & DECIDE what team to adore, so I dont buy that "all blame on the media-marketing" thing :nope

[Solid D]

America, where Jersey Shore is viewed by more people than the State of the Union address on NBC.

[MannyIsGod]

Couldn't agree more with the paragraph the Shoog linked. Detroit in 2004 was the same. They were really ignored too. I don't think the Spurs teamwork is really as unique as is painted sometimes, though. While I think that the Spurs are pretty much the antithesis of Miami, not every team is Miami and there are other teams to get excited about besides the Spurs (based on the "other" things besides talent).

[pgardn]

I realize and I agree. The NBA and its affiliates have choices in who they market.

Obviously some of the onus is upon the casual fan for not being more entertained with good basketball and winning over high flying dunks and dramatic exit sequences but the reality is the NBA doesn't even try marketing the Spurs as exciting or enthralling or dramatic.

The NBA has force fed the young casual fan with the spectacular singular moments as stated above. It works fairly well. You can bet good HS and college coaches would tell their players to watch the Spurs over any other professional team.

This as well:
Competent, businesslike success gives us nothing to work with. Kobe Bryant’s egomaniacal play, LeBron James’ absurd television special, and Dwight Howard’s “should I stay or should I go” antics are polarizing. By inviting hatred and criticism, they promote response and enthusiasm. The all-consuming dysfunction of the Knicks fuels successive waves of outrage, hope, and resentment.

Notice the places mentioned are the large west and east coast markets as well. I would argue that businesslike for these Spurs is some beautiful basketball. Manu's ball fakes both off shots and passes could make a great highlight reel on their own. His shot fake should be required online learning. Duncans frggn hands and timing... maybe the best of all time for a man his size.

But these are not dunks.

[K-State Spur]

Many truths - although I will say that while the article mentions population, San Antonio is a smaller TV market than most of the cities that he puts behind them.

[Knoxxx]

These articles are the new rage, second one today. First was Spurs will win it, now its you are a douche for not playing attention and/or being able to name a single current Spurs player. Normally when you say Tim Duncan you at least get an "oh yeah" though. Mentioning Desperate Housewives still works sometimes too.

[benstanfield]

Most of that people can WATCH & DECIDE what team to adore, so I dont buy that "all blame on the media-marketing" thing :nope

How many Spurs games were nationally televised this year?

[Steve-O-Matic]

For all the complaining about how the media never talks about the Spurs there sure are a lot of media articles coming out every day talking about how nobody talks about the Spurs.

[tesseractive]

How many Spurs games were nationally televised this year?

In fairness, there have been more in years past. After going down in the first round last year, I think a lot of people nationally thought the Spurs were done.

Mind you, even in the best of Spurs years more national games will go to Lebron, Kobe, Durant, the Knicks, etc. But as long as we're supposed to be good, we get some national games.

[OldSilentHill]

How many Spurs games were nationally televised this year?

It matters? You can watch every game on internet this days. No excuses :toast

[bonnington]

Do you really care?

[Limguogolo]

When was the last time a great team has won so many games without an obvious leader? Spurs basketball is the celebration of the world way of play. The team before any player. And they do it with foreign players, far from the athletic stereotypes who's been the norm since Jordan. So that's not only the small market, that's also because American, medias, can't be able to identify with a team in its entirety. American culture prefers to focus on heroes, leaders. The rest of the world is more focused on other values, such as mutual aid, humility. We can see this major difference into cultures throw sports. Us sports like baseball, us football, golf, appeal to individual skills. In the world except usa, the most popular sport is football where individual skills are important but where you can win a game without playing with your teammates, making the good pass in the right moment rather than a force dribble or shot, where the individual defense doesn't exist anymore.

Popovic had this knowledge and a background in the army which as the same values. The philosophy in us sport has always been "the best man of the team takes the big shots". Here, with Pop and an international way of play, it's more "we will work to found the best shot possible, with right man at the right place at the right time -- play smart, adapt". Duncan was boring as hell ; Ginobili was a little flashy but not us (as Gasol) and Parker looks like your neighbor That disconcerting for us stereotypes. So people still saying that the Spurs are ugly, old, that Parker is not a top PG, etc. This is just a refusal, a way to deny that another way of play, other values, can win. Spurs can't be a good team... because there's no MVP. That's right, Parker is not a MVP. That's not because he's the best player this year of the team than he's the most valuable player at every game. When American talk about "team effort" it's mainly "defense". As a player, you are a franchise player, a defensive player, a shooter, a role player. In the Spurs, every players (or almost) should defend, rebound, pass the ball, score; and when a player can't do a specific thing: don't force on your weakness just because you're in the starting five or even the franchise player. Parker doesn't need to shot threes, he won't. And an open shot from an open "role player" teammate (if this is his shot) is always a best option than a force franchise player shot. Medias and fan love those spectacular shots coming from nowhere, forced, ugly, selfish. Yes, that's spectacular. But it's not efficient. The Spurs are more spectacular than previously, because of the pace, but they will never barter a spectacular unnecessary shot with a potential layup. "Yeah, but that's not spectacular: it's easy." Yes it's easy, common. That's not make good stories.

[Keepin' it real]

The San Antonio Spurs reveal that America is a nation of hypocrites.

So what? Republicans do that every day. :lol

[doobs]

That was a retarded article.

[skulls138]

From the article - "And I assure you that none of Duncan’s dunks were spectacular." Obviously written before last night.

[davidbowie]

can someone link to all the articles you guys are talking about...like the ones from the past few days talking about the spurs etc...sorry i just havent kept up recently...thnx

[mingus]

Blame Hollywood.

[gameFACE]

Yes, articles like this are popping up everywhere. Who knows what the result will be. I just agree with the people saying the NBA ignores and refuses to market the Spurs and most other smaller market teams.

From another article that may heve been pposted here:

The Spurs aren’t remotely boring. They’re poorly marketed by a commissioner and a league that overdosed on Michael Jordan and the celebration of individual over team. They’re poorly defined by media that are gutless, politically correct and lazy.

http://http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/San-Antonio-Spurs-winners-not-boring-Miami-Heat-culture-clash-America-needs-David-Stern-Michael-Jordan-052712


That is the very reason why, classles or not, I'll boo $tern every time that little fuck is in the ATT center.